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MALAGA, Spain (AP) — The last man to face — and beat — Rafael Nadal in professional tennis, 80th-ranked Botic van de Zandschulp , converted his 10th match point Friday to finally close out a 6-4, 6-7 (12), 6-3 victory over Daniel Altmaier and help the Netherlands reach its first Davis Cup final by sweeping Germany. Tallon Griekspoor, who is ranked 40th, sealed the 2-0 win for the Dutch in the best-of-three-match semifinal by hitting 25 aces and coming back to defeat Jan-Lennard Struff 6-7 (4), 7-5, 6-4. When it ended, appropriately, on an ace, Griekspoor shut his eyes, dropped to his knees and spread his arms wide. “We have been talking about this for two, three years,” Griekspoor said. “We believed in ourselves so much. We always felt like this was possible. To do it now feels unbelievable.” The other semifinal is Saturday, with No. 1-ranked Jannik Sinner and defending champion Italy taking on Australia . The championship will be decided Sunday. “We don’t have that top 5 player. We don’t that top 10 player. We don’t have that top 15 player,” Dutch captain Paul Harhuuis said. “But it’s a team effort. ... So proud of these guys.” In Friday's opener, van de Zandschulp was up a set and just a point away from leading 5-2 in the second when Altmaier began playing more aggressively and interacting more with the German fans, yelling and throwing uppercuts or raising his arms after key points. In the tiebreaker, Altmaier managed to save five match points before converting his own fourth set point to extend the contest. But van de Zandschulp — who upset four-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz at the U.S. Open — quickly moved out front in the final set, even if he eventually needed five more match points in the last game before serving it out. “At some point, I didn’t know what to do any more on the match points,” van de Zandschulp said. “I had the toughest match of my life on Tuesday (against Nadal), so everything that comes next is maybe a little bit easier.” In the quarterfinals, van de Zandschulp outplayed Nadal for a 6-4, 6-4 result that marked the end of the 22-time Grand Slam champion’s career because the Netherlands went on to eliminate Spain 2-1. The 38-year-old Nadal announced last month that the Davis Cup would be his final event before retiring. Presumably because people purchased tickets ahead of time with plans to watch Nadal compete in the semifinals, there were hundreds of unoccupied blue or gray seats surrounding the indoor hard court at the Palacio de Deportes Jose Maria Martina Carpena in southern Spain on Friday. Now truly a neutral site, the place was not nearly as loud and rowdy as on Tuesday, although there were shouts of “Vamos, Rafa!” that drew laughter while van de Zandschulp played the 88th-ranked Altmaier. It took Griekspoor more than 75 minutes and nearly two full sets to figure out how to break No. 43 Struff and then did it twice in a row — to lead 6-5 in the second set, and then go up 1-0 in the third. That was plenty, because Griekspoor saved the only two break points he faced. The Netherlands hadn’t been to the semifinals since 2001. The Germans — whose best current player, two-time major finalist Alexander Zverev, is not on the team in Malaga — have won three Davis Cups, but not since 1993, when 1991 Wimbledon champion Michael Stich led them to the title. AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
Azerbaijaniparliament's initiative group on the return to Western Azerbaijanhas released a statement on Armenian Prime Minister NikolPashinyan's attempt to draw a parallel between the issue of WesternAzerbaijan (historical Azerbaijani lands in modern Armenia) and thefictional concept of 'Western Armenia', reports. "Pashinyan's attempts to draw a parallel between the issue ofWestern Azerbaijan and the fabricated concept of 'Western Armenia'are unacceptable. The issue of Western Azerbaijan is a human rights matter aimedat ensuring the peaceful, safe, and dignified return ofAzerbaijanis, who were subjected to ethnic cleansing, to Armenia.On the other hand, the expression 'Western Armenia' is aterritorial claim reflected in the Constitution and otherfundamental documents, as well as in the political steps taken byArmenia. At the very least, the prime minister has publicly questionedthe concept of 'Western Armenia' and made statements about 'movingfrom mythical to real Armenia,' which are essentially steps thatshould have been taken long ago. However, this should not come atthe expense of the rights of Western Azerbaijanis, who were victimsof ethnic cleansing, to return peacefully to their homes. The comparison of our legitimate cause, which is based on humanrights, with a territorial claim is unacceptable. Let us remindonce again that the Western Azerbaijan Community, through repeatedappeals to the Armenian government, has suggested starting adialogue with full adherence to the norms and principles ofinternational law related to the return of Western Azerbaijanis,including respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty ofstates. However, Armenia has ignored these calls, deliberatelydistorting the activities of the community as a threat to itsterritorial integrity. Instead of making such misguided comparisons, Pashinyan shouldrespond to the community's calls for dialogue, ensure the safe anddignified return of Western Azerbaijanis, work toward the immediateand unconditional removal of territorial claims against Azerbaijanand other neighboring states from Armenia's Constitution and otherdocuments, and put an end to the dangerous policy ofmilitarization," the statement said.
Maharashtra polls: Independents finish second in 19 constituenciesThe Defence Secretary has said that “proscription is not a matter for now” in relation to the UK’s ban on the group that has taken power in Syria. John Healey said that the Government’s “interest” in Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), is “that they live up to their promises to protect” rights, when he spoke to reporters after a Cobra meeting on Thursday. HTS is banned in the UK because of its past association with al Qaida, the terrorist organisation once led by Osama bin Laden. But its leader, Abu Mohammed al-Golani, cut ties with al Qaida years ago and has sought to present his group as a more moderate and inclusive organisation, leading some to suggest the group should no longer be proscribed. When asked whether the Government was considering the status of the group, Mr Healey said: “Proscription is not a matter for now. “It doesn’t stop us talking to all the parties, and our interest in HTS is that they live up to their promises to protect the rights of all individuals and all groups, to respect international law and to prevent Syria becoming a base for a fresh terrorist threat.” Mr Healey said that Thursday’s meeting was “about making sure we have, as a Government, a laser focus on the role that we can play with allies to see a stable, peaceful transition. “So that the Syrians get the government they need for the future, and the region can see the stability in the future that it also needs.” Cobra meetings are called when ministers or officials need to respond to urgent matters. Following the toppling of the Bashar Assad regime over the weekend, the UK has paused decisions on asylum applications from Syria. Thousands of Syrians have been granted asylum in the UK but, earlier this week, the Home Office said decisions on applications would be paused while events unfold in Damascus. When asked how long the system would be paused for, and whether the move was fair, Mr Healey said on Thursday: “This is early days. “It’s a measure in response to rapidly changing developments, and the most important thing for us now is that the UK plays and will continue to play a full role with allies to see a stable, peaceful, orderly transition and that requires a political process. “It requires dialogue at the heart of it, and today’s ministerial meeting, the Cobra meeting, was about making sure that we do just that.” Earlier on Thursday, G7 leaders said that they “stand with the people of Syria” and “denounce terrorism and violent extremism in all its forms”. In a statement, Sir Keir Starmer and his counterparts said: “The G7 will work with and fully support a future Syrian government that abides by those standards and results from that process.” It went on: “After decades of atrocities committed by the Assad regime, we stand with the people of Syria. We denounce terrorism and violent extremism in all its forms. “We are hopeful that anyone seeking a role in governing Syria will demonstrate a commitment to the rights of all Syrians, prevent the collapse of state institutions, work on the recovery and rehabilitation of the country, and ensure the conditions for safe and dignified voluntary return to Syria of all those who were forced to flee the country.”FG to stop minerals testing abroad, unveil analysis lab
And manager Ruben Amorin has no problem with it. “For me, it’s a very, very good sign,” Amorin said after his team beat Viktoria Plzen to stay unbeaten in the Europa League. Hojlund scored two goals and hoped for a centering pass from Diallo to go for a hat trick in the final minutes. The Denmark striker didn't get the pass, though. Viktoria had been pushing forward looking for an equalizer, which created space for United counters. On another break shortly afterward, Hojlund opted to keep the ball. The pair then had a heated post-game exchange. “We need to feel something,” Amorin said. “If we need to fight each other, it's like a family. When you don't care, you don't do nothing. When you care — you fight with your brother, with your mother, your father.” AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccerApart from the landslide victory in the 2024 assembly polls, the big win in the Vidarbha region is the icing on the cake for Mahayuti comprising the BJP, Shinde Sena and the NCP (Ajit Pawar). The remarkable tally of 49 out of 62 seats in Vidarbha has surely given the alliance something more to cheer about. The BJP has bagged 38 seats, a good improvement from the 29 it won in the last elections. The results have come as a huge surprise for poll pundits of every hue as the Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which was expecting a clean sweep in Vidarbha, had to bite dust. Top leaders of the grand old party and Uddhav Sena have tumbled, while the NCP (SP) has been totally wiped out. At least in 35 of the 62 seats in this region, the BJP and the Congress were in one-on-one fights. Once again it has been proved that in direct contests the BJP gets the better of the Congress. However, the latter's state president and aspiring chief minister, Nana Patole, was saved from embarrassment in the Sakoli constituency and won by 208 votes against the BJP's Avinash Brahmankar. Among other stalwarts who lost badly are former state Congress chief Manikrao Thakre from the Digras seat in Yavatmal, who was defeated by Sanjy Rathod of Shinde Sena. In the Teosa constituency of the Amravati district, Yashomati Thakur, believed to be a core member of team Rahul Gandhi, also lost. In the final tally of Vidarbha, the BJP got 38 seats, Congress nine, Shinde Sena four, NCP (Ajit) six and Sena (UBT) four. MVA was on cloud nine as it had hoped to repeat its Lok Saha elections performance when it had won seven seats out of total 10 segments in Vidarbha, while Mahayuti was victorious in the remaining three. The BJP could win only two seats : Nagpur (Nitin Gadkari) and Akola (Anup Dhotre), while Shinde Sena's Pratapsinh Jadhav had bagged the Buldhana seat. In a surprising turn, the NCP (SP), which had secured one Lok Sabha seat (Wardha) from the region in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, failed to win any assembly segments since its inception in 1999. In the just-concluded polls, the NCP (SP) had fielded candidates in three constituencies within Nagpur district alone – Hingna, Nagpur East and Katol. The assault drama staged by former minister Anil Deshmukh to get sympathy for his son, Salil, proved to be a damp squib as the latter was defeated by BJP's Charansinh Thakur with a comfortable margin. The 2014 assembly elections were also notable for the fact that all four major parties contested independently, allowing each to fully test its strength. Back then, the BJP won 44 seats, which helped Devendra Fadnavis to head the BJP-Sena government and successfully complete a full term as the CM. However, in 2019, the BJP's tally dipped to 29 seats in Vidarbha, which weakened its bargaining power in the pre-poll alliance with the undivided Sena. The loss of 15 seats diminished the party's leverage, ultimately leading to the collapse of the alliance over disagreements regarding the CM's post. Historically, Vidarbha has been the Congress' bastion, which maintained a significant influence over the region for four decades till 1990. However, after that the BJP made deep inroads in the region and dominates its political landscape now. Following the debacle in these polls, the Congress has been completely wiped out from the Gondia, Bhandara, Amravati, Buldhana districts. Among the notable winners in this election is Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, who secured his sixth term by defeating his Congress rival, Praful Gudadhe-Patil, in Nagpur South-West, with a margin exceeding 30,000 votes. Similarly, state BJP Chief Chandrasekhar Bawankule successfully retained the Kamptee seat. He was denied a ticket in the 2019 elections when the BJP fielded rural leader Tekchand Savarkar, who drove to victory. In the Aheri constituency, NCP candidate Dharmababa Atram triumphed over his nearest rival, Bhagyashree Atram, who is his daughter and contested as an NCP (SP) nominee in a triangular contest. Former minister, Ambarish Atram, who was denied a ticket this time, ran as a rebel from the same constituency. Assembly Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar managed to retain his Brahmapuri seat by a narrow margin. RSS watcher Dilip Deodhar said that the cohesive BJP campaign – led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and very well-managed by Fadnavis – could exceed expectations because of the major role of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Not only the RSS cadres fanned out across the region for campaigns, but Sangh got a valid reason to polarise voters. The Hindu vote consolidation was done successfully, thanks to Islamic scholar Moulana Sajjad Nomani's direct call (fatwa) to defeat all Mahayuti candidates. The Ulema Council's ill-timed letter to the Congress leadership, raising 17 demands that the party accepted, also proved counter-productive. Rahul Gandhi's call for caste census was also seen as an attempt to divide people, while Modi's loud and clear call of “Ek hai toh safe hai” won the day for the BJP.
ATLANTA , Nov. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- adtechnacity , a leader in AI-driven advertising technology, today announced its inclusion in the Deloitte Technology Fast 500TM, a prestigious ranking of the 500 fastest-growing technology, media, telecommunications, life sciences, fintech, and energy tech companies in North America , now in its 30th year. adtechnacity secured the 74th spot on the list, achieving an extraordinary 1,829% revenue growth from 2020 to 2023. This growth positions adtechnacity as one of the fastest-growing companies in the advertising technology space and the leading software and services company in Atlanta . "Being recognized on Deloitte's Technology Fast 500 is a proud moment for everyone at adtechnacity," said Christopher Silva , CEO of adtechnacity. "Reaching the $100M revenue milestone as a bootstrapped company has been no small feat, and this recognition affirms the strength of our approach. From the beginning, our vision was to build a scalable customer acquisition channel that adapts to the unique needs of every advertiser and publisher. Today, our channel empowers best-in-class brands to achieve their revenue goals faster and more efficiently." Silva further emphasized the company's focus on customization and results. "By combining AI-driven creative production, targeting optimization, and exclusive supply-side partnerships, we've developed a model that delivers meaningful scale for leading consumer brands. Our commitment to delivering incremental value at scale, paired with a performance-based, no-risk model, ensures our clients can scale confidently while achieving efficiency, incrementality, and ROI—always rivaling or exceeding what they achieve with Google and Meta." Technology, data science, and engineering excellence are at the core of adtechnacity's solutions. The company's advanced ETL pipelines seamlessly integrate with over 50 supply partners—many of which are exclusive, incremental, and tailored to client needs. Coupled with AI-driven creative and precision targeting, adtechnacity has built a technology-enabled service model that unlocks meaningful scale and drives superior results for advertisers and publishers alike. Building on its success in verticals such as automotive, financial products, and e-commerce, adtechnacity is now expanding into new areas such as travel, mobile apps, and consumer SaaS, while broadening its international presence. "If you're a best-in-category brand looking for scaled performance and impactful results, we'd love to partner with you," Silva added. In 2024, adtechnacity also earned a spot at No. 218 on the Inc. 5000 list, highlighting America's fastest-growing private companies, as well as being named to Inc.'s Best Workplaces. About the 2024 Deloitte Technology Fast 500 Now in its 30 th year, the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 provides a ranking of the fastest-growing technology, media, telecommunications, life sciences, fintech, and energy tech companies — both public and private — in North America . Technology Fast 500 award winners are selected based on percentage fiscal year revenue growth from 2020 to 2023. In order to be eligible for Technology Fast 500 recognition, companies must own proprietary intellectual property or technology that is sold to customers in products that contribute to a majority of the company's operating revenues. About adtechnacity adtechnacity blends proprietary ad tech & AI, exclusive supply-side partnerships and best-in-class media-buying to redefine the growth and revenue trajectories for the most ambitious consumer brands in North America and Europe . Founded in 2016 and proudly headquartered in Atlanta, GA , adtechnacity has grown to become one of the nation's leading performance technology and digital advertising companies. For more information, visit www.adtechnacity.com . Media Contact: John Voigt [email protected] SOURCE adtechnacityArticle content The 2025 Toyota Tacoma midsize pickup truck lineup bowed mid-December, introducing an array of enhanced features across its twelve trims, and offering a choice between gasoline and hybrid powertrains. Starting prices range from $48,170 for the base SR5; to $84,589 for the hybrid-powered Trailhunter. The new fourth-generation Tacoma was launched last year. The Tacoma’s engine lineup includes a 2.4L turbocharged four-cylinder available with a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmission. Hybrid models utilize the i-Force Max system, good for 326 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque. Select hybrid trims offer a towing capacity of up to 5,950 pounds. 2025 Toyota Tacoma pricing *Note: Estimated Vehicle Price includes MSRP/freight and PDI/AC charge/maximum dealer fees/maximum other fees and charges, and excludes taxes, license, insurance and registration. The gasoline-powered lineup begins with the SR5 trim ($48,170), which includes features like an 8-inch touchscreen, heated front seats, and Blind Spot Monitor. The off-road-focused TRD Off Road ($51,850) adds Bilstein shocks, a locking rear differential, and multi-terrain controls. Sportier variants like the TRD Sport ($51,250) incorporate sport-tuned suspension and 18-inch alloy wheels. Enhanced trims such as the TRD Sport + ($55,649) add premium features like a JBL audio system, moon roof, and trailer brake controller. At the higher end, the TRD Sport Premium ($59,806) offers a 14-inch touchscreen with Drive Connect, dual-zone climate control, and ventilated seats. Models with a shorter 5-foot bed include the manual-transmission TRD Off Road 6MT ($49,749); and the upgraded TRD Sport + 6MT ($53,548). The range-topping gasoline trim, the TRD Off Road Premium, starts at $60,006. The hybrid i-Force Max powertrain appears in four high-performance trims. The Tacoma Hybrid i-Force Max Limited starts at $64,590 and features full-time four-wheel-drive, Softex upholstery, and advanced multimedia technology. The TRD Off Road Premium hybrid trim ($66,505) builds on off-road capability with features like Bilstein shocks, crawl control, and a multi-terrain monitor. The top-tier off-road trims include the TRD Pro ($78,674) and Trailhunter ($84,589). Both feature FOX shocks, skid plates, and recovery tools, with the Trailhunter offering additional rugged upgrades like ARB steel bumpers and onboard air compressors. All 2025 Tacoma models come equipped with the Toyota Multimedia system, which is now offered with Drive Connect on select trims. Safety features include Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, eight airbags, and a Blind Spot Monitor. The 2025 Toyota Tacoma and Tacoma Hybrid i-Force Max are now available at Toyota dealerships across Canada. Sign up for our newsletter Blind-Spot Monitor and follow our social channels on Instagram , Facebook and X to stay up to date on the latest automotive news, reviews, car culture, and vehicle shopping advice.By HILLEL ITALIE NEW YORK (AP) — Even through a year of nonstop news about elections, climate change, protests and the price of eggs, there was still time to read books. U.S. sales held steady according to Circana, which tracks around 85% of the print market, with many choosing the relief of romance, fantasy and romantasy. Some picked up Taylor Swift’s tie-in book to her blockbuster tour, while others sought out literary fiction, celebrity memoirs, political exposes and a close and painful look at a generation hooked on smartphones. Here are 10 notable books published in 2024, in no particular order. Asking about the year’s hottest reads would basically yield a list of the biggest hits in romantasy, the blend of fantasy and romance that has proved so irresistible fans were snapping up expensive “special editions” with decorative covers and sprayed edges. Of the 25 top sellers of 2024, as compiled by Circana, six were by romantasy favorite Sarah J. Maas, including “House of Flame and Shadow,” the third of her “Crescent City” series. Millions read her latest installment about Bryce Quinlan and Hunter Athalar and traced the ever-growing ties of “Maasverse,” the overlapping worlds of “Crescent City” and her other series, “Throne of Glass” and “A Court of Thorns and Roses.” If romantasy is for escape, other books demand we confront. In the bestselling “The Anxious Generation,” social psychologist Jonathan Haidt looks into studies finding that the mental health of young people began to deteriorate in the 2010s, after decades of progress. According to Haidt, the main culprit is right before us: digital screens that have drawn kids away from “play-based” to “phone-based” childhoods. Although some critics challenged his findings, “The Anxious Generation” became a talking point and a catchphrase. Admirers ranged from Oprah Winfrey to Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee, who in a letter to state legislators advocated such “commonsense recommendations” from the book as banning phones in schools and keeping kids off social media until age 16. Bob Woodward books have been an election tradition for decades. “War,” the latest of his highly sourced Washington insider accounts, made news with its allegations that Donald Trump had been in frequent contact with Russian leader Vladimir Putin even while out of office and, while president, had sent Putin sophisticated COVID-19 test machines. Among Woodward’s other scoops: Putin seriously considered using nuclear weapons against Ukraine, and President Joe Biden blamed former President Barack Obama, under whom he served as vice president, for some of the problems with Russia. “Barack never took Putin seriously,” Woodward quoted Biden as saying. Former (and future) first lady Melania Trump, who gives few interviews and rarely discusses her private life, unexpectedly announced she was publishing a memoir: “Melania.” The publisher was unlikely for a former first lady — not one of the major New York houses, but Skyhorse, where authors include such controversial public figures as Woody Allen and Trump cabinet nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. And its success was at least a minor surprise. Melania Trump did little publicity for the book, and offered few revelations beyond posting a video expressing support for abortion rights — a break from one of the cornerstones of GOP policy. But “Melania” still sold hundreds of thousands of copies, many in the days following her husband’s election. Taylor Swift was more than a music story in 2024. Like “Melania,” the news about Taylor Swift’s self-published tie-in to her global tour isn’t so much the book itself, but that it exists. And how well it sold. As she did with the “Eras” concert film, Swift bypassed the established industry and worked directly with a distributor: Target offered “The Eras Tour Book” exclusively. According to Circana, the “Eras” book sold more than 800,000 copies just in its opening week, an astonishing number for a publication unavailable through Amazon.com and other traditional retailers. No new book in 2024 had a better debut. Midnight book parties are supposed to be for “Harry Potter” and other fantasy series, but this fall, more than 100 stores stayed open late to welcome one of the year’s literary events: Sally Rooney’s “Intermezzo.” The Irish author’s fourth novel centers on two brothers, their grief over the death of their father, their very different career paths and their very unsettled love lives. “Intermezzo” was also a book about chess: “You have to read a lot of opening theory — that’s the beginning of a game, the first moves,” one of the brothers explains. “And you’re learning all this for what? Just to get an okay position in the middle game and try to play some decent chess. Which most of the time I can’t do anyway.” Lisa Marie Presley had been working on a memoir at the time of her death , in 2023, and daughter Riley Keough had agreed to help her complete it. “From Here to the Great Unknown” is Lisa Marie’s account of her father, Elvis Presley, and the sagas of of her adult life, notably her marriage to Michael Jackson and the death of son Benjamin Keough. To the end, she was haunted by the loss of Elvis, just 42 when he collapsed and died at his Graceland home while young Lisa Marie was asleep. “She would listen to his music alone, if she was drunk, and cry,” Keough, during an interview with Winfrey, said of her mother. Meanwhile, Cher released the first of two planned memoirs titled “Cher” — no further introduction required. Covering her life from birth to the end of the 1970s, she focuses on her ill-fated marriage to Sonny Bono, remembering him as a gifted entertainer and businessman who helped her believe in herself while turning out to be unfaithful, erratic, controlling and so greedy that he kept all the couple’s earnings for himself. Unsure of whether to leave or stay, she consulted a very famous divorcee, Lucille Ball, who reportedly encouraged her: “F— him, you’re the one with the talent.” A trend in recent years is to take famous novels from the past, and remove words or passages that might offend modern readers; an edition of “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” cuts the racist language from Mark Twain’s original text. In the most celebrated literary work of 2024, Percival Everett found a different way to take on Twain’s classic — write it from the perspective of the enslaved Jim. “James,” winner of the National Book Award, is a recasting in many ways. Everett suggests to us that the real Jim was nothing like the deferential figure known to millions of readers, but a savvy and learned man who concealed his intelligence from the whites around him, and even from Twain himself. Salman Rushdie’s first National Book Award nomination was for a memoir he wished he had no reason to write. In “Knife,” he recounts in full detail the horrifying attempt on his life in 2022, when an attendee rushed the stage during a literary event in western New York and stabbed him repeatedly, leaving with him a blinded eye and lasting nerve damage, but with a spirit surprisingly intact. “If you had told me that this was going to happen and how would I deal with it, I would not have been very optimistic about my chances,” he told The Associated Press last spring. “I’m still myself, you know, and I don’t feel other than myself. But there’s a little iron in the soul, I think.”
Narita International Airport now has a zero tolerance policy for abusive passengers. Other businesses are also reporting a rise in threats to employees. Is famously polite Japan becoming less tolerant? Tired of the angry outbursts, shouted threats and even incidents of violence, the operator of Narita International Airport has become the first in Japan to implement a zero-tolerance policy against harassment of its staff. The airport is not alone in acting to protect its employees, with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government passing a local ordinance on October 4 designed to protect people working in the service sector from abuse, threats and unreasonable demands as such cases become more commonplace. The management of Narita Airport, which serves Tokyo, said it had been obliged to act due to an increase in confrontations between passengers and staff. The new policy defines harassment as any act that "harms the working environment of airport staff physically or psychologically" and includes insulting employees, yelling, verbal abuse, discrimination and defamation. Staff shocked at incidents A new ground handler at another major Japanese airport was taken aback by how often travellers lose their temper. "It happened to me again last week," said the woman, who declined to be identified as she did not have the permission of her employer to speak publicly. "A passenger's suitcase was over the weight limit and he became enraged that we would not allow him to check it in." "He was shouting, banging on the desk with his fist and kicking the case," she told DW. "This went on for about 15 minutes but we did not back down, so in the end he had to pay the excess baggage fee. It was not all that much and I do not understand why he became so aggressive." She noted that some ground staff give in to threats, which may encourage others to do the same. In June, the 1.8 million-strong UA Zensen Union published the results of a survey that indicated that 46.8% of workers in Japan's service industry had been the target of customers in the previous two years. Some had been so traumatized by the experience, the report said, that they had required counselling. "Japan has such high standards of polite service, but with that comes similarly expected norms for customers," said Roy Larke, senior lecturer in marketing at the University of Waikoto, New Zealand, and an expert on retailing and consumer behavior in Japan. "When these expectations break down, even if only in a few well reported cases, it will be quite shocking for many," he told DW. Cafe in Japan aims to include people with dementia To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Educating the customer "In the same way that e-commerce firms are now attempting to educate the customer to accept slower deliveries and how some supermarkets companies are introducing chairs for cashiers for the first time," said Larke, adding that there may be a need for "lower expectations from customers when shopping." "I would hypothesise that the combination of increased pressure is the main factor behind increased customer frustration," Larke said. Regardless of the cause, more companies are taking precautions. The nation's two largest air carriers, All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines, in July unveiled new guidelines on passengers' behaviour, identifying abusive and aggressive language as unacceptable, along with threats, physical assaults of staff, unreasonable demands and sexual harassment. Technology developer Softbank Corp has developed a voice-altering phone technology that employs artificial intelligence and makes a furious caller sound calm to the company employee listing to a complaint. Supermarket chain Ito-Yokado Co has created a manual for dealing with difficult customers and introduced training on reporting violent behavior to the police and maneuvering threatening individuals into positions where they are recorded on CCTV. Manga, myths & homeopathy — Arts Unveiled To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Training of store staff Similarly, 24-hour convenience stores are training staff on how to respond to abusive customers and many outlets have introduced signs warning that misbehavior will not be tolerated and that the premises are monitored by security cameras. Morinosuke Kawaguchi, a technology analyst and consultant who was previously a lecturer at the Tokyo Institute of Technology, says Japanese society has become something of a minefield of potential harassment pitfalls as more people grasp what constitutes harassment and are willing to report incidents. "Japan is an extremely polite nation and society, but all the cases we hear about make it appear that we are becoming impolite," he told DW. "I think a big part of the problem is that everything is now being recorded on mobile phones so we are just seeing more cases." "This sort of behavior used to be the sort of thing young street thugs did, but virtually no one saw it happening," he added. "Now we have social media, it has become a big issue. I do not believe that Japan, as a society, really has become more impolite or aggressive." Edited by: Keith WalkerWhy we can’t VERIFY a chart showing UnitedHealthcare denies more claims than other insurers
Pope Francis will visit the French Mediterranean island of Corsica in December, days after skipping the reopening of Paris's Notre Dame Cathedral which was ravaged by a fire in 2019, the Vatican said Saturday. Francis, 87, declined an invitation from French President Emmanuel Macron to attend the Notre Dame reopening ceremony in Paris on December 7. He will however head to Corsica's capital Ajaccio for a conference on the Catholic faith in the Mediterranean one week later on December 15, the Vatican said. Some French bishops were "annoyed" by the pope's decision to stay away from the Notre Dame gala, according to one bishop speaking on condition of anonymity. But the head of the Bishops' Conference of France (CEF) Archbishop Eric de Moulins-Beaufort said: "The star of the Notre Dame reopening ceremony is Notre Dame itself." The pope had not wanted his presence to be a distraction from the essential point of the occasion, he added. "It's not a snub aimed at France," said another bishop. Francis's one-day trip to Corsica will be the first papal visit to the island, where 90 percent of its 350,000 population is Catholic, according to the local Church, and religious traditions remain deeply rooted. He will give two speeches, preside over a mass and meet Macron during his nine hours on the island, the Vatican said. "It is a historic event, we will give ourselves the extraordinary means to put on an exceptional welcome for the Holy Father," said Bishop of Ajaccio Francois-Xavier Bustillo said in a video posted on social media. Francis, who will celebrate his 88th birthday on December 17, has been to France twice since becoming head of the worldwide Catholic Church in 2013. He visited Strasbourg in 2014, where he addressed the European Parliament, and last year went to Marseille for a meeting of Mediterranean area bishops, where he met Macron. He has yet to make a state visit to France, one of Europe's main majority-Catholic countries. He is also yet to make state visits to Spain, the United Kingdom or Germany. The Argentine pontiff prefers visiting smaller or less established Catholic communities, from Malta to Mongolia. The Corsica visit was championed by the popular media-friendly Bustillo, who was made a cardinal by Pope Francis in September 2023. "It will not be a state visit, but a pastoral visit. It will be a beautiful moment, a moment of hope and joy," he told AFP. In addition, the head of the Catholic Church is scheduled to be at the Vatican on December 7-8 for a service at which he will create 21 new cardinals. Rescheduling appointments over coming months would appear to be tricky, given the multitude of events due to take place in Rome in 2025, a Catholic jubilee year. Bustillo is one of the active cardinals Francis has appointed in the Mediterranean region, with the pope keen they "work together to meet the specific challenges of the area", a bishop told AFP on condition of anonymity. Those issues include migration, global warming and interreligious dialogue. Corsica will be the 47th overseas visit for Francis and his third this year, after a long tour of the Asia Pacific in early September and a trip to Belgium and Luxembourg the same month. cmk-bur/tw/jmHealey: Proscription status of Syria’s new rulers is not a matter for now
The first guest invited to ring the bell to open trading at the New York Stock Exchange in 1956 wasn’t a company executive, a politician or a celebrity. It was a 10-year-old boy, Leonard Ross, who received the honor by winning a television quiz show. Since then, business titans, political giants and global film stars have all been among those ringing the opening bell at the NYSE. Ronald Reagan rang the bell as president in 1985. Billionaire businessman and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Hollywood star Robert Downey Jr. have also rung the bell. The list even includes famous Muppets: Miss Piggy was once a bell ringer. President-elect Donald Trump joined that list Thursday when he opened trading at the famous stock exchange on Wall Street. He was accompanied by his wife, Melania, who interestingly enough received the honor before her husband. As first lady, she rang the bell in 2019 as part of her “Be Best” program. Bell-ringers are more commonly founders and executives chosen primarily from the exchange's more than 2,300 listed companies. Over the last few months, the guests have included executives from Alaska Air Group, Bath & Body Works, and Ally Financial. Stock trading around the location of the NYSE's current home has deep roots that trace back to the Dutch founding of New Amsterdam and when Wall Street had an actual wall. The NYSE traces its direct roots to the “Buttonwood Agreement” signed in 1792, which set rules for stock trading and commissions. The NYSE moved into its first permanent home in 1865. The first bell in use was actually a gong. The exchange moved into its current iconic building in 1903 and started using an electronically operated brass bell. That has evolved into synchronized bells in each of the NYSE’s four trading areas.Cent. Arkansas 92, UNC-Asheville 83, 2OT