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NHL-worst Blackhawks fire coach Luke Richardson
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Southern California's notorious Santa Ana winds were predicted to return Monday night and utilities said they are prepared to cut power to hundreds of thousands of customers in areas where strong gusts could damage electrical equipment and spark wildfires. The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for high fire risk with a rare “particularly dangerous situation,” or PDS, designation starting at 8 p.m. Monday into Tuesday for Los Angeles and Ventura counties. The last time PDS red flags went up was the first week of November, when powerful, dry winds fed the Mountain Fire , which destroyed at least 240 buildings, mostly homes, in Ventura County. Before that, a PDS red flag warning hadn't been issued for the region since 2020. “This event has the potential to be as strong as the November 5th-6th Santa Ana event that led to the Mountain Fire,” the weather service office for Los Angeles said Sunday on social media. Southern California Edison said it was considering targeted power shut-offs for more than 250,000 homes and businesses across seven counties starting Monday evening. Meanwhile San Diego Gas & Electric said it has notified nearly 117,500 customers that they might temporarily lose service to reduce the chance of wildfires. Santa Anas are dry, warm and gusty northeast winds that blow from the interior of Southern California toward the coast and offshore. They typically occur during the fall months and continue through winter and into early spring. In Northern California, the weather service said chances were increasing for an “impactful rainfall event” late in the week for the San Francisco Bay Area.
Lions Security hands out holiday gift cards
UN officials said many state workers failed to return to their jobs, causing issues at airports and slowing the flow of humanitarian aid. Syria’s prime minister said that most cabinet ministers were back at work on Monday after rebels overthrew President Bashar Assad. However, some state workers failed to return to their jobs and a United Nations official said the country’s public sector had come “to a complete and abrupt halt”. Meanwhile, streams of refugees crossed back into Syria from neighbouring countries, hoping for a more peaceful future and looking for relatives who disappeared during Mr Assad’s brutal rule. There were already signs of the difficulties ahead for the rebel alliance now in control of much of the country. The alliance is led by a former senior al-Qaida militant, who severed ties with the extremist group years ago and has promised representative government and religious tolerance. The rebel command said they would not tell women how to dress. “It is strictly forbidden to interfere with women’s dress or impose any request related to their clothing or appearance, including requests for modesty,” the command said in a statement on social media. Nearly two days after rebels entered the capital, some key government services had shut down after state workers ignored calls to go back to their jobs, the UN official said, causing issues at airports and borders and slowing the flow of humanitarian aid. Rebel leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, who was known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, also met with Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi Jalali for the first time. Mr Jalali stayed in Syria when Mr Assad fled and has sought to project normalcy since. “We are working so that the transitional period is quick and smooth,” he told Sky News Arabia TV on Monday, saying the security situation had already improved from the day before. At the court of Justice in Damascus, which was stormed by the rebels to free detainees, Judge Khitam Haddad, an aide to the justice minister in the outgoing government, said that judges were ready to resume work quickly. “We want to give everyone their rights,” Mr Haddad said outside the courthouse. “We want to build a new Syria and to keep the work, but with new methods.” But a UN official said some government services had been paralysed as worried state employees stayed at home. The public sector “has just come to a complete and abrupt halt,” said Adam Abdelmoula, UN resident and humanitarian co-ordinator for Syria, noting, for example, that an aid flight carrying urgently needed medical supplies had been put on hold after aviation employees abandoned their jobs. “This is a country that has had one government for 53 years and then suddenly all of those who have been demonised by the public media are now in charge in the nation’s capital,” Mr Abdelmoula told The Associated Press. “I think it will take a couple of days and a lot of assurance on the part of the armed groups for these people to return to work again.” In a video shared on a rebel messaging channel, Mr al-Sharaa said: “You will see there are skills” among the rebels. The Kremlin said Russia has granted political asylum to Mr Assad, a decision made by President Vladimir Putin. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on Mr Assad’s specific whereabouts and said Mr Putin did not plan to meet with him. Damascus was quiet Monday, with life slowly returning to normal, though most shops and public institutions were closed. In public squares, some people were still celebrating. Civilian traffic resumed, but there was no public transport. Long lines formed in front of bakeries and other food stores. There was little sign of any security presence though in some areas, small groups of armed men were stationed in the streets.
Jurors end 1st day of deliberations without a verdict in the YSL gang and racketeering trialItron SVP Donald Reeves sells $27,182 in common stock
Helsinki, Finland’s renowned research school Aalto University has announced the launch of the Nokia Design Archive, a free online portal that maintains approximately 20,000 items and 959GB of digital files from Nokia during the mid-90s to 2017. Starting on January 15, 2025 users will be able to access the advertising, ideation sketches, designer interviews and presentations., licensed from Microsoft Mobile before the brand’s recent ownership change. Along with never-before-seen prototypes, design processes, and consumer technology concepts, the archive will also reveal material associated with iconic models like the ‘brick phone’ and the ‘banana phone.’ Designers, historians, organization and management scholars and experts contributed their expertise to Aalto University’s research team, piecing together the unique position held by Nokia in the late-90s and early aughts, an era. In a statement provided by Aalto University post-doctoral researcher, Kaisu Savola said “Nokia was in a similar position in the 90s as Samsung or Apple are today.” Many in the iPhone generation were too young to remember that the Finnish tech manufacturer was once at the forefront of the mobile revolution with its ambitious aesthetic and utopian technological ideals. These futuristic characteristics made the company’s devices popular among young millennials and Gen X’ers. She continued, “These large corporations shape our lives with their products. Technology doesn’t just shape us; we shape technology. When we started the project, the focus was on objects. As we began going through the material, we soon realized that it was about people.” The Nokia Design Archive will be accessible for free at the official Aalto University site from January 15.
Veteran right-handed reliever Clay Holmes has agreed to terms with the New York Mets , the team announced Monday. It's a three-year contract worth $38 million. Holmes, who will turn 32 just before Opening Day, this past season pitched to a 3.14 ERA (131 ERA+) and an FIP of 3.02 in 63 innings for the Yankees . Although Holmes eventually lost his role as closer for the eventual American League champions, he still logged a career-high 30 saves. Over those 63 innings, Holmes struck out 68 and issued 21 unintentional walks. The Mets intend to try Holmes as a starting pitcher next season, reports the New York Post . He came up through the minors as a starter and made four big-league starts in 2018, but none since. Several relievers have had success transitioning into the rotation in recent years, most notably former Mets setup man Seth Lugo . Reynaldo López and Michael King have done it as well. He'll join a revamped rotation with Kodai Senga, the newly signed Frankie Montas, Paul Blackburn and one or both of David Peterson and Tylor Megill. Earlier in the offseason, CBS Sports ranked Holmes as the No. 23 available free agent in the current class . Here's part of our write-up: By almost any measure, Holmes had a terrific run with the Yankees. Over three-plus seasons, he amassed a 155 ERA+, a 3.45 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and 74 saves. It's a little disheartening, then, that his final season in the Bronx saw him lose his closer's gig after blowing 13 of his 43 save opportunities. SURE LOCK Holmes he wasn't. Nevertheless, he made some adjustments throughout the year: first reducing his slider usage in favor of a sweeper, then leaning even more heavily into his trademark sinker. Even if Holmes hadn't shown adaptability, his underlying measures and track record are strong enough that we believe teams will overlook his spotty save conversion rate and gladly hand over both a multi-year deal and a high-leverage role. For his career, Holmes has an ERA+ of 113 across parts of seven major-league seasons. Of his 311 games pitched, 307 have been relief appearances. He's a two-time All-Star.
Hicks 3-6 0-0 7, Konan Niederhauser 6-7 2-5 14, Baldwin 6-14 6-7 20, Dilione 4-11 0-0 9, Johnson 2-6 0-0 4, Kern 4-8 3-3 11, Dunn 0-1 0-0 0, Nzeh 1-2 0-0 2, Carter 0-1 0-0 0, Stewart 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 26-56 11-15 67. Schieffelin 7-15 4-4 18, Wiggins 6-10 0-1 14, Lakhin 2-7 2-2 6, C.Hunter 4-12 6-7 17, Zackery 2-4 2-2 8, D.Hunter 0-3 2-4 2, Jones 4-6 0-0 10, Reeves 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 25-57 16-20 75. Halftime_Clemson 38-36. 3-Point Goals_Penn St. 4-18 (Baldwin 2-6, Dilione 1-4, Hicks 1-4, Carter 0-1, Dunn 0-1, Johnson 0-2), Clemson 9-19 (C.Hunter 3-6, Zackery 2-2, Jones 2-3, Wiggins 2-4, Lakhin 0-1, Schieffelin 0-1, D.Hunter 0-2). Rebounds_Penn St. 28 (Konan Niederhauser, Dilione, Kern 6), Clemson 31 (Schieffelin 13). Assists_Penn St. 18 (Baldwin 11), Clemson 17 (Schieffelin 8). Total Fouls_Penn St. 19, Clemson 15.Money Research Collective’s editorial team solely created this content. Opinions are their own, but compensation and in-depth research determine where and how companies may appear. Many featured companies advertise with us. . It’s easy to use Amazon’s “thank my driver” feature to spread holiday cheer. Amazon is running a that lets customers show appreciation for their delivery drivers by clicking a button to send them $5 — on the retailer’s dime. If you’ve recently shopped on Amazon, you can either use the company’s Alexa virtual assistant and say, “Alexa, thank my driver” or type, “Thank my driver” in the search bar on Amazon.com or the Amazon app. You’ll get a brief message confirming that the driver who delivered your most recent order will receive a notice of your thanks. For the first 2 million driver thank-yous customers submit, drivers will receive $5 tips. Customers can actually thank a driver all year round, according to an FAQ about the program on Amazon’s website, so if you have a driver who regularly goes above and beyond, a thank-you is a nice way to show your appreciation that isn’t limited to the holiday season. The company first rolled out the Thank My Driver feature in 2022. Since then, customers have used it over 40 million times. Last year, when Amazon ran the $5 tip promotion for the holidays, the 2 million limit in less than three days. After that threshold was reached, the retailer announced that 1,000 drivers receiving the most thank-yous each day would each get an additional $100 reward through the end of the year. In addition, Amazon also recognized 15 top-ranking drivers with $10,000 or $25,000 awards. Amazon declined to say how many shoppers have used the Thank My Driver feature since the program opened Wednesday. The holiday promotion is only available in the U.S. for drivers and for independent delivery contractors. In addition to the promotion, there are several other ways to thank delivery drivers during the holiday season. Some customers leave drinks and snacks out on their porches for drivers. But keep in mind that shippers may have policies restricting what delivery drivers can accept. U.S. Postal Service workers, for example, can only take gifts under $20 — and you’re not allowed to give them cash. Includes VPN & password manager 250X Faster Fraud Alerts than Competitors* Up to $5 Million in Identity Theft Insurance AI Spam Call & Message Protection 3-Bureau Credit Monitoring & Credit Lock Service Monthly Credit Score1 & Annual Credit Reports Up to $3 million identity theft coverage 1 1 Comprehensive 3-bureau monitoring system All Plans Include $1 Million Identity Theft Insurance* Real Time Monitoring of Your SSN, Accounts & Identity 3-Bureau Credit Monitoring & Monthly Credit Score1 Online and Device Security Over 40 years of experience in the field $1 million identity theft insurance & recovery 3 bureau credit monitoring Bank and credit card activity alerts VPN through mobile app Pete Grieve is a New York-based reporter who covers personal finance news. At Money, Pete covers trending stories that affect Americans’ wallets on topics including car buying, insurance, housing, credit cards, retirement and taxes. He studied political science and photography at the University of Chicago, where he was editor-in-chief of The Chicago Maroon. Pete began his career as a professional journalist in 2019. Prior to joining Money, he was a health reporter for Spectrum News in Ohio, where he wrote digital stories and appeared on TV to provide coverage to a statewide audience. He has also written for the San Francisco Chronicle, the Chicago Sun-Times and CNN Politics. Pete received extensive journalism training through Report for America, a nonprofit organization that places reporters in newsrooms to cover underreported issues and communities, and he attended the annual Investigative Reporters and Editors conference in 2021.Pete has discussed his reporting in interviews with outlets including the Columbia Journalism Review and WBEZ (Chicago's NPR station). He’s been a panelist at the Chicago Headline Club’s FOIA Fest and he received the Institute on Political Journalism’s $2,500 Award for Excellence in Collegiate Reporting in 2017. An essay he wrote for Grey City magazine was published in a 2020 book, Remembering J. Z. Smith: A Career and its Consequence.
NoneNoneIt’s become commonplace for presidents and politicians to consort with musicians, but that was not the case in the Seventies, when the two worlds barely collided. Starting with his run for governor of Georgia in the Sixties and continuing through his presidential campaign the following decade, Jimmy Carter proudly and openly associated with rock-era musicians. Aretha Franklin and Paul Simon played at his inauguration in 1977, and not surprisingly, he was friendly with the leading Southern rock bands of the time (some of whom came from his own home state). Carter also tapped into the financial clout of rock & roll: When fans bought tickets to Carter benefits that featured the Allman Brothers Band, the Marshall Tucker Band, and others, his campaign was able to claim the sales amounted to small donations (and thereby matched federal funds). In a previously unpublished interview conducted in February 2023, just over a year before he died , former Allmans singer-guitarist-songwriter Dickey Betts talked with RS about his memories of Carter. Carter died on Sunday, Dec. 29, at the age of 100. He was quite a guide to us. When he was running for governor [in 1966], he ran against Lester Maddox, who was the biggest bigot in the country. We were embarrassed to say we were from Georgia. When Jimmy became governor [in 1970], he totally changed the attitude in Georgia. All of a sudden, Georgia became the Peach State again. Jimmy had a unique way. He was friends with our manager, Phil Walden, and Phil told us about him. He came by the studio a few times. That’s where we met him. He was listening to recordings we were doing for Brothers and Sisters . He showed up and had a good time with us and we had dinner together. We weren’t used to that sort of thing at all, but we thought, “This guy’s all right.” He probably had his favorite songs but he never brought it up. He did say he liked “Ramblin’ Man.” He said it was a real working-man’s song. Editor’s picks The 100 Best TV Episodes of All Time The 250 Greatest Guitarists of All Time The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time We became close to him, and he asked us if we’d help with his campaign [with benefit concerts]. We’d met governors and things like that, but they never really included us. Jimmy was a friend to rock music, so a lot of the guys helped him out a great deal. At the time, the government said it would match money you raised on your own [for a campaign]. He didn’t take money from the Allman Brothers. The [fans who bought tickets] knew the show was going to a good cause. I’ve got a letter on the wall here that says, “Thanks for your advice.” [ Laughs ] It makes me really proud to have Jimmy Carter write a letter like that to me. He was a very nice and intelligent man. He took the trouble to go to Gregg [Allman]’s funeral. And he really cared for the American people. You can see that the way he did more after he was president than while he was in office, with Habitat for Humanity and the work he did that helped the American people out quite a bit. People don’t realize how great and meaningful somebody is until they pass away. I don’t know much about politics, but he said, “If I set a good example, everyone would do good.” It ain’t that way at all in Washington. They’re vicious people. Bill Clinton followed his model, but he could fight back and outsmart ‘em. I remember going to a jazz concert at the White House [1978]. Of course, I got there and I left my damn ID at home. The Marines said, “Oh, go ahead in.” They knew me very well and knew I wasn’t going to do any harm. Jimmy was walking around the premises and someone said, “Go over and talk to him,” but I didn’t want to bother him. Then I went to use the men’s room in the White House, and as I was coming out, I ran into Jimmy with a group of people and he said, “Ladies and gentlemen, this is Dickey Betts, one of the best songwriters around nowadays.” That just floored me.
49ers coach Kyle Shanahan expresses confidence in struggling kicker Jake Moody
Odronextamab monotherapy led to complete responses in all patients with previously untreated follicular lymphoma evaluable for efficacy, per initial results from the safety lead-in portion of the confirmatory Phase 3 OLYMPIA-1 trial Primary analysis from an expansion cohort of the ELM-1 trial highlighted continued efficacy and durability in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients whose disease had progressed after CAR-T therapy First results from the ELM-2 trial in marginal zone lymphoma demonstrated high complete response rate in patients with relapsed/refractory disease TARRYTOWN, N.Y., Dec. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) today announced new and updated data for odronextamab were presented at the 66th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition in San Diego, CA. The presentations, including two orals, showcase the depth and breadth of the odronextamab clinical development program, with twelve abstracts spanning several B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL) subtypes across earlier lines of treatment. OLYMPIA-1 Part 1 Results Showcased Compelling Potential in Previously Untreated Follicular Lymphoma (FL) The ongoing Phase 3 OLYMPIA-1 confirmatory trial consists of a non-randomized safety run-in (Part 1) followed by a randomized efficacy portion (Part 2) evaluating odronextamab monotherapy versus rituximab plus standard-of-care chemotherapies. In Part 1 (N=13), odronextamab led to complete responses (CR) in all 12 patients evaluable for efficacy at week 12. Historical clinical trial data indicate that the standard-of-care regimen R-Chemo was associated with an objective response rate (ORR) of 89% and 67% CR rate.1 Among the 13 patients evaluable for safety, none experienced a dose-limiting toxicity (DLT). The most common treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were cytokine release syndrome (CRS; 62%), diarrhea (46%) and rash (39%). All cases of CRS were Grade 1. Infections occurred in 39% of patients, and 15% experienced a Grade 3 infection. Grade ≥3 TEAEs occurred in 46% of patients, which included one patient who discontinued early due to elevated liver enzymes. There were no reports of tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) or immune effector cell associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS). “The OLYMPIA-1 Phase 3 trial is designed to explore a novel, chemotherapy-free, fixed duration treatment that is being studied in the outpatient setting in patients with previously untreated follicular lymphoma,” said Elizabeth Brém, Associate Clinical Professor, Division of Hematology/Oncology at UC Irvine. “These compelling, initial data show the paradigm-changing potential of odronextamab in previously untreated patients and reinforce the remarkable complete response rates odronextamab demonstrated in late-line follicular lymphoma. We look forward to seeing the results of the Part 2 portion, which offers the first head-to-head evaluation of odronextamab monotherapy compared to standard-of-care chemo-immunotherapies.” Durable Responses Shown in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) that has Progressed After CAR-T Therapy The primary analysis from an expansion cohort of the ELM-1 trial, which evaluated patients with DLBCL who progressed after CAR-T therapy, were presented in an oral session. Among 60 patients – with a median duration of treatment of 12 weeks (range > Traffic impacts: Interactive map | NewEngland511.org Impacted roads include Interstate 93, Interstate 89, Route 3 and Route 4. There are also some slow spots on the Spaulding Turnpike and Everett Turnpike, but generally, in areas from Manchester toward the south and east, rain is falling, and road conditions are better. Be weather-aware! Download the WMUR app for Apple or Android devices and turn on push notifications. You can choose to receive weather alerts for your geolocation and/or up to three ZIP codes. In addition, you can receive word when precipitation is coming to your area. Get storm coverage through the free Very Local app on your smart TV. Follow the Storm Watch 9 team on social media:Semona scores 15 as Stonehill takes down Lafayette 70-65
Huskies win in high-scoring affair against EaglesThe Chandigarh Wine Contractor Association (CWCA) has proposed key changes to the upcoming excise policy 2025-26, urging the UT excise and taxation department to align excise duty and VAT rates with Punjab. The suggestions aim to boost UT’s liquor trade, which has suffered due to price disparities. The liquor trade in UT has been impacted by the Punjab excise policy. One of the primary suggestions is to reduce the excise duty and VAT to 1%, equivalent to Punjab, is to prevent customers from purchasing cheaper liquor across the border. Darshan Singh Kler, CWCA president, said: “The excise duty and VAT should be equivalent to Punjab, as UT traders have been facing heavy losses due to these heavy taxes. The lending cost of liquor in Punjab is less than the lending cost of liquor in Chandigarh. This difference makes the liquor of Punjab much cheaper as compared to Chandigarh.” The association also called for open quotas for IMFL, IFL, and country liquor and a reduction in import duties. They urged the authorities not to increase ex-distillery (EDP) and ex-brewery (EBP) prices, warning that higher costs could drive up liquor prices and deepen contractor losses. Other suggestions include reducing EBP rates for beer, wine, and ready-to-drink beverages to encourage consumption of milder alcohol and extending the deadline for selling carry-forward stock to December 31, instead of June 30 in the new policy of 2025-26. Advocate Sachit Jaiswal expressed optimism, noting that while contractors boycotted last year’s meeting, this year, they hope their recommendations will be incorporated into the policy. The CWCA believes adopting these measures will benefit both the administration and traders, enhancing UT’s competitiveness in the liquor market.Opinion editor’s note: Strib Voices publishes letters from readers online and in print each day. To contribute, click here . ••• I found a certain amount of irony and hypocrisy in the front-page article in the Christmas Eve edition of the Minnesota Star Tribune, “37 of 40 U.S. death row inmates spared.” I am not here to debate whether the death sentence is a justifiable consequence for criminals who commit horrific crimes. That is a subject of significant ethical, moral and legal debate. What I did find troubling was the statement, “Some pleas also invoked Biden’s Catholic faith.” It is well known that President Joe Biden’s stance on abortion has evolved over time. Early in his career following the 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade, which established a constitutional right to abortion, Biden, a practicing Catholic, expressed reservations. He believed the court’s ruling was too expansive and he supported measures that allowed states to overturn Roe. Fast-forward to his 2020 presidential campaign, Biden fully embraced a pro-choice platform and ensured that there was federal funding for abortion services. In fact, in July 2022 he signed an executive order aimed at safeguarding access to reproductive health care services, including abortion and contraception. So, in essence, he has spared people guilty of serious crimes from the death penalty but continues to support abortion and terminating a pregnancy and an innocent baby before the fetus can survive outside the womb. I don’t believe these actions are congruent in the Catholic religion. Tim Rubash, Apple Valley The DOJ is also culpable I woke up early on Friday, and as one of those people who deliberately avoided cable and network news after the election and is not a user of social media, I decided to read about the House Ethics Committee report on former Rep. Matt Gaetz. And lo and behold, there were multiple letters in the Strib Voices section that day that commented on the report, with all three writers commenting on Rep. Michelle Fischbach’s cowardice in voting to keep the report private ( Readers Write , Dec. 27). After reading about Gaetz’s “exploits” — all seemingly well documented in the report — I came to the conclusion that this cowardice extended to the Department of Justice by refusing to indict this guy back in 2020. After reading the report and its conclusions, it seemed pretty clear to me that charges could have been brought, even notwithstanding the character of the potential witnesses. Aside from the appalling conduct of Gaetz and his “bros,” his behavior in blocking, ignoring and obfuscating the committee was all par for the course in the last eight years. If any readers decide to read the report, my advice is to prepare to take a shower and wash your hands after reading about the disgusting activities it describes. As for Fischbach, don’t think too badly of her. After all, it’s likely any of Minnesota’s other three Republican House members, had they been on the committee, would have also voted not to release the report. Mike Cassidy, Wayzata ••• Gaetz isn’t quite there yet. But if he can get convicted of some financial crimes, bankrupt a few companies and try to overturn a free and fair election, he could become presidential material. Karl Karst, Woodbury ‘Vindicated’ isn’t quite the word Thursday’s 2024 in review article states that Rep. Dean Phillips was vindicated by President Biden ultimately stepping aside from this year’s campaign, with Donald Trump subsequently ascending to the presidency ( “Year was defined by Walz’s VP bid, legislative chaos,” Dec. 26). Aside from the question of however much or little effect Phillips’ efforts actually had on the results of this year’s election, as compared to the achievements of the Trump fog machine and a complicit corporate media, “vindicated” is a narrow and limited word to apply to such substantial results. A more comprehensive and accurate adjective might be “culpable.” Peter Hill, Minnetonka It’s not that serious Editors: What is the purpose of “ ‘We hate them, they hate us’ ” — a really inflammatory headline in the Dec. 27 paper? Is it to encourage some nut case to do some mayhem on either the Vikings or Packers? Football is only a game. We have enough violence in our country and we surely don’t need more. Trash talk like that should never appear in a newspaper like the Star Tribune. Florian Lauer, St. Paul Help us out here We’re feeling more division than ever in our local politics, and I’m writing to suggest the Star Tribune play a bigger role in brokering true objectivity through some kind of weekly “Fact Check” column. It’s going to be especially important as we head toward what could be the most important local elections in the history of Minneapolis next fall. Case in point: the completely different “facts” shared by Mayor Jacob Frey and our Ward 7 representative Katie Cashman in their weekly newsletter updates. The newsletters are generally a great way to stay up-to-date on local happenings — but the versions they each shared about the recent 2025 budget details could not have been more confusing to unpack. The mayor made very convincing points about the unhealthy depletion of rainy day funds, cuts in police-recruiting budgets and other safety programs that have been proven for years. Cashman claimed no cuts were made to MPD policing and safety, and asserted the council’s budget increased that support. Who to believe — especially without time in the day to dig into the nuances of all those claims. But you, the Star Tribune, can do just that — and we need the help! The key to a functioning democracy (do we still have one?) is everyone debating from a core set of actual facts. Hope is all but lost nationally on this topic — but locally, the Strib could be a powerful force for clarity and objectivity as we deal with a radical left steering us closer to a Portland-esque dumpster fire and a real need to get our city back on track. It is likely both sides are cherry-picking, exaggerating or obfuscating important facts we need to understand, so please help shine a less-biased light! Starting with that budget that just passed despite the mayor’s veto — was recruiting for critically needed police recruiting actually cut or not? Did we dive into a critical budget reserve that may be needed should the new federal administration cut us deeply next year? It would help to see a side-by-side comparison by line item of the mayor’s budget and the one the City Council passed, with highlights of the biggest differences. Doug Moore, Minneapolis ••• I have friends and family who get all their information from FOX News. When they share tidbits with me, I wonder if any mainstream media bother to shed daylight on the outrageous commentary. The latest is that President Biden sold Trump’s wall materials — materials Trump would use during his second coming ... the analogy intentional on my part — for pennies on the dollar to spite the president-elect, wasting our tax dollars. The reality is that the sale of those leftover materials was included in the Department of Defense budget prepared by the DOD and approved by Congress in 2023. The sale was not ordered by President Biden. It seems silly that the mainstream media needs to counter this nonsense but somebody has to do it. JoAnn Wright, New Hope
growth is set to pick up from 1% to 2.4% and 2.6% . The recovery real disposable incomes will stronger consumer demand. Investment will be bolstered by easing financial conditions and the stronger use of funds. The growth of exports will pick up, as demand from Czechia’s main trading partners strengthens. Headline inflation is projected to remain around the 2% target, with core inflation gradually easing. Risks are tilted to the downside, related to geopolitical tensions and a more persistent slowdown of growth in key trading partners, especially Germany. Monetary policy should remain restrictive until underlying inflation pressures subside. Fiscal consolidation should continue in the medium term to rebuild fiscal buffers and prepare for -term spending pressures. Reforming the vocational education and training (VET) system and expanding opportunities for reskilling and upskilling are needed to skill shortages and mismatches, and boost productivity. expanded moderately in the third quarter of , by 0.3% compared to the previous quarter. High frequency indicators suggest continued growth in late mainly driven by private consumption. point to a continuation of the recovery in household consumption. Lower policy interest rates have led to falls in interest rates on new loans, and loan growth to the private sector has stabilised. Consumer price inflation has come down close to the 2% target in 2024, although inflation edged up to 2.8% in October largely due to volatile food prices. Service price inflation has declined more slowly and remains elevated, above 5% in October 2024. The labour market also remains tight. The has edged up and vacancies have fallen. However, labour shortages are still reported in sectors, especially in construction. Nominal wage growth remains strong. Source: of Labour and Social Affairs; and Czech Statistical Office. 1. Contributions to changes in real GDP, actual amount in the first column. 2. Consumer price excluding food and energy. 3. The Maastricht definition of general includes only loans, debt securities, and currency and deposits, with debt face value rather than market value. Source: OECD Economic Outlook 116 database. Soft external demand in key trading partners, especially Germany, is weighing on and exports. While supply chain disruptions continue to ease, -oriented industrial firms perceive insufficient demand from abroad as the main factor limiting production. Import growth (quarter-on-quarter) resumed in 2024, after declining in . With inflation slowing, the Czech National (CNB) reduced the main policy rate (the two-week rate) from 6.75% to 4% between December and November 2024. The projections assume a further gradual easing of monetary policy until a broadly stance of around 3% is reached in the second half of . The fiscal stance is moderately contractionary in 2024 due to the phasing-out of almost energy measures at the end of 2023, as well as a consolidation package mainly focused on revenue measures totalling around 1.2% of GDP, including increases in social security contributions, corporate income tax rates and real estate taxes. The draft budget for foresees some further improvement in the headline budget , but this is largely cyclical. The projections assume a broadly fiscal stance in 2025 and a mildly restrictive stance in 2026 in line with medium-term fiscal plans. Stronger private consumption growth will be supported by the recovery in real disposable incomes and the drawdown of the excess savings of households. Easing financial conditions and the stronger use of structural and recovery and resilience funds will prop up investment growth. Exports will accelerate as demand in key trading partners strengthens. However, import growth will also pick up on the back of increasing domestic demand, resulting in a declining contribution of exports to growth. Headline inflation is projected to remain around the 2% target. Core inflation is expected to ease gradually, helped by a pick-up in productivity growth that mitigates labour cost growth. Risks to the projections are skewed to the downside. An escalation of geopolitical tensions would weigh on foreign demand and could to increased global energy prices and renewed supply chain disruptions. A more persistent economic slowdown in key trading partners, especially Germany, or an increase in trade barriers would weigh on Czechia’s -oriented economy. Monetary policy should remain restrictive to ensure that underlying inflationary pressures are durably contained. The tight labour market and brisk wage growth, together with services prices, call for a continued restrictive monetary policy stance. Consolidation should continue in the medium term to comply with the national and fiscal rules, the disinflationary process, rebuild fiscal buffers and prepare for -term spending pressures. Fiscal measures should be specified to reach the medium-term fiscal targets. Reducing skill shortages and mismatches would boost productivity and requires reforming the VET system to over-specialisation and promoting work-based learning, and expanding opportunities for reskilling and upskilling through flexible, modular high-quality training programmes.Short Interest in Adaptimmune Therapeutics plc (NASDAQ:ADAP) Drops By 24.7%Almost every discussion in India public sphere which centres around erosion in life values is attributed to “such things are ought to be taught in schools, colleges and universities.” It is a well-prevailing thought now to expect that all sorts of learnings, essential to live a cultured life in harmony with nature, should become a part of curriculum and taught at educational institutions to make learning holistic and value based. Be it environmental education, cultural studies, women studies, folklores and dances, dietary system, rural skills, human and nature interaction, Indian knowledge system, universal human values, Indic studies, religious studies, etc. However, the canvas of curricular learning has increased exponentially. New disciplines of learning, especially technology based- like AI, have emerged, which are to be necessarily taught across disciplines. The boundaries between the curricular, co-curricular and extra-curricular learnings are also disappearing and several learnings, which were earlier parts of the latter two, have been integrated with curricular learning. As a result, curricula are becoming burdensome with a large number of courses packed with learning modules. Whereas, the thrust of New Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is on the process of learning rather than quantum of learning. Moreover, purpose of education has shifted from rote-learning to experiential learning, essential for inculcating critical thinking and creativity. This can be maximised in a stress-free and joyful learning ecosystem conducive to deeper learning experiences. This requires that curriculum and learning modules thereon have to be lean and thin to make learning engaging, immersive and reflective for cultivating minds. In fact, enough time is a must for learners to assimilate learning and to appreciate its application potential. In the past, there used to be three strong institutions of learning, namely, family, society and educational institutions per se. Joint families acted as catalysts of learning in real-life situations. Skill sets pertaining to sanskaras, cultural traditions, patriotism, communication skills, fellow-feeling, compassion, collaboration, co-operation, nature centric lifestyle, sharing of resources, equal opportunity for all, judicious use of resources, sustainable development, etc. were taught in the joint families in informal settings. The stories narrated by the grandmothers from the scriptures were a great source of ethics and morals. Gradually, we have drifted away from the joint family system under the influence of “Western” lifestyle and values. Unitary families which replaced joint families are also slowly poached upon by an emerging social order called “live-in relationship”. Instead of family as a unit, now individuals consider themselves as a unit of the Bharatiya society. As such, character building education that was imparted in the families free of cost and in homely, informal, vibrant and holistic learning environment, is now ought to be imparted in the educational institutions. Small kids, who essentially need motherly care and homely environment, are kept at the crèches immediately after the tender age to two to mend their own ways and to learn themselves, under the supervision of hired professionals who normally teach “don’t do this or that”. Both the spouses have to be in professional jobs as our needs have mushroomed and a single earning member is not enough to satisfy our endless desires, and for the so-called quality life. It is well-settled fact that ethic values imbibed in the early childhood lay foundation for life-long learning. Society, especially the “mohallas”, were second learning centres. Children used to learn the cultural traits, social norms and best practices prevailed therein under the watchful eyes of elderly persons. Team spirit and co-operative thought process used to be developed through indigenous games, traditions and practices. Extension of relationships with the people in the neighbourhood laid solid foundation for cohesion among families, brotherhood and spirit of “Vasudhaiv Kutumbakum”. Owing to busy and individualistic lifestyle, however, symbiotic relationship with neighbourhood has also suffered greatly. Now, even we don’t know about our immediate neighbours and are largely unconcerned about the developments happening around us. Since we are social beings, our disconnect with the surroundings will not bring any good to humanity. Precisely for this reason, the NEP lays emphasis on early childhood education. Only government efforts are not enough to accomplish this task. We need to revive family and society as pivotal institutions of learning to make it holistic and lessen the burden of learnings in the educational institutions. Indian knowledge system and universal human values are two of the many critical components of holistic learning. Cultural traits of the family and society have huge impact on learning in schools, colleges and universities, and there are no short-cuts. We ought to develop the culture of sound civilisational discourse at homes in joint family ecosystem and neighbourhood to secure future of our younger generations and of the nation. mzurpt@gmail.com (The writer is the V-C of Central University of Punjab, Bathinda)
BRUSSELS The Syrian opposition's revolutionary flag was raised Monday at the Syrian Embassy in Belgium's capital Brussels in an historic moment marking the fall of Syria's Assad regime.The symbolic change reflected the seismic political shift in Syria. Security around the building was notably tight, with Belgian police erecting iron barriers to secure the area as the transition unfolded. On Sunday, Syrians gathered in front of Brussels Central Train Station and in various neighborhoods to mark the regime's collapse. The festive gatherings, filled with chants and the waving of revolutionary flags, took place under the watchful eye of law enforcement to ensure public safety. On Nov. 27, Syrian opposition forces launched a 10-day lightning offensive, capturing key cities, and then on Dec. 8 the capital Damascus. The rapid advance, supported by defecting military units, led to the collapse of the Assad regime after 13 years of civil war. Assad and his family fled to Moscow, where Russia granted them asylum.
Mired in last place in the NHL standings amid a rebuilding process, the Chicago Blackhawks dismissed coach Luke Richardson on Thursday and named Anders Sorensen interim coach. In two-plus seasons with the Blackhawks, the 55-year-old Richardson posted a 57-118-15 record, including an 8-16-2 start to this season, in his first stint as a head coach. Chicago posted 59 points in his first season, then regressed to 52 in 2023-24, despite having No. 1 overall pick and 2024 Calder Trophy winner Connor Bedard on the roster. "Today I made the difficult decision to move on from Luke as our head coach. We thank him for his efforts and contributions to the organization and our community," Chicago general manager Kyle Davidson said in a statement. "As we have begun to take steps forward in our rebuilding process, we felt that the results did not match our expectations for a higher level of execution this season and ultimately came to the decision that a change was necessary. We wish Luke and his family all the best moving forward." The 49-year-old Sorensen had been the coach of the Blackhawks' AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs. He will be succeeded at Rockford by Mark Eaton on an interim basis. Eaton is the Blackhawks' assistant general manager overseeing player development. "On behalf of the entire Blackhawks organization, I'd like to thank Luke for his dedication over the past three seasons," Blackhawks chairman and CEO Danny Wirtz said in a statement. "I fully support Kyle's decision in making this change as he continues to do what is needed to move our team forward. I have the utmost confidence in him and the rest of our Hockey Operations team as they begin their search for the next head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks." Richardson was the Toronto Maple Leafs' first-round pick (No. 7 overall) in 1987 and posted 201 points (35 goals, 166 assists) in 1,417 games over 21 seasons. Playing for six teams, the Ottawa native also amassed 2,055 penalty minutes. This article first appeared on Field Level Media and was syndicated with permission.
Khan Academy Pakistan launched, brings AI-powered tutor ‘Khanmigo’ to country The representational image shows a robot using a laptop. — Pixabay/File Leading educationalists, technology entrepreneurs and business leaders have collaborated to bring Khan Academy, a global leader in free online learning, to Pakistan to provide free, world-class education through cutting-edge AI technology. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1700472799616-0'); }); Khan Academy Pakistan (KAP) was officially launched at a hotel in Karachi on Thursday. With the launch, KAP unveiled an artificial intelligence-powered online tutor named 'Khanmigo' to help teachers be more efficient and students to learn more effectively. Speaking on the occasion, Zeeshan Hasan, CEO of KAP, said: "Today is a very important day. From here, a new era of innovation in education begins, offering world-class content." He highlighted that Pakistan, with a population of over 240 million, faced critical educational challenges, including high dropout rates and inadequate infrastructure. "We aim to address challenges in the education sector using technology to provide world-class education," Hasan announced. "This initiative with Khan Academy is inclusive and not limited to any particular segment of society. We plan to collaborate with both private and public schools to expand access to quality education." Hasan explained that KAP would launch a pilot programme in the beginning of the next year, starting with teachers and gradually extending to students. He said KAP's approach focuses on localized curriculum: content aligned with Pakistan’s national education standards and available in Urdu and regional languages; teacher empowerment with tools and training for teachers to enhance classroom learning and thirdly, KAP will focus on bringing Khanmigo to the widest student base in Pakistan to maximize its impact. He said KAP has partnered with AKHUWAT, CARE Foundation, TCF, Foundation Public School, Education Trust Nasra School, Aga Khan University – Institute of Education Development, CFC, and Durbeen for the programme, adding that it would be collaborating with other leading private school networks in the second round of Student Pilot in 2025. Osman Rashid, chairperson of KAP, said: “Khan Academy Pakistan is more than an initiative; it is a commitment to our children and our future. By integrating AI and localized content, we aim to use Khanmigo to transform the educational landscape of Pakistan, ensuring that every child, regardless of their circumstances, has access to quality learning." Sal Khan, founder of Khan Academy, in a video message, said: "With Khan Academy Pakistan, we are bringing the power of AI to tackle the unique challenges faced by students and teachers. Together, we can help unlock the incredible potential of Pakistan’s youth and inspire a brighter future for all.” Qandeel of Khan Academy explained that the academy was founded in 2008 in California, and it's already well-known in the world for its amazing content in math and science. Sal Khan's vision was to help each learner learn at their own pace and achieve mastery before moving further, she added. "He started by teaching his cousins by recording his videos and putting them on YouTube and one day many people were just watching those videos, and so he decided to scale it. Today, Khan Academy has a significant global reach. It provides free educational resources to learners in over 190 countries in more than 50 languages," she said. "Each year, more than 100 million people use Khan Academy to enhance their learning." She said the academy's newest innovation, Khanmigo, has taken this dream to the next level, thanks to the rapid advancement in the domain of artificial intelligence. "The name, Khanmogo, is a combination of the founder's last name, Khan and a Spanish word, amigo, which means friend, a friend." Khanmigo is an AI-powered tool developed by Khan Academy to enhance student learning and support teachers, according to a press release. It acts as a personal tutor for students, providing personalized assistance and helping them understand complex concepts at their own pace. For teachers, Khanmigo offers valuable resources like automated lesson planning and personalized feedback tools, making it easier to manage classroom tasks and focus on student engagement. Overall, Khanmigo aims to improve the quality of education by making learning more accessible and teaching more efficient. Khanmigo is designed to be accessible on a wide range of devices, including laptops, tablets, and smartphones. This ensures that students from all backgrounds can benefit from its personalized learning support, regardless of their access to specific technology. By making Khanmigo available on various platforms and languages, Khan Academy aims to provide equitable educational opportunities to students everywhere. A collective of Pakistani diaspora and local leaders have collaborated to bring KAP to Pakistan. The board includes leading educationalists, technology entrepreneurs and business leaders who collectively seek to improve Pakistan’s future trajectory through improving learning for the masses. Board members of KAP include Osman Rashid, Naeem Zamindar, Amin Hashwani, Mir Ibrahim Rahman, Rehan Jalil, Mubarak Imam, Bilal Musharraf. KAP is funded by supportive Pakistanis from across the globe. Khan Academy is a non-profit organisation providing free, world-class education to anyone, anywhere. With resources in multiple languages, Khan Academy reaches over 100 million users globally each year. Khan Academy Pakistan is an initiative dedicated to addressing Pakistan’s educational challenges through innovative AI-powered solutions, localised content, and teacher support systems. KAP is an initiative of Jaglot, a non-profit comprising selective Pakistani diaspora and local business leaders who seek to bring positive change to Pakistan. Naeem Zamindar and Amin Hashwani also spoke on the occasion.Stock market today: Stocks waver in thin trading after US markets reopen following a holiday pause