Tim and Joan Pieper will be enjoying their first Christmas at the house they purchased 21⁄2 years ago for $5. It took 21⁄2 years to restore this Dutch colonial house, which had been scheduled to be demolished. It was about to be demolished when they bought the Dutch colonial and had it carted about a mile to a 3-acre section of a farm they own near Mitchell, Nebraska. “We moved it and restored it to save it,” Joan said. With Brad Shaul of Shaul Construction as the main contractor, the house was gutted to the studs and then plumbing, electrical, HVAC, windows and new floors were added. “Everything is new but the entry, the staircase and the pocket doors from the living room and dining room,” Joan said. “We put in a new basement.” Landscaping will be done this spring. Rob Bullock of Furniture Medic by Cowboy Wood Doctors in Cheyenne, Wyoming, did a phenomenal job restoring the doors and some of the woodwork, Joan said. She and Tim visited antique stores in places like Crofton and Newman Grove to replace missing hardware for the doors. Joan cooked them in a crockpot and scrubbed them up the next day. It wasn’t a cheap project, but it was fun, Joan says. The dining room of the Piepers’ renovated house. “It’s not like HGTV when they do it for $100,000,” Joan said. “Once you are into it, you can’t stop.” They’re not sure what they’ll do with the house. They live across the border in Torrington, Wyoming. They’ve watched a few Nebraska football and volleyball games there with friends, and three of their four children and their families will be there for Christmas. Joan said it’s surreal that the renovation is finished. “I love it,” she said. “It really turned out wonderful.” Short Takes is a compilation of lightly edited press releases from various organizations. If you’d like to have your information included, send it to ducey@owh.com at least 10 days before the item needs to run. Photos are welcomed with a photo credit and caption. marjie.ducey@owh.com , 402-444-1034, twitter.com/mduceyowh For the holidays: Get inspiring home and gift ideas – sign up now!RALEIGH, N.C. — Martin Necas scored on the power play with 2:07 remaining as the Carolina Hurricanes rallied past the Dallas Stars 6-4 on Monday night behind a five-goal third period. Shayne Gostisbehere, Brent Burns and Sebastian Aho also scored in the third for Carolina before Andrei Svechnikov added an empty-netter with 15 seconds left. Spencer Martin, in just his fourth start of the season, made 15 saves as Carolina notched its eighth straight win at home. Tyler Seguin, Thomas Harley, Mason Marchment and Miro Heiskanen had goals for Dallas. The Hurricanes led 4-3 after Gostisbehere converted the team’s first power-play chance at 8:09 of the third. Heiskanen tied it with 5:14 left, setting the stage for a wild finish. Seguin scored just 18 seconds into the game, converting off a giveaway in the Carolina zone. Seth Jarvis, back after missing seven games with an upper-body injury, pulled the Hurricanes even at 6:36 of the first with a short-handed goal. Carolina Hurricanes' Andrei Svechnikov (37) watches as the puck goes wide of Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger (29) with Miro Heiskanen (4) nearby during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Raleigh, N.C., Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. Credit: AP/Karl B DeBlaker Takeaways Stars: While Dallas boasts one of the NHL’s top penalty-kill units, they failed to come through twice in the third period while squandering a two-goal cushion. Hurricanes: Injuries to Frederik Andersen (knee surgery) and Pyotr Kochetkov (concussion protocol) have raised concerns about Carolina’s goalie depth. With two more opponents on the docket this week in the Rangers and Panthers, that area will continue to be tested. Key moment The Hurricanes came out with renewed energy in the third. Aho’s goal 1:10 into the period sparked life into a team that had struggled to beat goalie Jake Oettinger early on. Key stat The Stars fell to 7-2 on the season when leading after one period. Carolina Hurricanes' Seth Jarvis (24) chases the puck past Dallas Stars' Esa Lindell (23) and goaltender Jake Oettinger (29) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Raleigh, N.C., Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. Credit: AP/Karl B DeBlaker Up next The Stars conclude a three-game road trip on Wednesday against Chicago, while the Hurricanes host the Rangers.
Rookie Bucky Irving relishes opportunity to help Buccaneers any way he can against skidding Raiders
Ontario’s Opposition leader is accusing the government of creating a “cash-for-access culture” and is asking the province’s integrity commissioner to look into an upcoming Progressive Conservative party fundraiser with the premier and transportation minister. The fundraiser is billed as an evening with Doug Ford and Prabmeet Sarkaria, and tickets are selling for $1,000. The Ontario Trucking Association has put out a “call to action” urging members to buy tickets to the “small, relatively exclusive” event and deliver a message to Sarkaria about cracking down on illicit operations. “We need to turn this event into an OTA member trucking event to deliver one clear message: ‘Our industry supports your government, and we need your government to bring order to our sector,'” chairman Mark Bylsma wrote. “Participation should be viewed as an investment in our industry and for our own businesses...This is the only way to win this battle.” NDP Leader Marit Stiles said cabinet ministers should not be fundraising off of people who have business in their ministry. “That’s pretty explicit,” she said Thursday in the legislature. “The government has created a cash-for-access culture that is sending Ontarians a clear message that if they want to be heard, they need to pay up.” Stephen Laskowski, president and CEO of the trucking association, said in a statement that his organization did not speak to anyone in government about the event and put out the call to action on its own accord. OTA’s callout was first revealed by Global News, the same week it reported that the head of the Ontario PC Party fund sent an email giving cabinet ministers fundraising targets. Stiles wants the integrity commissioner to look at whether the upcoming fundraiser or any actions taken in response to the PC fundraiser’s email would put Ford, Sarkaria or other elected officials in a real or potential conflict of interest, or otherwise contravene the Lobbyists Registration Act, the Members’ Integrity Act, the Public Service of Ontario Act or parliamentary convention. Attorney General Doug Downey said all political parties follow the same rules, and donation records are transparent so the public can scrutinize them. “The Ontario regulations set a level playing field for all of us,” he said in the legislature. “There are rules the parties have to follow. There are processes. Whether you’re in power, you’re in opposition or you aspire to be in this legislature, there is an ability to raise money with rules.” The rules were created by this government, Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner noted, relaxed from a regime the previous Liberal government had in place. “The previous government brought in what I thought were good fundraising rules,” he said after question period. “They had lowered donation limits and eliminated cash-for-access fundraising. Unfortunately, the conservatives have brought that back, and the people of Ontario need to hold them accountable, because the Ford government is bringing big money back into politics, and that’s bad for democracy and it’s bad for good public policy.” The opposition criticisms of fundraising events like Ford and Sarkaria’s hearkens back to a cash-for-access scandal under the then-Liberal government in 2016. Kathleen Wynne’s government came under fire over reports of cabinet ministers with fundraising targets as high as $500,000 a year, fundraising dinners with tickets going for thousands of dollars, and pricey fundraising events with direct stakeholders. In response to the furor, the Liberals banned corporate and union donations, lowered the maximum donation amounts, and prohibited politicians from attending fundraisers. In 2019, the Progressive Conservative government removed the ban on politicians attending fundraisers and raised maximum donations to parties, constituency associations and candidates to $1,600. That amount was later raised further and now stands at $3,375. Liberal Stephen Blais said that amount is “probably too high,” but otherwise suggested the rules as they stand are working. “We had an extreme fundraising ban in the past — it didn’t work,” he said. “If we want to have a vigorous debate when it’s time for elections, that requires that political parties are well funded, to express themselves, and ensure that Ontarians can hear that message. That requires money, that requires fundraising.”
Adcetera's creative partnership with Roborock sends the S8 MaxV Ultra into space HOUSTON , Dec. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Adcetera, a Houston -based digital marketing agency, announces the launch of a historic video campaign in partnership with Roborock , one of the world's leading robot vacuum brands. The campaign, centered around the theme "Beyond Limits," culminated in the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra being launched 120,000 feet above the Earth, making it the first robot vacuum in space. When Roborock began searching for an agency to develop a video campaign around their hashtag, #BeyondLimits, Adcetera's creatives stepped in to develop a narrative that could bring those two words to life. The resulting social media campaign features three scientists frustrated by outdated cleaning tools. Their solution? Invent the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra. After putting the vacuum through a series of "Beyond Limits" tests, the scientists take it one step further and launch it into space. The collaboration included partnering with Sent into Space, a UK-based company specializing in sending objects into the upper stratosphere. On September 17, 2024 , the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra successfully launched from Sheffield, UK , reaching 120,000 feet above Earth and enduring extreme temperatures, thus proving the product's endurance and innovation. The project involved building a unique laboratory set, sourcing talent and hundreds of props, a post-production that included multiple special effects, and coordinating an international space launch — all executed with precision to ensure the project stayed on schedule, within budget, and within scope. Stella Lin , Marketing Specialist at Roborock, praised the collaboration: "It was a pleasure collaborating with Adcetera on these projects. I believe they not only demonstrate Roborock's exceptional product quality and groundbreaking achievements, but also serve as a strong testament to Adcetera's professional expertise." To date, the video series has collectively garnered tens of millions of views across Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. "We're proud of how our team turned a larger-than-life idea — an idea that felt almost impossible — into reality," said Adcetera's Chief Creative Officer Rowan Gearon . "We're pushing creative boundaries just like Roborock pushes the limits of technology." About Adcetera Adcetera is a full-service, integrated digital marketing agency with an obsession to deliver innovative solutions that drive growth for brands. Headquartered in Houston, TX , with offices in Chicago, IL and The Woodlands, TX , they are a distinctively diverse team of innovators, creators, and leaders from around the world, deeply proud of the award-winning work and the ongoing value provided to brands, businesses, and communities for over 40+ years. Adcetera is a privately held, WBENC-certified, HUB-certified, woman-owned business. For more information visit adcetera.com . Follow on LinkedIn . Adcetera – Strategic. Creative. People. About Roborock Roborock is a leading smart cleaning brand renowned for its intelligent cleaning solutions. With a steadfast dedication to becoming a global leading smart appliance player, Roborock enriches lives with its innovative line of robotic, cordless, wet/dry vacuum cleaners, and washer-dryers. Rooted in a user-centric approach, our R&D-driven solutions cater to diverse cleaning needs in over 15 million homes across 170+ countries. Headquartered in Beijing and with strategic subsidiaries in key markets, including the United States , Japan , the Netherlands , Poland , Germany , and South Korea , Roborock is dedicated to elevating its market presence worldwide. For more information, visit https://global.roborock.com/. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/roborock-makes-history-with-out-of-this-world-video-campaign-302338415.html SOURCE ADCETERASir Keir Starmer and John Swinney will discuss financing action to tackle climate change at a summit bringing together leaders from the devolved nations and Ireland. Financing a just transition will be the main topic at the British-Irish Council (BIC) meeting in Edinburgh on Friday. Irish Taoiseach Simon Harris will be present at the summit, as will Tanaiste Micheal Martin. As well as Scotland’s First Minister, Welsh First Minister Eluned Morgan and Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill will also take part along with other ministers from the devolved administrations. The chief ministers of the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey also attend the BIC. Alongside the Prime Minister, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden will represent the UK Government. Formed in the wake of the Good Friday Agreement, this will be the 42nd meeting of the intergovernmental forum. Discussions are expected to cover the opportunity clean power presents for the economy and how to share best practice across the British Isles. Mr Swinney said: “Scotland will welcome political leaders to our capital city as we gather for the 42nd summit of the British-Irish Council – a meeting which also marks 25 years since the first council was held following the Good Friday Agreement. “As we reflect on 25 years, it is testament to the value of the British-Irish Council that the partnership conceived a quarter of a century ago has prevailed in the midst of unprecedented change and challenge. “The meeting in Edinburgh provides a forum for us to discuss the greatest challenge facing the next 25 years – that of climate change and delivering a just transition. “The need to share our knowledge, our efforts and our actions is no less urgent today than it was when the first British-Irish Council meeting was held in 1999.”
This month marks the 75th anniversary of the adoption by the Constituent Assembly of the draft Constitution of India, on November 26, 1949. The Union government has announced that it intends to commemorate this momentous occasion with a special joint sitting of Parliament. There are bound to be several self-congratulatory speeches, from all sides of our fractious political divide. But the speech that should haunt us all is that of the principal draftsman of the Constitution, B.R. Ambedkar, on the eve of the Constitution’s adoption. On November 25, 1949, in his magisterial summation of the work of the Drafting Committee he chaired, and before commending its work to the Assembly, he pointedly observed: “however good a Constitution may be, it is sure to turn out bad because those who are called to work it, happen to be a bad lot. However bad a Constitution may be, it may turn out to be good if those who are called to work it, happen to be a good lot.” The working of the Constitution, Dr. Ambedkar pointed out, depended on how the people and the political parties applied it. The drafters had made provision for relatively easy amendment, so as to permit the document to keep up with the needs of the times. But the rest depended on the way successive generations of its custodians chose to implement it. The lacunae that B.R. Ambedkar identified Dr. Ambedkar highlighted the fact that “there is complete absence of two things in Indian society” — equality and fraternity. “On the 26th of January 1950,” he declared, “we are going to enter into a life of contradictions. In politics we will have equality and in social and economic life we will have inequality. In politics we will be recognizing the principle of one man one vote and one vote one value. In our social and economic life, we shall, by reason of our social and economic structure, continue to deny the principle of one man one value. How long shall we continue to live this life of contradictions? How long shall we continue to deny equality in our social and economic life?” In calling for a social and not merely political democracy to emerge from the Constitution, Dr. Ambedkar stressed the absence of fraternity as the second major ingredient that was missing in India. “Fraternity means a sense of common brotherhood of all Indians — of Indians being one people. It is the principle which gives unity and solidarity to social life.” But thanks to the caste system — the entire structure of caste, he averred, was ‘anti-national’ — religious divisions and the absence of a common sense of nationhood among some Indians, fraternity had not yet been achieved. But it was indispensable, since liberty, equality and fraternity were all intertwined and could not flourish independently of one another. “Without equality,” he pointed out, “liberty would produce the supremacy of the few over the many. Equality without liberty would kill individual initiative. Without fraternity, liberty would produce the supremacy of the few over the many. Without fraternity, liberty and equality could not become a natural course of things. It would require a constable to enforce them.” What has changed Today, 75 years later, it is well worth asking what progress we have made to achieve the aims of the Constitution’s drafters, and in particular to fill the lacunae that Dr. Ambedkar identified. Equality has advanced, no doubt, with the abolition of untouchability being accompanied by the world’s oldest and farthest-reaching affirmative action programme, in the form of reservations, initially for Scheduled Castes and then for the Other Backward Classes (OBC). These reservations, which were initially intended to be temporary, have now been entrenched in our system and may be said to be politically unchallengeable. But the task of promoting social and economic equality, which Dr. Ambedkar pointed to, is far from complete. The clamour for further opportunities for those who believe that Indian society continues to deny them the equality of outcomes that the numbers warrant, continues to roil our politics. The escalating demand for a caste census is bound to have further implications for the evolution of India’s constitutional practice. As for fraternity, the mobilisation of votes in our contentious democracy in the name of caste, creed, region and language have ensured that the social and psychological sense of oneness that Dr. Ambedkar spoke about, is still, at best, a work in progress. But there is no doubt that the sense of nationhood that he felt had not yet come into existence has now become embedded across the country. One only needs to look at the crowds at a cricket match involving the Indian team, or the national outrage and mourning after an international conflict such as the Kargil war (1999) or the Galwan incident (2020), to be aware that there is a strong sense of nationhood despite the persistence of local or sectarian identities. Yet, by reifying caste reservations, India has promoted equality but arguably undermined fraternity. Fraternity had a special place in Dr. Ambedkar’s vision; the word was, in many ways, his distinctive contribution to India’s constitutional discourse. It also had an economic dimension, with the implicit idea that the assets of the better-off would be used to uplift the untouchables and other unfortunates. Fraternity would both result from and lead to the erosion of social and caste hierarchies. But, as the sociologist Dipankar Gupta has argued, the extension of reservations to the OBCs saw caste as ‘an important political resource to be plumbed in perpetuity’. Professor Gupta avers that this ‘is not in the spirit of enlarging fraternity, as the Ambedkar proposals are’; while Dr. Ambedkar’s ultimate aim was the annihilation of caste from Indian society, for Mandal, caste was not to be “removed”, but to be “represented”.’ It entrenched caste rather than eliminating it from public life. Highs and worrying lows This debate may well go on. Still, we can be grateful that the ascent to power of the very elements of Indian politics who had initially rejected the Constitution has not resulted in its abandonment. There is a certain irony to a Bharatiya Janata Party government celebrating a document that its forebears in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Jana Sangh had found “un-Indian” and devoid of soul. That soul has evolved over 75 years and 106 amendments, and the Constitution still thrives. But the hollowing out of many of the institutions created by the Constitution, the diminishing of Parliament, pressures on the judiciary and the undermining of the democratic spirit — leading to the V-Dem Institute labelling India as an “electoral autocracy”, policed by the “constable” Dr. Ambedkar warned against — mean that much still remains to be done by its custodians. “Independence,” Dr. Ambedkar said in concluding his memorable speech, “is no doubt a matter of joy. But let us not forget that this independence has thrown on us great responsibilities. By independence, we have lost the excuse of blaming the British for anything going wrong. If hereafter things go wrong, we will have nobody to blame except ourselves.” Seventy-five years later, let us vow to the reduce the number of things we need to blame ourselves for — and let the Constitution show us the way. Shashi Tharoor is a fourth-term Indian National Congress Member of the Lok Sabha for Thiruvananthapuram, and the award-winning author of 26 books, including ‘The Battle of Belonging: On Nationalism, Patriotism and What it Means to be Indian’ (2021). He is a member of the Congress Working Committee. Published - November 26, 2024 01:00 am IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit constitution / parliament / Parliament proceedings / India / history / politics / political parties / Reservation / unrest, conflicts and war / Bharatiya Janata Party / Independence Day
Metalworking Fluids Market to Grow by USD 2.09 Billion (2024-2028), Driven by Rising Industrialization in Emerging Economies, AI Impacting Market Trends - TechnavioRevisiting Jinnah's economic vision: A blueprint for Pakistan's sustainable futureNone
Colts Notebook: Richardson again delivers in clutchMilan could drop Leao in Champions League even if Fonseca says ‘he’s fine’NEW YORK , Dec. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Halper Sadeh LLC, an investor rights law firm, is investigating the following companies for potential violations of the federal securities laws and/or breaches of fiduciary duties to shareholders relating to: Altair Engineering Inc. (NASDAQ: ALTR)'s sale to Siemens for $113.00 per share in cash. If you are an Altair shareholder, click here to learn more about your legal rights and options . Sandy Spring Bancorp (NASDAQ: SASR)'s sale to Atlantic Union Bankshares Corporation for 0.900 shares of Atlantic Union common stock for each share of Sandy Spring . If you are a Sandy Spring shareholder, click here to learn more about your rights and options . Atlantic Union Bankshares Corporation (NYSE: AUB)'s merger with Sandy Spring Bancorp. If you are an Atlantic shareholder, click here to learn more about your rights and options . Cyclo Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: CYTH)'s merger with Rafael Holdings, Inc. If you are a Cyclo shareholder, click here to learn more about your rights and options . Halper Sadeh LLC may seek increased consideration for shareholders, additional disclosures and information concerning the proposed transaction, or other relief and benefits on behalf of shareholders. We would handle the action on a contingent fee basis, whereby you would not be responsible for out-of-pocket payment of our legal fees or expenses. Shareholders are encouraged to contact the firm free of charge to discuss their legal rights and options. Please call Daniel Sadeh or Zachary Halper at (212) 763-0060 or email sadeh@halpersadeh.com or zhalper@halpersadeh.com . Halper Sadeh LLC represents investors all over the world who have fallen victim to securities fraud and corporate misconduct. Our attorneys have been instrumental in implementing corporate reforms and recovering millions of dollars on behalf of defrauded investors. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Contact Information: Halper Sadeh LLC Daniel Sadeh, Esq. Zachary Halper, Esq. (212) 763-0060 sadeh@halpersadeh.com zhalper@halpersadeh.com https://www.halpersadeh.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/shareholder-investigation-halper-sadeh-llc-investigates-altr-sasr-aub-cyth-on-behalf-of-shareholders-302338489.html SOURCE Halper Sadeh LLPRookie Bucky Irving relishes opportunity to help Buccaneers any way he can against skidding Raiders
AP News Summary at 4:33 p.m. EST
The future of travel: From slow wanderers to bold risk-takersAmid months of speculation over who will run the program, Lamborghini has reaffirmed its commitment to GTP by entering IMSA’s five WeatherTech SportsCar Championship endurance rounds in 2025. “Supported by the technical and sporting departments of Lamborghini Squadra Corse, the car will continue its presence in the North American-based championship with the full program for the SC63 to be confirmed in due course,” Lamborghini wrote without offering specifics on its chosen service provider. The dedication to IMSA’s Michelin Endurance Cup with a single Lamborghini SC63 GTP will look unchanged on the outside, but RACER understands the operator behind the scenes has changed. Although it’s unconfirmed by the Italian brand, the SC63 driver rotation of Mirko Bortolotti, Romain Grosjean, Daniil Kvyat and Edoardo Mortara is expected to be operated by Bill Riley and his Riley Motorsports team. The move completes the split between Lamborghini Squadra Corse and Iron Lynx. The latter, which ran factory efforts for the Italian supercar manufacturer in IMSA’s GTD and GTP classes last season and fielded the SC63 in November at the Daytona International Speedway test, has aligned with Mercedes-AMG for a new FIA World Endurance Championship campaign in LMGT3. The GTD Pro effort has been moved to Canada’s Pfaff Motorsports and now, with North Carolina’s Riley Motorsports in play to field the Lamborghini SC63 starting at January’s Rolex 24 At Daytona, the parting of ways with Iron Lynx appears to be nearing its completion. Through their Riley Technologies and Riley Motorsports businesses, the father and son duo of Bob and Bill Riley have a long history of designing and running major prototype programs in partnership with automotive giants like General Motors with the Chevy Intrepid GTP, with Cadillac’s first foray into prototypes later in the 1990s, and in the creation of Grand-Am’s most successful Daytona Prototype, which carried Chip Ganassi Racing, Wayne Taylor Racing, and other teams to major victories and titles. More recently, the Rileys, whose founder Bob was inducted into IMSA’s Hall of Fame in October and passed weeks later at the age of 92, led Dodge to an IMSA GTLM championship and delivered championships to the Robinson family in LMP3.
Ono Enters into Drug Discovery Collaboration Agreement with Congruence Therapeutics to Generate Novel Small Molecule Correctors in the Oncology Area
Special counsel moves to dismiss election interference and classified documents cases against Trump WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal prosecutors moved to dismiss the criminal charges against President-elect Donald Trump that accused him of plotting to overturn the 2020 election and to abandon the classified documents case against him. In court filings on Monday, the prosecutors cited longstanding Justice Department policy that says sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution. The decision by Smith, who had fiercely sought to hold Trump criminally accountable for his efforts to subvert the 2020 election, represented the end of the federal effort against the former president who firmly won election this month despite the election-related cases and multiple other unrelated criminal charges against him, and is headed back to the White House. Israel launches new airstrikes on Lebanon as leaders draw closer to ceasefire with Hezbollah BEIRUT (AP) — Israeli airstrikes are hitting Lebanon with airstrikes as negotiations progress toward a ceasefire between the country and Lebanon-based Hezbollah militants. Lebanon reported that at least 12 people were killed Monday as explosions lit up the sky and airstrikes hit targets in Beirut and Tyre, a southern port city. After about a year of exchanging low-level attacks across the Israel-Lebanon border with Iran-backed Hezbollah militants, Israeli troops launched a ground invasion of Lebanon in October. More than 3,700 people have been killed and 1.2 million displaced since. The fighting has amplified worries about direct conflict between Israel and Iran. International mediators are seeking to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah to end the fighting. What's blocking a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah? BEIRUT (AP) — Diplomats and other officials say there have been several sticking points in ceasefire talks in the war between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, even as conditions for an agreement appear to be ripe. Israel’s military has killed nearly all of the militant group’s top leaders. Tens of thousands of Israelis who were evacuated from the border months ago are pressuring their government to go home. And the world wants to stop regional conflict from spreading after more than a year of fighting. But there remain sticking points over how Hezbollah’s withdrawal from the border area will be monitored and whether Israel will have freedom to strike the militants. Thanksgiving Travel Latest: Airport strikes, staffing and weather could impact holiday travelers Airports and highways are expected to be jam-packed during Thanksgiving week, a holiday period likely to end with another record day for air travel in the United States. AAA predicts that nearly 80 million Americans will venture at least 50 miles from home between Tuesday and next Monday, most of them by car. However, travelers could be impacted by ongoing weather challenges and those flying to their destinations could be grounded by delays brought on by airline staffing shortages and an airport service workers strike. Scuffles in Serbian parliament as deadly station collapse sparks anger at the government BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Scuffles and fistfights broke out between ruling party and opposition lawmakers in Serbia’s parliament on Monday over a deadly rail station roof collapse that has ignited tensions in the Balkan state. The opposition wanted to discuss who is responsible for the crash that killed 15 people in the northern city of Novi Sad on Nov. 1. The collapse has fueled widespread anger toward the government and protests, becoming a flashpoint for broader dissatisfaction with Serbia’s authoritarian rule. Should sex abuse evidence set the Menendez brothers free? A judge will decide LOS ANGELES (AP) — A judge will decide whether new evidence warrants a re-examination of the convictions of Erik and Lyle Menendez in the shotgun murders of their parents in their Beverly Hills home more than 30 years ago. The court is holding a hearing Monday for a habeas corpus petition filed by the brothers' attorneys last May. The brothers were convicted of killing their parents Jose and Kitty Menendez in 1989 and sentenced to life without parole after prosecutors said they did it for money. Their defense attorneys say new evidence of sex abuse by their father should set them free. Supreme Court won’t hear challenge to graphic cigarette warning labels WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court won’t hear a challenge to a federal requirement that cigarette packages and advertising include graphic images demonstrating the effects of smoking. The high court declined to hear the case in a brief written order handed down Monday. The warnings include pictures of smoke-damaged lungs and feet blackened by diminished blood flow. Nearly 120 countries around the world have already adopted graphic warning labels. It’s not clear when new labels might appear in the U.S., however. Some legal claims remain and the FDA has said it doesn’t plan to enforce any new requirements until December 2025. Russia reportedly captures a Briton fighting for Ukraine as Russian troops advance Reports say the Russian military has captured a Briton fighting with Ukrainian troops who have occupied part of Russia’s Kursk region. Russia also began launching daylight drone attacks on civilian areas of Ukraine and its ground forces accelerated gains along parts of the front line. Russian state news agency Tass says the captured fighter was in the British army for four years and then joined the International Legion of Ukraine, formed early on in the nearly 3-year-old war. On the battlefield, a think tank says Russian forces recently have gained ground at “a significantly quicker rate” than they did in the whole of last year. Over 18,000 in Mexico register to run for Supreme Court seats and federal judges in new system MEXICO CITY (AP) — Over 18,000 people in Mexico have registered online to run for Supreme Court seats and federal judgeships in the country’s contentious new selection process. But officials say a random drawing in the end will determine who gets on the ballot. The ruling party pushed through a constitutional reform in September to make all federal judges stand for election, replacing the system where court employees and lawyers move up through the ranks. Current court employees and their supporters have staged dozens of demonstrations against the reforms, calling them part of a ruling-party campaign to eliminate independent regulatory and oversight bodies. So you're gathering with relatives whose politics are different. Here are some tips for the holidays NEW YORK (AP) — There’s no place like home for the holidays. And that may not necessarily be a good thing. In the wake of the presidential election, the upcoming marking of Thanksgiving and the ramp-up of the holiday season could be a boon for some - a respite from the events of the larger world in the gathering of family and loved ones, hours and even days spent with people who have played the largest roles in our lives, another chapter in a lifetime of memories.For others, though, that same scenario, particularly because of the polarizing presidential campaign, is something to dread, with the likelihood of disagreements, harsh words and raised voices looming large.QNB recognised as 'Best Digital Experience' in Qatar
Jharkhand Assembly elections: Big picture, key elementsBiometric technology from is being deployed at the largest football stadium in South America. A release says the FaceID system, a collaboration with , will enable fans entering El Mâs Monumental in Buenos Aires, Argentina to make use of technology for fast, secure entry. With a capacity of 85,000, Mâs Monumental – home to the River Plate football club – is the largest stadium in the world to adopt for ticketing. As per usual, fans pre-register biometrics via their mobile device by uploading a and an ID document. Face biometrics on record are then matched with fans’ faces on game day as they enter the stadium. They will be able to do so at one of 300 FaceID terminals set to be installed at the stadium starting in December. Speed and efficiency are key goals: Veridas says it takes as little as ten seconds to enroll, and that the system “recognizes fans in less than a second, enabling over 60 people to enter per minute.” Security is also paramount, as the system can be used to combat fraud, impersonation, and unauthorized entry. Eduardo Azanza, CEO of Veridas, says “it is an honor that a club as historic and prestigious as has chosen Veridas technology.” Veridas, he says, has developed a “robust, efficient, private, and secure solution designed to deliver the best possible . We are confident this collaboration will set a new standard for experiencing football in Argentina and beyond.” Veridas’ identity verification platform is now available on Google Cloud Marketplace, increasing access to its for businesses of every size. The company says any organization, anywhere in the world, can quickly integrate its identity verification tools to protect against the rising tide of and fraud. Availability on Google Marketplace also allows Veridas to expand its cloud capabilities in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region. Dai Vu, managing director, marketplace & ISV GTM programs at Google Cloud, says “Veridas can now securely scale and support customers on their journeys.” Azanza says the firm offers “a comprehensive solution that protects more than 300 clients in 25 countries against advanced fraud, including injection attacks and .” As of 2024, Veridas has completed over 100 million identity verifications. While it manages new partnerships in events and access management, Veridas also has an eye on the so-called wallet wars. The company has supported the launch of a digital identity wallet for the government of , an autonomous community in northern Spain, which aims to increase equitable access to government services. A on LinkedIn describes how the wallet was developed in consultation with real users, “including those with disabilities and those unfamiliar with digital tools,” in order to ensure that the tech was intuitive, user-friendly and centered on . “This initiative has created a model for other governments to follow,” says the post. “It’s not just about making services digital – it’s about ensuring that digital services work for everyone.” | | | | | |