
Home | ‘Zuma says the ANC under Ramaphosa’s leadership can’t expel him’ The Jacob Zuma Foundation says that former ANC President Jacob Zuma will consult with his legal team over his expulsion from the ANC. On Friday, the ANC upheld Zuma’s expulsion after he appealed the decision from the party’s National Disciplinary Committee of Appeal. Zuma was expelled earlier this year, after forming uMkhonto weSizwe Party, which would see the ANC lose its majority for the first time in 30 years. Jacob Zuma Foundation Spokesperson, Mzwanele Manyi, says, “His Excellency President Zuma strongly rejects the notion that the ANC under the leadership of President Cyril Ramaphosa has the authority to expel him from the movement to which he has dedicated his life. In the coming days, H.E. President Zuma will consult with his legal team, his ANC representative, Comrade Tony Yengeni, his family and his political comrades to deliberate on the way forward. Once a decision has been reached, it will be communicated to the nation by H.E. President Zuma.” Zuma vs ANC | The African National Congress The ANC has welcomed the expulsion of its former president from the party. SABC © 2024Margaret Pomeranz is one of Australia’s most iconic movie reviewers, along with her long-time on-air partner, David Stratton. I spoke to her on Thursday. Fitz : Margaret, long-time listener, first-time caller ... Thanks so much for your time. MP : A pleasure, but I’m not quite sure exactly what you want. Margaret Pomeranz. Credit: Eddie Jim Fitz : Margaret, I want to draw on your enormous expertise in films to quickly find the gold nuggets that I know are out there, but can never find. Sometimes I stumble across fabulous films that have never got any fanfare whatsoever, and it occurs to me that you’d be the one who knows where the other beauties are. MP : Well, after your general text yesterday, I’ve racked my brain, and I’ve certainly come up with a list of 10, but a couple of them are foreign language films. Fitz : Even better. Before we get to the list, though ... did you stumble into being a famous movie reviewer, or was it the star you steered by until you got there? MP : Hah! I was absolutely dragged protesting into that role. I was producing David Stratton doing movie reviews for SBS, and I wanted a woman to join him because I didn’t want it to just be a male judgment. And I couldn’t find a woman that David Stratton accepted. And the one that he wanted was, I think, reviewing for one of the women’s magazines, and she didn’t want to do it. And so he said, “why don’t you give it a try?” And I said, “no, I just want to produce” and then the SBS head of programming came down on me and insisted, so it was truly ... accidental. I’d never been in front of camera before. Pomeranz with long-time collaborator and friend, David Stratton. Credit: Fitz : And when did you realise that in the case of you and Stratton, one plus one equals three, in the sense of having a chemistry between you which made you more than the sum of your parts? MP : Well, I don’t think we truly gelled for about five years because I was so nervous, and it took me time to be able to relax in front of camera. Fitz : So you became an iconic duo, just like Roy and HG. In their case, they never socialised much off-camera, so as to keep their on-air stuff fresh. Did you spend much time with David Stratton when the cameras weren’t rolling? MP : We did, but never excessively, apart from when we went to things like the Cannes and Venice film festivals when we would certainly see a great deal of one another. Back in Australia, we saw a bit of each other until he moved up to the Blue Mountains, which I was really shitty about, actually ... Fitz : And how do you judge the current state of the movie business globally and in Australia? MP : Well, I think the Australian film industry is really healthy. It’s almost like it’s got the confidence in itself. Globally, on the one hand, I’m sick of those Marvel Comics being translated to the screen, but on the other hand, you can get really good ones, like the one that Taika Waititi directed, Thor: Ragnarok . That was terrific, so you can’t be narrow-minded about such films. Some are extremely good. Jeff Bridges in Peter Weir’s brilliant Fearless. Credit: Warner Bros Fitz : And where are your professional energies going right now? MP : Nowhere! I am trying to get out of stuff, not into stuff. Fitz : Two more quick questions, then we can rip in. I read a blurry report that you might have had a cameo role in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert . Is that correct? MP : Yes, but blink and you’ll miss me, right? I had known the director, Stephan Elliott, for some time, and he said, would I play a part in his film? And I said, “all right, as long as I’m not playing anybody’s mother”. Not long afterwards, I was in Venice at the film festival, and a fax arrived for me, saying he wanted me in Priscilla, indeed playing someone’s mother, but ... “you’re playing Guy Pearce’s mother”. So I said, “oh, all right!” Fitz : Meantime, I loved your review on Charlie Pickering’s The Weekly on ABC of Married at First Sight , where you said, “It’s a groundbreaking social experiment in which mentally fragile halfwits marry toxic famed tarts”. Is there anything you’d like to add to that? Or is that about it? MP : [ Laughs. ] No, that’s about it. Fitz : OK, let’s get to the nub of it. Can you please gimme the 10 films few of us have seen yet, but bloody well should? Dannielle Hall and Damian Pitt in Beneath Clouds. Credit: © Bunya Productions MP : Well, my first one is the Australian film Beneath Clouds (2002) . That was Ivan Sen’s debut feature about two Indigenous kids, played by Damian Pitt and Dannielle Hall, who accidentally join up as they head for various reasons to Sydney from country NSW . Sen had made a series of really fantastic shorts when he was at the film school, and once he was out he made this. It looks fabulous. It’s heart-rendingly great, but very little seen. I’m always moved by the final image in a film, and in this one, it’s just heartbreakingly good. Have you seen it? Fitz : No, never heard of it, but I will see it soon! Next? MP : OK, going down the list, I loved Locke (2013) by Stephen Knight. Tom Hardy gives an outstanding performance in this film in which he is the only presence on screen. He plays a man driving to a construction site who takes 38 phone calls from various people as his life falls apart. Fitz : Hang on, just one actor? So when the screen credits roll for actors, there’s one person? MP : Yes, apart from voice actors. Fitz : That sounds like that famous first film by Steven Spielberg, Duel , with the menacing truck being the key presence monstering the poor bloke in front. Go on, next? MP : Number three is Fearless (1993) , by Peter Weir, starring Jeff Bridges and Rosie Perez as survivors of a plane crash who each experience the impact of the aftermath. Have you seen that? The 1997 film Gattaca imagines a future class divide between the enhanced (as played by Uma Thurman) and the unenhanced. Credit: Getty Images Fitz : No! Look, if it’s not Shawshank Redemption or the like, you may presume I haven’t seen it, but want to. I want you to educate me and mine on the finer things in films so we can say to our friends, “I can’t believe you haven’t seen those wonderful films, Beneath Clouds , Locke , and Fearless ! What kind of bogan ignoramus are you?” MP : [ Small groan. ] Number four is District 9 (2009). This totally original, low-budget science fiction film from South African writer/director Neill Blomkamp has it all – a wild imagination, drama, pathos, compassion, with a few laughs thrown in, as a man organising the relocation of a camp of segregated aliens becomes one of them. Fitz : You see, Margaret? Don’t despair, I’ve heard of it! MP : So is that all right? Fitz : Yes, please go on. MP : I’ve chosen Nashville (1975). A gigantic tapestry of music, betrayal and politics set in the country music capital of the world and is the work of director Robert Altman. It has a multi-character cast and was the film that excited me most when I first saw it. It is still my favourite film of all time. I fell in love with Robert Altman when I saw it in Sydney, even though it was on screens for just a week, and it was gone. I dragged people to it, and then it disappeared. Fitz : If you say it is your favourite of all time, that is some recommendation. Next, please? MP : Gattaca (1997) . This debut science fiction film from New Zealand born writer/director Andrew Niccol explores the ethics of genetic engineering. Niccol wrote The Truman Show , but when he went to Hollywood, they wouldn’t let him direct it and gave him Gattaca to direct instead. It stars Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman and is riveting. Lust, Caution, directed by Ang Lee, is set in China during the Japanese occupation. Fitz : Not that you care, but I broadly hate sci-fi. Still, I will give it a go. MP : The Hill (1965) is a gruelling portrayal of men struggling to survive a military prison camp in North Africa during World War II, and it stars Sean Connery in one of his best performances. I don’t like prison movies much, but this one has stayed with me. Fitz : I like Shawsha... actually, never mind. Does The Hill have a happy ending? You’ll despair to hear, Marge, my tastes are so plebeian: I genuinely like films where the hero and the heroine and go through lots of struggles and get to kiss in the final frame – with the exception of Brokeback Mountain , where it was the two heroes. MP : [ Small pause. ] I absolutely adored Brokeback Mountain . I saw that in Venice, and when everybody else was rushing off to the next screening, I was just stayed sitting there alone, still absorbing it, it was so wonderful. But, moving on. I love tough films. And the one that I love most is The Lives of Others (2006), the debut film from German writer/director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck about the impact that Stasi agents, East Germany’s secret police, have on a group of artists and intellectuals. A really powerful cinema experience. Fitz : Next? MP: Lust, Caution (2007) Ang Lee’s beautiful, emotionally powerful film is set in China during the Japanese occupation. It’s about a young student’s relationship with a high-ranking collaborator despite the fact that she’s part of a group that aims to assassinate him. And the next one after that is a soft one for you, Peter. I’ve chosen Chef (2014) , written, directed by and starring Jon Favreau. It’s the story of a celebrity chef in an upmarket restaurant who loses his temper as he’s not prepared to conform. So he starts up a food truck with the help of his son and estranged wife. And you’ll be thrilled to hear, Peter, this one has a happy ending. Fitz : Excellent! And that’s our 10. So the last thing is this. We’ve talked about films that you know are great, that should be more widely celebrated. What about films where everybody loves them except you? I hate to say it, but the best example for me is the one you’re in: Priscilla, Queen of the Desert . Yes, all the actors are great, and Hugo’s a personal friend. But I just never understood the level of acclaim it received. MP : [ Laughing. ] Of course it was the one I was in! But, yes, I don’t always like what everybody else likes. I don’t necessarily like what David Stratton likes. I actually talked to him this morning about the list I just gave you, and I think he approves of just about all the ones on my list, but not all. Generally, I think that within seconds of a film opening, you know whether you’re in good hands with a director or not, and it’s really weird that some films just scream: “I am no good!” from the very beginning. Fitz : And the blockbuster that you detest? MP : A really popular film that everyone else loved was the remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre . It’s only one of the two films I’ve ever walked out of. Fitz : And what is the other, please? MP : I will tell you, but it’s not for publication. [ We go into the Cone of Silence. ] Fitz: Oh! Oh, I see ... Thank you, indeed. I, and my readers, shall report back before Chrissie on what we think of your list. In the meantime, we are in your debt. At least we hope so.
NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump was on the verge of backing a 16-week federal abortion ban earlier this year when aides staged an intervention. According to Time magazine's cover story on his selection as its 2024 Person of the Year, Trump's aides first raised concerns in mid-March that the abortion cutoff being pushed by some allies would be stricter than existing law in numerous states. It was seen as a potential political liability amid ongoing fallout over the overturning of Roe v. Wade by a conservative majority on the Supreme Court that includes three justices nominated by Trump in his first term. Trump political director James Blair went to work assembling a slide deck — eventually titled “How a national abortion ban will cost Trump the election" — that argued a 16-week ban would hurt the Republican candidate in the battleground states of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, the magazine reported. “After flipping through Blair’s presentation" on a flight to a rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in April, Trump dropped the idea, according to the report. "So we leave it to the states, right?" Trump was quoted as saying. He soon released a video articulating that position. At the time, Trump’s campaign denied that he was considering supporting the 16-week ban, calling it “fake news” and saying Trump planned to “negotiate a deal” on abortion if elected to the White House. Here are other highlights from the story and the president-elect's 65-minute interview with the magazine: Trump reaffirmed his plans to pardon most of those convicted for their actions during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. “It’s going to start in the first hour,” he said of the pardons. “Maybe the first nine minutes.” Trump said he would look at individuals on a “case-by-case" basis, but that “a vast majority of them should not be in jail.” More than 1,500 people have been charged with federal crimes stemming from the riot that left more than 100 police officers injured and sent lawmakers running into hiding as they met to certify Democrat Joe Biden’s 2020 victory . More than 1,000 defendants have pleaded guilty or been convicted at trial of charges, including misdemeanor trespassing offenses, assaulting police officers and seditious conspiracy. Trump insisted he has the authority to use the military to assist with his promised mass deportations , even though, as his interviewers noted, the Posse Comitatus Act prohibits the use of the military in domestic law enforcement. “It doesn’t stop the military if it’s an invasion of our country, and I consider it an invasion of our country," he said. “I’ll only do what the law allows, but I will go up to the maximum level of what the law allows. And I think in many cases, the sheriffs and law enforcement is going to need help." Trump did not deny that camps would be needed to hold detained migrants as they are processed for deportation. “Whatever it takes to get them out. I don’t care," he said. “I hope we’re not going to need too many because I want to get them out and I don’t want them sitting in camp for the next 20 years.” Trump told Time he does not plan to restore the policy of separating children from their families to deter border crossings, but he did not rule it out. The practice led to thousands of children being separated from their parents and was condemned around the globe as inhumane. “I don’t believe we’ll have to because we will send the whole family back,” he said. “I would much rather deport them together, yes, than separate.” Trump dismissed the idea that Elon Musk will face conflicts of interest as he takes the helm of the Department of Government Efficiency , an advisory group that Trump has selected him to lead. The panel is supposed to find waste and cut regulations, including many that could affect Musk's wide-ranging interests , which include electric cars, rockets and telecommunications. “I don’t think so," Trump said. “I think that Elon puts the country long before his company. ... He considers this to be his most important project." Trump lowered expectations about his ability to drive down grocery prices. “I’d like to bring them down. It’s hard to bring things down once they’re up. You know, it’s very hard. But I think that they will,” he said. Trump said he is planning “a virtual closure" of the "Department of Education in Washington.” “You’re going to need some people just to make sure they’re teaching English in the schools," he said. “But we want to move education back to the states.” Yet Trump has proposed exerting enormous influence over schools. He has threatened to cut funding for schools with vaccine mandates while forcing them to “teach students to love their country" and promote “the nuclear family,” including “the roles of mothers and fathers” and the “things that make men and women different and unique.” Asked to clarify whether he was committed to preventing the Food and Drug Administration from stripping access to abortion pills , Trump replied, “It’s always been my commitment.” But Trump has offered numerous conflicting stances on the issue, including to Time. Earlier in the interview, he was asked whether he would promise that his FDA would not do anything to limit access to medication abortion or abortion pills. "We’re going to take a look at all of that,” he said, before calling the prospect “very unlikely.” “Look, I’ve stated it very clearly and I just stated it again very clearly. I think it would be highly unlikely. I can’t imagine, but with, you know, we’re looking at everything, but highly unlikely. I guess I could say probably as close to ruling it out as possible, but I don’t want to. I don’t want to do anything now.” Pressed on whether he would abandon Ukraine in its efforts to stave off Russia's invasion , Trump said he would use U.S. support for Kyiv as leverage against Moscow in negotiating an end to the war. “I want to reach an agreement,” he said, “and the only way you’re going to reach an agreement is not to abandon.” Trump would not commit to supporting a two-state solution, with a Palestinian state alongside Israel, as he had previously. “I support whatever solution we can do to get peace," he said. "There are other ideas other than two state, but I support whatever, whatever is necessary to get not just peace, a lasting peace. It can’t go on where every five years you end up in tragedy. There are other alternatives.” Asked whether he trusted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu , he told Time: “I don’t trust anybody.” Trump would not rule out the possibility of war with Iran during his second term. “Anything can happen. It’s a very volatile situation," he said. Asked if he has spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin since the Nov. 5 election, Trump continued to play coy: "I can’t tell you. It’s just inappropriate.” Trump insisted that his bid to install Matt Gaetz as attorney general ”wasn’t blocked. I had the votes (in the Senate) if I needed them, but I had to work very hard.” When the scope of resistance to the former Republican congressman from Florida became clear, Trump said, “I talked to him, and I said, ‘You know, Matt, I don’t think this is worth the fight.'" Gaetz pulled out amid scrutiny over sex trafficking allegations, and Trump tapped former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi for the Cabinet post. Trump, who has named anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, did not rule out the possibility of eliminating some childhood vaccinations even though they have been proved safe in extensive studies and real world use in hundreds of millions of people over decades and are considered among the most effective public health measures in modern history. Pressed on whether “getting rid of some vaccinations” — neither Trump nor the interviewers specified which ones — might be part of the plan to improve the health of the country, Trump responded: “It could if I think it’s dangerous, if I think they are not beneficial, but I don’t think it’s going to be very controversial in the end.” “I think there could be, yeah," Trump said of the prospect of others in his family continuing in his footsteps. He pointed to daughter-in-law Lara Trump , who served as co-chair of the Republican National Committee and is now being talked about as a potential replacement for Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, whom Trump has chosen for secretary of state. Trump said the former and soon-to-be first lady Melania Trump will be joining him at the White House during second term and will "be active, when she needs to be.” “Oh yes,” he said. “She’s very beloved by the people, Melania. And they like the fact that she’s not out there in your face all the time for many reasons.”
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Trump Names Scott Bessent as Treasury Secretary in Cabinet ShakeupNonePromotion Affirms Company's Commitment to Galvanize New Era of Tech-Driven Real Estate Investment NEW YORK , Dec. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Underscoring its commitment to revolutionize investment strategies by leveraging advanced technologies to drive investor value, real estate investment firm AWH Partners announces the promotion of Devashish (Dev) Sharma to director of analytics. Sharma, who has been with the New York -based firm since July 2023 , has played a pivotal role in enhancing returns for investors by strengthening the integration of technology and data analytics in his previous role in asset management. In this new position, he will leverage the firm's data assets to create insights that sharpen acquisition strategies, improve asset performance, and strengthen overall decision-making and corporate governance, ultimately driving superior outcomes for stakeholders. In leading this newly created role, Sharma will focus on enhancing AWH Partners' cross-functional data ecosystem and optimizing technology-enabled processes to deliver actionable investment insights, streamline analysis, automate recurring tasks, and identify market opportunities ahead of industry trends. By developing business intelligence tools and mechanisms, he will ensure the firm's leadership and continuity in hospitality real estate, delivering enhanced transparency and scalability of tech-driven initiatives to foster sustainable growth and maximize investor returns. With dual master's degrees in business administration and hospitality management from Cornell University , Sharma has 13 years' experience across investment banking, real estate financing, hotel acquisition and hotel asset management. Before relocating to the U.S. for his graduate studies, Sharma was the investment manager at SAMHI Hotels, which specializes in hotel investments in India , and an associate investment manager at Piramal Fund Management, one of the first firms to enter real estate fund management in India . His global expertise in real estate financing and operational excellence has directly contributed to the success of the firm's high-value investment portfolios. "Dev brings a truly exceptional background to this new role with his experience in real estate financing and data analytics, as well as earning advanced degrees in business and hospitality from one of this country's premier Ivy League universities. Since joining AWH, he has demonstrated dedication and passion for helping the firm realize the next level of data-driven decision-making," said Chad Cooley , co-founder and managing partner of AWH Partners. "His work has strengthened our ability to deliver consistent value to our investors, helping us stand out in an increasingly competitive market." AWH Partners has made substantial investments in technology to identify and acquire differentiated investment opportunities in a highly competitive marketplace. This position underscores the firm's strategic focus on combining innovation and expertise to generate superior investor outcomes. By empowering its team with leadership opportunities, AWH Partners fosters an environment where talent thrives, furthering its goal of shaping the future of real estate investment. Sharma's leadership will continue to advance the firm's mission to deliver sustainable growth and performance across its portfolio. A native of India , Sharma is a chartered accountant and earned his bachelor's degree in finance from Sri Venkateswara College at the University of Delhi in 2009. Sharma's global perspective and track record of integrating analytics into investment strategies position him as a key player in advancing AWH Partners' investor-centric vision. "My goal is to further integrate analytics into every aspect of our investment process to ensure we are at the forefront of data and technology use in real estate investment worldwide," he said. About AWH Partners: AWH Partners (AWH) is a leading national platform for hotel real estate investment, management and development. Privately held, it was founded in 2010 by alumni of The Blackstone Group and The Related Companies. The firm partners with marquee institutional investors, family offices, and high-net-worth individuals around the world. Its portfolio includes properties from renowned brands, including the Marriott and Hilton corporations, as well as independently branded assets. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/awh-partners-promotes-dev-sharma-as-director-of-analytics-302330763.html SOURCE AWH Partners © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
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The Jets are getting their bye week. They could use a bye month. The 2024 Jets will go down as one of the most disappointing in the franchise’s history, and this is a franchise that has seen plenty of misery. The team began the year with Super Bowl aspirations and playoff expectations, armed with a healthy Aaron Rodgers at quarterback and stars all over the roster. They arrive at the bye 3-8, and with an interim head coach and general manager. It is hard to believe. The Jets have six games remaining, and everyone’s thoughts from ownership to the fans already has turned to 2025. They will need a new GM, coach and probably a quarterback. How did they get here? That is the question everyone associated with the team is asking. No one saw a season like this coming during training camp. The positive vibes were high with Rodgers returning from the injury that cost him last season. The defense returned most of its starters from a year ago, when they were in the top five. The offense had emerging stars in Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall. The Jets began the season 2-1 and had an impressive win in Week 3 against the Patriots before the bottom fell out. Back-to-back losses to the Broncos and Vikings led to owner Woody Johnson firing coach Robert Saleh . That move did not work. The Jets lost their next three games after interim coach Jeff Ulbrich took over. They continued to make moves to try to stem the tide, trading for star receiver and Rodgers’ pal Davante Adams and convincing pass rusher Haason Reddick to end his holdout . After a brief moment of hope against the Texans, the Jets have lost their past two games, including a heartbreaking 28-27 loss to the Colts last week . That loss ended any faint playoff hopes the team still had, and Johnson fired general manager Joe Douglas on Tuesday to begin the search for the team’s new leadership. It is impossible to know what to expect over these final six games. Are the Jets checked out? Do they now play better freed of any expectations? With the way this season has gone, nothing will be a surprise. Most Valuable Player Not much has gone right, but third-year wide receiver Garrett Wilson has played well. Wilson is third in the NFL with 69 receptions. He has 722 receiving yards and five touchdown catches. Wilson got off to a slow start and looked like he was not on the same page with Rodgers, but the two have shown better chemistry over the last seven weeks. Wilson has had three 100-yard games this year and the arrival of Davante Adams has taken some of the defensive attention off him and opened things up. The highlight of Wilson’s season came in the second half against the Texans when he had two one-handed touchdown grabs, one in the end zone that became a viral sensation . Wilson is going to be eligible for a contract extension after this season, and the new management is going to have to make a big decision on whether to lock Wilson up now. Least Valuable Player The Jets traded for edge rusher Haason Reddick in March, hoping he would replace the production they were losing with Bryce Huff’s departure in free agency. Instead, Reddick decided to hold out for a new contract. Reddick missed all of the spring, training camp and the first seven games. Since he returned last month, he has had very little impact. After four straight seasons of double-digit sacks, Reddick has a half-sack in four games for the Jets. The Jets’ pass rush was actually better before Reddick got to the team. He is a free agent after this season, and he’s going to have to pick up his production if he hopes to get a payday from someone. Biggest Surprise One of the assumptions about the Jets was that their defense was going to be among the best in the NFL. But it has proven to have many flaws and has crumbled in big spots this year. Some of the statistics still look good. The Jets are No. 7 in total defense and 12th in points allowed. But anyone who has watched this defense knows it has not lived up to its preseason billing. It started in Week 1, when they allowed 180 rushing yards to the 49ers, who did not even have Christian McCaffrey. The run defense remains an issue. They have given up at least 100 yards rushing in eight of their 11 games. Then, there is their inability to get interceptions. The Jets have just two interceptions this season, and both came from Brandin Echols, who is not even a regular starter. The Jets are getting a bad season from one of their top players, cornerback Sauce Gardner. On top of that, the defense crumbled in New England and last week against the Colts in the final minutes when the team needed a stop. Biggest Disappointment There are plenty of candidates for this title, but you have to start with the biggest star on the team, and that is Aaron Rodgers. The expectation when the Jets traded for Rodgers in April 2023 was that he was the missing piece to push this team to the playoffs at least. His injury cost him last season, but hope returned with his comeback this year. Rodgers has not been terrible, but he also has not elevated this team like everyone expected. He looks skittish in the pocket, afraid to get hit and unable to move. He rarely pushes the ball down the field. The passing offense seems to consist of throwing short to playmakers and hoping they break off a long run. Rodgers’ stats are not bad. He has 2,442 passing yards, 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He may end up with one of the better statistical seasons in Jets quarterbacking history if he can make it through the final six games. Anyone who has watched the games, though, knows Rodgers has been a major disappointment. Best Moment The Jets had a terrible first half against the Texans on “Thursday Night Football,” but then found an offensive rhythm in the second half. The highlight of the game and the season came early in the fourth quarter when Rodgers threw a ball up into the end zone and Wilson made an acrobatic, one-handed grab and somehow came down inbounds with the ball. The touchdown gave them a 14-10 lead on the way to a 21-13 victory. The catch caught fire on social media and was replayed for days. It felt like it could be the spark for a turnaround, but that thought disappeared with a loss in Arizona the following week. Wilson’s catch brought back memories of Odell Beckham Jr.’s one-handed catch for the Giants 10 years ago. It will be interesting to see if the catch is remembered or it gets lost in the wreckage of this dismal season. Worst Moment The cracks on this season were already showing at 2-3, but the Jets were still about to play the Bills at home for a share of first place in the AFC East when owner Woody Johnson decided to fire coach Robert Saleh. Johnson had grown tired of Saleh, who was hired by his brother Christopher when he was still the U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom, and decided the team needed a change. Johnson felt the team would turn around under interim coach Jeff Ulbrich, but the opposite happened. Follow the latest on the New York Jets firing head coach Robert Saleh: The team is 1-5 since changing coaches. Saleh was 20-36 as head coach, but the locker room did not react well to his firing. Players liked Saleh, and it felt like a state of shock descended upon the team for a few weeks. The defense, of which Saleh was the architect, has not been the same since his firing. It was the first time Johnson fired a coach during the season in his 25 years as owner. Biggest Head-Scratcher What happened to kicker Greg Zuerlein? As the losses have mounted and people have lost their jobs, this is one question that has been asked many times. Zuerlein had seemingly solved the Jets’ long-term kicking issues in recent years. He made 35 of 38 field goals last year and was rewarded with a two-year, $8.4 million contract extension in March. But Zuerlein was terrible this year. He missed six field goals, including a potential game-winner against the Broncos that began the Jets’ downward spiral. Who knows if things go differently if they win that game? He missed big kicks against the Bills and Patriots, too, before finally being replaced. The Jets have used three kickers since putting Zuerlein on injured reserve with a mysterious left knee injury. Upcoming Decision Well, the big decisions will come in the offseason on the future of this team. If you are talking short-term, though, everything centers around Rodgers. Will he play out the string? Will he suddenly land on injured reserve? Rodgers has been dealing with hamstring and knee injuries for most of the season, so if the Jets and Rodgers decide it is no longer worth it to play, they could move him to IR and cite those injuries getting worse. At this point, Rodgers is playing for pride and trying to salvage something from this miserable season. Rodgers seems to genuinely enjoy being on the team, but it has not worked. If the Jets had a young quarterback in waiting, getting a look at him now would make sense. They don’t have that guy, though. Tyrod Taylor is Rodgers’ backup and Adrian Martinez is the third-string quarterback. This has been a season from hell for Rodgers and the Jets. You wonder if he just wants it to end.None
Crowd control: Police seek to stop use of lethal weaponPromotion Affirms Company's Commitment to Galvanize New Era of Tech-Driven Real Estate Investment NEW YORK , Dec. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Underscoring its commitment to revolutionize investment strategies by leveraging advanced technologies to drive investor value, real estate investment firm AWH Partners announces the promotion of Devashish (Dev) Sharma to director of analytics. Sharma, who has been with the New York -based firm since July 2023 , has played a pivotal role in enhancing returns for investors by strengthening the integration of technology and data analytics in his previous role in asset management. In this new position, he will leverage the firm's data assets to create insights that sharpen acquisition strategies, improve asset performance, and strengthen overall decision-making and corporate governance, ultimately driving superior outcomes for stakeholders. In leading this newly created role, Sharma will focus on enhancing AWH Partners' cross-functional data ecosystem and optimizing technology-enabled processes to deliver actionable investment insights, streamline analysis, automate recurring tasks, and identify market opportunities ahead of industry trends. By developing business intelligence tools and mechanisms, he will ensure the firm's leadership and continuity in hospitality real estate, delivering enhanced transparency and scalability of tech-driven initiatives to foster sustainable growth and maximize investor returns. With dual master's degrees in business administration and hospitality management from Cornell University , Sharma has 13 years' experience across investment banking, real estate financing, hotel acquisition and hotel asset management. Before relocating to the U.S. for his graduate studies, Sharma was the investment manager at SAMHI Hotels, which specializes in hotel investments in India , and an associate investment manager at Piramal Fund Management, one of the first firms to enter real estate fund management in India . His global expertise in real estate financing and operational excellence has directly contributed to the success of the firm's high-value investment portfolios. "Dev brings a truly exceptional background to this new role with his experience in real estate financing and data analytics, as well as earning advanced degrees in business and hospitality from one of this country's premier Ivy League universities. Since joining AWH, he has demonstrated dedication and passion for helping the firm realize the next level of data-driven decision-making," said Chad Cooley , co-founder and managing partner of AWH Partners. "His work has strengthened our ability to deliver consistent value to our investors, helping us stand out in an increasingly competitive market." AWH Partners has made substantial investments in technology to identify and acquire differentiated investment opportunities in a highly competitive marketplace. This position underscores the firm's strategic focus on combining innovation and expertise to generate superior investor outcomes. By empowering its team with leadership opportunities, AWH Partners fosters an environment where talent thrives, furthering its goal of shaping the future of real estate investment. Sharma's leadership will continue to advance the firm's mission to deliver sustainable growth and performance across its portfolio. A native of India , Sharma is a chartered accountant and earned his bachelor's degree in finance from Sri Venkateswara College at the University of Delhi in 2009. Sharma's global perspective and track record of integrating analytics into investment strategies position him as a key player in advancing AWH Partners' investor-centric vision. "My goal is to further integrate analytics into every aspect of our investment process to ensure we are at the forefront of data and technology use in real estate investment worldwide," he said. About AWH Partners: AWH Partners (AWH) is a leading national platform for hotel real estate investment, management and development. Privately held, it was founded in 2010 by alumni of The Blackstone Group and The Related Companies. The firm partners with marquee institutional investors, family offices, and high-net-worth individuals around the world. Its portfolio includes properties from renowned brands, including the Marriott and Hilton corporations, as well as independently branded assets. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/awh-partners-promotes-dev-sharma-as-director-of-analytics-302330763.html SOURCE AWH Partners
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