2024’s top 10 climate disasters cost more than 200 billion dollars, charity says
Harry Potter creator and women’s rights activist J.K. Rowling has told her fans on social media that there is no such thing as a transgender kid and that no child is born in the “wrong body.” Rowling engaged series of messages on X on Saturday but after being accused of perpetrating a “hateful focus on trans kids,” the children’s books author seemed to insist that there is no such thing as a trans kid in the first place. “There are no trans kids. No child is ‘born in the wrong body,'” she wrote. “There are only adults like you, prepared to sacrifice the health of minors to bolster your belief in an ideology that will end up wreaking more harm than lobotomies and false memory syndrome combined.” In another post, Rowling blamed some of society’s problems on a type of cultural contamination where social media convinces children that they are transgender. When one X user said that parents are to blame for transgendering of kids, Rowling responded, saying, “Kids are watching TikTok videos of surgeons selling the idea that bodies can be modified like Lego. Schools affirm kids’ trans identities behind parents’ backs. A certain kids’ charity in the UK sent out breast binders to pubescent girls without parental consent.” “Many parents are struggling to protect kids from a Zeitgeist telling them that anxieties about puberty, sexuality and growing up can be fixed by lifelong reliance on Big Pharma and by doctors who make Frankenstein look ethical,” she added. Rowling went on to say that parents are facing strong headwinds as schools and the Internet continue to push transgenderism on kids outside the home. She also blasted the entire scheme of transgenderism for pushing a false nirvana. She noted that transgender medical intervention “causes infertility, the loss of the ability to orgasm and a lifetime’s reliance on powerful hormones your body wasn’t designed to cope with,” she wrote. Rowling has been a staunch voice in opposition to transgender “women” in sports and recently pointed out that men claiming to be transgender female athletes have stolen hundreds of medals and championships from female athletes. “Over 890 medals, across 29 sports, stolen from women by men,” the shocked British writer exclaimed in a post from October. Still, the famed author has taken much criticism from the far-left for her stance in favor of women’s rights. She has faced boycott threats and death threats from the left. But the opposition to her seems to be losing its power. Recently, HBO announced its continued partnership with Rowling as the studio prepares to launch yet another Harry Potter project despite efforts by woke leftists looking to force the studio to cut its ties to Rowling. Adding more credence to her position, the British national health system has announced a ban on puberty blockers and other transgender procedures for minors. Follow Warner Todd Huston on Facebook at: facebook.com/Warner.Todd.Huston , or Truth Social @WarnerToddHustonWarning: New Changes to US Visa Processing Could Delay Your Migration Plans—Act Now
Trump's nominee for attorney general a longtime allyTo the victor goes the spoils and House Speaker Sherman Packard, R-Londonderry, now has a comfortable, partisan advantage in all policy committees thanks to the voters who swelled Republican ranks by 20 seats last Nov. 5. For the past two years, Packard, 74, had to sweat it out over at the Legislative Office Building as 24 panels slogged through nearly 2,000 bills. The closest House majority in more than 150 years — starting out at 201-199 — compelled Packard in 2023 to equalize the membership on all committees but one in charge of the budget. As a result, hundreds of bills came onto the House floor “without recommendation,” because House Democrats and Republicans on committees were evenly divided and hopelessly deadlocked on key questions. Only cooperation with then-House Democratic Leader Matt Wilhelm allowed Packard to complete the agenda without all-night sessions; dozens of conflicted issues were simply dropped “on the table” and died with the close of each year. To keep the peace, Packard in 2023 had named four, more moderate House Democrats to serve as committee vice chairs. As it happened among that quartet, only Claremont Democratic Rep. John Cloutier was back; Manchester Rep. Jeff Goley retired, Manchester Rep. Ben Baroody lost his seat and Manchester Rep. Pat Long moved on to snag the Senate seat that Manchester Democrat Lou D’Allesandro was vacating. With a 221-177 split (with one Republican-turned-independent and one Democrat having moved and declining to take her seat), Packard has at least a two-vote majority on all 26 committees with a three-seat edge on the all-important House Finance Committee that crafts the two-year spending plan. Packard created one new panel on education and made permanent a special committee on housing. Only Republicans hold the top two posts on every committee. This change also meant new House Democratic Leader Alexis Simpson had fewer seats to fill. For the past two years, there were 10 Democrats on the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee; going forward there will be only seven. Simpson added to this panel newly-elected Rep. Buzz Scherr, D-Portsmouth, who for decades taught law at the University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law. As a stakeholder, Scherr helped write some of the state’s seminal legislation on this topic like in 2019 when lawmakers passed bail reform and repealed the state’s death penalty. Simpson removed from this panel Rep. Jonah Wheeler, D-Portsmouth, who on occasion opposed the party’s position on the House floor on controversial social policies. Wheeler got a seat on the House Environment and Agriculture Committee and his local colleague, 13-term Rep. Peter Leishman, also D-Peterborough, objected. “As far as I can tell, he’s the only one who wanted to stay and got bounced and people from both parties on that committee tell me he was an invaluable resource,” Leishman said. Simpson said in a statement she had a difficult job to do and did it fairly to maximize all the assets in her caucus. For his part, the only Republican chairman still in the House who is not returning to take back his or her committee gavel was five-term Rep. Len Turcotte, R-Barrington, who had run the House Municipal and County Government Committee. Turcotte opposed Packard’s bid for a third term last month and got more than 40% of the vote in a closed-door GOP caucus, according to sources. Turcotte was moved to a seat on the Legislative Administration Committee, a pretty sleepy outpost that in 2024 took up only two dozen bills with four that became law, three of them dealing with study committees and task forces. On Organization Day earlier this month, Rep. Kim Rice, R-Hudson, intended to oppose Packard but, at the last minute, she endorsed him. Rice got a seat on the House Children and Family Law Committee, a panel she had chaired until she decided in 2022 to take two years off. Packard split an overworked House Education Committee into two, one to deal with education funding bills, the other with policy and administration. To underscore its importance, Packard dispatched four House conservatives to serve on the education aid panel, all who serve on other committees including Rep. Jim Kofalt, R-Wilton, who recently took on a new “adviser” role with the speaker. The other three are all experienced House budget writers: Vice Chairman Dan McGuire, R-Epsom, former Vice Chair Keith Erf, R-Weare, and Rep. Dan Popovici-Muller, R-Windham. Simpson tapped six-term Rep. David Luneau, D-Hopkinton, to lead the loyal opposition on this committee. For many sessions, Luneau has played a part in education aid rewrites along with Education Funding Chairman Rick Ladd, R-Haverhill. In the 2024 campaign, Packard vowed if reelected that he would lean more into ensuing the adoption of the GOP conservative agenda from parental rights and more bail reform to further tax cuts and lean budgeting. In that vein, Packard has promoted 16 House GOP conservative members as new vice chairs of committees. There’s little doubt all will get marching orders to serve as the speaker’s eyes and ears on the policy front. These include Reps. John Potucek, R-Derry, on House Commerce, Jordan Ulery, R-Hudson, on House Ways and Means, Kristin Noble, R-Bedford, on Education Policy, Barbara Comtois, R-Barnstead, on Environment and Agriculture, Dennis Mannion, R-Salem, on House Judiciary, Lino Avellani, R-Wakefield, on House Labor and Lisa Mazur, R-Goffstown, on House Health and Human Services.
Citius Oncology, Inc. Reports Fiscal Full Year 2024 Financial Results and Provides Business Update
President José Raúl Mulino of Panama brushed off U.S. President-elect Donald Trump ’s baseless claim that Chinese soldiers are “operating the Panama Canal, ” calling it “nonsense.” In a Christmas Day message on Truth Social , Trump sarcastically wished a merry Christmas to “the wonderful soldiers of China, who are lovingly, but illegally, operating the Panama Canal” and “making certain that the United States puts in Billions of Dollars in ‘repair’ money, but will have absolutely nothing to say about anything.” He then claimed the Panamanian government is “ripping off” the United States at the Panama Canal. But Mulino put a stop to the accusation in a press conference on Thursday, saying there is no truth to the claim Chinese soldiers are operating the canal. “There are no Chinese soldiers in the canal. For the love of God, you are free, the whole world is free, to visit the canal if you please,” Mulinto said in a translated speech. “What [Trump] has said on this issue is nonsense, it does not exist,” he added. Trump last weekend threatened twice to take over the canal in a post on Truth Social and at a conference of the conservative Turning Point USA in Phoenix, where he told the crowd he is prepared to take control because he’s angry about “exorbitant’ use fees . Mulina said after those threats: “The sovereignty and independence of our country are not negotiable .” The president-elect’s attack on the canal is the latest in his series of complaints about other countries and their relationship with America. Trump has attacked Mexico and Canada for what he believes are unfair trade practices and harmful border policies. He has mocked Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and said he’d make Canada the 51st state. He has also lambasted the European Union for selling more products to the U.S. than buying from the nation. But in his latest, more threatening claims, Trump suggested the U.S. should not only take over the canal but Greenland, a territory of Denmark, as well. Trump floated the idea of buying Denmark – a country not for sale – during his first administration. In a Truth Social post last Sunday he insisted that American “ownership and control” of Greenland is an “absolute necessity” for world “security” and “freedom.” As for the Panama Canal, Mulino denied U.S. vessels are being overcharged to use the waterway and emphasized that China plays no role in the canal. A Hong Kong-based firm manages two ports at the Panama Canal’s entrances, but Panama owns and operates the entire canal. “Look, there are no Chinese on the canal. As simple as that. Neither the Chinese nor any other power are in the channel,” Mulino said. Any Chinese on the canal are aboard a cruise ship or visiting the canal like other tourists, he noted “I reiterate, there is absolutely no Chinese interference or participation in anything that has to do with the Panama Canal,” Mulino said.Unlike scores of people who scrambled for the blockbuster drugs Ozempic and Wegovy to lose weight in recent years, Danielle Griffin had no trouble getting them. The 38-year-old information technology worker from New Mexico had a prescription. Her pharmacy had the drugs in stock. And her health insurance covered all but $25 to $50 of the monthly cost. For Griffin, the hardest part of using the new drugs wasn’t access. It was finding out that the much-hyped medications didn’t really work for her. “I have been on Wegovy for a year and a half and have only lost 13 pounds,” said Griffin, who watches her diet, drinks plenty of water and exercises regularly. “I’ve done everything right with no success. It’s discouraging.” In clinical trials, most participants taking Wegovy or Mounjaro to treat obesity lost an average of 15% to 22% of their body weight — up to 50 pounds or more in many cases. But roughly 10% to 15% of patients in those trials were “nonresponders” who lost less than 5% of their body weight. Now that millions of people have used the drugs, several obesity experts told The Associated Press that perhaps 20% of patients — as many as 1 in 5 — may not respond well to the medications. It's a little-known consequence of the obesity drug boom, according to doctors who caution eager patients not to expect one-size-fits-all results. “It's all about explaining that different people have different responses,” said Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford, an obesity expert at Massachusetts General Hospital The drugs are known as GLP-1 receptor agonists because they mimic a hormone in the body known as glucagon-like peptide 1. Genetics, hormones and variability in how the brain regulates energy can all influence weight — and a person's response to the drugs, Stanford said. Medical conditions such as sleep apnea can prevent weight loss, as can certain common medications, such as antidepressants, steroids and contraceptives. “This is a disease that stems from the brain,” said Stanford. “The dysfunction may not be the same” from patient to patient. Despite such cautions, patients are often upset when they start getting the weekly injections but the numbers on the scale barely budge. “It can be devastating,” said Dr. Katherine Saunders, an obesity expert at Weill Cornell Medicine and co-founder of the obesity treatment company FlyteHealth. “With such high expectations, there’s so much room for disappointment.” That was the case for Griffin, who has battled obesity since childhood and hoped to shed 70 pounds using Wegovy. The drug helped reduce her appetite and lowered her risk of diabetes, but she saw little change in weight. “It’s an emotional roller coaster,” she said. “You want it to work like it does for everybody else.” The medications are typically prescribed along with eating behavior and lifestyle changes. It’s usually clear within weeks whether someone will respond to the drugs, said Dr. Jody Dushay, an endocrine specialist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Weight loss typically begins right away and continues as the dosage increases. For some patients, that just doesn't happen. For others, side effects such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea force them to halt the medications, Dushay said. In such situations, patients who were counting on the new drugs to pare pounds may think they’re out of options. “I tell them: It's not game over,” Dushay said. Trying a different version of the new class of drugs may help. Griffin, who didn't respond well to Wegovy, has started using Zepbound, which targets an additional hormone pathway in the body. After three months of using the drug, she has lost 7 pounds. “I'm hoping it's slow and steady,” she said. Other people respond well to older drugs, the experts said. Changing diet, exercise, sleep and stress habits can also have profound effects. Figuring out what works typically requires a doctor trained to treat obesity, Saunders noted. “Obesity is such a complex disease that really needs to be treated very comprehensively,” she said. “If what we’re prescribing doesn’t work, we always have a backup plan.” The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
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The fashion industry has taken an absolute battering this year. Its bruised exterior has been repeatedly struck by bad luck, with iconic and much-loved brands collapsing at our feet. And all we can do is watch as brands, designers and businesses continue getting smashed. Which begs the question: What‘s going on with Australian fashion? What happened in 2024? It started with talks of Dion Lee collapsing. The brand that was traipsing the runways in New York Fashion Week and a favourite among celebrities like Taylor Swift, Kylie Minogue, Dua Lipa and Troye Sivan was on top of the world. Then the cracks underneath, hidden by the facade of structured pastel corsets, leather straps and fleshy mesh cut-outs started to show, the brand stumbling from its rising star status, ultimately losing its financial backing and failing to garner any interest from potential buyers. In May this year, Dion Lee appointed administrators after rumours of Cue Clothing – which took a controlling stake in the company in 2011 – pulling its financial backing began to circulate. Next came the collapse of Mosaic Brands, which houses brands like Autograph, Noni B, Katies, Millers and Rivers; iconic names Australians recognise as they walk through the shopping centre or their local shopping strip. Then things took an unexpected turn when IMG announced it was departing ways with Australian Fashion Week, leaving the fate of the much-loved and highly-anticipated event hanging on by a thread. An industry hanging on by a thread It’s little wonder why designers like Melbourne-based Jason Grech, who founded his couture label in 2003, say the industry is “on its knees”. “It’s changed dramatically,” he told NewsWire, explaining his target audience, which was once ages 16-25, has significantly shifted to women over the age of 40. This change was partly driven by an increasing number of people hiring dresses for special occasions, rather than buying them. While touted as a more sustainable and wallet-friendly option for shoppers, it has impacted designers’ sales, too. “They tend to hire one piece, wear it, post it on their social media and then move on,” he said. Social media and the rise of micro-trends Fashion trends don’t just appear out of thin air; if you’ve seen The Devil Wears Prada, you know exactly where this is going. The fashion trend cycle comes in five stages: introduction, rise, peak, decline and obsolescence. It once took 20 years for a cycle to fully take its form. Now, fashion trends have shapeshifted, transforming into “micro-trends” that can last for weeks at a time. A micro-trend – such as cottagecore, mermaidcore or the mob wife aesthetic – will emerge on social media and quickly get picked up by fast fashion companies, who churn out designs faster than you can say “Do you have my size?” It’s a trend Mr Grech has seen in spades. “People have moved to fast fashion rather than purchasing investment pieces,” he said. Fast fashion brands like Shein and cheap e-commerce retailers like Temu are leading the pack, and its impact was so major, it impacted “every aspect of shopping behaviour”. A change in spending Another major contributor to this unstable ground is a shift in people’s spending. Amid the cost-of-living crisis, spending less money on luxury and investment pieces and putting it towards the essentials comes naturally. “One of the biggest challenges (in the fashion industry) over the last 12 months is the decline in spending in mid-to-high and premium brands,” said Nathan Yun, co-founder of apparel start-up Paire. Instead, they put their money towards cheaper alternatives on sites like Shein, H&M and Temu, which will offer dupes of the original for a fraction of the pierce (and the quality, most of the time). It’s not just shoppers with less cash to splash; it’s also impacting the supply chain. Naturally, if the supply chain costs increase, customers are also going to feel the pinch. “Since last year, things have been becoming more expensive,” said co-founder Rex Zhang. “The operational costs have increased for most of these brands. That’s another reason why these brands ... struggle.” Can local fashion recover? The industry may be battered and bruised from a barrage of brutal blows, but that doesn’t mean all hope is lost. Sure, things may look bleak from the outside, but influential names in Australian fashion can see a bright future for the industry. In Jason Grech’s case, he saw an increase in customers over the age of 40 – who have more disposable income and are more likely to purchase investment pieces – and ran with it. “To survive, you have to change with the market,” he told NewsWire. “It’s been a really exciting change, we’re loving it. What we’re giving is a new customer – one we didn’t think much of (in the past) – and giving them a new experience, which has been really rewarding.” It’s also the perfect opportunity to innovate and shake everything up. For businesses, the co-founders of Paire advise retailers to ramp up their innovation. “You need to be creative, not only your product, but the way you develop the product and manufacture it,” said Mr Zhang. Mr Grech encourages brands to improve the in-store shopping experience, giving customers a valuable and enjoyable time as they choose a garment. Above all, there is no better time for shoppers to buy locally designed, crafted and produced items. “What (customers) have to do is buy Australian made,” Mr Grech told NewsWire, encouraging shoppers to purchase “two or three investment pieces per year” that will last a lifetime. “I’m hopeful,” he added. “I just hope that people consider purchasing something that is Australian.”Sale Runs Through February 28, 2025 FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. , Dec. 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Princess Cruises, the most iconic cruise brand in the world, today unveiled its Come Aboard Sale, offering fantastic savings on cruises across the globe. Now is the perfect time to plan a dream vacation with up to 40% off cruise fares, free room upgrades, $99 deposits, and free sailings for 3rd and 4th guests in the same stateroom. The Come Aboard Sale runs through February 28, 2025 , and promises something for everyone, with incredible perks on select 2025, 2026 and 2027 cruises, including*: Up to 40% off cruise fares on 17 ships, including the cruise line's newest Sun Princess and soon-to-be-launched Star Princess, ready to sail to 330 wanderlust destinations, across all seven continents. Complimentary room upgrade offers between like-to-like staterooms. So, as an example, if booking the fare for a lower category of a mini suite, the offer will upgrade the location of the stateroom for free, based on availability. Third and fourth guests sail free when booked in the same stateroom as the first and second guest, so if a family of four is booking one stateroom, the kids sail free! Low, refundable deposits of $99 make it easy to reserve a dream vacation. "No matter what you love, you'll find it on a Princess cruise - from our award-winning cuisine, awe-inspiring adventures in port and entertainment that wows, to our friendly crew who make you feel at home and always welcome," said Terry Thornton , Princess Cruises Chief Commercial Officer. "Princess provides a timeless cruise experience, and our 'Come Aboard Sale' makes is easier than ever to book a dream vacation on 'The Love Boat.'" Whether exploring the wilds of Alaska , the fairytale villages of Europe , the beckoning beaches of the Caribbean , and many more destinations, options abound for every preference. Example Come Aboard Sale fares include: July 8, 2025 : 12-Day British Isles on Regal Princess, starting at $1,749 May 17, 2025: 7-Day Voyage of the Glaciers with Glacier Bay on Caribbean Princess, starting at $799 June 7, 2025 : 7-Day Mediterranean with France & Italy on Sun Princess, starting at $1,149 August 1, 2025 : 18-Day Greenland & Canada on Island Princess, starting at $1,999 November 8, 2025 : 7-Day Mexican Riviera on Royal Princess, starting at $649 November 16, 2025: 7-Day Southern Caribbean with Barbados on Grand Princess, starting at $699 Save $1,400 or more when booking a Sanctuary Collection Suite, Mini-Suite or Balcony on the all-new Sun Princess and the soon-to-debut Star Princess, now through Feb. 28, 2025 . The promotion is applicable to more than 250 cruises in 2025 and 2026 with itineraries in Alaska , California Coast, Caribbean , Europe , Panama Canal, and Transatlantic voyages. Plus, guests can book with confidence knowing the Better than Best Price Guarantee has been extended through December 15, 2025 . If guests find a better cruise fare on Princess.com for the same Princess cruise, stateroom category, and sail date at any time before their final payment, Princess will provide 120% of the difference in the form of an onboard credit. Princess also features the line's exclusive MedallionClass technology offering personalized, premium service, reinforcing Princess Cruises' reputation for delivering exceptional vacations. The Come Aboard Sale runs now through 11:59 pm PT on February 28, 2025 , and is available to residents of all 50 United States, Canada , Puerto Rico , Mexico , Bermuda and the District of Columbia . More details and exclusions can be found at https://www.princess.com/en-us/cruise-deals-promotions/limited-time-offer . Additional information about Princess Cruises is available through a professional travel advisor, by calling 1-800-Princess (1-800-774-6237) or by visiting www.princess.com . About Princess Cruises Princess Cruises is The Love Boat, the world's most iconic cruise brand that delivers dream vacations to millions of guests every year in the most sought-after destinations on the largest ships that offer elite service personalization and simplicity customary of small, yacht-class ships. Well-appointed staterooms, world class dining, grand performances, award-winning casinos and entertainment, luxurious spas, imaginative experiences and boundless activities blend with exclusive Princess MedallionClass service to create meaningful connections and unforgettable moments in the most incredible settings in the world - the Caribbean , Alaska , Panama Canal, Mexican Riviera, Europe , South America , Australia / New Zealand , the South Pacific, Hawaii , Asia , Canada /New England, Antarctica, and World Cruises. Sun Princess, the brand's new, next-level Love Boat named Condé Nast Traveler's Mega Ship of the Year, introduces the groundbreaking Sphere Class platform and will be joined by sister ship, Star Princess, in Fall 2025. The company is part of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE:CCL; NYSE: CUK ). *Come Aboard Sale Limited Time Offer Disclaimer GENERAL TERMS APPLICABLE TO ALL OFFERS IN THIS ADVERTISEMENT("Offer(s)"): Offers only available to legal residents of North America . Offers only available for new bookings, on select cruises, on a limited availability, are capacity controlled (regardless of stateroom availability), and may not be combined with other offers or promotions (aside from those listed herein). Other exclusions may apply; void where prohibited. Changes or refunds may not be permitted. Offers and their parts (if any) are not transferable, not substitutable, and not redeemable for cash. Princess Cruise Lines , Ltd. ("PCL") is not responsible or liable for any errors, including printing or other errors. PCL may change or revoke Offers at any time. A deposit is required for all stateroom guests. All values quoted in USD. Offers valid on bookings made 12/16/24 - 2/28/25 . Please refer to princess.com for terms, conditions, and details that apply to all bookings. Fares are per guest and apply to minimum lead-in categories on a space available basis at time of booking. Fares for other categories may vary. Fares are non-air, cruise- or cruisetour-only, based on double occupancy and apply to the first two guests in a stateroom only. These fares do not apply to singles or third/fourth-berth guests. All cruise fares are inclusive of government-imposed taxes and fees. Government-imposed taxes and fees include but are not limited to any and all fees, tolls and taxes imposed by a governmental authority such as wharfage, head taxes, dockage, Panama canal tolls, US Customs fees, immigration and naturalization fees, government inspection fees, hotel or VAT taxes as part of a land tour, air taxes, and similar government-imposed taxes and fees for the performance of the cruise. Government-imposed taxes and fees are subject to change and PCL reserves the right to collect any increases in effect at the time of sailing even if the fare has already been paid in full. Up to 40% off fares Offer - Discount based off applicable Launch Fare, which fare excludes government-imposed taxes, fees and expenses. Offer available on a space-available basis at time of booking, on select categories and sailings. Discount applies to cruise standard fare element only and is based on destination and stateroom category and does not apply to Princess Plus or Premier packages, or any cruise tour and/or land tour elements, even when included in the cruise fare. Discount only applies to first two guests in a stateroom. Free Room Upgrade Offer applies to booking the stateroom location you wish to sail in for the price of the lowest non-guarantee category within that stateroom type during this Offer only and is subject to availability. Offer is based on availability in like-to-like stateroom types (Interior to Interior, Oceanview to Oceanview, Balcony to Balcony, Mini-Suite to Mini-Suite). Offer excludes upgrades on select categories, including but not limited to Sancturary Collection, premium categories and suites. Offer does not apply to land portion of a cruisetour. In order to take advantage of the upgrade, guest must select and book the upgraded room type during checkout, but cannot select the highest cabin category for such stateroom type as a part of the upgrade. Guests that book a lower room type in a stateroom category may not be upgraded, even if there is availability for the upgrade. Guests that book the highest cabin classification of stateroom category will be charged the full category fare and will NOT receive the lowest fare for such category. Guests will only see (and pay for) the lowest fare within the selected room type and will not see any discounted amount at checkout. If you are unable to book an eligible upgraded room type, the upgrade is not available on such room for that category or cruise. Free 3rd & 4th guest offer applies to cruise fare only for recipient and guests covered by the complimentary offer (if any) and excludes Government Taxes & Fees, and the Required Cruise Fees & Expenses. Also excludes required deposit (if any) and other cruise-related expenses and travel expenses. Actual amounts owed by recipient and applicable guests may vary and shall be calculated at the time of booking. First or Second guest in stateroom will be responsible for their cruise rates as well as the free guest's out of pocket charges and expenses. Offer only applies: (i) to Offer recipient and guests covered by the complimentary cruise Offer (if any) and (ii) to the third or fourth guests booked in the same stateroom as the first and second guests. Approximate value of free sailing for 3rd and 4th guests varies from $99 to $6,759 USD per person. There is no guarantee of Free Offer availability at time of booking. Offer is available on select voyages and guest will know if their selected voyage is available for free 3rd/4th guests if, when selecting to travel with 3rd or 4th guests, whether the fare summary page lists $0 or whether it lists an actual cruise fare amount for such guests. $99 Deposits applies to full, standard deposits only and shall not further reduce already reduced or discounted deposits. Offer not available on World Cruises, Full suites, Sanctuary Collection categories, cruises 45 days or longer, and cruises in which final payment is required. Voyages eligible for select Instant Savings offers require a non-refundable $99 deposit. Princess Cruise Lines LTD's ("PCL") Better Than Best Price Guarantee (the "Guarantee") is only available to legal residents of the 50 US/DC or Canada . If a guest books a cruise between December 16, 2024 and December 15, 2025 for any 2025, 2026, or 2027 cruise departure (the "Original Booking") and such guest finds an active, publicly available (as explained below), and lower Cruise Fare for the identical verified booking on the Princess Cruises' website (Princess.com) prior to the final payment of the cruise (the "Located Cruise Fare"), they can submit a Guarantee claim form and PCL will give the guest an On Board Credit with a value of 120% of the difference between what the guest actually paid for the Original Booking and the Located Cruise Fare. The Located Cruise Fare must be a publicly and currently available Cruise Fare, available on Princess.com, and consist of the identical details as the Original Booking (including but not limited to, on the same ship as the Original Booking, the same sail dates, the same stateroom category, the same number of guests, same bundle (Princess Plus or Princess Premier Package) and be booked under the same conditions) to be eligible. 'Publicly available' means that the Cruise Fare must be available to all guests, without any additional eligibility or required qualifications to qualify; 'publicly available' does not include unpublished, negotiated Cruise Fares with corporations, travel agencies, groups, associations, or other Cruise Fares that are specifically agreed upon by PCL and for a specified and limited group. PCL will only consider/compare the Cruise Fare from the Original Booking against the Cruise Fare from the Located Cruise Fare; no credits or other incentives will be considered. Determination as to whether the Located Cruise Fare is identical to the Original Booking will be in PCL's sole discretion. Located Cruise Fare must be in the same currency that Original Cruise Fare was booked (USD or CAD) and must be live/available for purchase for US/Canadian residents. To submit a Guarantee claim, Guest must fill out a claim form with all required information, including providing screenshot proof of qualifying lower Located Cruise Fare. The form must be submitted prior to the final payment date of the Original Booking's time/date of booking to be considered. Cruise fares on websites that require a password or paid membership to complete the booking, except Princess.com, are also ineligible. Guarantee claim will be denied if PCL is unable to independently verify the Located Cruise Fare and may be rejected if it is incomplete or is submitted in a language not used on Princess.com. PCL may deny claims relating to a time during which there is an outage, technical issue or circumstance beyond PCL's reasonable control. If PCL verifies the guest's Guarantee claim, and PCL awards the guest an OBC, PCL will apply the OBC to the guest's onboard folio. OBC must be used on the Original Cruise, expires at the end of such cruise, and may not be used in the casino . Limit: One (1) Guarantee submission per booking and one (1) OBC per person/booking/stateroom for the Original Booking; such OBC's value cannot exceed $2,000 . OBC will be awarded in the same currency as the currency onboard such cruise. OBC is non-refundable, non-transferable, and has no cash value. All decisions and factors regarding this Guarantee and any claim will be determined by PCL in its sole discretion. PCL reserves discretion for applying this Guarantee and awarding a make good, if any, to a guest. PCL is not responsible for any errors in connection with this Guarantee, including any typos or printing or technology errors. PCL may modify, end, or withdraw this Guarantee or any of its terms for any reason, with or without prior notice. Other restrictions and exclusions may apply. Ships of Bermudan and British Registry. Offer expires: Friday, February 28, 2025 ( 11:59 pm PST ) SOURCE Princess CruisesDeputy Minister Of Communications Visits BEST Inc Malaysia U10 KULHUB And Shah Alam Supply Chain Warehouse Media Outreach Newswire APAC
Tan Vu Port, a key cargo handling unit under Hai Phong Port Joint Stock Company, celebrated handling its one-millionth TEU in 2024 on December 26. This achievement marks the fourth consecutive year the port has reached this significant milestone. Nguyen Tuong Anh, General Director of Hai Phong Port Joint Stock Company, stated that the port is continuing to invest in critical infrastructure projects for 2025 to meet customer expectations and maintain growth momentum. Key investment projects include deepening the channel to -8.5 metres and expanding the turning basin to 300 metres, enabling the port to accommodate larger vessels. Additionally, two modern STS cranes will be installed at both Tan Vu Port and Dinh Vu Port. In 2025, Hai Phong Port aims to maintain its trajectory and achieve five consecutive years of handling over one million TEUs at Tan Vu Port. According to Nguyen Tuong Anh, 2024 has been a year of significant achievements for Hai Phong Port in terms of business performance. The total cargo throughput at the port reached a stable growth rate, with approximately 40 million tonnes of goods handled, including nearly two million TEUs of container cargo. The company has also achieved a revenue of 2.9 trillion VND (113.9 million USD). Hai Phong Port has retained its position as the largest seaport in northern Vietnam. In particular, Tan Vu Port remains a leading container port in the Hai Phong region, symbolising modernisation and international integration. In addition to operational and business successes, 2024 also marked a major milestone with the establishment of two strategic joint ventures, set to become operational in Q1 2025. Specifically, Hai Phong Port has partnered with SITC, a leading Asian shipping company, and TIL, part of MSC Group, the world’s largest container shipping company. These joint ventures are expected to enhance operational efficiency, attract larger volumes of cargo and further integrate Hai Phong Port into global supply chains. Source: VNA
Bihar Police have lodged an FIR against Prashant Kishor, founder of the Jan Suraaj Party, and 20 others for allegedly inciting protests by Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) aspirants demanding a re-examination of the preliminary test conducted on December 13. The protest, centered at Gandhi Maidan, saw thousands of aspirants taking to the streets despite the district administration rejecting Jan Suraaj’s request to hold a “Chattra Sansad” (Student Parliament) at the venue. According to officials, the gathering led to a law-and-order situation, with clashes breaking out between protestors and police, who resorted to using water cannons and lathicharge to disperse the crowd. The FIR names Manoj Bharti, state president of Jan Suraaj, and other party members, including Rahmanshu Mishra, coaching institute operators Nikhil Mani Tiwari and Subhash Kumar Thakur, and over 600 unidentified individuals. Kishor’s bouncers, Anand Mishra and Rakesh Kumar Mishra, are also among the accused. Patna District Magistrate Dr. Chandrashekhar Singh confirmed the development, stating that lawful action would be taken against those involved. He said, “The party ignored the administration's denial and went ahead with the gathering, leading to disruptions across the city.” Kishor, addressing the protesters earlier, criticized Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for neglecting youth grievances and alleged corruption in Bihar’s examination processes. He vowed support for the aspirants until their demands for the exam’s cancellation were met. The protests continue to gain support from various political leaders and activists, amplifying the pressure on the state government to address the students’ concerns.
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