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NoneKen O’Sullivan is the new Chairman of the Dublin County Board. He takes over from Mick Seavers of Erin’s Isle who held the position for the last five years. During that spell, O’Sullivan served as the County Board’s Vice-Chairman. He was appointed at the Annual Convention of the Dublin County Board in Parnell Park. “Dublin GAA is in good hands for the next five years,” stated Seavers. “Now the time is right for me to step aside and let the next chapter of Dublin GAA to begin.” O’Sullivan added: “It's a great privilege. The future is bright for Dublin GAA. “We will continue to work hard in the county. The big days that Dublin enjoy don't just happen by accident.” The timing is apt for the Cuala man, whose club are the first-time Dublin and Leinster Senior Football champions. They’ll tackle Sligo’s Coolera-Strandhill in the AIB All-Ireland semi-final in early January. At the packed Donnycarney venue, the delegates were happy to learn of the progress of the Dublin GAA Spawell Development. “It will begin next year,” outlined Finbarr O’Mahony in his Secretary’s Report. “It will have three full-size sand-based pitches and a synthetic pitch. All floodlit. “There will be an Indoor Training Area, Ball Wall, Gym, Sensory spaces and dressing-rooms. The facility will be made available to clubs, schools and third-level institutions.” O’Mahony also remarked on the success of Dubs TV this season. “It was free-to-air. We covered 38 games in the Go-Ahead Ireland Dublin Club Championships. There were almost a million views across our digital channels. This allowed us to showcase the talent of local clubs and players to a national and global online audience. "And we also had our highlights packages which attracted millions of hits. Dublin GAA is very active on social media. We have over 410,000 followers across all platforms. That’s an almost 14% increase from last year.” Those matches were shown from Parnell Park where new floodlights have been installed and where a new scoreboard will be in place for next season.
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SHAREHOLDER INVESTIGATION: Halper Sadeh LLC Investigates AE, ENLC, SKGR, EVGR on Behalf of ShareholdersJERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s attorney general has ordered police to open an investigation into Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s wife on suspicion of harassing political opponents and witnesses in the Israeli leader’s corruption trial. The Israeli Justice Ministry made the announcement in a terse message late Thursday., saying the investigation would focus on the findings of a recent report by the “Uvda” investigative program into Sara Netanyahu. The program uncovered a trove of WhatsApp messages in which Mrs. Netanyahu appears to instruct a former aid to organize protests against political opponents and to intimidate Hadas Klein, a key witness in the trial. The announcement did not mention Mrs. Netanyahu by name, and the Justice Ministry declined further comment. But earlier Thursday, Netanyahu blasted the Uvda report as “lies.” The Associated PressGirl Scouts Receives $30M Grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to Support Character Development Initiatives That Will Help Girls Thrive
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Ousted Syrian leader Assad flees to Moscow after fall of Damascus, Russian state media sayPrime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says a national drive to reduce red tape and bureaucracy is to be undertaken by the Government. “To achieve rapid economic growth, we must become the most business-friendly and customer/citizen focused country in the region. We are fully committed to making Jamaica the best place to do business in the region,” Dr. Holness said. He was addressing a press briefing to announce the Government’s new policy direction for growth, dubbed ASPIRE Jamaica, at the Office of the Prime Minister on Tuesday (November 19). This new framework comprises six pillars critical for transforming Jamaica into a modern, peaceful, productive and prosperous society. ASPIRE stands for: • Access to Economic Opportunity for All (Inclusive Growth) • Safety and Security • People (Human Capital Development) • Infrastructure Development • Reform of the Bureaucracy (Ease, Speed and Cost of Doing Business), and • Economic Diversification/New Industries The Prime Minister said with the debt to gross domestic product (GDP) ratio significantly reduced, it is time to reassess and streamline these processes. “We will simplify approvals, reduce wait times and remove unnecessary barriers that have outlived their purpose. We will take a hard look at existing policies, permitting and approval processes, reform those that have outlived their usefulness, and remove the unnecessary layers of approval that hold us back,” Dr. Holness said. “This is not just about large investors, it is also about making Jamaica a place where micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) can thrive. Cutting red tape and improving efficiency in government also positively impacts citizens by reducing wait times and making it easier and faster for our citizens to do business with government agencies,” he added. Dr. Holness also announced the establishment of an Efficiency Programme Oversight Committee, which will focus on cutting red tape and improving efficiency in government. “We are also looking at our tax and customs policies with a view to streamlining them, making them easier to implement, as well as providing the right incentives to drive productivity and economic growth,” he said. The Prime Minister also informed that the Government intends to move forward with the consolidation of Jamaica’s various payroll taxes into a single payroll tax deduction. “We are exploring an increase in the threshold at which small businesses need to register and account for General Consumption Tax (GCT). In 2019, this Administration increased the threshold from $3 million to $10 million, and we are looking at a further increase to remove this burden from small businesses,” Dr. Holness said. “We are re-evaluating the Urban Renewal Tax Credit, with the aim of enhancing its effectiveness. This involves restructuring its framework and expanding the geographical areas eligible for this incentive. By doing so, we can attract greater investments into underserved communities, transforming them into vibrant economic hubs,” he added. Meanwhile, the Government is considering accelerated capital allowances to encourage businesses to modernise and retool their facilities, as well as for investments in technology. This, Dr. Holness said, will support enhanced productivity and competitiveness, especially in key industries that drive the economy. “We are examining the removal of taxes on tips. This initiative is aimed at rewarding productivity and excellent service, particularly in sectors like hospitality, where service excellence plays a critical role in our success as a global destination. It would not be limited to hospitality, but extend to all service industries,” he pointed out. Dr. Holness said the Government is also exploring the establishment of a National Infrastructure Fund — a vehicle designed to invest in and manage public-private partnership (PPP) projects. This fund, he informed, will create new opportunities for institutional investors, such as pension funds, to directly participate in nation-building, thereby ensuring that critical infrastructure is built sustainably and strategically for the future.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Saturday he had an “excellent conversation” with Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago club after the president-elect's threat to impose significant tariffs on two of America’s leading trade partners raised alarms in Ottawa and Mexico City . It was unclear, as Trudeau headed back to Canada from Florida, whether the conversation had alleviated Trump’s concerns. A person familiar with the details of the leaders' hastily arranged meeting Friday night said it was a “positive wide-ranging dinner that lasted three hours.” The official, who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity, said topics included trade, border security, fentanyl, defense, Ukraine, NATO, China, the Mideast and pipelines, as well as the the Group of Seven meeting in Canada next year. The Republican president-elect has threatened to impose tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico if the countries don’t stop what he called the flow of drugs and migrants across their borders. He said he would impose a 25% tax on all products entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico as one of his first executive orders when he takes office in January. As he was leaving his West Palm Beach hotel, Trudeau stopped briefly to answer a reporter’s question about the dinner meeting, saying it was "an excellent conversation." Trump’s transition team did not respond to questions about what the leaders had discussed. Trump, during his first term as president, once called Trudeau “weak” and “dishonest,” but it was the prime minister who was the first G7 leader to visit Trump since the Nov. 5 election. "Tariffs are a crucial issue for Canada and a bold move was in order. Perhaps it was a risk, but a risk worth taking,” Daniel Béland, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal. Among those at the dinner were Howard Lutnick, Trump's pick for commerce secretary; North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, in line to lead the Interior Department; and Mike Waltz, Trump's choice to be his national security adviser. Accompanying Trudeau were Canada's public safety minister, Dominic LeBlanc, whose responsibilities include border security, and Katie Telford, Trudeau's chief of staff. Trudeau had said earlier Friday that he would resolve the tariffs issue by talking to Trump. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said a day earlier after speaking with Trump that she is confident a tariff war with the United States will be averted. Trudeau said Trump got elected because he promised to bring down the cost of groceries but now he's talking about adding 25% to the cost of all kinds of products including potatoes from Prince Edward Island in Atlantic Canada. “It is important to understand that Donald Trump, when he makes statements like that, he plans on carrying them out. There’s no question about it,” Trudeau said before his leaving for Florida. “Our responsibility is to point out that he would not just be harming Canadians, who work so well with the United States, but he would actually be raising prices for Americans citizens as well and hurting American industry and business,” he added. To Nelson Wiseman, professor emeritus at the University of Toronto, Trump "doesn’t need convincing that new tariffs on Canadian products would not be in U.S. interests. He knows that, but cannot say it because it would detract from what he has said publicly. His goal is to project the image that he gets action when he talks.” Those tariffs could essentially blow up the North American trade pact that Trump’s team negotiated during his first term. Trudeau noted they were able to successfully renegotiate the deal, which he calls a “win win” for both countries. Trump made the tariff threat Monday while citing an influx of migrants entering the country illegally, even though the numbers at the Canadian border pale in comparison to those at the U.S.-Mexico border. Trump also spoke about fentanyl from Mexico and Canada, even though seizures from the Canadian border are few in comparison to the Mexican border. Canadian officials say lumping Canada in with Mexico is unfair but say they are ready to make new investments in border security. When Trump imposed higher tariffs during his first term in office, other countries responded with retaliatory tariffs of their own. Canada, for instance, announced billions of new duties in 2018 against the U.S. in a response to new taxes on Canadian steel and aluminum. Canada is the top export destination for 36 U.S. states. Nearly $3.6 billion Canadian (US $2.7 billion) worth of goods and services cross the border each day. ___ Gillies reported from Toronto.Article content REYKJAVIK, Iceland (AP) — Icelanders voted to elect a new parliament Saturday after disagreements over immigration, energy policy and the economy forced Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson to pull the plug on his coalition government and call an early election. Recommended Videos This is Iceland’s sixth general election since the 2008 financial crisis devastated the economy of the North Atlantic island nation and ushered in a new era of political instability. Opinion polls suggested the country could be in for another upheaval, with support for the three governing parties plunging. Benediktsson, who was named prime minister in April following the resignation of his predecessor, struggled to hold together the unlikely coalition of his conservative Independence Party with the centrist Progressive Party and the Left-Green Movement. “My expectation is like, something new going to happen, hopefully,” said Hörður Guðjonsson, voting in the capital, Reykjavik. “We always have had these old parties taking care of things. I hope we see the light now to come in with a younger people, new ideas.” Iceland, a nation of about 400,000 people, is proud of its democratic traditions, describing itself as arguably the world’s oldest parliamentary democracy. The island’s parliament, the Althingi, was founded in 930 by the Norsemen who settled the country. Fierce weather in the sub-Arctic nation threatened to hamper some voters getting to polling stations on Saturday, with heavy snow blocking roads in many areas. The weather could also delay the delivery of ballot boxes to counting centers after polls close at 10 p.m. (2200GMT). How does the election work? Voters are choosing 63 members of the Althingi in an election that will allocate seats both by regional constituencies and proportional representation. Parties need at least 5% of the vote to win seats in parliament. Eight parties were represented in the outgoing parliament, and 10 parties are contesting this election. Turnout is traditionally high by international standards, with 80% of registered voters casting ballots in the 2021 parliamentary election. Why now? A windswept island near the Arctic Circle, Iceland normally holds elections during the warmer months of the year. But Benediktsson decided on Oct. 13 that his coalition couldn’t last any longer, and he asked President Halla Tomasdottir to dissolve the Althingi. “The weakness of this society is that we have no very strong party and we have no very strong leader of any party,” said Vilhjalmur Bjarnason a former member of parliament. “We have no charming person with a vision ... That is very difficult for us.” Despite the electoral headwinds, Benediktsson expressed confidence that his Independence Party could emerge on top. “It was an uphill battle for my party, initially, but as we moved on into the election campaign, I think things started to turn our way and I feel that this will be a very exciting election day,” he said. Why is Iceland’s politics so fractured? The splintering of Iceland’s political landscape came after the 2008 financial crisis, which prompted years of economic upheaval after the country’s debt-swollen banks collapsed. The crisis led to anger and distrust of the parties that had traditionally traded power back and forth, and prompted the creation of new parties ranging from the environment focused Left-Green Alliance to the Pirate Party, which advocates direct democracy and individual freedoms. “This is one of the consequences of the economic crash,” said Eva H. Önnudottir, a professor of political science at the University of Iceland. “It’s just the changed landscape. Parties, especially the old parties, have maybe kind of been hoping that we would go back to how things were before, but that’s not going to happen.” What are the issues? Like many Western countries, Iceland has been buffeted by the rising cost of living and immigration pressures. Inflation peaked at an annual rate of 10.2% in February 2023, fueled by the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. While inflation slowed to 5.1% in October, that is still high compared with neighbouring countries. The U.S. inflation rate stood at 2.6% last month, while the European Union’s rate was 2.3%. Iceland is also struggling to accommodate a rising number of asylum-seekers, creating tensions within the small, traditionally homogenous country. The number of immigrants seeking protection in Iceland jumped to more than 4,000 in each of the past three years, compared with a previous average of less than 1,000. What about the volcano? Repeated eruptions of a volcano in the southwestern part of the country have displaced thousands of people and strained public finances. One year after the first eruption forced the evacuation of the town of Grindavik, many residents still don’t have secure housing, leading to complaints that the government has been slow to respond. But it also added to a shortage of affordable housing exacerbated by Iceland’s tourism boom. Young people are struggling to get a foot on the housing ladder at a time when short-term vacation rentals have reduced the housing stock available for locals, Önnudottir said. “The housing issue is becoming a big issue in Iceland,” she said.
WASHINGTON (AP) — For years, Pat Verhaeghe didn’t think highly of Donald Trump as a leader. Then Verhaeghe began seeing more of Trump’s campaign speeches online and his appearances at sporting events. There was even the former president’s pairing with Bryson DeChambeau as part of the pro golfer’s YouTube channel series to shoot an under-50 round of golf while engaging in chitchat with his partner. “I regret saying this, but a while ago I thought he was an idiot and that he wouldn’t be a good president,” said the 18-year-old first-time voter. “I think he’s a great guy now.” Verhaeghe isn't alone among his friends in suburban Detroit or young men across America. Although much of the electorate shifted right to varying degrees in 2024, young men were one of the groups that swung sharply toward Trump. More than half of men under 30 supported Trump, according to AP VoteCast , a survey of more than 120,000 voters, while Democrat Joe Biden had won a similar share of this group four years earlier. White men under 30 were solidly in Trump’s camp this year — about 6 in 10 voted for Trump — while young Latino men were split between the two candidates. Most Black men under 30 supported Democrat Kamala Harris, but about one-third were behind Trump. Young Latino men’s views of the Democratic Party were much more negative than in 2020, while young Black men’s views of the party didn’t really move. About 6 in 10 Latino men under 30 had a somewhat or very favorable view of the Democrats in 2020, which fell to about 4 in 10 this year. On the other hand, about two-thirds of young Black men had a favorable view of the Democrats this year, which was almost identical to how they saw the party four years ago. “Young Hispanic men, and really young men in general, they want to feel valued," said Rafael Struve, deputy communications director for Bienvenido, a conservative group that focused on reaching young Hispanic voters for Republicans this year. “They're looking for someone who fights for them, who sees their potential and not just their struggles.” Struve cited the attempted assassination of Trump during a July rally in Pennsylvania as one of the catalyzing moments for Trump’s image among many young men. Trump, Struve said, was also able to reach young men more effectively by focusing on nontraditional platforms like podcasts and digital media outlets. “Getting to hear from Trump directly, I think, really made all the difference," Struve said of the former president's appearances on digital media platforms and media catering to Latino communities, like town halls and business roundtables Trump attended in Las Vegas and Miami. Not only did Trump spend three hours on Joe Rogan's chart-topping podcast, but he took up DeChambeau's “Break 50” challenge for the golfer's more than 1.6 million YouTube subscribers. Trump already had an edge among young white men four years ago, although he widened the gap this year. About half of white men under 30 supported Trump in 2020, and slightly less than half supported Biden. Trump's gains among young Latino and Black men were bigger. His support among both groups increased by about 20 percentage points, according to AP VoteCast — and their feelings toward Trump got warmer, too. It wasn’t just Trump. The share of young men who identified as Republicans in 2024 rose as well, mostly aligning with support for Trump across all three groups. “What is most alarming to me is that the election is clear that America has shifted right by a lot,” said William He, founder of Dream For America, a liberal group that works to turn out young voters and supported Harris’ presidential bid. With his bombastic demeanor and a policy agenda centered on a more macho understanding of culture , Trump framed much of his campaign as a pitch to men who felt scorned by the country’s economy, culture and political system. Young women also slightly swung toward the former president, though not to the degree of their male counterparts. It's unclear how many men simply did not vote this year. But there's no doubt the last four years brought changes in youth culture and how political campaigns set out to reach younger voters. Democrat Kamala Harris' campaign rolled out policy agendas tailored to Black and Latino men, and the campaign enlisted a range of leaders in Black and Hispanic communities to make the case for the vice president. Her campaign began with a flurry of enthusiasm from many young voters, epitomized in memes and the campaign's embrace of pop culture trends like the pop star Charli XCX's “brat” aesthetic . Democrats hoped to channel that energy into their youth voter mobilization efforts. “I think most young voters just didn’t hear the message,” said Santiago Mayer, executive director of Voters of Tomorrow, a liberal group that engages younger voters. Mayer said the Harris campaign’s pitch to the country was “largely convoluted” and centered on economic messaging that he said wasn’t easily conveyed to younger voters who were not already coming to political media. “And I think that the policies themselves were also very narrow and targeted when what we really needed was a simple, bold economic vision,” said Mayer. Trump also embraced pop culture by appearing at UFC fights, football games and appearing alongside comedians, music stars and social media influencers. His strategists believed that the former president’s ability to grab attention and make his remarks go viral did more for the campaign than paid advertisements or traditional media appearances. Trump's campaign also heavily cultivated networks of online conservative platforms and personalities supportive of him while also engaging a broader universe of podcasts, streaming sites, digital media channels and meme pages open to hearing him. “The right has been wildly successful in infiltrating youth political culture online and on campus in the last couple of years, thus radicalizing young people towards extremism,” said He, who cited conservative activist groups like Turning Point USA as having an outsize impact in online discourse. “And Democrats have been running campaigns in a very old fashioned way. The battleground these days is cultural and increasingly on the internet.” Republicans may lose their broad support if they don't deliver on improving Americans' lives, Struve cautioned. Young men, especially, may drift from the party in a post-Trump era if the party loses the president-elect's authenticity and bravado. Bienvenido, for one group, will double down in the coming years to solidify and accelerate the voting pattern shifts seen this year, Struve said. “We don’t want this to be a one and done thing,” he said. ___ Associated Press writer Joey Cappelletti in Lansing, Michigan, and AP polling editor Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux contributed to this report.