Stock market today: Wall Street slips as the 'Magnificent 7' weighs down the marketMichigan Senate Loser Is Out of the Running to Be FBI DirectorNewsquawk Week Ahead: US PCE, FOMC Minutes, RBNZ rate decision, EZ HICP, and Aussie CPI - ForexLive
EXCLUSIVE: Ramaphosa reflects on SA’s 30 years of democracy
“He leaves behind a legacy of love, inspiration and dedication to over 50 extraordinary years in the sports broadcast industry; and his iconic voice will never be forgotten,” his wife Marcy Gumbel and daughter Michelle Gumbel said in a statement. In March, Gumbel missed his first NCAA Tournament since 1997 due to what he said at the time were family health issues. Gumbel was the studio host for CBS since returning to the network from NBC in 1998. Gumbel signed an extension with CBS last year that allowed him to continue hosting college basketball while stepping back from NFL announcing duties. In 2001, he announced Super Bowl XXXV for CBS, becoming the first Black announcer in the U.S. to call play-by-play of a major sports championship. David Berson, president and CEO of CBS Sports, described Greg Gumbel as breaking barriers and setting standards for others during his years as a voice for fans in sports, including in the NFL and March Madness. “A tremendous broadcaster and gifted storyteller, Greg led one of the most remarkable and groundbreaking sports broadcasting careers of all time," said Berson. Gumbel had two stints at CBS, leaving the network for NBC when it lost football in 1994 and returning when it regained the contract in 1998. He hosted CBS’ coverage of the 1992 and 1994 Winter Olympics and called Major League Baseball games during its four-year run broadcasting the national pastime. But it was football and basketball where he was best known and made his biggest impact. Gumbel hosted CBS’ NFL studio show, “The NFL Today” from 1990 to 1993 and again in 2004. He also called NFL games as the network’s lead play-by-play announcer from 1998 to 2003, including Super Bowl XXXV and XXXVIII. He returned to the NFL booth in 2005, leaving that role after the 2022 season.
Once again, the winter holiday season is upon us! I am sure I have said this before, but I never cease to be amazed at the seemingly endless varieties of holiday plants available. This year, I planned on not buying any holiday plants, but one trip to two local greenhouses changed my mind immediately. If one plant could exemplify the season, it would be the Poinsettia. Although red and white Poinsettias have been the standard for many years, there are a lot of really neat colors available if you look hard enough. One of my all-time favorites is orange. I used to grow this variety when it first came out, and could never stock enough of them. In the old days, you needed to set it next to a red one to tell the difference, but fast forward many years, and the orange is now much more intense and can stand alone in all its glory. If I had to pick just one favorite Poinsettia , it would be the yellow. It just looks so unusual and unlike anything else. I first saw it years ago in small quantities in a big box store, but now they are much more common. The regular white has a slight yellow tint to it, but there is a super bright white that looks as pure as freshly fallen snow. Another new favorite is called “Christmas Mouse,” and has rounded leaves that resemble mouse ears in contrast to the normal pointed ones. Of course, there are also Poinsettias that are actually spray painted with a plant-safe paint. These plants usually also have glitter sprinkled onto them. Even though these are artificial looking, they are beautiful works of art in their own right. There are new varieties of cyclamen around too. These are characterized by interestingly shaped flowers that are more open. Some of the varieties even have the flowers turned upright. The colors are amazing and range from dark maroon reds to almost neon pink. Another plant I am really excited to see this year is the Amaryllis. These have been around an extremely long time, but what changed is the number of places carrying many different varieties for sale. I like when I can just buy the bulb and pot it up on my own. This is less expensive and allows me to buy more varieties. There are even some places selling the bulbs with a type of paint coating on them which is said to eliminates the need for watering. I prefer a bulb in a pot as I think it looks more natural, but that is a matter of opinion. What I have seen a lot less of this year is the Christmas Cactus. While they are still around, their numbers are not nearly as plentiful as in the past. The Amaryllis and Christmas cactus are the two plants you can keep long term. They each have special care routines that you will need to follow to get them to bloom again the following year. The Christmas cacti need a certain lighting (or darkness) period, and the Amaryllis need a dry dormant period. Wherever you are going for the holidays, I suggest bringing one of these festive plants to the host as a gift. There is nothing more cheerful than a brightly colored plant during the dark days of winter. On that note, why not buy some for yourself and enjoy them all season? Either way, I suggest you make the most of things with a nice new plant variety that you never had before. There certainly are plenty from which to choose. For your gardening questions, feel free to contact us, toll-free, at the UConn Home & Garden Education Center at (877) 486-6271, visit our website at www.ladybug.uconn.edu or contact your local Cooperative Extension center.
Law targets 'weaponizing' of remote control GPS in vehicles against domestic violence survivorsLas Vegas Grand Prix Puts Luxury on Overdrive and Delivers High-Octane HospitalityCHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Front Row Motorsports, one of two teams suing NASCAR in federal court, accused the stock car series Thursday of rejecting the planned purchase of a valuable charter unless the lawsuit was dropped. Front Row made the claim in a court filing and said it involved its proposed purchase of the charter from Stewart-Haas Racing. Front Row said the series would only approve it if Front Row and 23XI Racing dropped their court case. “Specifically, NASCAR informed us that it would not approve the (charter) transfer unless we agreed to drop our current antitrust lawsuit against them,” Jerry Freeze, general manager of Front Row, said in an affidavit filed in the U.S. District Court of Western North Carolina. The two teams in September refused to sign NASCAR's “take-it-or-leave-it” final offer on a new revenue sharing agreement. All other 13 teams signed the deal. People are also reading... Front Row and 23XI balked and are now in court. 23XI co-owner Michael Jordan has said he took the fight to court on behalf of all teams competing in the top motorsports series in the United States. NASCAR has argued that the two teams simply do not like the terms of the final charter agreement and asked for the lawsuit be dismissed. Earlier this week, the suit was transferred to a different judge than the one who heard the first round of arguments and ruled against the two teams in their request for a temporary injunction to be recognized in 2025 as chartered teams as the case proceeds. The latest filing is heavily redacted as it lays out alleged retaliatory actions by NASCAR the teams say have caused irreparable harm. Both Front Row and 23XI want to expand from two full-time cars to three, and have agreements with SHR to purchase one charter each as SHR goes from four cars to one for 2025. The teams can still compete next season but would have to do so as “open” teams that don't have the same protections or financial gains that come from holding a charter. Freeze claimed in the affidavit that Front Row signed a purchase agreement with SHR in April and NASCAR President Steve Phelps told Freeze in September the deal had been approved. But when Front Row submitted the paperwork last month, NASCAR began asking for additional information. A Dec. 4 request from NASCAR was “primarily related to our ongoing lawsuit with NASCAR,” Freeze said. “NASCAR informed us on December 5, 2024, that it objected to the transfer and would not approve it, in contrast to the previous oral approval for the transfer confirmed by Phelps before we filed the lawsuit,” Freeze said. “NASCAR made it clear that the reason it was now changing course and objecting to the transfer is because NASCAR is insisting that we drop the lawsuit and antitrust claims against it as a condition of being approved.” A second affidavit from Steve Lauletta, the president of 23XI Racing, claims NASCAR accused 23XI and Front Row of manufacturing “new circumstances” in a renewed motion for an injunction and of a “coordinated effort behind the scenes.” “This is completely false,” Lauletta said. Front Row is owned by businessman Bob Jenkins, while 23XI is owned by retired NBA Hall of Famer Jordan, three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin and longtime Jordan adviser Curtis Polk. NASCAR had been operating with 36 chartered teams and four open spots since the charter agreement began in 2016. NASCAR now says it will move forward in 2025 with 32 chartered teams and eight open spots, with offers on charters for Front Row and 23XI rescinded and the SHR charters in limbo. The teams contend they must be chartered under some of their contractual agreements with current sponsors and drivers, and competing next year as open teams will cause significant losses. “23XI exists to compete at the highest level of stock car racing, striving to become the best team it can be. But that ambition can only be pursued within NASCAR, which has monopolized the market as the sole top-tier circuit for stock car racing,” Lauletta said. "Our efforts to expand – purchasing more cars and increasing our presence on the track – are integral to achieving this goal. “It is not hypocritical to operate within the only system available while striving for excellence and contending for championships,” he continued. “It is a necessity because NASCAR’s monopoly leaves 23XI no alternative circuit, no different terms, and no other viable avenue to compete at this level.” AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Members of the Adanfo Ensemble perform. The 34th Annual Syracuse University Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration at the Carrier Dome, January 27, 2019, Michael Greenlar | mgreenlar@syracuse.com Michael Greenlar | mgreenlar@syr Maggie Hicks | mhicks@syracuse.com Syracuse, N.Y. -- Smith College’s president and the daughter of a prominent Syracuse University graduate will speak at SU’s 40th annual Martin Luther King Jr. celebration next month. Sarah Willie-LeBreton, who will speak at the celebration on Jan. 26 in the JMA Wireless Dome, is the 12th president of Smith College. She is also the daughter of Charles Willie, who was the first Black full-time professor, department chair and vice president at SU. Willie-LeBreton specializes in sociology, social inequity, race and ethnicity. She was appointed president of Smith College last year. She also taught at Colby College, Bard College and Swarthmore College, where she was the coordinator of the Black studies program and chair of the sociology and anthropology department. “We are honored to welcome President Sarah Willie-LeBreton as our featured speaker for this historic 40th anniversary celebration,” said Brian Konkol, vice president and dean of Hendricks Chapel at SU, in a university news release. “Through her remarkable impact built through years of dedicated service, President Willie-LeBreton honors her father’s legacy by creating a legacy of her own, and she inspires us all to spark and sustain a better world.” SU’s MLK celebration includes speakers and performances to commemorate King’s legacy. In years past, it has featured remarks from well-known academics and advocates, including King’s oldest son, Martin Luther King III. The university will also honor the winners of this year’s Unsung Hero Award , which is given to people in the university and surrounding community who “have embodied the spirit of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,” Tickets are $40 for SU faculty and staff as well as the general public. They are $20 for university students. Maggie Hicks covers education, including the Syracuse City School District and Syracuse University. She can be reached at mhicks@syracuse.com or follow her on X @maggie_hickss .Dallas Cowboys star guard Zack Martin is doubtful for Sunday's game against the Washington Commanders due to ankle and shoulder injuries. Martin didn't practice at all this week. He also physically struggled during Monday night's loss to the Houston Texas. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. The aging of the Baby Boomer generation (those born between 1946 and 1964) has significantly increased the share of the U.S. population aged 55+ during the past decade: from 24.9% in 2010, to 30.2% in 2023. And a growing number of these Americans are opting to age in place or downsize—creati... Click for more. American Cities With the Oldest HomebuyersLight icing possible in isolated areas of New Hampshire for Saturday
Judge halts $25 billion Kroger-Albertsons mergerSindh govt to provide full security to Chinese investors: Sharjeel Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon has said that the government of Pakistan and the government of Sindh have always embraced foreign investors. He said the Sindh government is working with an active public-private partnership mode and full facilities will be provided in all respects to the investors on a public- private partnership basis. Addressing the Sindh Investment Conference at a hotel in Karachi, he said that Chinese investors are interested in investing in the medical city and transport sector in Karachi. He said President Asif Ali Zardari on behalf of the Sindh government has offered full support to Chinese investors. He said Sindh is the best region for foreign investment as it possesses the potential of providing Thar coal-based inexpensive electricity to the country for two hundred years continuously, besides becoming the hub of many companies, which are practically engaged in providing green energy within Sindh. “Farmers will gain immense benefits from corporate farming as latest technology will help them achieve maximum yield from limited water availability.” He said that a combination of Chinese technology and the opportunities available in Pakistan is the way forward for further development. He vowed that the Sindh government will extend full security to the Chinese investors and that he wished such opportunities continued to thrive. Addressing the ceremony, Minister for Energy, Planning, and Development Syed Nasir Hussain Shah accorded a warm welcome to the Chinese investors and the consul general of Turkiye present on this occasion. He appreciated the efforts made by the Investment Department to organize the investment conference and assured full cooperation on behalf of the government to the international investors. Shah said, “Sindh offers investment opportunities in the energy, industrial, agricultural, and transport sectors.” The government welcomes not only Chinese investors but also all the international investors and offers full cooperation and facilities to all investors. Special Assistant to the Sindh CM for Investment and Public-Private Partnership Syed Qassim Naveed Qamar welcomed the investors and other distinguished guests participating in the investment conference and explained the aims and objectives of the conference. Meanwhile, in a statement, provincial minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said that the Pakistan Peoples Party has always worked for women’s empowerment. The Sindh government has started a project of building houses for flood victims and ownership will be given to women. Similarly, the government and its entire machinery will try to make the Women’s National Volleyball Tournament a point of recognition. Addressing a ceremony announcing the launch of the first National Volleyball Tournament, he said, “We want such events for women to be organized and recognized so that they inspire and encourage other girls to participate.” He said that students and youth are the future of the nation, and it is our responsibility to provide positive opportunities for the new generation. He congratulated the organizers of the National Volleyball Tournament for women and affirmed that the Sindh government will continue to support and encourage such activities. Answering a question, he said, “We have good traditions here. The Sindh government has promoted women’s hockey in the past. We want to provide facilities to our children so that they bring recognition to Pakistan on the international level.” He stated, “We will strive to provide a stadium for women during the event. In addition to establishing an academy, the government should sponsor such events to encourage women’s participation. This year, with 60 teams competing in the tournament, our goal is to see 120 teams participating next year.”
West Ham forward Michail Antonio is in a stable condition following a road traffic accident, the Premier League club have announced. The 34-year-old is conscious after being taken to hospital in London following the incident in Epping, Essex on Saturday afternoon. The update was issued after unverified images of a heavily damaged Ferrari began to circulate online. A club statement read: “West Ham United can confirm that Michail Antonio is in a stable condition following a road traffic accident this afternoon in the Essex area. “Michail is conscious and communicating and is currently under close supervision at a central London hospital. “At this difficult time, we kindly ask everyone to respect the privacy of Michail and his family. “The club will make no further comment this evening, but will issue a further update in due course.” It was West Ham’s second statement on the matter after an earlier one confirming an accident had taken place. Essex Fire Service also confirmed firefighters had attended the scene and released a man trapped in his car. A statement read: “Crews were called to High Road, Epping, at 1.02pm this afternoon after reports of a road traffic collision involving one car. “In arrival, firefighters reported that a man was trapped in his car and worked to release him by 1.45pm. The casualty was left in the care of the Ambulance Service.” London-born Antonio, a Jamaica international, is in his 10th season with West Ham after joining the club from Nottingham Forest in 2015. He has scored 83 goals in 323 appearances for the club and helped them win the Europa Conference League in 2023. Antonio began his footballing journey with non-League Tooting and Mitcham before moving into the professional ranks with Reading. He has also had spells with Cheltenham, Southampton, Colchester and Sheffield Wednesday. A number of West Ham’s rival clubs have posted well wishes. A social media post from Arsenal read: “Everyone at Arsenal sends their love, support and well wishes to Michail, his family and West Ham United.” Chelsea said: “The thoughts of everyone at Chelsea FC are with Michail and his family.” A message from Liverpool read: “The thoughts and prayers of everyone at LFC are with Michail and his family.” West Ham were not playing on Saturday but host Wolves at the London Stadium on Monday. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.Trump threatens jail time for Jan. 6 committee members. How did Schiff respond?
From , by Bachchoo O Democracy, what have you done??? Breeding nightmares across the globe. Yes, 2024 has been the super year for global elections. People in 70 countries, half the world’s population, went to the polls. If you discount the populations of Russia, China and North Korea, whose “democracies” have infinite quotation marks around them, then the voting nations exceed that 50 per cent. The trumping of Donald Trump and his MAGA (Make America Gaga Again) campaign is only the latest example of the overthrow of incumbent governments. Forty out of 54 voting nations kicked their incumbents out. Very many surveys and analysts attribute Chump’s victory (and this applies to other triumphant Oppositions) to his constant refrain during the campaign asking voters if they had more money in their pockets when he was POTUS or when Joe Biden and Vice-POTUS Kamala Harris had their term. Certainly, the scare stories of immigrants making nations poorer, spreading crime and eating pets, and consequently the promise to deport millions of illegal immigrants from the United States, was a determining factor in the devastating reversal. Analysis of the other elections attribute this tendency to dismiss incumbent governments and parties to precisely the same two factors -- the rise in inflation and prices caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and the fuel crisis after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the fear of an immigrant “invasion”. But is that the whole picture? Certainly, the UK voted in Keir Starmer’s Labour Party with a huge majority, humiliating Hedgie Sunak and the Tories by presenting them with their greatest electoral defeat since 1832 in their long and nasty history. Keir Starmer’s Labour is very centre-left with more crowd-and-capitalist-pleasing-centre than left. His government’s chancellor of the exchequer, Rachel Reeves, presented her first Budget in October. The theme of the Budget was economic restraint. She said Labour was not raising taxes on working people, but only on employers. Economic commentary concludes that the rise in National Insurance she imposed on employers will be passed on, in one way or another, to employees and consumers. In the wake of the Budget after Rachel Reeves’ pronouncements and Keir Starmer’s follow-up support for the Budget, they were asked to define whom they meant by the word “worker”. Answer came there none. At the Labour Party conference, as Ms Reeves was speaking, a heckler interrupted saying that Labour was continuing to sell arms to Israel and contributing to the genocide in Palestine. He was promptly dragged out of the hall. Ms Reeves responded by telling the audience that Labour was not any more a party of “protest” but one that sided with the working class. Not much of answer or even excuse for the continued support to the billionaires of the British arms industry? Across the Channel, in France and Germany (tragically “isolated” now, through Brexit), the voters didn’t quite overthrow the governments but gave a very favourable vote to extreme right-wing parties. Italy voted in a party formerly associated with fascism. Hungary and Turkey (though the latter has not yet been admitted into the European Union but is in Nato) have elected right-wing governments, apologists for Russia’s invasion and bombing of civilians in Ukraine. Democracy, with its traceable origins in Athens -- though undoubtedly there must have been other societies which pioneered government through majority franchise of allowed personnel which didn’t have a recorded influence on subsequent history -- was supposed to reflect the material concerns of the classes that voted. If one believes the analysts who say that the Covid crisis and the wars which the West expends funds on are responsible for high prices, welfare cuts, etc, then yes, the majority who feel a pinch in their pockets voted in the hope that the opposing right-wing parties would loosen the pinching fingers. But then, there are the other elements that distort the democratic ideal of classes voting for their material and social benefit. They vote for religious prejudice, they vote to keep foreigners out of their country, they vote out of fear that some current ideology is distorting their culture... Gentle reader, I confess I voted for the losing side in the Brexit vote. Some of my left-wing friends voted for Britain to leave the EU on the grounds that Polish plumbers, for instance, were coming to the UK and undercutting the wages of British plumbers. I am using “plumbers” here as one category of craftsperson, though of course it applies to a myriad other trades. Yes, Brexit kept the Polish plumbers out. British plumbers could now charge what they wanted to. Millions of working-class families who needed some plumbing in their homes had to pay their price. British plumbers and their unions were served and happy. The working-class families who needed their drains unclogged or taps refitted were not. This “best of all worst systems”, as Winston Churchill said, is not free from the distorting influence of irrational nationalism, religious loyalty or bigotry, racism, xenophobia, conspiracy theories, plausible deceit, the lure of demagoguery and even superstition. These, as we now witness, make for demockracy.NEW YORK (AP) — Remember what you searched for in 2024? does. Google released its annual “Year in Search” on Tuesday, rounding up the top trending queries entered into its namesake search engine in 2024. The results show terms that saw the highest spike in traffic compared to last year — ranging from key news events, notably , to the most popular songs, athletes and unforgettable pop-culture moments that people looked up worldwide. Sports — particularly soccer and cricket — dominated Google’s overall trending searches in 2024. topped those search trends globally, followed by the and . Meanwhile, the led news-specific searches worldwide. Queries about and this year’s followed. U.S. President-elect topped searches in Google’s people category this year — followed by , U.S. Vice President and Algerian boxer , who also led athlete-specific searches. Meanwhile, the late , and led search trends among notable individuals who died in 2024. In the world of entertainment, Disney and Pixar’s was the top trending movie of the year, while Netflix’s led TV show trends. And Kendrick Lamar’s dominated song trends. That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Queries for the , made famous by Norwegian swimmer Henrik Christiansen over the summer games, led Google’s global recipe trends this year. The New York Times’ “Connections” puzzle topped game searches. And in the U.S., country-specific data shows, many people asked Google about like the word and “ .” You can find more country-specific lists, and trends , through Google’s . The California company said it collected 2024 search results from Jan. 1 through Nov. 23 of this year. Google isn’t the only one to publish an annual recap or top trends as 2024 draws to a close. , for example, as well as and words of the year, have offered additional reflections for 2024. The Associated PressWOLF INVESTOR DEADLINE: Wolfspeed, Inc. Investors with Substantial Losses Have Opportunity to Lead Securities Class Action Lawsuit
US senator says mysterious drones spotted in New Jersey should be 'shot down, if necessary'Breakthrough technology sees how cholesterol causes heart attacksKentucky ends Mizzou volleyball's season in Sweet 16
ABVP forms new committee for JNTU-HyderabadKey posts 5.37am PM defends his response to antisemitism amid Coalition criticism 5.28am Minister defends PM over reports he was heckled at synagogue Hide key posts Posts area Latest 1 of 2 Oldest Go to latest Pinned post from 5.50am Government claims Cross River Rail cost has more than tripled, foreshadowing lengthy delays By Felicity Caldwell The new LNP government claims Cross River Rail will cost more than $17 billion and not be ready until 2029. Labor had promised Cross River Rail would be delivered with a budget of $5.4 billion, with most construction finished by 2025 and passenger services starting in 2026. But the LNP says when finished, the tunnel must be independently certified by the National Safety Regulator, which would take at least two years, and also pointed the finger at lost workdays due to industrial action. The government says $5 billion was “hidden” and included integration works to connect the tunnel with the existing rail network, stabling to park the trains, a new signalling system, buses to carry passengers while stations and tracks were being built, and additional maintenance equipment. But opposition transport spokesman Bart Mellish accused Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg of “cooking the books”. “No government, business or person has included the cost of maintenance for the life of an asset when calculating the cost to build the project,” he said. Loading “It’s also concerning that the new government isn’t committed to a 2026 opening of the project. “Also, adding the cost of buses to be used across the whole of south-east Queensland to the project is also laughable.” Latest posts Latest posts 6.39am ‘It costs nothing to show respect’: PM slams Dutton’s flag pledge By Josefine Ganko Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s pledge not to stand in front of Indigenous flags at press conferences is evidence that Dutton is “always looking for division”. “It costs nothing to show respect,” Albanese told ABC’s RN Breakfast. “The flags were designated way back in 1995, it’s up to [Dutton] to explain why he has chosen to attempt to make this an issue.” Loading Indigenous leader Thomas Mayo, one of the key proponents of the Yes vote in the Voice to parliament referendum, also joined RN to discuss the issue. He said the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags, which Albanese had stood in front of since his election in 2022, were “important to us”. “We are in a country that tried to erase us and make us disappear, it’s a symbol that we are still here, and we exist,” he said. He said the move was a distraction from the Coalition’s lack of solutions for Australians who were struggling. “This is what Peter Dutton does, it’s his style of politics,” Mayo said, accusing the opposition leader of “punching down on Indigenous Australians”. “We accept that people voted no [in the referendum], but continuing to pretend we don’t exist by not standing in front of the flag, I don’t think that’s the kind of leader Australians want.” 6.19am Logan swimmers watched over by AI By Catherine Strohfeldt In a first for the state, Logan City Council has rolled out AI-powered surveillance systems at a town pool to safeguard against drowning. The technology at Gould Adams Park Aquatic Centre uses cameras focused on the pool to identify signs of struggle in the water, then sends real-time alerts on smart watches worn by lifeguards. Mayor Jon Raven said the alert system would give “greater peace of mind” to swimmers. “For those in our community who can’t swim or are not confident in the water – this could help save someone’s life,” he said. “While there’s no replacement for adequate supervision from parents, caregivers and lifeguards, this technology will be an extra layer of safety around pools.” The council said the cameras only detected generic behaviours, and could not capture facial or body imagery. It expected to continue rolling out the technology to other pools it managed across the next few years. 6.06am LNP blocks Labor move for more time to consider key youth justice bill changes By Matt Dennien Debate has kicked off in Queensland parliament over the government’s youth justice bill, with Labor trying – and failing – to have key parts delayed until early next year. Shadow attorney-general Meaghan Scanlon moved opposition amendments after the dinner break last night to address many stakeholders’ concerns about consultation lasting just days, and adverse outcomes. The amendments, voted down by the LNP and Katter’s Australian Party, would have returned more than a dozen clauses for “full and proper examination” by a committee. “While we acknowledge the outcome of the election and the policy that was taken to it by the LNP, that policy was in slogan and infancy form at best,” Scanlon said. Attorney-General Deb Frecklington accused Labor of simply trying to delay the laws and “laughing about victims ... about the people of Queensland who want to be safe in their homes over Christmas”. “All they want to do with this amendment is say to the people of Queensland, ‘Be afraid over Christmas. Be afraid on Boxing Day.’” Debate resumes today, with the bill set to pass by 5.30pm on Thursday with what Frecklington described as “technical amendments”, yet to be detailed, she would introduce to “strengthen and clarify the bill”. Advertisement 5.37am PM defends his response to antisemitism amid Coalition criticism By Josefine Ganko Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has delivered an extended defence of his response to antisemitism, in the wake of the terror attack on the Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne on Friday, and the vandalism in Sydney this morning. Facing criticism from the Coalition, including Liberal senator Jane Hume’s accusation that he had “emboldened and enabled” antisemtic crimes”, the prime minister detailed his initial response to the Adass synagogue firebombing. [On Friday], I’d been briefed by the AFP. I’d rung in to ... ABC Melbourne and responded publicly. We put out a statement. I’d spoken to Josh Burns, I’d spoken to Mr Spiegelman. I’d spoken to other Jewish community leaders as well. I visited a synagogue in Perth. On Saturday evening, we received a request for additional security funding, because the $20 million we had provided was almost expended. On Sunday morning, less than 24 hours later, I responded with support for $32.5 million of additional funding.” He continued that on Monday the National Security Committee met, and the authorities formally declared the firebombing an act of terrorism. The AFP operation Avalite was then formed and announced at a press conference. Albanese also pointed to other responses including the “landmark” ban on the Nazi salute and hate symbols, and the appointment of Jillian Segal as the special envoy to combat antisemitism. “We criminalised doxxing, something that was called for, but which unfortunately, the opposition voted against,” Albanese said. “We now have legislation before the parliament to criminalise hate speech, including the urging or threatening, of course, or violence against other individuals or groups because of who they are and what their beliefs are.” 5.34am Finding hot coffee baby attacker ‘may well be a slow burn’ By William Davis Bringing the man believed to have seriously scalded a Brisbane baby with hot coffee to justice will likely be a “slow burn” after he escaped to an unknown country. The suspect reportedly came up behind a young mother at Hanlon Park in Stones Corner about midday on August 27, and tipped the contents of a Thermos on her nine-month-old boy before running away. Loading Four days later – and just hours before investigators say they confirmed his identity – the man flew out of Sydney Airport to an unknown country. “That remains an active investigation, so you know that may well be a slow burn,” Queensland Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski told Brisbane Times yesterday. When asked for a rough time frame, he said it would be inappropriate to comment. “I can’t speculate on that. It’ll depend on the offender and our ability to identify, locate and bring him back to justice.” 5.28am Minister defends PM over reports he was heckled at synagogue By Josefine Ganko Labor Minister Clare O’Neil says reports that claimed the prime minister was heckled on his visit to the Adass synagogue in Melbourne on Tuesday were overblown. In an interview on Seven’s Sunrise , it was put to O’Neil that people yelled phrases at Anthony Albanese including “You’re late” and “Nice day for tennis,” referring to the tennis match Albanese played in Perth the day after the firebombing of the synagogue. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited the Adass Israel synagogue on Tuesday. Credit: Justin McManus “I’d just say I saw some of the reporting of that, I think, you know, some of those people weren’t even from that local community,” O’Neil said. “I was actually at the Adass synagogue a little bit later that afternoon speaking to members of the community. People were grateful that the prime minister was there, they were pleased to have him there and of course to see him make that commitment to help rebuild the synagogue there and to invest to try to rescue those sacred Torahs that have been damaged in the fire.” Loading O’Neil said that while she was “sure there angry and upset people”, she did not think that was the “universal experience of having the PM there”. “The PM, in my view, has shown real leadership, he’s come to the synagogue, done the things people want a prime minister to do, he has made that commitment to rebuild the synagogue, has set up this task force to show we’re cracking down on any of this behaviour.” Advertisement 5.21am ‘An outrage’: PM condemns ‘another antisemitic attack’ By Josefine Ganko Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has responded to the antisemitic vandalism in Sydney’s east, the second time the suburb of Woollahra has been targeted in a month. Albanese said the incident was an “outrage” and “another antisemitic attack”. He said he would be briefed by the Australian Federal Police’s Operation Avalite, the task force that was assembled this week in response to the Adass Israel Synagogue terror attack in Melbourne on Friday. “I stand with the Jewish community and unequivocally condemn this attack. There is no place for hatred or antisemitism in our community.” Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke also posted a statement to X, calling the attack an “abhorrent attempt to intimidate our Jewish community”. “It will not be successful,” Burke wrote. 5.14am A wet Wednesday on the cards Don’t forget your umbrella today – the Bureau of Meteorology predicts more rain across Brisbane, this morning and this afternoon, following the downpour late yesterday, although it should be clearing by this evening. The top temperature isn’t expected to hit 30 degrees – warmer days are ahead, however. 4.53am This morning’s headlines at a glance Here are the stories making the rounds beyond Brisbane this morning: The organisers of alternative music festival Good Things have been accused of ignoring allegations of sexual assault, harassment and anti-social behaviour – including men groping women, filming up girls’ skirts, and abusing those who turned down their advances. A group of Australian women who underwent hysterectomies after reporting severe side-effects from a permanent sterilisation device has lost a class action against pharmaceutical giant Bayer , with a judge noting that chronic pelvic pain was common for many women. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called out the influence of News Corp’s alleged bias, warning colleagues during a cabinet meeting that Rupert Murdoch’s media empire was openly working to back Opposition Leader Peter Dutton . ‘An insult to the intelligence of the American people’: The alleged shooter of a CEO in the US has broken his silence after his arrest. Tourists at the famous monkey forest in Bali have been crushed to death by falling branches . New York prosecutors have filed a murder charge against Luigi Mangione, 26. In the hours since his apprehension, his baffling journey from star student to murder suspect has begun to come into focus. Latest 1 of 2 Oldest Latest Oldest Most Viewed in National LoadingF.P. Report MUZAFRABAD: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Assembly has unanimously passed a resolution condemning the US sanction on Pakistan, presented by former PM Raja Farooq Haider Khan. The resolution criticised the US efforts to disrupt regional power balance in favour of India and reaffirmed Pakistan’s missile programme as purely defensive. Raja Farooq Haider accused the US of being influenced by Indian lobbying. AJK PM Chaudhry Anwarul Haq reiterated unwavering support for Pakistan’s military and emphasised the critical role of missile technology and nuclear programme in national security, urging collective defense against foreign intervention and aggression. The resolution highlighted Pakistan’s pivotal role in regional stability.