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Proper nutrition and physical activity are widely accepted tools in preventing chronic disease. However, some doctors have begun to embrace another tool: vagus nerve stimulation. Navaz Habib, a chiropractor certified in functional medicine, stresses the importance of diet and exercise, but the vagus nerve also plays a big role in his wellness strategy. He’s written two books on the subject, the most recent titled, “Upgrade Your Vagus Nerve.” The book explores the research, methods, and benefits of stimulating the vagus nerve, such as inflammation control, better immunity, and more. “It’s a very unique nerve,” Habib said. “It is the only cranial nerve that leaves the head cavity and the only nerve in the body that connects to essentially every visceral organ.” The name “vagus” comes from a Latin word that means wandering. When it’s working properly, the vagus nerve network presides over a diverse array of functions—influencing the immune, cardiovascular, digestive, respiratory, and endocrine systems. Modern Applications The Functionality of the Vagus Nerve “Our bodies cannot heal when we’re in a sympathetic fight or flight state. They need to enter that parasympathetic, rest, digest, and recovery state, and that’s where the healing process can occur,” he said. While significant scientific details regarding the vagus nerve have emerged in recent years, the fundamental understanding of its functions has been available for centuries, particularly in the realm of deep breathing techniques like pranic breathing found in yogic practices, according to J.P. Errico, a neuroimmunology expert. “Holding your breath and exhaling in a controlled manner stimulates the vagus nerve,” Errico told The Epoch Times. “When you’re only shallow breathing, because you’re stressed or in fight or flight mode, you’re not stimulating it, because you’re not getting that signal through those stretch receptors,” Errico added. In addition to deep breathing, other self-initiated techniques for stimulating the vagus nerve include humming, gargling, chanting, and singing. These methods promote stimulation through vibration rather than stretch receptors. Since the voice box is located near a branch of the vagus nerve that runs through the neck, these vocalizations can gradually induce a sense of peace and calm. However, keep in mind that these self-stimulating techniques work much slower than electrical stimulation. This is by design, Errico noted. Emerging Technologies for Vagus Nerve Stimulation “What I’ve found is when we use electrical stimulation, we get results far more quickly,” he said. “We’re able to accelerate the process of healing within the vagus nerve itself.” But Habib prefers another option. The device he uses on his patients and himself is a small handheld unit that runs between $300 and $500. This device, known as Truvaga, was developed by Errico, who has been in the medical device-making business since the 1990s and has more than 250 patents to his name. Errico said he had been mulling over the idea of a nerve-stimulating device for years following a brief but enlightening discussion with a neurosurgeon. “He was one of the very first people to start using deep brain stimulation to treat Parkinson’s and essential tremor. And I was absolutely flabbergasted when I saw the results of his surgeries,” Errico said. “By getting to the right location in the brain and stimulating it with the right parameters, he could stop a patient from shaking, and all the symptoms would go away with no side effects. That was pretty much as close to magic as I'd ever seen, and I knew that I wanted to get involved.” Clinical research for Errico’s vagus nerve stimulator began in 2006, and initial studies showed that his design was effective, but he wanted to create something more accessible than an implant. “We actually did FDA approved pilot studies that worked beautifully,” Errico said, “but what we realized was that it wasn’t very user friendly, and we needed to figure out a way to do it non invasively.” Subjects were “highly selected career linguists at the US Department of Defense’s premier language school.” “These are people who are motivated, focused, good at what they do, and we were still able to demonstrate in every application anywhere from a 25 to 40 percent improvement,” Errico said. “That acetylcholine moves throughout the brain, and it quiets any of those immune cells that happen to be distracted by inflammation. It really helps you focus. It really gets your brain working optimally,” he said. Errico details the science behind vagus nerve stimulation in his recent book, “The Vagus-Immune Connection.” While there are several reported benefits to vagus nerve stimulation, there is also a vulnerability to this nerve, as some people can inadvertently produce a negative reaction. Known as the vasovagal response—the condition can be brought on by pain or emotional upset, which can cause light-headedness, a sudden drop in blood pressure, and possibly fainting or syncope. But Errico ensures that this reaction won’t happen with Truvaga. Elizabeth Tringali, a board-certified physician assistant who runs an integrative family practice in West Palm Beach, Florida, says she’s been using it on her patients for about two years with good results. “It’s miraculous,” she said. Tringali mentions one patient—a 40-year-old woman who was having anxiety attacks. “She was flipping out,” Tringali said. “We called 911 just to make sure she wasn’t having a heart attack.” Within minutes after using the Truvaga device, the patient calmed down. “She told the paramedics they didn’t need to stay. She was like a new person,” Tringali said. Since vagus nerve stimulation can help activate the parasympathetic nervous system, Tringali says Truvaga can be very helpful for patients stuck in sympathetic dominance. “We inherit these patients with all these chronic illnesses, and they just can’t get out of fight or flight from being sick for so many years,” she said. “They are on 20 medications and have tried everything under the sun.” Tringali lets patients try the device in her office, and if they like it, they may purchase a unit to use at home. She says some results are immediate, while others take time to manifest. How to Use Truvaga “It’s where you would feel for your pulse,” Errico said. “You place the two electrodes in that notch, and then you begin to turn up the amplitude. The very first thing you'll feel is a little tingling at the skin.” Errico says this particular place on the neck that the unit targets offers the best opportunity for stimulation. “That’s where the largest number of fibers are,” he said. A bit of contact gel (like the one used on an EKG machine) helps carry the current from the device to the skin. Users can control the amplitude of the device, typically setting it low when they first begin and turning it up once they get used to the feeling. Errico says even dogs like it. “As soon as they see the device, they'll roll over and expose their neck,” he said. “It calms them down. They like it.” The least expensive version of the device is called Truvaga 350. The drawback is that it has a limited number of uses (only 350 two-minute sessions or about six months worth of treatments if you use it twice a day). The pricier models have an unlimited number of uses but require an app installed on your phone.Sanctuary Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Pegasystems Inc. ( NASDAQ:PEGA – Free Report ) in the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm acquired 4,448 shares of the technology company’s stock, valued at approximately $325,000. A number of other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Greenwood Capital Associates LLC purchased a new stake in Pegasystems in the 3rd quarter valued at about $436,000. Crossmark Global Holdings Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Pegasystems by 110.0% in the third quarter. Crossmark Global Holdings Inc. now owns 25,195 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $1,842,000 after acquiring an additional 13,200 shares in the last quarter. Foundry Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of Pegasystems in the third quarter valued at approximately $9,567,000. Pacer Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Pegasystems during the second quarter valued at approximately $67,968,000. Finally, Versor Investments LP bought a new stake in Pegasystems during the third quarter worth $497,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 46.89% of the company’s stock. Pegasystems Stock Down 1.2 % Shares of NASDAQ:PEGA opened at $94.46 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $8.10 billion, a PE ratio of 68.95 and a beta of 1.09. The company’s fifty day moving average is $89.26 and its 200 day moving average is $73.89. Pegasystems Inc. has a 52 week low of $44.07 and a 52 week high of $97.94. Pegasystems Announces Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, January 16th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, January 2nd will be given a $0.03 dividend. This represents a $0.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.13%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, January 2nd. Pegasystems’s payout ratio is 8.76%. Insider Buying and Selling at Pegasystems In related news, insider Leon Trefler sold 752 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, September 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $72.00, for a total value of $54,144.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 38,388 shares in the company, valued at $2,763,936. This trade represents a 1.92 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink . Also, insider Rifat Kerim Akgonul sold 1,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, October 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $80.07, for a total value of $80,070.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 47,119 shares in the company, valued at $3,772,818.33. The trade was a 2.08 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 26,914 shares of company stock worth $2,283,688. 50.10% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth PEGA has been the topic of several research reports. Barclays lifted their price objective on shares of Pegasystems from $74.00 to $82.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Friday, October 25th. Rosenblatt Securities upped their price objective on Pegasystems from $90.00 to $95.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, October 25th. Citigroup increased their price target on Pegasystems from $99.00 to $123.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 18th. StockNews.com upgraded Pegasystems from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, November 21st. Finally, Wedbush increased their target price on shares of Pegasystems from $90.00 to $100.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, October 25th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $89.00. Check Out Our Latest Analysis on Pegasystems Pegasystems Company Profile ( Free Report ) Pegasystems Inc develops, markets, licenses, hosts, and supports enterprise software in the United States, rest of the Americas, the United Kingdom, rest of Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific. The company provides Pega Infinity, a software portfolio comprising of Pega Customer Decision Hub, a real-time AI-powered decision engine to enhance customer acquisition and experiences across inbound, outbound, and paid media channels; Pega Customer Service to anticipate customer needs, connect customers to people and systems, and automate customer interactions to evolve the customer service experience, as well as to allow enterprises to deliver interactions across channels and enhance employee productivity; and Pega Platform, an intelligent automation software for increasing efficiency of clients’ processes and workflows. Read More Five stocks we like better than Pegasystems How to Calculate Options Profits S&P 500 ETFs: Expense Ratios That Can Boost Your Long-Term Gains What Are the FAANG Stocks and Are They Good Investments? How AI Implementation Could Help MongoDB Roar Back in 2025 Want to Profit on the Downtrend? Downtrends, Explained. Hedge Funds Boost Oil Positions: Is a Major Rally on the Horizon? Receive News & Ratings for Pegasystems Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Pegasystems and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .slot fortune gems jili games 。

The Singapore Coffee Shop Heritage Gallery is a gift to the nation for Singapore’s 60th birthday in 2025, from the Foochow Coffee Restaurant and Bar Merchants Association. Built at a cost of about $600,000, the approximately 4,900 sq ft permanent gallery, will be free for the public to visit from Dec 2, 2024. SINGAPORE – Sock filters for straining coffee, ceramic cups and saucers with simple matching floral designs, and vintage soft drink glass bottles with nostalgic charm. These are a few of the nearly 3,000 artefacts and photographs going on show in a new heritage gallery highlighting the evolution of Singapore’s coffee shop culture. The Singapore Coffee Shop Heritage Gallery is a gift from the Foochow Coffee Restaurant and Bar Merchants Association to the nation for her 60th birthday in 2025. Built at a cost of about $600,000, the permanent gallery, which spans approximately 4,900 sq ft, will be free for the public to visit from Dec 2. It is located on Level 4 of the Foochow Building at 21 Tyrwhitt Road, and open from 10am to 5pm on weekdays. The association welcomes contributions of coffee shop artefacts from organisations and the public. When asked what the motivation behind the gallery was, Mr Hong Poh Hin, 76, chairman of the association, said: “Singapore’s coffee shops have grown and thrived with the nation, and... have become part of Singaporeans’ lives.” The association, whose history can be traced back to 1921, has over 300 members, who own more than 400 coffee shops here. Singapore’s coffee shops began over a century ago during the British colonial period. In the early days, hawkers operated from wooden carts. Over time, some rented shop spaces that shielded them from the sun and rain. They were mostly run by Chinese immigrants from Hainan and Fuzhou. By the 1950s, there were over 2,000 coffee shops across Singapore. From the 1960s to 1980s, the Singapore government implemented policies that transformed the scene. Street hawkers were not allowed to set up stalls on the streets. At the same time, urban redevelopment plans required many coffee shops in old shophouses to relocate to new housing estates. Owners of these coffee shops started renting out stalls to vendors selling a variety of food. Today, according to Mr Hong, there are about 1,100 coffee shops and food court, of which over 700 are in HDB estates. Besides serving the classic combination fare of coffee, soft-boiled eggs and kaya toast, and a variety of local food from different races, coffee shops have also welcomed Vietnamese, Thai and north-eastern Chinese cuisine to cater to evolving palates. Said Mr Hong: “Coffee shops are a microcosm of Singapore society. The increasing variety shows we are an open and multicultural society.” He added: “Coffee shops are not just for uncles and aunties, and will always be relevant to everyone. Young people these days don’t know how to cook. They eat out often, and coffee shops offer a good variety of budget-friendly meals.” (From left) Foochow Coffee Restaurant and Bar Merchants Association Singapore chairman Hong Poh Hin, assistant honorary secretary Sherry Lim, and honorary secretary Tian Took Earn, at the Singapore Coffee Shop Heritage Gallery. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO The Ministry of National Development and Housing Board rolled out a budget meal initiative in 2018 . Since then, all new HDB rental coffee shops that are tendered out to operators must provide budget meals and a budget drink. These are meals priced affordably, compared with the average price of meals sold at nearby eating places. Senior Minister of State for National Development Sim Ann told Parliament on Nov 13 that more than 440 rental and privately owned coffee shops are providing over 1,100 budget meals island-wide. She added that Singapore is on track to have all 374 rental HDB coffee shops offer budget meals by 2026. Beyond food, coffee shops also serve as social hubs for emotional connection and “coffee-shop talk”, bringing communities closer together, said Mr Hong. Ms Sherry Lim, 58, assistant honorary secretary of the Foochow Coffee Restaurant and Bar Merchants Association, said coffee shops also provide employment for many older workers. Approximately 30 per cent of coffee shop workers in various roles are aged 60 and above. While it is important to respect heritage, coffee shops also need to move with the times, she said. Some have adopted technology such as digital ordering systems, automated food preparation and coffee brew machines, to address manpower shortage and increase efficiency. However, coffee shops will remain cherished social hubs, she added. “Even if a coffee shop (goes) fully automated one day, it will still be a community node where people congregate.” Sock filters used for straining coffee, at Foochow Coffee Restaurant and Bar Merchants Association’s Singapore Coffee Shop Heritage Gallery. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads. Read 3 articles and stand to win rewards Spin the wheel nowAuto industry's shift toward EVs is expected to go on despite Trump threat to kill tax creditsTayshawn Comer scores 18 to lead Evansville past Campbell 66-53

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Georgia quarterback Carson Beck announced Saturday that he will forgo his final year of eligibility and enter the 2025 NFL Draft. Beck, 22, led the Southeastern Conference with 28 touchdown passes and finished third in the SEC with 3,485 passing yards. He also led the conference in interceptions, however. Beck will be a spectator for the Bulldogs in the College Football Playoff after undergoing surgery Monday to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his right (throwing) elbow. Gunner Stockton is in line to guide No. 2 seed Georgia into the CFP, starting with the Bulldogs' quarterfinal game against No. 7 seed Notre Dame at the Sugar Bowl on Wednesday in New Orleans. "There's unfinished business still this season and I'll be here to support however I can, finish strong!" Beck said in a statement posted on social media. Beck, a fifth-year senior, finished with a 24-3 record in his career with Georgia. "The past five years at the University of Georgia have been nothing short of a dream come true and I will forever cherish the memories that have been made. Thank you Dawg Nation for the time I've been here and to those who've supported and believed in me, thank you," Beck wrote on social media. "It's been an incredible journey and all these moments have ultimately led me to take the next step in my football career. With that being said, I will be declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft. Go Dawgs!" Beck, the Bulldogs' starter all year, was replaced in the second half of the SEC title game with the injury. Stockton helped to guide the Bulldogs to a 22-19 overtime win over Texas and clinch a first-round bye in the first 12-team playoff. --Field Level Media

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Southern California's notorious Santa Ana winds were predicted to return Monday night and utilities said they are prepared to cut power to hundreds of thousands of customers in areas where strong gusts could damage electrical equipment and spark wildfires. The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for high fire risk with a rare “particularly dangerous situation,” or PDS, designation starting at 8 p.m. Monday into Tuesday for Los Angeles and Ventura counties. The last time PDS red flags went up was the first week of November, when powerful, dry winds fed the Mountain Fire , which destroyed at least 240 buildings, mostly homes, in Ventura County. Before that, a PDS red flag warning hadn't been issued for the region since 2020. “This event has the potential to be as strong as the November 5th-6th Santa Ana event that led to the Mountain Fire,” the weather service office for Los Angeles said Sunday on social media. Southern California Edison said it was considering targeted power shut-offs for more than 250,000 homes and businesses across seven counties starting Monday evening. Meanwhile San Diego Gas & Electric said it has notified nearly 117,500 customers that they might temporarily lose service to reduce the chance of wildfires. Santa Anas are dry, warm and gusty northeast winds that blow from the interior of Southern California toward the coast and offshore. They typically occur during the fall months and continue through winter and into early spring. In Northern California, the weather service said chances were increasing for an “impactful rainfall event” late in the week for the San Francisco Bay Area. Best trending stories from the week. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. You may occasionally receive promotions exclusive discounted subscription offers from the Roswell Daily Record. Feel free to cancel any time via the unsubscribe link in the newsletter you received. You can also control your newsletter options via your user dashboard by signing in.Players must be assigned female at birth or have transitioned to female before going through male puberty to compete in LPGA tournaments or the eight USGA championships for females under new gender policies published Wednesday. The policies, which begin in 2025, follow more than a year of study involving medicine, science, sport physiology and gender policy law. The updated policies would rule out eligibility for Hailey Davidson, who missed qualifying for the U.S. Women's Open this year by one shot and came up short in LPGA Q-school. Davidson, who turned 32 on Tuesday, began hormone treatments when she was in her early 20s in 2015 and in 2021 underwent gender-affirming surgery, which was required under the LPGA's previous gender policy. She had won this year on a Florida mini-tour called NXXT Golf until the circuit announced in March that players had to be assigned female at birth. “Can't say I didn't see this coming,” Davidson wrote Wednesday on an Instagram story. “Banned from the Epson and the LPGA. All the silence and people wanting to stay ‘neutral’ thanks for absolutely nothing. This happened because of all your silence.” LPGA commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan, who is resigning in January, said the new gender policy "is reflective of an extensive, science-based and inclusive approach." By making it to the second stage of Q-school, Davidson would have had very limited status on the Epson Tour, the pathway to the LPGA. The LPGA and USGA say their policies were geared toward being inclusive of gender identities and expression while striving for equity in competition. The LPGA said its working group of experts advised that the effects of male puberty allowed for competitive advantages in golf compared with players who had not gone through puberty. “Our policy is reflective of an extensive, science-based and inclusive approach,” said LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan, who announced Monday that she is resigning in January. "The policy represents our continued commitment to ensuring that all feel welcome within our organization, while preserving the fairness and competitive equity of our elite competitions.” Mike Whan, the former LPGA commissioner and now CEO of the USGA, said it developed the updated policy independently and later discovered it was similar to those used by swimming, track and field, and other sports. United States Golf Association CEO Mike Whan said the new policy will prevent anyone from having "a competitive advantage based on their gender." “It starts with competitive fairness as the North star,” Whan said in a telephone interview. “We tried not to get into politics, or state by state or any of that stuff. We just simply said, ‘Where would somebody — at least medically today — where do we believe somebody would have a competitive advantage in the field?’ And we needed to draw a line. “We needed to be able to walk into any women's event and say with confidence that nobody here has a competitive advantage based on their gender. And this policy delivers that.” The “Competitive Fairness Gender Policy” for the USGA takes effect for the 2025 championship season that starts with the U.S. Women's Amateur Four-Ball on May 10-14. Qualifying began late this year, though there were no transgender players who took part. “Will that change in the years to come as medicine changes? Probably,” Whan said. “But I think today this stacks up.” The LPGA “Gender Policy for Competition Eligibility” would apply to the LPGA Tour, Epson Tour, Ladies European Tour and qualifying for the tours. Players assigned male at birth must prove they have not experienced any part of puberty beyond the first stage or after age 12, whichever comes first, and then meet limitation standards for testosterone levels. The LPGA begins its 75th season on Jan. 30 with the Tournament of Champions in Orlando, Florida. Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, foreground right, dives toward the end zone to score past San Francisco 49ers defensive end Robert Beal Jr. (51) and linebacker Dee Winters during the second half of an NFL football game in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus) Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green goes up for a dunk during the second half of an Emirates NBA cup basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) South Carolina guard Maddy McDaniel (1) drives to the basket against UCLA forward Janiah Barker (0) and center Lauren Betts (51) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer) Mari Fukada of Japan falls as she competes in the women's Snowboard Big Air qualifying round during the FIS Snowboard & Freeski World Cup 2024 at the Shougang Park in Beijing, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) LSU punter Peyton Todd (38) kneels in prayer before an NCAA college football game against Oklahoma in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. LSU won 37-17. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, left, is hit by Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey, center, as Eagles wide receiver Parris Campbell (80) looks on during a touchdown run by Barkley in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough) Los Angeles Kings left wing Warren Foegele, left, trips San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini, center, during the third period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez) Olympiacos' Francisco Ortega, right, challenges for the ball with FCSB's David Miculescu during the Europa League league phase soccer match between FCSB and Olympiacos at the National Arena stadium, in Bucharest, Romania, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru) Brazil's Botafogo soccer fans react during the Copa Libertadores title match against Atletico Mineiro in Argentina, during a watch party at Nilton Santos Stadium, in Rio de Janeiro, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado) Seattle Kraken fans react after a goal by center Matty Beniers against the San Jose Sharks was disallowed due to goaltender interference during the third period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in Seattle. The Sharks won 4-2. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) New York Islanders left wing Anders Lee (27), center, fight for the puck with Boston Bruins defensemen Parker Wotherspoon (29), left, and Brandon Carlo (25), right during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Jiyai Shin of Korea watches her shot on the 10th hole during the final round of the Australian Open golf championship at the Kingston Heath Golf Club in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake) Lara Gut-Behrami, of Switzerland, competes during a women's World Cup giant slalom skiing race, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in Killington, Vt. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin cools off during first period of an NHL hockey game against the Boston Bruins, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Brazil's Amanda Gutierres, second right, is congratulated by teammate Yasmin, right, after scoring her team's first goal during a soccer international between Brazil and Australia in Brisbane, Australia, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Pat Hoelscher) Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers (89) tries to leap over Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Joshua Williams (2) during the first half of an NFL football game in Kansas City, Mo., Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga) England's Alessia Russo, left, and United States' Naomi Girma challenge for the ball during the International friendly women soccer match between England and United States at Wembley stadium in London, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Gold medalists Team Netherlands competes in the Team Sprint Women race of the ISU World Cup Speed Skating Beijing 2024 held at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones (33) reaches for an incomplete pass ahead of Arizona Cardinals linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. (2) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) Melanie Meillard, center, of Switzerland, competes during the second run in a women's World Cup slalom skiing race, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Killington, Vt. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) South Africa's captain Temba Bavuma misses a catch during the fourth day of the first Test cricket match between South Africa and Sri Lanka, at Kingsmead stadium in Durban, South Africa, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Mathilde Gremaud of Switzerland competes in the women's Freeski Big Air qualifying round during the FIS Snowboard & Freeski World Cup 2024 at the Shougang Park in Beijing, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) Luiz Henrique of Brazil's Botafogo, right. is fouled by goalkeeper Everson of Brazil's Atletico Mineiro inside the penalty area during a Copa Libertadores final soccer match at Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) Sent weekly directly to your inbox!

Tayshawn Comer scores 18 to lead Evansville past Campbell 66-53UN Resolution 1701 is at the heart of the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire. What is it?

The suspect in the high-profile killing of a health insurance CEO that has gripped the United States graduated from an Ivy League university, reportedly hails from a wealthy family, and wrote social media posts brimming with cerebral musings. Luigi Mangione, 26, was thrust into the spotlight Monday after police revealed his identity as their person of interest, crediting his arrest to a tip from a McDonald's worker. He has been connected by police to the fatal shooting of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson last week in broad daylight, in a case that has laid bare deep frustrations and anger with the nation's privatized medical system. News of his capture triggered an explosion of online activity, with Mangione quickly amassing new followers on social media as citizen sleuths and US media try to understand who he is. While some lauded him as a hero and lamented his arrest, others analyzed his intellectual takes in search of ideological clues. A photo on one of his social media accounts includes an X-ray of an apparently injured spine, though no explicit political affiliation has emerged. Meanwhile, memes and jokes proliferated, many riffing on his first name and comparing him to the "Mario Bros." character Luigi, sometimes depicted in AI-altered images wielding a gun or holding a Big Mac. "Godspeed. Please know that we all hear you," wrote one user on Facebook. "I want to donate to your defense fund," added another. According to Mangione's LinkedIn profile, he is employed as a data engineer at TrueCar, a California-based online auto marketplace. A company spokesperson told AFP Mangione "has not been an employee of our company since 2023." Although he had been living in Hawaii ahead of the killing, he originally hails from Towson, Maryland, near Baltimore. He comes from a prominent and wealthy Italian-American family, according to the Baltimore Banner. The family owns local businesses, including the Hayfields Country Club, per the club's website. A standout student, Mangione graduated at the top of his high school class in 2016. In an interview with his local paper at the time, he praised his teachers for fostering a passion for learning beyond grades and encouraging intellectual curiosity. He went on to attend the prestigious University of Pennsylvania, where he completed both a bachelor's and master's degree in computer science by 2020, according to a university spokesperson. While at Penn, Mangione co-led a group of 60 undergraduates who collaborated on video game projects, as noted in a now-deleted university webpage, archived on the Wayback Machine. On Instagram, where his following has skyrocketed from hundreds to tens of thousands, Mangione shared snapshots of his travels in Mexico, Puerto Rico and Hawaii. He also posted shirtless photos flaunting a six-pack and appeared in celebratory posts with fellow members of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity. However, it is on X (formerly Twitter) that users have scoured Mangione's posts for potential motives. His header photo -- an X-ray of a spine with bolts -- remains cryptic, with no public explanation. Finding a coherent political ideology has also proved elusive. Mangione has linked approvingly to posts criticizing secularism as a harmful consequence of Christianity's decline. In April, he wrote, "Horror vacui (nature abhors a vacuum)." The following month, he posted an essay he wrote in high school titled "How Christianity Prospered by Appealing to the Lower Classes of Ancient Rome." In another post from April, he speculated that Japan's low birthrate stems from societal disconnection, adding that "fleshlights" and other vaginal-replica sex toys should be banned. ia/nroArchaeologists Propose Stonehenge May Have Unified People in Ancient Britain

By JILL COLVIN and STEPHEN GROVES WASHINGTON (AP) — After several weeks working mostly behind closed doors, Vice President-elect JD Vance returned to Capitol Hill this week in a new, more visible role: Helping Donald Trump try to get his most contentious Cabinet picks to confirmation in the Senate, where Vance has served for the last two years. Vance arrived at the Capitol on Wednesday with former Rep. Matt Gaetz and spent the morning sitting in on meetings between Trump’s choice for attorney general and key Republicans, including members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The effort was for naught: Gaetz announced a day later that he was withdrawing his name amid scrutiny over sex trafficking allegations and the reality that he was unlikely to be confirmed. Thursday morning Vance was back, this time accompanying Pete Hegseth, the “Fox & Friends Weekend” host whom Trump has tapped to be the next secretary of defense. Hegseth also has faced allegations of sexual assault that he denies. Vance is expected to accompany other nominees for meetings in coming weeks as he tries to leverage the two years he has spent in the Senate to help push through Trump’s picks. Vice President-elect JD Vance, still a Republican senator from Ohio, walks from a private meeting with President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., center, and Vice President-elect JD Vance, left, walk out of a meeting with Republican Senate Judiciary Committee members, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, departs the chamber at the Capitol in Washington, March 15, 2023. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, center speaks during a Senate Banking Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, right, speaks with Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, before testifying at a hearing, March 9, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, arrives for a classified briefing on China, at the Capitol in Washington, Feb. 15, 2023. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, arrives for a vote on Capitol Hill, Sept. 12, 2023 in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance R-Ohio speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Feb. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File) Vice President-elect JD Vance, still a Republican senator from Ohio, walks from a private meeting with President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) The role of introducing nominees around Capitol Hill is an unusual one for a vice president-elect. Usually the job goes to a former senator who has close relationships on the Hill, or a more junior aide. But this time the role fits Vance, said Marc Short, who served as Trump’s first director of legislative affairs as well as chief of staff to Trump’s first vice president, Mike Pence, who spent more than a decade in Congress and led the former president’s transition ahead of his first term. ”JD probably has a lot of current allies in the Senate and so it makes sense to have him utilized in that capacity,” Short said. Unlike the first Trump transition, which played out before cameras at Trump Tower in New York and at the president-elect’s golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, this one has largely happened behind closed doors in Palm Beach, Florida. There, a small group of officials and aides meet daily at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort to run through possible contenders and interview job candidates. The group includes Elon Musk, the billionaire who has spent so much time at the club that Trump has joked he can’t get rid of him. Vance has been a constant presence, even as he’s kept a lower profile. The Ohio senator has spent much of the last two weeks in Palm Beach, according to people familiar with his plans, playing an active role in the transition, on which he serves as honorary chair. Vance has been staying at a cottage on the property of the gilded club, where rooms are adorned with cherubs, oriental rugs and intricate golden inlays. It’s a world away from the famously hardscrabble upbringing that Vance documented in the memoir that made him famous, “Hillbilly Elegy.” His young children have also joined him at Mar-a-Lago, at times. Vance was photographed in shorts and a polo shirt playing with his kids on the seawall of the property with a large palm frond, a U.S. Secret Service robotic security dog in the distance. Related Articles On the rare days when he is not in Palm Beach, Vance has been joining the sessions remotely via Zoom. Though he has taken a break from TV interviews after months of constant appearances, Vance has been active in the meetings, which began immediately after the election and include interviews and as well as presentations on candidates’ pluses and minuses. Among those interviewed: Contenders to replace FBI Director Christopher Wray , as Vance wrote in a since-deleted social media post. Defending himself from criticism that he’d missed a Senate vote in which one of President Joe Biden’s judicial nominees was confirmed, Vance wrote that he was meeting at the time “with President Trump to interview multiple positions for our government, including for FBI Director.” “I tend to think it’s more important to get an FBI director who will dismantle the deep state than it is for Republicans to lose a vote 49-46 rather than 49-45,” Vance added on X. “But that’s just me.” While Vance did not come in to the transition with a list of people he wanted to see in specific roles, he and his friend, Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., who is also a member of the transition team, were eager to see former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. find roles in the administration. Trump ended up selecting Gabbard as the next director of national intelligence , a powerful position that sits atop the nation’s spy agencies and acts as the president’s top intelligence adviser. And he chose Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services , a massive agency that oversees everything from drug and food safety to Medicare and Medicaid. Vance was also a big booster of Tom Homan, the former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, who will serve as Trump’s “border czar.” In another sign of Vance’s influence, James Braid, a top aide to the senator, is expected to serve as Trump’s legislative affairs director. Allies say it’s too early to discuss what portfolio Vance might take on in the White House. While he gravitates to issues like trade, immigration and tech policy, Vance sees his role as doing whatever Trump needs. Vance was spotted days after the election giving his son’s Boy Scout troop a tour of the Capitol and was there the day of leadership elections. He returned in earnest this week, first with Gaetz — arguably Trump’s most divisive pick — and then Hegseth, who has was been accused of sexually assaulting a woman in 2017, according to an investigative report made public this week. Hegseth told police at the time that the encounter had been consensual and denied any wrongdoing. Vance hosted Hegseth in his Senate office as GOP senators, including those who sit on the Senate Armed Services Committee, filtered in to meet with the nominee for defense secretary. While a president’s nominees usually visit individual senators’ offices, meeting them on their own turf, the freshman senator — who is accompanied everywhere by a large Secret Service detail that makes moving around more unwieldy — instead brought Gaetz to a room in the Capitol on Wednesday and Hegseth to his office on Thursday. Senators came to them. Vance made it to votes Wednesday and Thursday, but missed others on Thursday afternoon. Vance is expected to continue to leverage his relationships in the Senate after Trump takes office. But many Republicans there have longer relationships with Trump himself. Sen. Kevin Cramer, a North Dakota Republican, said that Trump was often the first person to call him back when he was trying to reach high-level White House officials during Trump’s first term. “He has the most active Rolodex of just about anybody I’ve ever known,” Cramer said, adding that Vance would make a good addition. “They’ll divide names up by who has the most persuasion here,” Cramer said, but added, “Whoever his liaison is will not work as hard at it as he will.” Cramer was complimentary of the Ohio senator, saying he was “pleasant” and ” interesting” to be around. ′′He doesn’t have the long relationships,” he said. “But we all like people that have done what we’ve done. I mean, that’s sort of a natural kinship, just probably not as personally tied.” Under the Constitution, Vance will also have a role presiding over the Senate and breaking tie votes. But he’s not likely to be needed for that as often as was Kamala Harris, who broke a record number of ties for Democrats as vice president, since Republicans will have a bigger cushion in the chamber next year. Colvin reported from New York. Associated Press writer Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.The dying year saw several nagging doubts in politics getting cleared. In its fag end, 2024 saw BJP State President K Annamalai flogging himself with a white coloured whip in public, making a fool of himself, and a few months before that a long time doubt over actor Vijay taking the plunge into the murky political waters was cleared. In the peak of summer, the Lok Sabha elections proved that the BJP’s popularity was in decline and that the DMK has consolidated its position in two ways in the State. One is that it, despite the claims of naysayers, was still the preferred party in the present context and two, it has managed to keep its flock, read alliance partners, together. Still rumours and speculations continued to float all through the year, particularly on some sections of social media channels, that the alliance was fragile and that it will break anytime and they were put to rest just before the closing of the year by Chief Minister M K Stalin, who, attending a function marking veteran Communist leader R Nallakannu, proclaimed the alliance was not just built on principles but to last forever. So, the doubts of those, who were speculating and wishing that some of the DMK’s allies will drift away and strengthen the hands of either the AIADMK or the newly formed Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam of Vijay or both for the 2026 Assembly elections were cleared: It is unlikely to happen. Earlier, too, such doubts were raised in the context of the VCK, which in fact turned out to be an intriguing phase in State politics. For some time it was like a cliffhanger when the VCK was hitting out at the DMK for not bringing in total prohibition and preparing itself for a conference against alcohol and narcotics. It was seen as an arm twisting tactic as the party’s then deputy general secretary Aadhav Arjuna was demanding sharing in power for the VCK. A series of such incidents that included VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan openly saying that more than the alliance it was prohibition that was important for them. But everyone knew it was Aadhav Arjuna, who had incidentally become popular as a politician only in 2024, behind the threats and blamed Thirumavalavan for not quelling him. Anyway Arjuna was quelled when he was suspended from the party when he addressed a meeting attended by Vijay and organized by a Tamil media group to speak out against the DMK. Arjuna disassociated himself from the party completely though he was earlier advocating it to seek a share in the power pie. However since both Arjuna and Vijay were sharing the same platform –for Vijay it was the second political appearance in public after the launch of his own party a few months earlier. Whether the party was prepared for a real political fight in the electoral arena was a doubt that was raised when it was launched and even after that. Since the Assembly polls were more than a year away, no one could give a definite answer immediately. But the passing of Congress leader E V K S Elangovan, who was the sitting MLA of Erode East constituency, gave some clarity on that issue. Many believed that Vijay would make use of the by-election that would be, anyway, held and prove his party’s mettle the way the late M G Ramachandran (MGR) made use of the Dindigul by-election to launch his nascent party on the election scene. But Vijay, it seems, has no such idea to test the electoral waters, anywhere, as of now and was still in the process of drawing up strategy and issuing media releases for specific issues. Even on the latest tragedy that the State witnessed on December 23, when a local rogue raped an engineering student inside the Anna university campus, Vijay had something to say just like all the top politicians who reacted to the shocking incident. It was that crime that also revealed that the opposition parties were waiting to create a scandal that they believe would besmirch the image of the present government and prevent the DMK from coming back to power. So they raised a plethora of questions on the incident. It also angered K Annamalai immensely that he decided to go for a novel protest, something that no one has ever attempted in the State. So in the presence of his supporters and the media, Annamalai whipped himself in public before his house in Coimbatore. He said it was to draw the attention of the government, which of course was seized of the matter and was responding to court cases regarding that. Also, Annamalai, who felt that such crimes against women were on the rise because the State was ruled by the DMK, announced that he would use footwear till the ruling party was ousted from power. He even walked out barefoot from the press conference where the announcement was made. To put it otherwise, politics became more farcical in 2024 as it was evident from the spat in the PMK, between founder S Ramadoss and president Anbumani Ramadoss, over the appointment of the youth wing secretary. Ramadoss proposed his daughter’s son for the post, lying vacant after his son became the president of the party, but his son and uncle of the nominated person opposed it while the father (and grandfather of the nominated person) dug in his heels.

A St. Thomas resident is out nearly $100,000 after falling victim to a job scam. According to police, the victim was investing money into a company that they believed they were employed by for over a month. However, they learned that the company was not legitimate and did not actually exist. The matter is currently being investigated by detectives in the STPS Criminal Investigations Branch. Shopping Trends The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us. 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Saskatoon fire crews battle house fire Saskatoon firefighters responded to a house fire on the 100 block of Klassen Crescent Friday afternoon. Vancouver New Canadians, non-traditional demographics boost minor hockey uptake in B.C. Participation in hockey in British Columbia was struggling in 2021 — the pandemic had dealt a heavy blow to player registrations, and numbers had already been flagging before COVID-19 arrived. Vancouver artist and HIV advocate Joe Average dies at 67 Renowned Vancouver artist Joe Average, whose colourful work adorns murals and banners around the city, died at age 67 Tuesday, according to family and friends. 'We're sending a clear message': B.C. prepares for home flipping tax amid criticism Next week, when the calendars turn to 2025, the provincial government will begin imposing a 20-per-cent tax on all profits if a home is sold within a year of purchasing it. Vancouver Island New Canadians, non-traditional demographics boost minor hockey uptake in B.C. Participation in hockey in British Columbia was struggling in 2021 — the pandemic had dealt a heavy blow to player registrations, and numbers had already been flagging before COVID-19 arrived. 'We're sending a clear message': B.C. prepares for home flipping tax amid criticism Next week, when the calendars turn to 2025, the provincial government will begin imposing a 20-per-cent tax on all profits if a home is sold within a year of purchasing it. Former B.C. lawyer disbarred for 2nd time over sexual harassment A former lawyer who was convicted of sexual assault in 2020 and disbarred last year has been handed a second disbarment for sexual harassment of a different client. Stay Connected

By Agbaxode Emmanuel Akatsi (VR), Dec. 28, GNA – The Chiefs and people of Gefia in the Avenor Traditional Area in the Akatsi South Municipality of the Volta Region have held their annual Gefia Denyigbanyaza with a call to embrace peace. The well-attended colourful event, characterised by cultural displays, had the theme “Developing Gefia in Peace and Harmony.” Torgbui Korbadzi III, the Dufia of Gefia, remarked that without peace and harmony, no society could achieve considerable progress. “Respecting others’ perspectives and allowing for debate is critical to accelerating community development.” He encouraged his subjects to put the progress and challenges of Gefia ahead of any personal or factional interests. Torgbui Korbadzi further added that appropriate and legal steps would be taken to resolve the long-standing chieftaincy dispute in his area without any violent act, because “nobody wins in a war.” He promised to drill a few boreholes in the first quarter of 2025 to help ease the perennial water problem in the community. Torgbui Korbadzi also recognised the contribution of Mr Raphael Yaw Atsisey, whose vision and dream gave birth to the festival in the year 1960. He commended the various roles played by Domee individuals such as Mr Yaw Dunyo, Mr Viaku, Mr Linux Gbeku, Torgbui Awugah I, and Torgbui Kludzi II among others who are all deceased. The Municipal Chief Executive of Martin Kofitsey Martin Nyahe, the Akatsi South Minicipal Chief Executive, who was the special guest of honour, encouraged all citizens not to allow partisan politics, land litigation, and other chieftaincy-related disputes to divide them. Torgbui Akoto VII, Chief of Akatsi Tatorme, who delivered the keynote address, indicated that the chieftaincy institution “remained a strong pillar of our heritage.” “It must serve as a source of unity and guidance rather than division.” Torgbui Korbadzi also appealed to leaders involved in Gefia’s body politic to put the community’s peace first and work towards reconciliation, showing wisdom and love for the people they lead. Zikpuitor Michael Agbolosu, Chairperson for the festival, reiterated that the future of the area relied on the decisions they make today. He said, “Gefia should choose peace over conflict, unity over division, and development over stagnation.” This, he said, could transform the community into a beacon of harmony and progress. ‘Denyigbanyaza’ is one of the legacies of Chiefs and the people of Gefia. Hence, the celebration of the festival has tourism, cultural, social, and spiritual values. According to the elders, the spirit of ‘Denyigbanyaza’ is a Spirit of Unity, Self-Reliance, Progress, and Development. GNA

‘It keeps going’: How Shamrock Farm keeps growing, one experiment at at time

"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum." Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" Thanks for your interest in Kalkine Media's content! To continue reading, please log in to your account or create your free account with us.WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s allies on Capitol Hill rallied around Pete Hegseth , Trump’s Pentagon pick, on Thursday even as new details surfaced about allegations that he had sexually assaulted a woman in 2017. The GOP embrace of Hegseth came as another controversial Trump nominee, Matt Gaetz, withdrew from consideration for attorney general. Gaetz said it was clear he had become a “distraction" amid pressure on the House to release an ethics report about allegations of his own sexual misconduct. An attorney for two women has said that his clients told House Ethics Committee investigators that Gaetz paid them for sex on multiple occasions beginning in 2017, when Gaetz was a Florida congressman. Fresh questions over the two nominees' pasts, and their treatment of women, arose with Republicans under pressure from Trump and his allies to quickly confirm his Cabinet. At the same time, his transition has so far balked at the vetting and background checks that have traditionally been required. While few Republican senators have publicly criticized any of Trump's nominees, it became clear after Gaetz's withdrawal that many had been harboring private concerns about him. Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin, who served with Gaetz in the House, said it was a “positive move.” Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker said it was a “positive development.” Maine Sen. Susan Collins said Gaetz “put country first and I am pleased with his decision.” After meeting with Hegseth, though, Republicans rallied around him. “I think he’s going to be in pretty good shape,” said Wicker, who is expected to chair the Senate Armed Services Committee in the next Congress. Republican senators' careful words, and their early reluctance to publicly question Trump's picks, illustrated not only their fear of retribution from the incoming president but also some of their hopes that the confirmation process can proceed normally, with proper vetting and background checks that could potentially disqualify problematic nominees earlier. Gaetz withdrew after meeting with senators on Wednesday. Sen. Thom Tillis said Gaetz was “in a pressure cooker” when he decided to withdraw, but suggested that it would have little bearing on Trump’s other nominees. “Transactions — one at a time,” he said. As the Hegseth nomination proceeds, Republicans also appear to be betting that they won't face much backlash for publicly setting aside the allegations of sexual misconduct — especially after Trump won election after being found liable for sexual abuse last year. Hegseth held a round of private meetings alongside incoming Vice President JD Vance on Thursday in an attempt to shore up support and told reporters afterward: “The matter was fully investigated and I was completely cleared, and that’s where I’m gonna leave it.” A 22-page police report report made public late Wednesday offered the first detailed account of the allegations against him. A woman told police that she was sexually assaulted in 2017 by Hegseth after he took her phone, blocked the door to a California hotel room and refused to let her leave. The report cited police interviews with the alleged victim, a nurse who treated her, a hotel staffer, another woman at the event and Hegseth. Hegseth’s lawyer, Timothy Palatore, said the incident was “fully investigated and police found the allegations to be false.” Hegseth paid the woman in 2023 as part of a confidential settlement to head off the threat of what he described as a baseless lawsuit, Palatore has said. Wicker played down the allegations against Hegseth, a former Fox News host, saying that “since no charges were brought from the authorities, we only have press reports.” Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., said after his meeting with Hegseth that he "shared with him the fact that I was saddened by the attacks that are coming his way.” Hagerty dismissed the allegations as “a he-said, she-said thing” and called it a “shame” that they were being raised at all. The senator said attention should instead be focused on the Defense Department that Hegseth would head. It's one of the most complex parts of the federal government with more than 3 million employees, including military service members and civilians. Sexual assault has been a persistent problem in the military, though Pentagon officials have been cautiously optimistic they are seeing a decline in reported sexual assaults among active-duty service members and the military academies. Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, who will be the No. 2 Republican in the Senate next year, said after his meeting with Hegseth that the nominee is a strong candidate who “pledged that the Pentagon will focus on strength and hard power – not the current administration’s woke political agenda.” Senate Republicans are under pressure to hold hearings once they take office in January and confirm nominees as soon as Trump is inaugurated, despite questions about whether Trump’s choices will be properly screened or if some, like Hegseth, have enough experience for the job. Senate Armed Services Chairman Jack Reed, who will be the top Democrat on the panel next year, said the reports on Hegseth “emphasized the need for a thorough investigation by the FBI on the background of all the nominees.” It takes a simple majority to approve Cabinet nominations, meaning that if Democrats all opposed a nominee, four Republican senators would also have to defect for any Trump choice to be defeated. Trump has made clear he’s willing to put maximum pressure on Senate Republicans to give him the nominees he wants – even suggesting at one point that they allow him to just appoint his nominees with no Senate votes. But senators insist, for now, that they are not giving up their constitutional power to have a say. “The president has the right to make the nominations that he sees fit, but the Senate also has a responsibility for advice and consent,” said Republican Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota. In the case of Gaetz, he said, “I think there was advice offered rather than consent.” Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Get local news delivered to your inbox!NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Saints quarterback Derek Carr was willing to risk his health to improve New Orleans’ chances of playing meaningful football in mid-December. Now the Saints, who’ve remained mathematically alive in the playoff race by winning three of four, might have to play without Carr again — and it didn’t go well the last time. Saints interim coach Darren Rizzi declined on Monday to rule out Carr for any of New Orleans' final four games because of his injured non-throwing hand or his concussion . Both injuries occurred when he tried to leap for a first down and crashed hard to the turf during the fourth quarter of New Orleans' 14-11 victory over the reeling New York Giants on Sunday. “We’re not going to rule him out just yet,” Rizzi said. “We have to see in the next day or two what the healing process is like and see if he can function. “The good news it’s not his throwing hand,” Rizzi said. “The bad news is we’re obviously dealing with an injury here that we have to kind of play it by ear.” Rizzi noted that Carr must clear the concussion protocol first. After that, he said, the Saints can see how well Carr can operate with his hand injury. “It's been done before,” Rizzi said when asked about the prospect of an NFL QB playing with an injured non-throwing hand. “It appears at moment that it's non-surgical, which is a big aspect of it. ... That's why we're going to discuss the options.” Last season, Los Angeles Chargers QB Justin Herbert played with a fractured finger on his non-throwing hand . Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen has played part of this season with an injured non-throwing hand . If Carr can't play, his replacement will be either second-year pro Jake Haener or rookie Spencer Rattler. Rattler started three games earlier this season when Carr had an oblique injury — all losses by New Orleans, which was in the midst of a seven-game skid. “We've just got to surround whomever it is and pick him up and get him rolling with the rest of us,” guard Lucas Patrick said. “It's just another step of adversity in this long season that we’ve had.” What’s working New Orleans' interior defensive line is coming off one of its better games. Defensive tackles Bryan Bresee and Khalen Saunders accounted for both New Orleans' sacks in New York. The Saints also held the Giants to 112 yards rushing — a lower opponent rushing total than in seven other games this season. What needs help The Saints' 92 yards rushing offensively was their fourth-lowest total all season and the lowest in any of their victories. Stock up Running back Kendre Miller's future is looking a bit brighter now. He has played in just three games this season because of hamstring injuries and his lack of readiness was criticized by since-fired coach Dennis Allen earlier this season. Miller also has yet to rush for more than 36 yards in a game. But against the Giants, he earned praise for the speed, strength and elusiveness he was able to show on a couple of clutch runs, including an 8-yard run for his first and only touchdown this season. Patrick said Miller deserved credit on his scoring run for staying upright and continuing to push forward — with the help of some teammates — after he was met at the 5-yard line by a Giants defender. Patrick said if Miller didn't give the extra effort and stay on his feet, his teammates would not have had the chance to help push him across the goal line. “Kendre's definitely a bright, young runner and he's exciting to block for,” Patrick said. Stock down Blake Grupe was 0 for 2 on field goal attempts, although both were from beyond 50 yards and one was blocked. Those were Grupe's first two failures from beyond 50 yards this season. Injuries In addition to Carr, reserve linebacker D’Marco Jackson left Sunday's game with an ankle injury. Key number 0 — The number of games the Saints have won when Carr does not play. They've gone 5-5 in his starts this season. Next steps The Saints are back home Sunday against Washington in what could be ex-New Orleans cornerback Marshon Lattimore's first game with the Commanders. The game also marks the return to Louisiana of quarterback Jayden Daniels, who won the Heisman Troply last year at LSU. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl Brett Martel, The Associated Press

NHS bosses have been ordered to prioritise emergency treatment for the sickest patients this winter rather than worry about targets. Health Secretary Wes Streeting called an urgent meeting with Amanda Pritchard, the NHS chief executive, and hospital and ambulance leaders. It comes amid huge pressure on the NHS, which has been hit by a 350 per cent increase in hospital flu cases compared to the same week last year. On average, there are nearly 1,100 people in hospital with flu daily amid fears of a so-called “quad-demic”. Mr Streeting told bosses to focus on keeping ambulances on the road and cutting deadly delays in A&E . He warned them off gaming the system to hit targets by rushing less sick patients through before complex cases. Read More on Health MUM'S WORST NIGHTMARE My baby girl died after doctors refused to induce me for 60 HOURS LONELINESS EPIDEMIC I only left house to put the bins out... then Lauren became my friend The Health Secretary said: “This winter I want to see patient safety prioritised as we brace ourselves for the coming months. “I’m asking NHS trusts to focus on ambulance delays, handovers and the longest A&E waits.” Ambulance patients should be offloaded to casualty within 15 minutes but NHS figures show 68 per cent currently wait longer, with one in seven waiting over an hour. Handover delays mean ambulances take longer to arrive at the next patient. Most read in Health LONELINESS EPIDEMIC I only left house to put the bins out... then Lauren became my friend ON THE CLOCK The Christmas tipples and foods you should avoid past 6pm to stay energised MUM'S WORST NIGHTMARE My baby girl died after doctors refused to induce me for 60 HOURS MISDIAGNOSED My sister felt a 'worm in her brain' - doctors missed it being killer disease Category 2 calls, including suspected strokes and heart attacks, currently take 42 minutes against the 18-minute target. Amanda Pritchard , NHS chief executive, said: “The NHS is already seeing unprecedented demand going into winter with flu cases quadrupling. Chancellor Rachel Reeves reveals new investment in the NHS ahead of Budget “We know services are set to come under even more strain.” Dr Adrian Boyle, of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said: “What contributed to hundreds of avoidable deaths per week last year was stays of 12 hours or more. “Efforts to reduce stays of this length must be given the same priority as treating people within the current target of four-hours. “This is a matter of life and death.” Other doctors hit back at Mr Streeting’s comments as unreasonable. Dr Tim Cooksley, of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “The stark reality is not that hospitals and staff on the frontline are manipulating targets but that they are simply unable to deliver safe and effective care because there is insufficient workforce and capacity.” 1 Wes Streeting called an urgent meeting with Amanda Pritchard, the NHS chief executive, and hospital and ambulance leaders Credit: PAArticle content When you march, shout, smash windows and burn cars in a big city , you’re going to get attention. You’re going to invite police, tear gas, scuffles and arrests, and make news, which is the point of protest. And so it was with the band of malcontents who filled the streets of Montreal this weekend. They loath those inside the Palais des Congrès and their purpose. Too bad; our fellow travellers might have learned something about peace and freedom. Inside the Palais, which was locked down, representatives of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) were considering the state of the alliance. They talked about strengthening NATO’s integrated defences, using AI in the military domain, ending sexual violence in conflict and the impact of climate change. They talked about the future. Most important, they addressed Ukraine, the war of 1,000 days that began when the Russians invaded in 2022. Since then, NATO has supported Ukraine with training, money and munitions, all critical to its survival. Let us say this: If NATO did not exist today, Ukraine wouldn’t, either. Demonstrators fill Ste-Catherine St. during a protest by the Collectif Désinvestir pour la Palestine and the Convergence des luttes anticapitalistes (CLAC) in Montreal Friday Nov. 22, 2024. The demonstration was in support of Palestine and in opposition to the meeting of NATO parliamentarians in Montreal. Photo by John Mahoney / Montreal Gazette In the streets of Montreal, the real cause was Palestine, the Israeli offensive in Gaza and Canada’s response. There is enough there to power a protest – “solidarity with Palestine,” the crowd chanted – and they should have left it at that. But they decided to expand their geopolitical complaint to demand that Canada “get out of NATO”. The protesters, some waving Communist Party of Canada flags, think NATO is dangerous, which, if you’re Communist, you would. Communists and their woolly-minded allies on the barricades railed against “the complicity” of NATO in the war in Gaza. They made it about NATO, about Canada, and why we should withdraw from this congress of warmongers. Well, no, we shouldn’t. NATO is indispensable to our security. And since our friends in the streets claim compassion for the besieged Palestinians – as they should – they might want to stretch a bit, read a bit and understand that the greater injustice in the world today is Ukraine. In the largest country in Europe, hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians have been wounded or killed. Villages, towns and cities razed. Utilities bombed. Innocents imprisoned, tortured and raped. Children abducted. Art and artefacts looted. Since the beginning of the conflict, NATO has stood with Ukraine. Led by Joe Biden and the United States, NATO has armed Ukraine. It has stopped short of entering the fray but has tried – sometimes belatedly, inadequately, agonizingly – to give Ukraine a chance against a country several times its size. To stop Vladimir Putin and contain his expansionism, which is a threat to the Baltics, Moldova, Poland and beyond. The importance of NATO as the world’s most successful alliance goes beyond Ukraine. From the end of the Second World War to the fall of the Soviet Union, it ensured the survival of Western Europe. Just ask the burghers of West Berlin. In all that time, Canada has remained a member of the alliance. Under the leadership of Lester Pearson, as foreign minister, Canada helped found NATO in 1949. We wrote Article 2 of the NATO Charter, in hope of making it as much a political, social and economic alliance as a military one. That never happened. But Pearson – who won the Nobel Peace Prize for brokering peace in the Suez Crisis in 1956 – considered NATO his greatest achievement in foreign affairs. In the post-war world, when Canada fielded a fine foreign service, funded international aid and maintained a robust military, we found the will and the way to station forces in Germany. Our commitment to NATO was always greater than our commitment to peacekeeping, the angelic international vocation we’ve since abandoned. Now NATO faces a crisis over Donald Trump, an isolationist who says Canada and other members are free riders in the organization from which he threatens to withdraw, which would devastate it. Meanwhile he blithely tells Putin to do whatever he wants. Memo to the protesters: if you really care about dignity and democracy, protest Trump, Putin and a Canada that’s no longer serious about the world. Andrew Cohen is a commentator, journalist and author of While Canada Slept: How We Lost Our Place in the World.Tekken 8 Gets Its Biggest Discount of the YearEuropean countries suspend Syrian asylum decisions after Assad's fall

NoneNot for the first time, there is panic in the Manchester United defence. Bukayo Saka is walking towards the corner and Nicolas Jover is positioned on the touchline. Rasmus Hojlund is holding onto William Saliba as if he is grasping onto a log while tumbling down a rapidly moving river. The Emirates senses the opportunity and understands what is happening: there is a queue of towering Arsenal players stationed at the back post and the United defenders are wearing expressions of grave concern. Suddenly, in a box of moving shadows, danger lay around every corner, every decoy became a target. Seconds later, Ruben Amorim was in the dugout rubbing his face, as what should have been a cohesive, organised block unravelled into strands. “The set pieces changed the game,” Amorim admitted. On a night where Arsenal initially didn’t look like scoring from open play, Mikel Arteta ’s side won due to two goals from corners to move within seven points of Liverpool . In all of this, United became the latest victims of Arsenal's not-so-secret weapon. Since the start of last season, no team in Europe has scored more goals from corners than their 22. “Set-piece again, ole, ole, ole,” was the song ringing around the Emirates. The tally may have increased further. “We could've scored more and I'm very pleased with that,” said Arteta, as the visitors imploded against the dead-ball, in a crisis of in-game management and on-pitch leadership. The wicked deliveries from Declan Rice and Saka, hit with such precision, pace and consistency, gives Arsenal a clear edge over their opponents. Amorim and United were aware of Arsenal’s record from corners but were powerless to stop it. The Portuguese agreed that Arsenal’s corners were the best he had faced as a coach. “Every team have had problems with that,” he said. The threat was clear long before Jurrien Timber’s opening goal. After the breakthrough, every corner became a moment, as the Arsenal fans rose to cheer every run-up while United crumbled. It fed into a sense of inevitability. Even the delay as Rice or Saka walk to the corner flag gives Arsenal time to slow down and orchestrate their chosen routine, as the set-piece coach Jover emerges on the sideline and the excitement grows. Arteta spoke of the “connection” and “belief” in the stadium that makes defending corners even “more difficult for the opposition”. There was satisfaction, too, that they had managed to be so effective without their most imposing target in Gabriel Magalhaes. Amorim had warned the “storm” was coming. United, it turned out, couldn’t handle a rainy Wednesday night at the Emirates. “We have to improve, like in every area,” Amorim said. United appeared shaky and vulnerable to the inswinging deliveries, which was in complete contrast to how they were structured defensively in open play. The corners kept coming, too, reaching 13 by full-time, as Amorim highlighted why Saka and Gabriel Martinelli often opt to go around the outside of their full-back if the inside route is shut down. “They know that if the cross goes well, they can score, and if it is a corner they can score, too,” he suggested. It was noticeable that this was one of several statements regarding Arsenal’s record from corners that Arteta did not completely agree with post-match. Arsenal have become so efficient from set-pieces because the club needed to “maximise” all areas of their preparation and performance in order to challenge Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City for the title, but the Spaniard does not want other elements of his team to be overlooked. Arsenal have not suddenly turned into Stoke City under Tony Pulis - at the least, Arteta does not want any comparisons. “We want to be very dangerous and very effective from every angle and every phase of play,” he said. “Last year we scored the most goals in the history of this football club, not because of only set-pieces but because of a lot of things that we have. We want to create individual and magic moments, too." But against United, Arsenal’s goals from corners were those magic, game-changing moments. United had denied and frustrated Arsenal at first with their shape and work rate off the ball. The double full-backs of Noussair Mazraoui and Tyrell Malacia were initially effective against Saka and Martin Odegaard, who was blocked from getting into his usual zones of influence. Amorim was convinced it was working as he returned into the dressing room at half-time. “You could feel it in the stadium,” he said. “We managed to control moments.” The breakthrough, flicked in Timber, came down to the accuracy of Rice’s cross and hitting the perfect spot at the near-post. From a short run-up, he bypassed two United players in Bruno Fernandes and Hojlund, having just enough dip to find Timber’s run. Rice explained his approach. “It's more just seeing clips and I know the weight I need to put on the ball and it's just about repetition,” he said. “I put a few good balls in and could've had a couple of assists so it was nice to get one.” By then, the whole stadium sensed United’s vulnerability. Arsenal hit the bar from Rice’s cross from the right, with goalkeeper Andre Onana exposed again. Even when United made the first contract at the near post, Joshua Zirkzee came close to directing Rice’s delivery inside the far post. Mikel Merino headed wide, from another Saka cross that was hung up towards the back as United second guessed themselves. There was a great piece of reinvention for Arsenal’s second, too. In the first half, Saka’s crosses had been directed right under Onana’s crossbar, causing jittery flaps and punches, along with a blocked shot from Oleksandr Zinchenko and a glaring miss from Martinelli. Then, with United’s front-post defence prepared for the train of Arsenal shirts, Saka hung a beautiful booming ball towards the back. Thomas Partey nodded across for Saliba to tap in, as Hojlund grasped. Arsenal, by then, needed it. They had threatened in the first half, but only from their corners. But when Arsenal are frustrated, they now have a back-up plan. Arsenal are not a set-piece team, but their work in becoming the best in Europe certainly paid off as they maintained their momentum in the title race.Vance takes on a more visible transition role, working to boost Trump’s most contentious picks