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Manmohan Singh, India’s former Prime Minister, dies at 92Telcos face new fines over failure to curb spam calls
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'Hard-earned' economic stability to continue on back of remittances, exports: finance ministry Prudent fiscal management and strategic reforms paving way for sustainable economic growth, says monthly report ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Finance on Friday said that the country’s economy has demonstrated sustained positive developments during the first five months of the current fiscal year, expressing optimism that the hard-earned stability will continue on the back of remittances and exports inflows with decent imports. "Macroeconomic fundamentals have strengthened, marked by a further deceleration in CPI inflation with stable food prices, effective fiscal consolidation resulting in a fiscal surplus, current account surplus supported by increased exports and remittances, and an accommodative monetary policy stance,” the finance ministry said in its monthly economic report. According to the report, these developments have bolstered business and consumer confidence, reflected in significant private-sector credit uptake and a sharp rise in the Pakistan Stock Exchange. Prudent fiscal management and strategic reforms are paving the way for sustainable economic growth, it added. The report added that efforts were afoot to ensure the agriculture sector achieves self-sufficiency for Rabi 2024-25 as the government has set a wheat production target of 27.920 million tonnes from an area of 9.262 million hectares. To achieve this target, concerted efforts were underway to ensure the timely availability of essential farm inputs, including agricultural credit, quality seeds, fertilizers, and mechanization support. Meanwhile, agriculture credit disbursement reached Rs925.7 billion during July-November FY2025, an increase of 8.5% compared to Rs853.0 billion during the same period last year. The report stated, in October 2024, large-scale manufacturing (LSM) recorded a marginal Year-on-Year (YoY) growth of 0.02%, signalling a positive shift from the significant contraction of 5.79% observed in October 2023. This hints at a gradual recovery in economic activity amidst ongoing challenges. The auto industry performed well during July-November 2025, as production and sales of all vehicles grew by 25.2% and 24.8%, respectively. Meanwhile, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation recorded at 4.9% on YoY basis in November 2024 as compared to 7.2% in the previous month and 29.2% in November 2023. Updating about the revenues, the report said, that during July-November FY2025, FBR tax collection grew by 23.3% to Rs 4,295 billion against Rs 3,485 billion last year. Within total, direct taxes rose by 27%, sales taxes by 23.6%, FED by 25.1% and customs duty by 8.0%. According to the Federal Fiscal Operations July-October, FY2025, net federal revenues grew by 71.8% to Rs 4,822 billion. This growth was primarily driven by a sharp increase in nontax collection, which grew by 101.2% to Rs 3,192 billion. Similarly, tax collection increased to Rs 3,443 billion against Rs 2,748 billion last year. Prudent expenditure management helped contain the expenditure growth to 20.6% relative to high revenue growth. In absolute, total expenditures reached Rs.4472 billion against Rs.3707 billion last year. Consequently, the fiscal balance posted a surplus of Rs.495 billion (0.4% of GDP) against a deficit of Rs.862 billion (-0.8% of GDP) last year. Similarly, primary surplus increased to Rs 3,124 billion (3.0% of GDP) against a surplus of Rs 1,430 billion (1.4% of GDP) last year. The external account position has significantly improved, driven by notable increases in exports and remittances despite a rise in imports. During July-November FY2025, the current account posted a surplus of $944 million compared to a deficit of $1,676 million last year. In November 2024 alone, the current account recorded a surplus of $729 million, compared to a deficit of $148 million in November 2023. This represents the fourth consecutive monthly surplus, following a $346 million surplus in October 2024. During July-November FY2025, goods exports increased by 7.4%, reaching $13.3 billion compared to last year, while imports recorded at $23.0 billion, against $21.2 billion last year (8.3% increase). This has resulted in a goods trade deficit of $9.7 billion, reflecting a slight increase from $8.8 billion last year, while maintaining a steady overall trade momentum. Meanwhile, during November 2024, the Bureau of Emigration & Overseas Employment registered 60,492 workers for employment, compared to 77,316 in October 2024 and 81,427 in November 2023. The Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF), in collaboration with its 24 partner organisations, distributed 21,195 interest-free loans amounting to Rs 994 million. On future prospects, the report said, to achieve the target of FY2025 and sustain economic recovery, the government was cognizant to achieve the crop production targets by facilitating the farmers to achieve the desired production level. However, weather conditions may pose challenges, as below-normal rainfall may lead to water stress during the critical emerging stage of Rabi crops like wheat and barley, especially in rain-fed agricultural zones. On industrial front, despite challenges in certain sectors that remain in negative territory, the economy’s resilience is underscored by the robust performance of high-weighted sectors, which continue to drive LSM in October. Moreover, the further easing of monetary policy in December is expected to stimulate economic activity. The rising demand for credit, especially from private sector, is a positive signal of growing confidence in the economy. This momentum is poised to accelerate, fostering higher production levels and enhanced economic output in the coming months. On external front, it is expected that hard-earned stability will continue on the back of remittances and exports inflows with decent imports. This will be complemented by exchange rate stability and contained inflation — which is anticipated to remain within the range of 4.0- 5.0% for December 2024. Moreover, improved fiscal performance during July-October, driven by higher revenues and prudent expenditure management, is expected to create fiscal space for development spending and support sustainable economic growth, going forward. PSX rebounds after two-day slump PSX plunges as profit-taking, year-end pressure weigh on sentiment Pakistan's tax gap has exceeded Rs7tr, reveals FBR chairman PSX ends in red as profit-taking overshadows economic optimismBrenda Duncan | bduncan@syracuse.com Company news: Dara Penny promoted by Community Bank provided photo Community Bank announced the promotion of Dara Penny to senior vice president, chief marketing officer of Community Financial System Inc. Recent People in Motion stories Company news: Mark Weigett promoted by Usherwood Office Technology Company news: Vincent Scipione and Jason Scharf promoted by City of Syracuse Company news: Sabreanna Sinclair promoted by RMS Inc. Company news: Erika Ruggieri hired by Oswego Health Medical Practice Company news: Dr. Dorshey Jackson hired by St. Joseph’s HealthNEEDHAM, Mass. , Nov. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Tripadvisor, Inc. (NASDAQ: TRIP) announced today that Mike Noonan , CFO, will host investor meetings at the UBS Global Technology Conference on Tuesday, December 3, 2024 , in Scottsdale, Arizona. About Tripadvisor, Inc. The Tripadvisor Group operates as a family of brands that connects people to experiences worth sharing, and aims to be the world's most trusted source for travel and experiences. We leverage our brands, technology, and capabilities to connect our global audience with partners through rich content, travel guidance, and two-sided marketplaces for experiences, accommodations, restaurants, and other travel categories. The subsidiaries of Tripadvisor, Inc. (Nasdaq: TRIP), own and operate a portfolio of travel media brands and businesses, including Tripadvisor, Viator, and TheFork. TRIP-G View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tripadvisor-announces-participation-at-upcoming-conference-302310129.html SOURCE Tripadvisor
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A former royal commissioner is dismayed at the “unconscionable” treatment of a mentally ill man who was deliberately denied water to his cell in the days before he died from a treatable illness that prison health staff inexplicably missed. The treatment of Simon Cartwright , a man diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, in Sydney’s Silverwater prison has drawn widespread condemnation from mental health experts and advocates. Guards at Silverwater deliberately turned the water to Cartwright’s cell off, initially due to a flooded cell, but then later as a tool of coercion and punishment in 2021. Guards joked that his repeated pleas for it to be turned back on were “entertaining”. Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Cartwright was then left unobserved for long periods, despite being locked in cells with 24/7 video surveillance at Silverwater’s remand centre. Staff missed him collapsing repeatedly, including three times on the day before his death. He died of septic shock from an untreated gastric ulcer missed by prison health staff during an intake screening. Prison health staff failed to check their own prior records, which showed a history of gastric ulcers. This meant a “gastric ulcer was not suspected or considered”. A coronial inquest heard evidence from one expert who said it would have been obvious to a layperson that Cartwright was mentally unwell and required treatment. The coroner also found prison guards required more mental health training and “had a lack of awareness of the nature and severity of Simon’s mental health issues”. They were not made aware of the reason he was in the observation cells. This was unfair on the guards, the inquest found. Prescription medication would have saved him if administered for five days prior to his death, a coroner found. The failures all happened while the 41-year-old waited for a place in a secure mental health hospital, which he should have received 16 days before his death, but didn’t due to chronic under-resourcing of the system. Emeritus professor Bernadette McSherry, an expert in mental health law, helped lead a royal commission into the Victorian mental health system in 2021. She said there was a lack of secure mental health beds across Australia and also a pressing need to provide better care and treatment before people came into contact with the justice system. “I’m dismayed to learn of the circumstances of Mr Cartwright’s death,” she said. “It is unconscionable ... for people with severe mental ill health to be denied their right to treatment on an equal basis with others.” Patrick McGorry, a former Australian of the year and leading mental health expert, described Cartwright’s treatment as a “disgrace” that showed again how those with mental illness are ending up in prisons due to a lack of social care and mental health treatment in the community. “It shows how jails are not safe places for the mentally ill,” he said. “This is not a safe place for anyone, but it’s particularly not safe for people with mental illnesses.” Community Mental Health Australia (CMHA) described the case as “a profound human rights violation” and People With Disability Australia (PWDA) said the “withholding of basic human needs like water” constitutes “government-regulated violence”. The strategic partnerships manager of CMHA, Francis O’Neill, said he was “very deeply saddened and not in the least surprised” to learn of the circumstances of Cartwright’s death. He said that, since the process of de-institutionalisation, the mental health system had been so neglected that vulnerable people were getting “funnelled into emergency departments and jails, places where they shouldn’t be”. Sign up to Breaking News Australia Get the most important news as it breaks after newsletter promotion “Simon’s death highlights the systemic abuse faced by individuals with mental illness,” he said. “If you have a psycho-social disability, you’re a non-citizen, if you have a severe psycho-social disability, you’re in the system. “It’s a failure of policy. But it’s not just that. It’s a profound human rights violation.” An analysis of unmet need for psychosocial supports, prepared for the federal government, showed that 230,500 individuals aged 12 to 64 with severe mental illness did not receive essential supports in 2022-23. The PWDA deputy chief executive, Megan Spindler-Smith, said her first reaction upon reading of Cartwright’s case was “not again”. She said the use of restrictive practices, like the denial of water, could harm people with disability and was inexcusable. “This can’t keep happening, regardless of the setting,” she said. Justice Health said it acknowledged the pain caused by Cartwright’s loss and extended its sincere condolences to his family. “We are sorry for the distress experienced by Mr Cartwright’s family and will carefully consider the coroner’s findings and recommendations before providing a formal response to the attorney general,” a spokesperson said. A spokesperson for the current NSW corrections minister, Anoulack Chanthivong, said the death was a “tragic loss”. He expressed the government’s deepest sympathies to Cartwright’s family and loved ones. The spokesperson said a number of reforms have already been implemented since Cartwright’s death, including improved observations, trials of proof-of-life monitoring technology, and a review of policies regarding the restriction of water to prison cells. Corrective Services NSW will also aim to improve its supervision of inmates held in assessment cells for more than 48 hours. “Corrective Services NSW takes seriously its duty of care to inmates who they are tasked with keeping safe and secure while under supervision,” the spokesperson said. “Any conduct that jeopardises the health or wellbeing of inmates or staff is completely unacceptable and inconsistent with the extremely high standard of behaviour that the minister expects.” Cartwright’s family have told the Guardian that his treatment was incomprehensible. They are now taking legal action against the state government. The case occurred in 2021 under the previous government.NEW DELHI (AP) — India’s former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, widely regarded as the architect of India’s economic reform program and a landmark nuclear deal with the United States, has died. He was 92. Singh was admitted to New Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences late Thursday after his health deteriorated due to a “sudden loss of consciousness at home,” the hospital said in a statement. “Resuscitative measures were started immediately at home. He was brought to the Medical Emergency” at 8:06 p.m., the hospital said, but “despite all efforts, he could not be revived and was declared dead at 9:51 p.m.” Singh was being treated for “age-related medical conditions,” the statement said. A mild-mannered technocrat, Singh became one of India’s longest-serving prime ministers for 10 years and leader of the Congress Party in the Parliament's Upper House, earning a reputation as a man of great personal integrity. He was chosen to fill the role in 2004 by Sonia Gandhi, the widow of assassinated Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi . But his sterling image was tainted by allegations of corruption against his ministers. Singh was reelected in 2009, but his second term as prime minister was clouded by financial scandals and corruption charges over the organization of the 2010 Commonwealth Games. This led to the Congress Party’s crushing defeat in the 2014 national election by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party under the leadership of Narendra Modi . Singh adopted a low profile after relinquishing the post of prime minister. Prime Minister Modi, who succeeded Singh in 2014, called him one of India’s “most distinguished leaders” who rose from humble origins and left “a strong imprint on our economic policy over the years.” “As our Prime Minister, he made extensive efforts to improve people’s lives,” Modi said in a post on the social platform X. He called Singh’s interventions in Parliament as a lawmaker “insightful” and said “his wisdom and humility were always visible.” Rahul Gandhi, from the same party as Singh and the opposition leader in the lower house of the Indian Parliament, said Singh’s “deep understanding of economics inspired the nation” and that he “led India with immense wisdom and integrity.” “I have lost a mentor and guide. Millions of us who admired him will remember him with the utmost pride,” Gandhi wrote on X. Born on Sept. 26, 1932, in a village in the Punjab province of undivided India, Singh’s brilliant academic career took him to Cambridge University in Britain, where he earned a degree in economics in 1957. He then got his doctorate in economics from Nuffield College at Oxford University in 1962. Singh taught at Panjab University and the prestigious Delhi School of Economics before joining the Indian government in 1971 as economic advisor in the Commerce Ministry. In 1982, he became chief economic adviser to the Finance Ministry. He also served as deputy chair of the Planning Commission and governor of the Reserve Bank of India. As finance minister, Singh in 1991 instituted reforms that opened up the economy and moved India away from a socialist-patterned economy and toward a capitalist model in the face of a huge balance of payments deficit, skirting a potential economic crisis. His accolades include the 1987 Padma Vibhushan Award, India’s second-highest civilian honor; the Jawaharlal Nehru Birth Centenary Award of the Indian Science Congress in 1995; and the Asia Money Award for Finance Minister of the Year in 1993 and 1994. Singh was a member of India’s Upper House of Parliament and was leader of the opposition from 1998 to 2004 before he was named prime minister. He was the first Sikh to hold the country’s top post and made a public apology in Parliament for the 1984 Sikh Massacre in which some 3,000 Sikhs were killed after then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by Sikh bodyguards. Under Singh, India adopted a Right to Information Act in 2005 to promote accountability and transparency from government officials and bureaucrats. He was also instrumental in implementing a welfare scheme that guaranteed at least 100 paid workdays for Indian rural citizens. The coalition government he headed for a decade brought together politicians and parties with differing ideologies that were rivals in the country’s various states. In a move hailed as one of his biggest achievements apart from economic reforms, Singh ended India’s nuclear isolation by signing a deal with the U.S. that gave India access to American nuclear technology. But the deal hit his government adversely, with Communist allies withdrawing support and criticism of the agreement growing within India in 2008 when it was finalized. Singh adopted a pragmatic foreign policy approach, pursuing a peace process with nuclear rival and neighbor Pakistan. But his efforts suffered a major setback after Pakistani militants carried out a massive gun and bomb attack in Mumbai in November 2008. He also tried to end the border dispute with China, brokering a deal to reopen the Nathu La pass into Tibet, which had been closed for more than 40 years. His 1965 book, “India’s Export Trends and Prospects for Self-Sustained Growth,” dealt with India’s inward-oriented trade policy. Singh is survived by his wife Gursharan Kaur and three daughters. Associated Press writer Sheikh Saaliq in New Delhi contributed to this report.
SAN DIEGO, Nov. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP announces that purchasers or acquirers of Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. (NASDAQ: ACHC) publicly traded securities between February 28, 2020 and September 26, 2024, inclusive (the “Class Period”), have until Monday, December 16, 2024 to seek appointment as lead plaintiff of the Acadia Healthcare class action lawsuit. Captioned Kachrodia v. Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. , No. 24-cv-01238 (M.D. Tenn.), the Acadia Healthcare class action lawsuit charges Acadia Healthcare as well as certain of Acadia Healthcare’s top current and former executives with violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. If you suffered substantial losses and wish to serve as lead plaintiff of the Acadia Healthcare class action lawsuit, please provide your information here: https://www.rgrdlaw.com/cases-acadia-healthcare-company-inc-class-action-lawsuit-achc.html You can also contact attorneys J.C. Sanchez or Jennifer N. Caringal of Robbins Geller by calling 800/449-4900 or via e-mail at info@rgrdlaw.com . CASE ALLEGATIONS : Acadia Healthcare provides behavioral healthcare services. The Acadia Healthcare class action lawsuit alleges that defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Acadia Healthcare’s business model centered on holding vulnerable people against their will in Acadia Healthcare’s facilities, including in cases where it was not medically necessary to do so; (ii) while in Acadia Healthcare facilities, many patients were subjected to abuse; and (iii) Acadia Healthcare deceived insurance providers into paying for patients to stay in Acadia Healthcare’s facilities when it was not medically necessary. The Acadia Healthcare class action lawsuit further alleges that on September 1, 2024, The New York Times published an article entitled “How a Leading Chain of Psychiatric Hospitals Traps Patients,” which revealed that The New York Times ’s “investigation found that some of that success was built on a disturbing practice: Acadia has lured patients into its facilities and held them against their will, even when detaining them was not medically necessary.” On this news, the price of Acadia Healthcare stock fell more than 4%, according to the complaint. Then, on September 27, 2024, the Acadia Healthcare class action lawsuit further alleges that Acadia Healthcare revealed that “[o]n September 24, 2024, Acadia Healthcare . . . received a voluntary request for information from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York as well as a grand jury subpoena from the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri (W.D.Mo.) related to its admissions, length of stay and billing practices,” further disclosing that “Acadia anticipates receiving similar document requests from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and may receive additional document requests from other government agencies.” On this news, the price of Acadia Healthcare stock fell more than 16%, according to the Acadia Healthcare class action lawsuit. THE LEAD PLAINTIFF PROCESS : The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 permits any investor who purchased or acquired Acadia Healthcare publicly traded securities during the Class Period to seek appointment as lead plaintiff in the Acadia Healthcare class action lawsuit. A lead plaintiff is generally the movant with the greatest financial interest in the relief sought by the putative class who is also typical and adequate of the putative class. A lead plaintiff acts on behalf of all other class members in directing the Acadia Healthcare class action lawsuit. The lead plaintiff can select a law firm of its choice to litigate the Acadia Healthcare class action lawsuit. An investor’s ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff of the Acadia Healthcare class action lawsuit. ABOUT ROBBINS GELLER : Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP is one of the world’s leading law firms representing investors in securities fraud cases. Our Firm has been #1 in the ISS Securities Class Action Services rankings for six out of the last ten years for securing the most monetary relief for investors. We recovered $6.6 billion for investors in securities-related class action cases – over $2.2 billion more than any other law firm in the last four years. With 200 lawyers in 10 offices, Robbins Geller is one of the largest plaintiffs’ firms in the world and the Firm’s attorneys have obtained many of the largest securities class action recoveries in history, including the largest securities class action recovery ever – $7.2 billion – in In re Enron Corp. Sec. Litig. Please visit the following page for more information: https://www.rgrdlaw.com/services-litigation-securities-fraud.html Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Services may be performed by attorneys in any of our offices. Contact: Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP J.C. Sanchez, Jennifer N. Caringal 655 W. Broadway, Suite 1900, San Diego, CA 92101 800-449-4900 info@rgrdlaw.comCaitlin Clark honored as AP Female Athlete of the Year following her impact on women's sports Caitlin Clark has been named the AP Female Athlete of the Year after raising the profile of women’s basketball to unprecedented levels in both college and the WNBA. She led Iowa to the national championship game, was the top pick in the WNBA draft and captured rookie of the year honors in the league. Fans packed sold-out arenas and millions of television viewers followed her journey on and off the court. Clark's exploits also put other women's sports leagues in the spotlight. A group of 74 sports journalists from AP and its members voted on the award. Other athletes who received votes included Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles and boxer Imane Khelif. Clark’s only the fourth women’s basketball player to win the award since it was first given in 1931. Soprano Angel Blue sings her first Metropolitan Opera 'Aida' in a new production Angel Blue, one of the most admired singers of her generation, is headlining the Metropolitan Opera’s first new production of Verdi’s “Aida” in 36 years. The 40-year-old takes on the title role of the enslaved Ethiopian princess torn between love for an Egyptian warrior and loyalty to her country. It’s a part that comes weighted with history, especially for a Black soprano at the Met, where Leontyne Price embodied the role from her first performance in 1961 until her retirement in 1985. Blue tells The Associated Press she’s long looked up to Price, and directors who have worked with her say the singer is ready for the challenge. Blue’s Met debut in ‘Aida’ will happen New Year’s Eve. Centuries-old angels uncovered at Boston church made famous by Paul Revere BOSTON (AP) — Conservators have uncovered eight angels in a historic Boston church that counted Paul Revere as a bell ringer and played a pivotal role in the Revolutionary War. The angels were painted in the early 18th century but painted over in 1912 as part of a renovation of the Old North Church. Inspired by research showing the existence of at least 20 angels, conservators for the past four months have been removing the white paint that covered the eight angels located on the balcony's arches in the church sanctuary. The public is now able to view them. Swiss Olympic snowboarder Sophie Hediger dies in avalanche, aged 26 Swiss Olympic snowboarder Sophie Hediger has died following an avalanche at a mountain resort. The country's skiing federation says the incident took place at the Arosa resort in Switzerland. The 26-year-old Hediger competed at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics in the women’s snowboard cross and the mixed team version of the same event. Hediger achieved her first two World Cup podium finishes in the 2023-24 season. Her best result was a second place in St. Moritz in January. NFL on Netflix: Christmas Day games are a 1st for streaming giant Netflix will have one of its biggest days since the site launched in 1998 when it carries two NFL games for the first time on Christmas. “NFL Christmas Gameday on Netflix” kicks off with a two-hour pregame show at 11 a.m., before Pittsburgh hosts Kansas City. Baltimore faces Houston in the second game. The streaming giant agreed to a three-year contract in May to carry Christmas Day games. Magic and lights draw crowds to an alpine village in Washington state for Christmas LEAVENWORTH, Wash. (AP) — Freshly baked pretzels, shining tree lights and sleds in the snow lend a ruddy warmth to an unlikely collection of Bavarian-themed chalets in the mountains of Washington state. Decades ago, the town of Leavenworth was a near ghost town, one of the poorest parts of the Pacific Northwest. The mines and the sawmill had closed, and even the railroad left. That’s when desperate business owners took a serious gamble -- reinventing the community in the vision of an alpine village. More than half a century later, the result brings tourists from near and far -- especially during the holidays, when Leavenworth takes on the flavor of a German Christmas market. Bill Clinton is hospitalized with a fever but in good spirits, spokesperson says WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Bill Clinton was admitted Monday to MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington after developing a fever. The 78-year-old was admitted in the “afternoon for testing and observation,” Angel Urena, Clinton’s deputy chief of staff, said in a statement. “He remains in good spirits and deeply appreciates the excellent care he is receiving,” Urena said. Packers clinch playoff berth with 1st shutout in NFL this season, 34-0 over Saints GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Josh Jacobs gained 107 yards from scrimmage and scored a touchdown for a sixth straight game as the Green Bay Packers clinched a playoff berth while producing the first shutout of the NFL season, 34-0 over the hapless New Orleans Saints. Green Bay improved to 11-4 and earned its fifth postseason appearance in six years. New Orleans played without injured quarterback Derek Carr and running back Alvin Kamara. Rookie Spencer Rattler started and went 15 of 30 for 153 yards with an interception and a fumble. The Packers have won nine of their last 11 games. Prosecutors withdraw appeal of dismissed case against Alec Baldwin in fatal movie set shooting SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico prosecutors won’t pursue an appeal of a court’s decision to dismiss an involuntary manslaughter charge against Alec Baldwin. The actor had been charged in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during a rehearsal on a movie set outside Santa Fe in October 2021. Special Prosecutor Kari Morrissey withdrew on Monday the appeal of a July decision at trial to dismiss the charge. The decision to drop the appeal solidifies the decision by Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer halfway through trial to dismiss the case on allegations that police and prosecutors withheld evidence from the defense. An all-Filipino crew is set to make history in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race SYDNEY (AP) — There have been plenty of “firsts” in the history of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race which was first held in 1945. An all-Filipino crew of 15 sailors will make it another when the annual ocean classic begins in Sydney Harbor on Thursday. With veteran sailor Ernesto Echauz at the helm, Centennial 7 will embark on the 628-nautical mile race. The boat itself is no stranger to the race. Previously, the TP52 yacht was known as Celestial and claimed the Sydney to Hobart overall handicap victory in 2022 under Sam Haynes after being runner-up the year before.
LOS ANGELES — Londynn Jones scored 15 points, making all five of her 3-pointers, and fifth-ranked UCLA stunned No. 1 South Carolina 77-62 on Sunday, ending the Gamecocks' overall 43-game winning streak and their run of 33 consecutive road victories. The Gamecocks (5-1) lost for the first time since April 2023, when Caitlin Clark and Iowa beat them in the NCAA Tournament national semifinals. Te-Hina Paopao scored 18 points and Tessa Johnson scored 14 for the Gamecocks, whose road winning streak was third-longest in Division I history. It was the first time UCLA took down a No. 1 team in school history, having been 0-20 in such games. The program's previous best wins were over a couple of No. 2s — Oregon in 2019 and Stanford in 2008. Elina Aarnisalo added 13 points as one of five Bruins in double figures. UCLA (5-0) dominated from start to finish, with the Bruins' suffocating defense preventing the Gamecocks from making any sustained scoring runs. South Carolina: The Gamecocks trailed by double-digits at halftime for the first time since Dec. 21, 2021, against Stanford, according to ESPN. Chloe Kitts, who averages a team-leading 14 points, finished the game with 2 points on 1 of 7 shooting. UCLA: The Bruins led 43-22 at halftime. Eight different players scored and contributed to 11-0 and 7-0 runs in the first and second quarters as they shot 52% from the field. The first quarter set the tone for a game in which the Gamecocks never led. They missed their first nine shots and were 4 of 18 from the floor in the quarter. UCLA ran off 11 straight points to take a 20-10 lead into the second quarter. The Bruins dominated the boards, 41-34, and held the Gamecocks well under their scoring average of 80.2 points. South Carolina travels to Florida to meet Iowa State in the Fort Myers Tipoff on Thanksgiving. UCLA travels to the Rainbow Wahine Showdown in Hawaii to play UT Martin on Friday. Get local news delivered to your inbox!AP Trending SummaryBrief at 5:52 p.m. ESTThe Taipei District Prosecutors Office (TDPO) on Thursday Ko Wen-je, the former mayor of Taipei and leader of the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), for bribery and other corruption offenses in connection with a real estate development project known as the Core Pacific City redevelopment project. The prosecutors sought an imprisonment sentence of 28 years and six months for Ko Wen-je. Taipei’s prosecutors accused Ko Wen-je of accepting bribes exceeding $500.000 related to a property development project in Taipei during his tenure as the city’s mayor from 2018 to 2022. Additionally, Ko Wen-je was indicted for embezzling $2 million in political donations to pay the salaries of his campaign staff during the 2024 presidential election. Taipei’s District Chief Prosecutor Kao Yi-shu in a press conference that Wen-je violated his oath of office and Taiwanese law by accepting bribes. He added that authorities possessed sufficient evidence, including excuses and pretense, pointing out the politician’s poor attitude following the crime. The requested prison sentence for Ko Wen-je 15 years for bribery along with sentences of five years and six years for two cases of embezzlement and two and a half years for breach of public trust. These charges fall under and . In response, the TPP its leader’s indictment, asserting it is politically motivated. The party criticized the prosecutors for failing to provide evidence or a money trail to prove that Ko Wen-je received bribes and claimed that the proposed 28-year prison sentence was based on “fabricated charges”. Ko Wen-je is a Taiwanese politician who served as the mayor of Taipei from 2014 to 2022 and founded the in 2019. He was also the TPP’s candidate for the 2024 presidential election, which he lost to the current President Lai Ching-te. His indictment comes four months after his in August due to corruption suspicions in Taipei’s shopping center project, known as the . The prosecution office accused Ko Wen-je and several other officials of illegally increasing the floor area ratio of the Core Pacific City redevelopment project when he was mayor in collusion with the real-estate company to raise the property’s financial value. However, he was a few days after his arrest based on an order from the Taipei District Court due to a lack of evidence, as investigators could not prove that he was aware his decisions were illegal and that they benefited the developers. 38 Santee Sioux hanged by US for rebellion On December 26, 1862, 38 Santee Sioux men were hanged in a mass execution for their roles in a rebellion against US authorities in Minnesota which left hundreds dead and made refugees of some 40,000 white settlers.Government annuities promised under a treaty with the Sioux had failed to arrive on schedule and credit for purchases was not advanced in the meantime, threatening the tribe with starvation. The Santee Sioux Tribe's members were deported first to South Dakota and ultimately to Nebraska, where they remain today.Learn more about the . Louis XVI put on trial during French Revolution On December 26, 1792, Romain de Sèze, a defense attorney for deposed King Louis XVI, presented a defense of his client. The former King was on before a French Revolutionary court on thirty-three charges, including treason and other crimes against the state. He was convicted on January 15, 1793 executed by guillotine on the following January 21.NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on Sunday agreed to elevate India-Kuwait relations and discussed cooperation in key sectors like pharmaceuticals, IT, FinTech, infrastructure, and security. PM Modi, on the second day of his two-day visit to Kuwait, was welcomed with a ceremonial Guard of Honour at the Bayan Palace. He held discussions with the Emir, Prime Minister Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, and Crown Prince Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah on further enhancing bilateral ties. During the meetings, both leaders focussed on the importance of strengthening cooperation across various sectors including trade, investment, defence, security, technology, health, education, and people-to-people exchanges. A key outcome of the visit was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on defence cooperation, which aims to facilitate joint exercises, the supply of defence equipment, and research and development collaboration. Additional MoUs were also signed to promote cooperation in sports, culture, and solar energy. PM Modi congratulated the Emir for successfully hosting the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit earlier this month. He also thanked the Kuwaiti leadership for their efforts in ensuring the well-being of over one million Indians residing in Kuwait. In a post on X, PM Modi described his meeting with the Emir as "excellent" and reaffirmed the close ties between the two nations, expressing optimism that the elevated strategic partnership would lead to further flourishing relations. " Excellent meeting with His Highness the Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al Sabah. We discussed cooperation in key sectors like pharmaceuticals, IT, FinTech, Infrastructure and security. In line with the close ties between our nations, we have elevated our partnership to a strategic one and I am optimistic that our friendship will flourish even more in the times to come." PM Modi said in a post on X. The visit, which also saw PM Modi being awarded the prestigious Mubarak Al-Kabeer Medal by the Emir, is the first by an Indian Prime Minister to Kuwait in 43 years. PM Modi also extended an invitation to the Emir to visit India, further cementing the growing partnership between the two countries. Kuwait is one of India's top trading partners, with bilateral trade reaching USD 10.47 billion in the financial year 2023-24, and India being the largest supplier of crude to the Gulf nation. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , and Mini Crossword .