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Londoners will face a 4.6 per cent hike in Tube and rail fares from next March, Mayor Sadiq Khan announced, aligning the capital’s increase with the rise in regulated train fares for England’s mainline railway. According to Sky News on Friday, Transport for London’s (TfL) daily caps will increase by 40p to 70p depending on the zones traveled. Meanwhile, bus and tram fares will remain frozen at £1.75 for unlimited journeys within an hour, a measure Khan says is aimed at easing the burden on commuters. PUNCH Online corroborating the report reveals that the Mayor also made an official announcement on his official social media page. “I’m freezing bus fares in London for another year to support Londoners with the cost of living as much as possible,” Khan shared on X (formerly Twitter) Friday, referencing a video interview with BBC London. The Labour mayor explained that the fare increase is crucial for securing funding for essential transport projects. “Following the government’s budget, ministers made clear that to secure national funding for key transport projects in the future, TfL Tube and rail fares would need to increase in line with national rail fares,” Khan stated. However, he reiterated his commitment to affordability: “Londoners know from my record that wherever possible I’ve made TfL fares more affordable and fairer – whether through the introduction of the Hopper bus fare or freezing TfL fares for five years as mayor. Related News Pastor Bakare holds one-week London ministration Tinubu off to UK for two-week annual leave London introduces direct bus service to protect Jewish communities “Vital national government funding will allow us to progress exciting future projects, such as Superloop 2 and more upgrades to the Tube network, as we continue building a fairer, safer, and greener London for everyone.” Mixed Reactions A spokesperson for the Department for Transport (DfT) clarified that the fare hike was not a stipulation of the £500m funding announced in October’s budget by Chancellor Rachel Reeves. The DfT underscored that the funding would provide a significant boost to London’s transport network. The fare hike comes amidst rising criticism of UK rail costs. A study by campaign group Transport & Environment found that train fares in the UK are the highest in Europe. Great Western Railway fares were reported to be two-and-a-half times higher than the EU and Swiss average for similar routes, while Avanti West Coast fares are 1.5 times more expensive. The group attributed the high costs to “private monopolies” and expensive infrastructure, emphasizing the need for a more affordable system. A public-sector body, Great British Railways, is set to take over rail operations and infrastructure by 2026, potentially reshaping the cost structure. As London braces for these changes, the balance between funding transformative projects and maintaining affordability for commuters remains a focal point of debate, with the comment section to his X post locked, PUNCH Online reports.The rift laid bare the tensions between the newest flank of Trump's movement — wealthy members of the tech world including billionaire Elon Musk and fellow entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and their call for more highly skilled workers in their industry — and people in Trump's Make America Great Again base who championed his hardline immigration policies. The debate touched off this week when Laura Loomer , a right-wing provocateur with a history of racist and conspiratorial comments, criticized Trump’s selection of Sriram Krishnan as an adviser on artificial intelligence policy in his coming administration. Krishnan favors the ability to bring more skilled immigrants into the U.S. Loomer declared the stance to be “not America First policy” and said the tech executives who have aligned themselves with Trump were doing so to enrich themselves. Much of the debate played out on the social media network X, which Musk owns. Loomer's comments sparked a back-and-forth with venture capitalist and former PayPal executive David Sacks , whom Trump has tapped to be the “White House A.I. & Crypto Czar." Musk and Ramaswamy, whom Trump has tasked with finding ways to cut the federal government , weighed in, defending the tech industry's need to bring in foreign workers. It bloomed into a larger debate with more figures from the hard-right weighing in about the need to hire U.S. workers, whether values in American culture can produce the best engineers, free speech on the internet, the newfound influence tech figures have in Trump's world and what his political movement stands for. Trump has not yet weighed in on the rift, and his presidential transition team did not respond to a message seeking comment. Musk, the world's richest man who has grown remarkably close to the president-elect , was a central figure in the debate, not only for his stature in Trump's movement but his stance on the tech industry's hiring of foreign workers. Technology companies say H-1B visas for skilled workers, used by software engineers and others in the tech industry, are critical for hard-to-fill positions. But critics have said they undercut U.S. citizens who could take those jobs. Some on the right have called for the program to be eliminated, not expanded. Born in South Africa, Musk was once on an a H-1B visa himself and defended the industry's need to bring in foreign workers. “There is a permanent shortage of excellent engineering talent," he said in a post. “It is the fundamental limiting factor in Silicon Valley.” Trump's own positions over the years have reflected the divide in his movement. His tough immigration policies, including his pledge for a mass deportation, were central to his winning presidential campaign. He has focused on immigrants who come into the U.S. illegally but he has also sought curbs on legal immigration , including family-based visas. As a presidential candidate in 2016, Trump called the H-1B visa program “very bad” and “unfair” for U.S. workers. After he became president, Trump in 2017 issued a “Buy American and Hire American” executive order , which directed Cabinet members to suggest changes to ensure H-1B visas were awarded to the highest-paid or most-skilled applicants to protect American workers. Trump's businesses, however, have hired foreign workers, including waiters and cooks at his Mar-a-Lago club , and his social media company behind his Truth Social app has used the the H-1B program for highly skilled workers. During his 2024 campaign for president, as he made immigration his signature issue, Trump said immigrants in the country illegally are “poisoning the blood of our country" and promised to carry out the largest deportation operation in U.S. history. But in a sharp departure from his usual alarmist message around immigration generally, Trump told a podcast this year that he wants to give automatic green cards to foreign students who graduate from U.S. colleges. “I think you should get automatically, as part of your diploma, a green card to be able to stay in this country," he told the “All-In" podcast with people from the venture capital and technology world. Those comments came on the cusp of Trump's budding alliance with tech industry figures, but he did not make the idea a regular part of his campaign message or detail any plans to pursue such changes.
Conor McGregor didn't hold back Saturday morning ... just a day after he was found liable for assault in his civil rape case in Ireland. CM first responded to an X post from the Irish Independent newspaper about the outcome of his case, which included the line, "Justice has been served." The MMA star replied, "Justice was served for James Lawrence, yes! Deplorable what they done. Nikita hand, vicious liar! APPEAL!" James Lawrence , who Conor referenced, was also being accused of sexual assault ... but the civil jury did not find him liable. It was after that initial X post that Conor really went off ... going scorched earth in a lengthy social media rant. Said CM ... "Two men falsely accused. One vindicated, the other soon to be! Congrats James Lawrence on absolute exoneration! Twice this heinous accusation was put to you and twice it was shown as FALSE! LIES!" Conor went on ... "It is absolutely disgraceful what they put you through here. Disgraceful! I look forward to seeing you further vindicate yourself and lambast those responsible in court! We know what happened that night! Everyone present knows, yet it was ignored. Every single statement of persons present on the night was ignored." He ended with, "On we fight! Justice and truth will prevail! Appeal! Appeal! Appeal! As well as other. Congrats James! Onwards and upwards! 🙏" As TMZ reported ... a jury found Conor liable for assault in his civil rape case that had been going on all month long -- after Nikita Ni Lamhain claimed McGregor and another man had sex with her against her will after a 2018 Christmas party. CM and James adamantly denied the allegations ... with the 36-year-old fighter claiming their encounter was entirely consensual. Jurors in the case clearly didn't believe Conor's side ... and awarded Ni Lamhain roughly $250,000 in damages. In their ruling, they did state they found that James did NOT assault the woman. Conor told us yesterday he was planning on appealing -- adding ... "The judge's instruction and the modest award given was for assault, there was not an award for aggravated or exemplary damages. I am disappointed that the jury did not hear all the evidence that the DPP reviewed."NoneMIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- Wake Forest figured it wouldn't keep Miami's offense quiet forever. To their chagrin, the Demon Deacons were right. Cam Ward passed for 280 yards and threw two touchdowns to Jacolby George on another record-breaking day, Mishael Powell ran an interception back 76 yards for a touchdown and No. 11 Miami pulled away with 22 fourth-quarter points to beat Wake Forest 42-14 on Saturday. The Hurricanes (10-1, 6-1 Atlantic Coast Conference, No. 8 College Football Playoff) can clinch a berth in the ACC title game with a win at Syracuse next weekend. No. 13 SMU clinched the other spot by routing Virginia 33-7 on Saturday. “We still have nothing to lose,” Ward said. “At the end of the day, Miami was a mid team last year. We're better than they were last year. We have nothing to lose. It's good to control your destiny another week, but it doesn't mean anything if we don't win.” Ward completed 27 of 38 passes, plus ran for a score. He broke two more single-season Miami records, both of which had been held for 40 years by Bernie Kosar — most passing yards in a season and most completions in a season. Ward now has 3,774 yards on 268 completions this season. Kosar threw for 3,642 yards on 262 completions in 1984. Demond Claiborne had a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown for Wake Forest (4-7, 2-5). Claiborne also rushed for 62 yards for the Demon Deacons, and starting quarterback Hank Bachmeier was 8 of 14 passing for 86 yards and a touchdown. Wake was within 20-14 going into the fourth quarter. And then, it was all Miami. “With Miami and their offense, it’s a matter of time," Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson said. "I thought our defense played really, really well — but in the fourth quarter, when the dam broke, it broke. And that’s what good teams do.” The game was offensively deceiving, given how it started. Miami went 84 yards for a touchdown on the game's first possession, Ward going 6 for 6 on the drive and capping it with a 13-yard scoring throw to George. Wake Forest answered with a 75-yard drive, Bachmeier finding Micah Mays Jr. from 36 yards out to tie the game. And neither offense found the end zone again until the fourth quarter. Wake Forest got 118 yards on 50 plays — 2.4 yards per play — after that seven-play, nearly 11-yard-per-play opening march. “Story of the game was the defense, without a doubt," Miami coach Mario Cristobal said. “After that first series, the busted coverage, that's what Miami Hurricane defense should look like.” Powell's interception return TD put Miami up 17-7 in the second quarter; the 10-point lead lasted 15 seconds, the time Claiborne needed to run the ensuing kickoff the length of the field for a touchdown and get Wake Forest within 17-14. Ward rushed in from a yard out with 7:58 left and, after Wake Forest fumbled the ensuing kickoff, Jordan Lyle scored on an 18-yard run to make it 35-14. Lyle finished with a game-high 115 yards rushing and George scored again with 1:53 left. Wake Forest: The Demon Deacons were roundly booed — and even called out by Ward on the field — when safety Evan Slocum went down and indicated he had a cramp on a Miami drive late in the first half. Ploy or not, the Hurricanes stalled from there and settled for a field goal. Slocum was on the field to start the second half. Miami: The Hurricanes reached 10 wins for the 16th time in school history, all since 1983. It's the first 10-win season for Miami since 2017 and makes Cristobal the seventh coach to have such a season for the Hurricanes. He did it twice with Oregon. The Hurricanes wore “DB 40” decals on their helmets Saturday to honor All-American fullback and College Football Hall of Famer Don Bosseler, who died earlier this month. Bosseler, a star at Miami in the mid-1950s, was 88. Miami has been in the AP Top 25 every week this season and that won't change. The CFP rankings likely will still list the Hurricanes as the ACC title favorite. Wake Forest: Hosts Duke on Saturday. Miami: Visits Syracuse on Saturday. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballEach week Hot off the Wire looks at a variety of stories in business, science, health and more. This week's headlines include: Airports ready for holiday crowds. Starting a small business is hard. Exiting can be even harder, but planning early is the key. McDonald's to expand US value menu as fast food chains battle for bargain seekers. Has a waltz written by composer Frederic Chopin been discovered in an NYC museum. The 'super year' of elections has been super bad for incumbents as voters punish them in droves. Trump has promised again to release the last JFK files. But experts say don’t expect big revelations. Donald Trump's latest branded venture is guitars that cost up to $10,000. Should women be allowed to fight on the front lines Trump’s defense pick reignites the debate. Texas offers Trump land on US-Mexico border for potential mass deportations. About 20% of Americans regularly get their news from influencers on social media, report says. Betty White Forever New stamp will honor the much-beloved Golden Girls actor. Forget driverless cars. One company wants autonomous helicopters to spray crops and fight fires. Volunteers came back to nonprofits in 2023, after the pandemic tanked participation. New Hampshire shelter faces enor-mouse problem after man surrenders nearly 1,000 rodents. NFL issues security alert to teams and the players' union following recent burglaries. NBA memo to players urges increased vigilance regarding home security following break-ins. WNBA corporate sponsorship deals are growing. But not every athlete is getting their due. Today he is a high school football player. Soon he'll be a Buddhist lama in the Himalayas. Denmark will plant 1 billion trees and convert 10% of farmland into forest. $344 for a coffee Scottish farm is selling UK's most expensive cup. Texas weighs Bible-related curriculum for public schools, placement of the Ten Commandments in classrooms faces a legal roadblock, and Ohio religious schools may so. People are also reading... Recap: Here's how Joey Graziadei will win 'Dancing with the Stars' Zitel bound over to district court in death of child They fell in love with Beatrice. So they opened a store in downtown. At the courthouse, Nov. 16, 2024 Kidnapping in Nebraska prompted police chase that ended with 3 dead on I-29 in Missouri Chamberlain among seven inducted into Nebraska Baseball HOF Harmonizers to perform No change in bond amounts in child abuse death case Just Askin': Dana Holgorsen noncommittal on future, ranking a big week for Nebraska Athletics Historical society appoints board members, elects officers Inside Nebraska volleyball’s finishing kick for a Big Ten title: First up, Wisconsin Courthouse lighting ceremony planned for Sunday Believers bought airplane for dead preacher thinking he’d rise from grave to fly in it How one Virginia woman persevered through abuse, oppression in Christian 'cult' Beatrice High School first-quarter honor roll —The Associated Press About this program Host Terry Lipshetz is managing editor of the national newsroom for Lee Enterprises. Besides producing the daily Hot off the Wire news podcast, Terry conducts periodic interviews for this Behind the Headlines program, co-hosts the Streamed & Screened movies and television program and is the former producer of Across the Sky, a podcast dedicated to weather and climate. Theme music The News Tonight, used under license from Soundstripe. YouTube clearance: ZR2MOTROGI4XAHRX Get local news delivered to your inbox!
State blasts bid by Dem power broker George Norcross to toss racketeering caseCollege Football Playoff & Bowl Game TV Schedule 2024HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP) — Paul Zilinskas put up 32 points as IU Indianapolis beat Alabama A&M 88-83 on Monday. Zilinskas shot 11 for 20 (5 for 10 from 3-point range) and 5 of 5 from the free-throw line for the Jaguars (3-5). Jarvis Walker scored 13 points while going 3 of 9 from the floor, including 2 for 5 from 3-point range, and 5 for 7 from the line. Timaris Brown and Sean Craight both added 11 points. Darius Ford led the Bulldogs (4-4) in scoring, finishing with 20 points, six rebounds, seven assists and two steals. Anthony Bryant added 17 points for Alabama A&M. Chad Moodie also had 16 points and three blocks. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
US to send $1.25 billion in weapons to Ukraine, pushing to get aid out before Biden leaves office
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