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There was a moment during the August publicity tour for the movie It Ends With Us when the mood online seemed to dramatically change. For months, fans had noticed something was amiss between the film's main stars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, who also directed the movie. For one thing, Lively's husband, fellow actor Ryan Reynolds, blocked Baldoni on Instagram — the ultimate snub in 2024. And it soon became apparent that Lively and Baldoni were not posing on red carpets together or doing joint interviews, despite being the movie's leads. But online speculation about a possible feud between the actors suddenly morphed into an internet pile-on, with TikTok, Reddit and X users blaming Lively for the drama surrounding the publicity tour. The 37-year-old was slammed for encouraging movie goers to "grab your friends, wear your florals and head out to see" It Ends With Us — a film about a domestic violence survivor named Lily Bloom. "Wear your florals? WTF? This isn't another Barbie movie type film. So damn tone deaf. This is why we need Justin to do the marketing," one Instagram user posted. "Mean girl vibes, Justin deserves better," said another. Lively was also criticised for spruiking her new hair care line, discussing her red carpet looks, and claiming credit for the final edit of the movie. Baldoni, meanwhile, was lauded online for raising awareness about domestic violence during the movie's publicity campaign. "If a Lily Bloom in real life can sit in this theatre, and make a different choice for herself than the one that was made for her, maybe she sees herself on that screen and chooses something different for herself," he said. Online, fans said Lively and her team had "bullied" Baldoni, and wrestled away creative control of the movie he directed, many using remarkably similar language in the comments. "Justin Baldoni, the man that you are, you deserve better," wrote one TikTok user. "Justin Baldoni, the man that you are, still such a caring and compassionate person after everything that's happened," said another. "Oh Justin Baldoni, the man that you are," wrote a third, along with a heart and crying emoji. Then old clips began to circulate online , in which social media users claimed Lively was being snippy or hostile to reporters during interviews. "Is Blake Lively set to be CANCELLED? String of 'hard to watch' videos that have surfaced following 'tone deaf' Q&A," the Daily Mail wrote in August. But Lively has now alleged in a legal complaint filed against Baldoni that the wild events of the It Ends With US promo tour were not just the internet taking sides in a Hollywood feud. The actress instead claims her co-star hired a crisis public relations expert to orchestrate a smear campaign against her. "Millions of people (including many reporters and influencers) who saw these planted stories, social media posts, and other online content had no idea they were unwitting consumers of a crisis PR, astroturfing, and digital retaliation campaign created and funded by Mr Baldoni and [his production company] Wayfarer to hurt Ms Lively," she said in her court filing. "That is precisely the goal of an astroturfing campaign — to light the fire and continue to stoke conversations secretly, blurring the line between authentic and manufactured content, and creating viral public take-downs." A lawyer for Baldoni's production company, Wayfarer, has vigorously denied the allegations , saying they are Lively's "desperate attempt to 'fix' her negative reputation". But the furore has raised questions about the role of astroturfing in manipulating public opinion. In a social media ecosystem already rife with misogyny, racism and aggression, experts say it's remarkably easy to shape the narrative around a public figure. Lively is not the only female celebrity to claim to have been the victim of online smear campaigns. Actor Amber Heard says she was the target of the same PR firm hired by Baldoni when she was sued for defamation by her ex-husband Johnny Depp. And the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, who once described herself as "most trolled person" in the world, appears to have also been the centre of a coordinated hate campaign of mysterious origins. 'Astroturf' is all around you Astroturfing is a deceptive tactic to fake a grassroots movement with the aim of influencing public opinion. It predates the internet — and the practice is not just limited to Hollywood. For example, in the 90s, the tobacco industry was facing increased restrictions and higher taxes as governments tried to dissuade people from smoking. To combat this, Philip Morris hired a PR firm that created a group called the National Smokers Alliance, a collection of thousands of apparently disgruntled tobacco users willing to fight for their right to smoke. But the group had quietly paid hundreds of people to recruit members in bars and bowling alleys across the United States, according to UK anti-smoking group, Tobacco Tactics. The rise of social media has only made it easier for political organisations and companies to engage in astroturfing without detection. Russia's attempts to influence the outcome of the US election in 2016 by hiring troll factories to sow discord online was an astroturfing campaign. Even social media influencers who spruik a product to their followers without disclosing the fact that they've been paid by a company to do so are technically engaging in astroturfing. No matter the strategy of an astroturfing campaign, the goal is always the same: to make an illusion feel like reality. At the heart of Lively's dispute with Baldoni is a debate over whether the damage to her reputation this year was his fault or hers. What we know for sure is that Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment during the production of It Ends With Us in 2023 — an allegation he denied. Then, during the film's publicity campaign, Baldoni feared Lively might leak damaging stories against him, so he engaged the services of crisis management expert Melissa Nathan to safeguard his reputation. Texts and emails obtained by Lively's legal team appear to show Ms Nathan, Baldoni, and his publicist Jennifer Abel, discussing the possibility of using astroturfing techniques. In one exchange between Baldoni and Ms Abel, he sent her a screenshot of a thread on X which claims to outline the bullying behaviour of a female celebrity. "This is what we would need," he allegedly wrote, according to Lively's complaint. The subpoenaed communications make references to "social manipulation" and "proactive fan posting," as well as celebrating that they were "crushing it on Reddit". "Socials are really, really ramping up. In his favour, she must be furious. It's actually sad because it just shows you have people really want to hate on women," Ms Nathan allegedly wrote to Ms Abel. But all of those allegedly involved in the smear campaign deny engaging in astroturfing, instead saying that the backlash against Lively was entirely her fault due to her own missteps. "No negative press was ever facilitated, no social combat plan, although we were prepared for it as it's our job to be ready for any scenario," Ms Abel wrote on Facebook. "But we didn't have to implement anything because the internet was doing the work for us. "Sure we talked about it, contemplated if we needed certain things, flagged accounts that we needed to monitor, worked with a social team to help us stay on top of the narrative so we could act quickly if needed, and yes, we rejoiced and joked in the fact that fans were recognising our client's heart and work without us having to do anything but keep our heads down and focus on positive interviews for our client." Lively is not the first high-profile woman to be smeared The crisis management team that represented Baldoni amid his alleged smear campaign against Lively is linked to several other embattled Hollywood stars. Ms Nathan and her firm, The Agency Group PR (TAG PR), have reportedly represented the rapper Drake, who was this year accused of having sex with underage girls — a claim he denies. The firm also reportedly worked with rapper Travis Scott after a crowd crush at his concert in 2021 resulted in 10 deaths and hundreds of injuries. On its website, the agency says it "redefines the rules of reputation management," with "years of success behind some of the most noteworthy, high-profile crisis and litigation events in recent history". TAG PR was also hired by Depp in 2022 when he sued his ex-wife Heard for defamation after she described herself as "a public figure representing domestic abuse". The jury may have found that both Depp and Heard defamed each other. But in the court of public opinion, she was deemed a psychopathic manipulator who sought to destroy her ex-husband by accusing him of domestic violence and sexual assault. After the trial, investigative reporter Alexi Mostrous spent a year looking into the origins of the online hate against Heard. In his podcast , Mostrous presents evidence that much of it was manufactured. An analysis of 1 million anti-Amber tweets found that more than half of them were "inauthentic", much of them spewed out by bot networks in Thailand and Spain. The source of the alleged smear campaign was never clear, but days after Lively filed her complaint against the firm, Heard released a statement of support. "Social media is the absolute personification of the classic saying 'A lie travels halfway around the world before truth can get its boots on'," Amber Heard said in a statement to NBC News. "I saw this firsthand and up close. It's as horrifying as it is destructive." The PR firm hit back at Heard's statement through Baldoni's lawyer. "TAG PR must be the most powerful group of publicists the world has ever seen for it to be able to completely change the perception of both Amber Heard and Blake Lively," Bryan Freedman said. "The only correlation between both individuals was that for decades every move they have made has been out there for everyone to see, widely filmed and documented for the public to make up their own minds — which they did, organically." The real emotional cost of online smear campaigns Sometimes, an astroturfing campaign's sole intent is not to sell a product, or help a celebrity's cause, but simply to harm its high-profile target. In 2020, the Duchess of Sussex described the level of online trolling she received as "almost unsurvivable". In the same year, she and her husband, Prince Harry, "stepped back" as working members of the British royal family, instead choosing to settle in California. Their reasons for doing so were complex, but the couple told Oprah Winfrey they felt unsupported in the face of so much racist and misogynistic bullying online. In 2021, an investigation by Bot Sentinel, a crowdfunded site that tracks disinformation and targeted harassment online, concluded that most of the online hate faced by Meghan began as astroturfing. "Our research found that a relatively small number of single-purpose anti-Meghan and Harry accounts created and disseminated most of the hateful content on Twitter," Bot Sentinel wrote in their report. "However, the primary accounts had assistance that allowed their content to be repackaged and shared by accounts with a considerable following." An analysis of 114,000 tweets found that 70 per cent of them were driven by the same 83 accounts, which coordinated their campaign with a level of sophistication unlike anything Bot Sentinel had seen before. "There's no motive," Bot Sentinel CEO Christopher Bouzy told BuzzFeed News. "Are these people who hate her? Is it racism? Are they trying to hurt [Harry and Meghan's] credibility? Your guess is as good as ours." For those who believe they are victims of astroturfing, it may come as cold comfort that much of the vitriol they experienced was fuelled by bots or bad-faith actors. In the end, those fake posts still enter the feeds of genuine social media users, and may influence the way they see the world. Heard has given up on acting and moved to Spain, while Meghan said her ordeal had a severe impact on her mental health. In her court filing, Lively said her experiences caused "severe emotional distress" to her family, and cost her business opportunities. "I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct and helps protect others who may be targeted," she said. ABCmnl777 legit 。

TEMPLEGATE tackles a monster Saturday of racing confident of filling the coffers ahead of Christmas. Back a horse by clicking their odds. The only place to get Templegate's tips first - and at the best prices - is by joining Sun Racing's brilliant Members Enclosure. Sign up now for just £1* to be part of racing's best winning team and get... Become a member today for just £1* *For the first month then £3 per month thereafter. SIGN UP NOW 18+ Ts and Cs apply. First month membership £1, then £3 per month unless you cancel at least 7 days before your next billing date. For more information contact help@thesun.co.uk SKYJACK HIJACK (3.00 Cheltenham, nap) He is an owner’s dream as he made it a brilliant six wins on the spin at Newcastle last time. He glides over his hurdles and takes a lot of pegging back from the front. This is much his toughest assignment so far but he has been clocked some excellent times and looks well up to this standard. He goes on any ground and has no stamina worries. MADARA (1.50 Cheltenham, nb) He was a massive eyecatcher on debut for the Skeltons in the Paddy Power Gold Cup last month. He was a mile back jumping three out before picking up strongly to power up the hill into an ever-closing fourth. Harry Skelton takes over from his less experienced rider today and now connections know he stays, he will hopefully be ridden closer to the pace. AMBIENTE AMIGO (12.10 Cheltenham, treble) She pulled away her chances when third at Newbury last time but Harry Cobden takes over today and she will hopefully settle better on this third run over timber. She was useful on the Flat and had plenty in hand when scoring on her hurdles debut at Newcastle. There’s more to come from James Owen’s filly who gets valuable weight from the boys. Templegate's TV verdicts CHELTENHAM SAT 12.10 AMBIENTE AMIGO pulled away her chances when third at Newbury last time but Harry Cobden takes over today and she will hopefully settle better on this third run over timber. She was useful on the Flat and had plenty in hand when scoring on her hurdles debut at Newcastle. There’s more to come from James Owen’s filly who gets valuable weight from the boys. The yard also run Lavender Hill Mob who was beaten at 2-7 on debut at Newcastle. He is certain to improve on that. Total Look is a threat after his debut success at Navan last month. Trainer Gavin Cromwell has a cracking record at Cheltenham and his hope comes from a useful hurdling family. Quantock Hills was a winner in France and has done well since joining Warren Greatrex. He had seven lengths in hand when winning at Fontwell last time and deserves this crack at a much higher level. Teriferma has left Joseph O’Brien with two hurdles wins on his CV. He has shown his best over this trip but faces stiffer opposition here. Moutarde enjoyed a drop in class when winning easily at Kempton last time but this is tougher. 12.40 TRANSMISSION was impressive when scoring over course and distance last time out. That was just his second run over fences in the UK and the handicapper has been more than fair with a 3lb rise. There’s more to come. Peaky Boy won on his chasing debut here over 2m4f but stormed up the hill so this longer trip should be ideal. Nicky Henderson’s hopeful jumped well and looks capable of improving past a 7lb rise in the weights. Haiti Couleurs had 15 lengths in hand when winning at Aintree last time. He wasn’t stopping at the end of an extended three miles and handled Chepstow well on debut so this track should be fine. He has solid place claims at least. Destroytheevidence got the better of Haiti Couleurs when they met in Wales and ran another decent race when second at Newbury latest. Trainer Kim Bailey is going well and he’s another in with a shout in this tricky contest. Isaac Des Obeaux was placed in Graded company over hurdles and looked in need of the run at Chepstow on return. He should do better but has a bit to find. 1.13 COCO MADEMOISELLE won a couple of times over hurdles but has always looked like a chaser and she went close on her fencing debut at Worcester. She was just pipped after the last over the 2m7f trip so this slight drop in distance should help. You would expect plenty of improvement and he is well handicapped on his hurdles form. Malaita was a winner on her last visit to Cheltenham and wasn’t beaten far at Carlisle last time. She likes this trip and looks a big price to make the frame. Theonewedreamof was last seen running on the Flat but his latest chase run was a winner at Tipperary in July. He looks potentially well handicapped for the canny Gavin Cromwell. Realisation would have won at Lingfield last time but for a mistake at the final fence. She stays well enough and has an each-way shout. Harry Cobden rides Game On For Glory and she finished last season with a fair second around here. She needed her comeback at Market Rasen and is another with place claims. 1.50 MADARA was a massive eyecatcher on debut for the Skeltons in the Paddy Power Gold Cup last month. He was a mile back jumping three out before picking up strongly to power up the hill into an ever-closing fourth. Harry Skelton takes over from his less experienced rider today and now connections know he stays, he will hopefully be ridden closer to the pace. He’s better off at the weights with winner Il Ridoto and can turn the form around with the Nicholls runner now on a career-high mark. Grandeur D’Ame was right back to his best when scoring at Chepstow on comeback in October. He was a good fourth in this race 12 months ago and can at least match that effort. Ga Law was a game second in the Paddy Power and can give another good account for in-form trainer Jamie Snowden. This New Course suits him well. With Venetia Williams in such great form, her Gemirande needs a second look. He scooted in at Ascot last time and was a solid fifth in the Grand Annual at the Festival. He’s gone up 8lb but should be competitive. Stage Star goes well around here and needed his comeback run at Aintree. He has plenty of weight but won’t be far away. 2.25 MASTER CHEWY has his sights lowered here after taking a tumble in the Grade 1 Tingle Creek at Sandown last weekend. He warmed up for that with an excellent fourth in a hot handicap at Ascot and has enough quality to defy top weight over his favourite trip. Libberty Hunter looks a threat even returning from eight months off. He ended last season with a cracking third in an Aintree Grade 1 after finishing second in the Grand Annual. Ideally the ground could be a bit softer but he should run well under Harry Cobden. Issar D’Airy has cheekpieces on for the first time after finishing fourth at Newbury last time where he was hampered. He kicked off the season with a good effort at Newbury and has plenty of pace for this trip. He won’t be far away if taking to the headgear. Triple Trade has looked rusty on both outings this season but has dropped to 5lb below his last winning handicap mark. He’s run well here before but needs to find his best. Etalon has been well beaten on his last two and is best watched for now, while Third Time Lucky didn’t show a lot on comeback here last month. He’d been off 18 months so may fare better with that under his belt. 3.00 SKYJACK HIJACK is an owner’s dream as he made it a brilliant six wins on the spin at Newcastle last time. He glides over his hurdles and takes a lot of pegging back from the front. This is much his toughest assignment so far but he has been clocked some excellent times and looks well up to this standard. He goes on any ground and has no stamina worries. French challenger Jet Blue is interesting after a couple of good runs at Auteuil. He was Grade 1 level in bumpers and his trainer has enjoyed Cheltenham success before. Clondaw General cost £150,000 and made a winning start over hurdles at Worcester in October. He’ll build on that if handling this better ground. Western Knight overcame inexperience to land a gutsy win at Ascot three Saturdays ago. He shapes as though this move up in distance will help and doesn’t have to improve much to figure. Aboutdamntime jumped like a natural when winning on debut at Carlisle last time. He needed every yard of the uphill finish there so should relish Cheltenham. 3.35 TAKE NO CHANCES was far from disgraced in the Grade 1 Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle a fortnight ago and will be happier back at handicap level. She went to Gosforth Park on the back of a 10-length Listed victory at Wetherby and has winning form over to three miles so has no stamina issues. She went close at Chepstow from 1lb lower in October and has more to come. Joyeuse came back from almost a year off with a solid third at Ascot 22 days ago. She shapes as though the step up from two miles will suit and will be fitter for that effort. Wodhooh could be overpriced given she has won Listed hurdles easily on her past two visits to England. She jumped particularly well when scoring at Donny in January and Gordon Elliott should have her fit enough to perform. Pretending led for a long way at Wincanton last time before just fading late on. She has won around here before and could hold on for a place. Georgi Girl was a good winner at Warwick on comeback last month. She has plenty of staying power and a 5lb rise gives her a chance of figuring again for the in-form Hobbs and White training team. DONCASTER 2.05 FORWARD PLAN looked rusty when fourth in the Badger Beers Chase at Wincanton last month. He won this race second-time-out last season and can repeat the feat with the bit of cut in the ground he needs. He’s only 4lb higher than his last win and always runs his race. Gaboriot did well to finish third at Aintree on return given the trip was on the short side. That was a promising effort and he’ll be a threat upped to a more likely distance. More rain would help his chances as soft ground is ideal. Kim Bailey has a good record in this race and his Does He Know has run well enough on both starts this season at Cheltenham. His last win came here and he’s dropped to the same handicap mark. That makes him a danger. Chasing Fire looked in need of the run at Cheltenham last time and should fare better here with cheekpieces going on for the first time. Straw Fan Jack was third in the Festival Plate at Cheltenham three runs ago and was rusty on comeback there last time. He’s down the weights and has an each-way shout. 2.40 WEST BALBOA can get back to winning ways returned to hurdles. She looked all at sea on her two chase runs but she’s a top-level performer over the smaller obstacles and she would be giving lumps of weight away all round if this was a handicap. This trip is fine and all ground seems to come the same to this daughter of the great Yeats. Gale Mahler is the obvious danger but she was a bit disappointing when a well-beaten third at Cheltenham last month. She gets upped in distance here and that could get her back on an even keel. Ottizzini is proven over this three-mile trip despite her blip in bottomless ground at Haydock last time out. She kicked off this season with a convincing win at Ayr and a return to that form could see her hit the forecast spot. Wynenot is another facing a stiffer test of stamina after a solid fourth at Cheltenham 28 days ago. She shapes like a stayer but will have to pull out a bit more. 3.15 NORMAN FLETCHER started this season with an excellent second at Cheltenham and built on that form when scooting in at Huntingdon last month. He had plenty left in the tank and could easily take another step forward here. Deploy To Spy is improving with every run and won on handicap debut at Aintree last month. A 7lb rise in the weights means he’ll have to improve but there’s every chance he will for in-form trainer Olly Murphy. Altobelli is interesting coming back from ten months off for Harry Fry. He kept some smart company last season and went off well backed for the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury where he ran as if he was carrying a niggle. He comes back from a fair mark and a market move would be telling. Jungle Jack looked in need of the run at Bangor last month but he needs to raise his game in this company. Lily Du Berlais struggled in a Grade 2 at Haydock on return and was a winner in her last handicap at Kelso in May. She likes this trip and wouldn’t be a shock placer. A responsible gambler is someone who: Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.North Korea calls for 'toughest' US strategy at party meeting

NEW YORK (AP) — The man charged with killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was not a client of the medical insurer and may have targeted it because of its size and influence, a senior police official said Thursday. NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told NBC New York in an interview Thursday that investigators have uncovered evidence that Luigi Mangione had prior knowledge UnitedHealthcare was holding its annual investor conference in New York City. Mangione also mentioned the company in a note found in his possession when he was detained by police in Pennsylvania. “We have no indication that he was ever a client of United Healthcare, but he does make mention that it is the fifth largest corporation in America, which would make it the largest healthcare organization in America. So that’s possibly why he targeted that company,” said Kenny. UnitedHealthcare is in the top 20 largest U.S. companies by market capitalization but is not the fifth largest. It is the largest U.S. health insurer. Mangione remains jailed without bail in Pennsylvania, where he was arrested Monday after being spotted at a McDonald's in the city of Altoona, about 230 miles (about 370 kilometers) west of New York City. His lawyer there, Thomas Dickey, has said Mangione intends to plead not guilty. Dickey also said he has yet to see evidence decisively linking his client to the crime. Mangione's arrest came five days after the caught-on-camera killing of Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel. Police say the shooter waited outside the hotel, where the health insurer was holding its investor conference, early on the morning of Dec. 4. He approached Thompson from behind and shot him before fleeing on a bicycle through Central Park. Mangione is fighting attempts to extradite him back to New York so that he can face a murder charge in Thompson's killing. A hearing has been scheduled for Dec. 30. The 26-year-old, who police say was found with a “ ghost gun ” matching shell casings found at the site of the shooting, is charged in Pennsylvania with possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. Mangione is an Ivy League graduate from a prominent Maryland real estate family. In posts on social media, Mangione wrote about experiencing severe chronic back pain before undergoing a spinal fusion surgery in 2023. Afterward, he posted that the operation had been a success and that his pain had improved and mobility returned. He urged others to consider the same type of surgery. On Wednesday, police said investigators are looking at his writings about his health problems and his criticism of corporate America and the U.S. health care system . Kenny said in the NBC interview that Mangione's family reported him missing to San Francisco authorities in November.

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Trump invited China's Xi to his inauguration even as he threatened massive tariffs on BeijingCaracas, December 5, 2024 ( ) — Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez is in China on an official visit to “review and strengthen” the cooperation map established last year when the countries elevated their relationship to an Upon her arrival in Beijing on Wednesday, Rodríguez stated that the allies nations will revise cooperation agreements in “multiple strategic areas,” including politics, energy, economy, finance and technology. “We will strengthen our framework for cooperation as well as ties of complementarity and mutual development in different areas to continue solidifying a historical relationship and deep friendship that reached in 2024,” Rodríguez on social media. Rodríguez went on to add that China and Venezuela have a “shared vision” regarding a new multipolar world “where the sovereignty and self-determination of the peoples of the Global South are respected.” She remarked that the BRICS organization would play a key role in advancing multipolarity. On Thursday, the Venezuelan vice president met with her Chinese counterpart Han Zheng, with both officials reportedly committing to achieve “greater progress” in bilateral relations. According to the , Han said China is eager to fully implement the “all-weather strategic partnership” reached last year as well as “strengthen practical cooperation.” For her part, Rodríguez reiterated Venezuela’s respect for the one-China principle and emphasized the need to strengthen multilateral coordination to “oppose unilateral illegal sanctions, safeguard national security and development, and international fairness and justice.” In recent years, Venezuela and China have deepened their strategic political and economic ties as both governments aim to counteract Western hegemony and unilateral coercive measures. Since 2017, the Caribbean nation has faced severe hardships caused by the US-led economic blockade which has particularly targeted the crucial . In September 2023, Presidents Nicolás Maduro and Xi Jinping the countries’ relations to an “all-weather strategic partnership” and signed 31 agreements to boost collaboration in areas such as oil, scientific development, healthcare, and space exploration. The new level of bilateral partnership was considered historic with Venezuela being the first Latin American country to enter the “all-weather” category reserved by Beijing for its closest allies. The upgrade reflects China’s growing role as Venezuela’s primary trading partner in Asia, particularly in crude oil purchases. On the eve of her trip to China, Vice President Rodríguez the country’s 2025 budget proposal to the National Assembly (AN), estimated at USD $22.7 billion. The figure represents an increase of nearly 11 percent from this year’s $20.5 billion budget and nearly doubles the $11.6 billion allocated in 2023. It still stands at around a fifth of the government’s $118 billion budget for 2015. Rodríguez attributed the recent sustained increase to “consistent ” since 2021, citing an 8.5 percent GDP growth in the first three quarters of 2024 as measured by Venezuela’s Central Bank. The Caribbean nation is set for a fourth consecutive year of economic improvement, though GDP remains below 30 percent of its high mark in 2014. “This budget reflects the victorious resilience of the Venezuelan economy amid adversity and economic suffocation that have targeted our workers and production processes,” she told lawmakers on Tuesday. “In these challenging conditions, Venezuela is now one of the fastest-growing countries in Latin America.” The vice president detailed that 77.6 percent of next year’s budget will be dedicated to social investment, focusing on education, healthcare, security, science and technology, public infrastructure, and housing. The spending plan incorporates input gathered from thousands of popular assemblies held across the country. Rodríguez also highlighted that the budget includes a special fund for chosen and managed directly by the Venezuelan people through communal circuits, as well as an additional allocation for the Essequibo region. According to , tax revenues are expected to contribute $5.25 billion to the budget, financing 28 percent of total spending. Venezuelan authorities have praised tax collection, which has more than doubled year-on-year in 2024. In contrast, Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA will cover 53 percent of expenditures, amounting to $10.1 billion, down from an estimated $11.9 billion this year. The remainder of the country’s annual financing will come from mining, loans, and debt issuances. On Thursday, Parliament President Jorge Rodríguez that the 2025 budget proposal had been approved by the legislature and sent to the Maduro government for its promulgation.

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Tens of thousands of Spaniards protest housing crunch and high rents in BarcelonaPanama president rules out talks with Trump over canal threat

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An online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump’s political coalitionBATESVILLE, Ind. , Dec. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The board of directors of Hillenbrand, Inc. (NYSE: HI) has declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.225 per share on the company's common stock. On an annualized basis, this is an increase of $0.01 per share to a total rate of $0.90 per share in fiscal 2025. The dividend is payable December 31, 2024 , to shareholders of record at the close of business on December 16, 2024 . About Hillenbrand Hillenbrand (NYSE: HI) is a global industrial company that provides highly-engineered, mission-critical processing equipment and solutions to customers in over 100 countries around the world. Our portfolio is composed of leading industrial brands that serve large, attractive end markets, including durable plastics, food, and recycling. Guided by our Purpose — Shape What Matters For TomorrowTM — we pursue excellence, collaboration, and innovation to consistently shape solutions that best serve our associates, customers, communities, and other stakeholders. To learn more, visit: www.Hillenbrand.com . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hillenbrand-declares-first-quarter-dividend-of-0-225-per-share-302324305.html SOURCE Hillenbrand

November sees high box office turnout as people are returning to cinemasQatar tribune agencies The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has announced that it has reached an agreement with Egypt to unlock about $1.2bn in funds to prop up the country’s troubled finances. The Washington, DC-based lender said on Tuesday that it reached the “staff-level agreement”, which is subject to approval by the Executive Board, after Cairo outlined steps to improve macroeconomic stability. Egyptian authorities agreed to raise the tax-to-revenue ratio by 2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) over the next two years and accelerate the divestment of state-owned companies, among other steps, the lender said. “A comprehensive reform package is needed to ensure that Egypt rebuilds fiscal buffers to reduce debt vulnerabilities, and generates additional space to increase social spending, especially in health, education and social protection,” said Ivanna Vladkova Hollar, who led the IMF’s discussions with Egyptian authorities. The two sides also agreed on the need to speed up reforms to improve the business environment, Hollar said. “In this regard, more decisive efforts are needed to level the playing field, reduce the state footprint in the economy, and increase private sector confidence to help Egypt attract foreign investment and develop its full economic potential,” she said. Egypt in March struck a deal to receive an $8bn loan from the IMF in tranches subject to undertaking economic reforms, expanding on a $3bn, 46-month deal struck in December 2022. As part of the terms of the loan, Cairo agreed to let its currency sharply depreciate and allow the exchange rate to be determined by market forces. Copy 27/12/2024 10

BRASILIA (Reuters) -Brazilian authorities have suspended the issuance of temporary work visas for BYD in the wake of accusations that some workers at a site owned by the Chinese electric vehicle producer had been victims of human trafficking, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Friday. The announcement came days after labor authorities said they found 163 Chinese workers in "slavery-like" conditions at the BYD factory construction site in the northeastern state of Bahia. The workers were employed by contractor Jinjiang Group, which has denied any wrongdoing. Later, the authorities also said the workers were victims of human trafficking. According to the foreign ministry, the workers entered Brazil on temporary work visas. Labor authorities had said earlier in the week that the workers had been brought to Brazil irregularly. BYD did not immediately respond to request for comment on the ministry's decision. In a social media post on Thursday, which was reposted by a BYD spokesperson, Jinjiang Group rejected the Brazilian authorities' accusations about the work conditions at the Bahia site. The contractor said the portrayal of the workers as "enslaved" was inaccurate and that there had been translation misunderstandings. BYD has said it plans to start production in Brazil early next year with an initial annual output 150,000 cars. Nearly one in five cars BYD sold outside China in the first 11 months of 2024 was in Brazil. BYD and Jinjiang Group have agreed to assist and house the 163 workers in hotels until a deal to end their contracts is reached, Brazil's Labor Prosecutor's Office said in a statement on Thursday, after meeting representatives from both firms. (Reporting by Lisandra Paraguassu; additional reporting by Fabio Teixeira in Rio de Janeior; Editing by Christian Plumb)Matt Gaetz says he won't return to Congress next year after withdrawing name for attorney general

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