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TORONTO — Ontario has passed a divisive piece of legislation that will prevent municipalities from adding certain new bike lanes and remove bike lanes on three main Toronto roads. The fast-tracked bill requires municipalities to ask the province for permission to install bike lanes when they would remove a lane of vehicle traffic. It goes one step further and removes sections of Bloor Street, Yonge Street and University Avenue bike lanes and restores them as lanes for vehicle traffic. Premier Doug Ford has complained about some bike lanes creating gridlock, in particular a stretch of Bloor Street West that is about a 10-minute drive from his home in Toronto's west end. Amendments that the government added last week include indemnity clauses, such as prohibiting lawsuits as a direct or indirect result of actions taken to remove bike lanes. NDP Leader Marit Stiles says she believes the immunity clauses were thrown into the legislation after the government heard from members of the public who said that people will be killed and injured as a result of removing protected bike lanes. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 25, 2024. Allison Jones, The Canadian PressStock market today: Wall Street gets back to climbing, sending Nasdaq to a record
MITCHELL — Laurie Cooper once viewed manufacturing through the narrow lens of her husband's 25-year career at Trail King. But now at the helm of the Mitchell Area Manufacturers Association (MAMA), Cooper has discovered how Mitchell companies like Dakota Pump impact cities across the East Coast, and she’s excited to share that knowledge with the community. "I've learned so much by being the group's leader. I myself had no idea all the products that were being built right here in Mitchell," Cooper said. ADVERTISEMENT Cooper says her eyes have been opened to the diverse and far-reaching impact of Mitchell's manufacturing sector since taking over as leader of the group thirteen years ago. Manufacturing is one of the community’s top industries and Cooper and MAMA's goal is to create more buzz and awareness about the growing industry. It's Cooper's passion and advocacy for the industry that has earned her the unofficial title of the "mama" of MAMA. Cooper has been the driving force behind MAMA, inheriting leadership when she was hired by the Mitchell Area Development Corporation. Despite not having a direct background in manufacturing, her passion for the role is evident. "I'd probably do it even if I wasn't getting paid. It's a great group of people," Cooper said. MAMA, which was founded almost four decades ago, serves as a peer group for local manufacturers. Meeting monthly, the association provides a space for manufacturers to share insights, discuss challenges, and brainstorm solutions on a range of issues, from hiring practices to the latest innovations in technology. "It's an opportunity to bring the manufacturers in town all together in one room," Cooper said. Cooper's journey from viewing manufacturing through the narrow lens of her husband's career at Trail King to leading the Mitchell Area Manufacturers Association (MAMA) mirrors the transformation of Mitchell's manufacturing sector itself. Mitchell's manufacturing landscape has seen significant growth in recent years. According to the South Dakota Secretary of State's 2024 Q1 Economic Report, Mitchell experienced a 155% increase in building permit investments, suggesting substantial industrial expansion, including new or expanded manufacturing facilities. One such project is the $500 million High Plains Processing plant, currently under construction south of Mitchell, which will create 75 to 85 full-time jobs upon completion. ADVERTISEMENT MAMA's impact on the local economy is substantial. To be part of the association, businesses must export at least 50% of their manufactured products out of state, ensuring that MAMA members are truly contributing to Mitchell's economic growth. From producing DiGiorno pizza boxes at Graphic Packaging to the big fans used in car washes at Twin City Fan, the products made in Mitchell play a crucial role in industries across the country. "We have a lot of great things that come out of Mitchell," Cooper said. Under Cooper's guidance, MAMA has evolved into a collaborative hub for 12 local manufacturers. One of MAMA's primary focuses is education, with a particular emphasis on engaging young people. "We want to catch kids early on in their education and let them understand that manufacturing isn't a career you settle for. It can be a career of choice," Cooper said. MAMA is also investing in future workforce. The association has an annual scholarship program, which began in 2016 with a $500 award for a Mitchell Technical College student. That amount has now doubled to $1,000. Some MAMA member companies even offer to pay for students’ education in exchange for a commitment to work at their companies after graduation. Cooper also organizes educational events during Manufacturing Week to inspire the next generation. During this time, MAMA takes a trailer full of products from local manufacturers to Career and Technical Education (CTE) schools, where company representatives educate students about the diverse range of products made in Mitchell. Additionally, local manufacturers open their doors to the public for tours, offering an up-close look at manufacturing facilities and helping to dispel outdated notions about the industry. ADVERTISEMENT "We want people to understand that manufacturing facilities aren’t what they used to be," Cooper said. "They aren't dark, grim and dirty anymore. They're bright. They're robotic and very well monitored." The changes in the industry are significant, Cooper said. According to Cooper, there are over 2,000 employed in the manufacturing sector in the area, and many positions are often office-based, engineering-focused, or involve high-tech equipment. Mike Lauritsen, CEO of the Mitchell Area Development Corporation and the Chamber of Commerce, said it is Cooper's background as a mother and grandmother that truly embodies the "mama" of MAMA. "Laurie has been instrumental in connecting our manufacturers to each other and helping them grow, despite the workforce challenges we face," Lauritsen said. "Her nurturing spirit and focus on community have helped foster collaboration and support, much like a mother or grandmother does for her family." That spirit of collaboration has cultivated relationships with organizations like South Dakota Manufacturing and Technology Solutions. Stuart Giere, a business advisor with SDMTS, was invited earlier this year by Cooper to speak at a MAMA meeting about lean manufacturing principles. By the end of the meeting, Giere was impressed by how well-established these principles were among the group’s members. "Most cities in South Dakota have some manufacturing, but none, to my knowledge, is as organized and collaborative as the manufacturers in Mitchell," Giere said. Since Giere's visit, under Cooper's guidance, MAMA has facilitated training programs in lean leadership and hosted simulations to improve manufacturing processes across member companies. ADVERTISEMENT The association's impact extends beyond just networking. In 2011, MAMA funded a Mitchell-area housing survey, leading to the construction of eight properties providing up to 500 new housing units. "A lot of manufacturing companies face employment crises at some point, and they know that to attract employees, you need to have housing," Cooper said. For Cooper, the work with MAMA has been just as much about personal growth as it has been about supporting local manufacturers. "The manufacturers that I work with are so proud of their product and they have every right to be," Cooper said.DXC Technology Co. stock rises Monday, still underperforms market
This partnership brings together Panaya's robust AI-powered Smart Testing platform and Tritusa's rich testing expertise to deliver superior testing outcomes for Australian enterprises HACKENSACK, N.J. , Dec. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Panaya , the leader in SaaS-based AI-Powered Smart Testing and Change Intelligence for ERP, CRM, and Enterprise Cloud Applications, announces today a new partnership with Tritusa, an Australian company specializing in SAP Testing and Quality Assurance. This collaboration aims to provide Australian enterprises with enhanced SAP testing capabilities, including Test Automation, to ensure seamless, efficient and risk-free SAP implementations. As businesses in Australia increasingly adopt SAP S/4HANA, the need for robust testing solutions has never been greater. Panaya and Tritusa are combining their strengths to meet this demand. Panaya's cutting-edge AI-powered solutions, paired with Tritusa's comprehensive SAP testing services – including Test Management & Governance, Test Assurance, Functional Testing, Test Automation, and Performance Testing – offer a powerful, 360-degree, suite of solutions for organizations looking to optimize their SAP testing processes. This partnership allows businesses to leverage Tritusa's local expertise and Panaya's innovative technology to improve test quality, test environment readiness, and overall test effectiveness. Organizations can now accelerate their SAP projects with confidence, ensuring high-quality outcomes and minimal disruption to their operations. Shabi Levi , Head of Global Channels and Alliances at Panaya , shared his appreciation for the collaboration: "We are very pleased to partner with Tritusa to bring our AI-driven testing solutions to the Australian market. Tritusa's deep understanding of SAP testing and their commitment to quality make them an ideal partner. Together, we will empower Australian businesses to achieve faster, more reliable SAP transformations." Jag Sothivel, Technical Director at Tritusa , also highlighted the value of the partnership: "Partnering with Panaya allows us to offer our clients state-of-the-art testing solutions that go beyond traditional approaches. Panaya's technology perfectly complements our testing services, and we look forward to delivering outstanding results for our customers." About Tritusa Tritusa is an Australian company, specializing in SAP Testing and Quality Assurance. They focus on a comprehensive array of SAP Testing & Assurance services, including Test Management & Governance, Test Assurance, Functional Testing, Test Automation and Performance Testing & Engineering. They go beyond traditional SAP testing approaches and assist their customers to improve their test data quality, test environment quality, and test user quality, ensuring seamless testing outcomes. About Panaya Panaya, a SaaS-based company certified by SAP, Oracle, and Salesforce.com, offers an all-in-one platform for Smart Testing solutions and Change Intelligence tailored for ERP, CRM, and cloud business applications. Panaya accelerates and de-risks digital landscapes with AI-powered Test Automation, Test Management, and Impact Analysis. Panaya's focus on ease of use and an intuitive interface ensures seamless collaboration between business and IT, empowering business users and IT professionals to gain real-time visibility and control over their projects. This capability enables faster releases and continuous delivery of high-quality software. Since its founding in 2006, over 3,000 companies across 62 countries, including a third of the Fortune 500, have trusted Panaya to drive rapid, quality testing and change management in their enterprise business applications. For more information, contact Panaya at [email protected] or visit www.panaya.com . For media inquiries, contact Dana Averbouch, [email protected] . SOURCE PanayaBattery Recycling Market to grow by USD 11.35 Billion from 2024-2028, driven by lithium supply-demand gap, Report on AI's role in transforming the market - Technavio
Everyone should have a good blender in their kitchen and right now Amazon’s Cyber Monday sale includes a deal on the Ninja TB201 Detect Power Blender Pro that can save you a decent amount. The Ninja line of kitchen products includes tons of different appliances these days, but it started with blenders. What set them apart was their power and features for such a low price compared to high-end stuff. Normally the Ninja TB201 would cost you $139.99 if you had to pay the full price. However, for the rest of Cyber Monday, it can be yours for only $99.99. That means you end up saving $40. With the Ninja TB201 Dectect Power Blender Pro, you get a lot of functionality that will help transform anything you make. It has 1800 peak watts so it’s very powerful and should have no problem blending just about anything you would normally throw in a blender. You can use it for making smoothies, salsas, soups, and tons more. The pitcher that comes with it is also 72oz. That’s a ton of room for whatever you’re blending. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to make stuff in batches because my Ninja bullet-style blender just didn’t have enough room for all the ingredients. What’s nice about this and other Ninja blenders too is the Blendsense technology. This is a smart setting that adjusts the speed and time so that everything comes out perfectly smooth. It has more than this setting, of course, but I find it always gets the job done. There’s also a little display on the front that tells you the runtime, mode type, and more. If you don’t already have a good blender in the kitchen, don’t hesitate to pick this one up. Buy at AmazonSANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Brock Purdy threw one short pass in the open portion of practice for the San Francisco 49ers as he remains slowed by an injury to his throwing shoulder that has already forced him to miss a game. Purdy spent the bulk of the session of Wednesday's practice open to reporters as either a spectator or executing handoffs outside of one short pass to Jordan Mason. Purdy hurt his shoulder during a loss to Seattle on Nov. 17. He tried to throw at practice last Thursday but had soreness in his right shoulder and shut it down. He missed a loss to Green Bay but was able to do some light throwing on Monday. His status for this week remains in doubt as the Niners (5-6) prepare to visit Buffalo on Sunday night. Purdy isn't the only key player for San Francisco dealing with injuries. Left tackle Trent Williams and defensive end Nick Bosa remain sidelined at practice Wednesday after missing last week's game. Williams was using a scooter to get around the locker room as he deals with a left ankle injury. Bosa has been out with injuries to his left hip and oblique. Bosa said the week off helped him make progress and that he hopes to be able to take part in individual drills later in the week. Bosa wouldn't rule out being able to play on Sunday. "It’s feeling a lot better,” Bosa said. “Still need to get better before I’m ready to go. This week will be big and I’ll know a lot more in the next couple of days.” Running back Christian McCaffrey has been able to play, but isn't back to the form that helped him win AP Offensive Player of the Year in 2023 after missing the first eight games this season with Achilles tendinitis. McCaffrey has 149 yards rushing in three games back with his 3.5 yards per carry down significantly from last season's mark of 5.4. But he is confident he will be able to get back to his usual level of play. “When you lose and maybe you don’t jump out on the stat sheet, your failures are highlighted,” he said. “I’m happy I’m out here playing football and I just know with time it will come.” Coach Kyle Shanahan said he has liked what he has seen from McCaffrey, adding that there hasn't been much room to run in recent weeks. But Shanahan said it takes time to get back to speed after McCaffrey had almost no practice time for nine months. “Guys who miss offseasons and miss training camp, usually it takes them a little bit of time at the beginning of the year to get back into how they were the year before, let alone missing half the season also on top of that,” Shanahan said. “I think Christian’s doing a hell of a job. But to just think him coming back in Week 8 with not being able to do anything for the last nine months or whatever it is, and to think he’s just going to be in MVP form is a very unrealistic expectation.” NOTES: LB Dre Greenlaw took part in his first practice since tearing his Achilles tendon in the Super Bowl. Greenlaw will likely need a couple of weeks of practice before being able to play. ... LB Fred Warner said he has been dealing with a fracture in his ankle since Week 4 and is doing his best to manage the pain as he plays through it. ... CB Deommodore Lenoir didn't practice after banging knees on Sunday. His status for this week remains in question. ... DT Jordan Elliott (concussion), OL Aaron Banks (concussion) and LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (knee) also didn't practice. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFLThat's much better than the previous two years, which both ended with just four wins. But after two straight frustrating losses, it's not providing much consolation for a franchise that feels as though it should be much better. The latest setback came on Sunday, when the Minnesota Vikings rallied to beat the Cardinals 23-22 . Arizona never trailed until Sam Darnold threw a 5-yard touchdown pass with 1:18 remaining that proved to be the winning score. It was a mistake-filled performance for the Cardinals, who racked up 10 penalties for 96 yards. That's a big reason they had to settle for five field goals and scored just one touchdown. The Cardinals were leading 19-16 in the fourth quarter and had first-and-goal at the Vikings 5, but Tip Reiman was called for a false start and then quarterback Kyler Murray was called for intentional grounding . The Cardinals kicked a field goal for a 22-16 lead, giving the Vikings the chance they needed to drive for the winning score. Murray threw two interceptions in the fourth quarter. “I thought we moved the ball well,” Murray said. “Again, it just comes down to not scoring touchdowns. Get down there and kick field goals and penalties bite us. It’s bad — it’s bad football.” The loss knocked the Cardinals out of first place in the NFC West, though they're still in decent playoff position. A pivotal game against the division-rival Seahawks looms on Sunday. Second-year coach Jonathan Gannon acknowledged the frustration of Sunday's loss, but said they've got to rebound quickly. “They’re disappointed and down, but it’s the NFL,” Gannon said. “They’ve got to put all their energy and focus into tomorrow.” Arizona's defense blamed itself for not coming up with a stop on the Vikings' winning drive, but the unit played exceptionally well for most of the afternoon. Mack Wilson and L.J. Collier both had two sacks and the Cardinals held Minnesota to just 273 total yards. For a group that looked as if it might be the team's weakness this season, it was another rock solid performance. The Cardinals aren't a good enough football team to overcome 10 penalties and get a win — particularly on the road. Reiman had a rough day, getting called for three false starts. His false start on the next-to-last offensive drive — coupled with Murray's intentional grounding penalty — proved to be extremely costly. “That was brutal,” Gannon said. “Just got to figure out ways to punch the ball in for touchdowns there, not field goals.” Rookie Marvin Harrison Jr. had five catches for 60 yards, including an impressive touchdown catch that put the Cardinals up 19-6. It was Harrison's seventh TD reception of the season. The No. 4 overall pick has been a little inconsistent in his first year, but there's little doubt he's a difference-maker for the offense. He's still got a chance to reach 1,000 yards receiving this season if he averages about 80 yards receiving over the final five games. Considering his talent, that's certainly possible. Gannon was second-guessed for his decision to kick a field goal late in the fourth quarter instead of trying for a touchdown at the Vikings 4 with 3:29 left. Chad Ryland made the 23-yard chip shot for a 22-16 lead, but the Vikings drove the field on the ensuing possession for the winning score. “I trust JG,” Murray said. “I see both sides. Go up six and make them score; trust the defense to go get a stop. Go for it, you don’t get it, they’ve still got to go down and score. If you do get it, you probably put the game away.” Said Gannon: "Yeah, I mean there’s thought about it. Just wanted to go up more than a field goal there. Definitely a decision point that we talked about. So be it.” The Cardinals came out of the game fairly healthy. Rookie DL Darius Robinson — the No. 27 overall pick — made his NFL debut against the Vikings after missing the first 11 games due to a calf injury. 1,074 — Running back James Conner's total yards from the line of scrimmage this season, including 773 on the ground and 301 in the passing game. The Cardinals return home for a game against the Seahawks on Sunday. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
No. 9 K-State women drop first game to No. 13 Duke 73-62The Governing Council of the University of Abuja has approved the promotion of 154 members of staff to various ranks. Among the academic staff, “19 were elevated to the rank of professor, 14 to associate professor, 20 to senior lecturer, six to lecturer I, and one to lecturer 11.” Similarly, 94 non-teaching staff were promoted across various ranks, including two to deputy directors, six to assistant directors, and others to different grades. According to the acting Registrar, Islamiyat Abdulrahim in a statement signed by the Acting Director of Public Affairs, Habib Yakoob, the promotions were approved during the Council’s 98th Regular Meeting held on Tuesday 10, Wednesday 11, Thursday 12 and Saturday 14, December 2024. The breakdown of promotions includes specialities such as automobile engineering, energy engineering, library management, international economic law, environmental and development law, political sociology, media and conflict studies, cardiology, educational administration and planning, medical microbiology, banking law and policy, science education, curriculum studies, English language education, social studies education, sociology of dance, and applied geophysics. Related News UniAbuja denies allegation of bias in VC selection process Na'Allah bows out as UniAbuja VC, hands over to Maikudi UNIAbuja appoints 41-year-old as first female VC In a congratulatory message to the promoted staff, the acting Vice Chancellor, Professor Aisha Maikudi, commended the staff’s dedication, hard work and discipline, adding that the University was committed to ensuring timely promotions for all deserving staff, with the support of the Governing Council. Maikudi said, “These promotions reflect the University of Abuja’s commitment to fostering excellence, recognising merit, and encouraging growth among its staff. “I, therefore, congratulate all the promoted individuals and urge them to continue contributing to the University’s vision of academic and professional distinction and excellence. “All outstanding backlogs of promotion cases have been meticulously reviewed and resolved, ensuring fairness and recognition for deserving staff. “The remaining cases are now awaiting external assessment reports, reflecting the University’s commitment to transparency, meritocracy, and timely career progression for its workforce.”