By Lindsay Shachnow On a recent day in early December, Northeastern University law students gathered in a classroom in Boston to listen to a broadcast of a U.S. Supreme Court case’s oral argument . The high-profile case, the students learned, challenges a Tennessee law banning gender-affirming health care for transgender minors and imposes civil penalties on doctors who violate the restrictions. Similar laws have been passed in several other states. A few hundred miles south of Boston, American Civil Liberties Union attorney Chase Strangio stood before the Supreme Court justices in Washington D.C., asserting that the Tennessee law violates the Equal Protection rights of transgender adolescents. That day, Strangio became the first known transgender person to argue before the highest court in the land. “I don’t think he’ll stop fighting until he’s out of breath,” Strangio’s former Northeastern University Law professor Libby Adler told Boston.com. “ He’s a model for what [law students] are training for, and what they can go out there and do.” Strangio grew up in Newton, in what he described as an “upper middle class suburban community.” For his brother, Noah Strangio, it was an “idyllic place to grow up.” “I think I really struggled as a kid and was really lost,” Chase Strangio told Boston.com in a recent interview. “I had a fire inside me that I knew would eventually find its way out, but I suffered and stressed a lot before it did.” Chase, four years ahead of his brother in school, went to Newton North High School, where he was an avid soccer player. Noah attended Newton South. The family of four was paired off: Chase was constantly with their mother, Joan, while Noah was with their father, Mark. “My mom would often be taking Chase to soccer games,” Noah told Boston.com. “On the average weekend my dad and I would go on hikes and go and see movies.” Chase’s parents divorced when he was in his sophomore year of high school. Joan, a former social worker, remained a constant presence in her children’s lives. Meanwhile, Chase’s father remarried. Tensions brewed. Chase never stayed with his brother at their father’s house, Noah recalled, and the two fought often. “He would stop by our house, and they would have heated discussions,” Noah remembered. “For Chase, that certainly created, I would say, an even further wedge between them.” For years, Chase challenged his father on his political views, but ultimately decided to stop discussing it with him. “My way of approaching it now is to not really talk about it,” he said. “It continues to be one of the things that I just simply don’t understand, but don’t really engage in regular exchange about.” After high school, Strangio was ready to leave New England. He packed his bags and shipped off to Grinnell College, a private liberal arts school in the midwest. In 2004, he moved back to Boston and worked at GLBTQ Advocates and Defenders for several years before enrolling in law school at Northeastern. But Strangio worried he might never be seen as a legitimate courtroom advocate. His fear, he wrote in a recent New York Times op-ed, was reinforced during his first year in law school. “One of my law school professors at Northeastern told our class that we needed to abide by traditional gender norms in court,” he wrote. “She instructed that women should wear skirts to appear before juries, and after a presentation in class she told me that I was too ‘soft-spoken’ to be seen as an effective male advocate.” But Strangio kept his head up. “It gave me a very negative feeling of my first year of law school overall,” he told Boston.com. “But as in all institutional aspects of life, you will encounter people who are bringing in the overall biases and power dynamics of the professions and society in which you’re engaging, and that was what happened in my first year.” While pursuing his law studies, Strangio lived in Jamaica Plain, where, he said, he found comfort in the neighborhood’s “queer community.” After his first year, things got better. He served as a research assistant on a clinical project to support LGBTQ youth for Professor Libby Adler. Over the course of his studies, the two developed a close relationship. As a student, Adler said Strangio suffered from what she described as “chronic dissatisfaction.” “He’s always got his eye on who’s suffering and who’s left behind,” Adler said. “He doesn’t rest.” Strangio came out as transgender while he was attending Northeastern, and had access to medical care that he said made him “feel more at home” in his body. “We talk about this care as life saving,” he said. “To be alive ... also means to have the life you want to lead.” After graduating from Northeastern in 2010, Strangio secured a fellowship at the Sylvia Rivera Law Project, where he co-founded the Lorena Borjas Community Fund, which provides bail assistance for LGBTQ immigrants. Strangio spoke about the fund during his job interview for the ACLU. While he was younger than most other applicants, James Esseks of the ACLU said Strangio’s initiative to create the fund won him over. “It’s one thing to have an idea, another thing to make it happen,” Esseks told Boston.com. “That’s exactly the kind of initiative that I prize.” Esseks and Strangio now direct the ACLU LGBTQ & HIV Rights Project together. Since he started in 2013, Strangio has worked on his fair share of cases at the ACLU, including a challenge to North Carolina’s law prohibiting transgender people from accessing restrooms and Donald Trump’s ban on transgender service members from serving in the military. “In terms of what it means to be a trans person litigating trans cases, I think, of course, I have a personal connection to the material impact of the work, and I also can relate to my clients’ experiences to an extent,” he said. “We’re all bringing our subjectivity to bear on our interpretation of the law and our interest in how any one or another legal problem impacts us.” Strangio also defended whistleblower Chelsea Manning, a transgender woman who was arrested for disclosing classified documents about the U.S. government to WikiLeaks. While working on Manning’s case, he met documentary filmmaker Nadia Hallgren. The two became fast friends. “His brain is just very sophisticated in the way he thinks and problem solves,” Hallgren told Boston.com. “At the same time, he is self deprecating, down to earth, funny, fun, caring ... there’s not a lot of people like that.” In 2016, Strangio wrote a letter to then-President Barack Obama, pleading for Manning’s release. Strangio’s calls were answered when Obama commuted most of Manning’s remaining sentence the following year. Hallgren was assigned to document Strangio’s work representing Manning in the film “XY Chelsea,” including their first meeting at a military prison in Kansas City. “He’s so magnetic,” Hallgren said of Strangio. “I think people don’t intend on him being the center of a story, and the minute they meet him, it’s just like, it’s so obvious.” On the day of his oral argument at the Supreme Court, Strangio felt at ease. He had reread all the briefs and relevant cases, and regularly spoke out loud to himself, practicing hypothetical answers to his own hypothetical questions. “At that point I felt like I knew what I knew, and so I was ready to do it and to have it be done,” he said. About two weeks before his court appearance, Strangio spoke on the phone with his brother for an hour and a half. They talked about everything from movies, to parenting, to the election. Strangio sounded noticeably relaxed, a change that Noah observed in his brother over the years in the way he came to approach his work. On the long-awaited day, Strangio traveled to the court alone. He recalled meeting a colleague at security and talking with the opposing council before it was his turn to make his case. “During the argument itself, you are so present, you almost don’t know what is happening,” he said. “You’re so connected to the exchanges.” Noah planned to be in the room with Chase while he spoke before the court. But things took an unexpected turn when his wife went into labor with their second child the day before — three weeks early. The brothers caught up on the phone the following day. “Half the conversation ... was about me. Chase asked me about the baby and the birth, and how my toddler was doing,” Noah recalled. “There was a level of zen or serenity from Chase.” The argument itself went as expected, Chase told his brother. But the most memorable moment of the day, Chase said, took place outside of the courtroom. “I think the really most powerful part for me was coming out of the courtroom to the rally outside, to seeing trans young people and their parents, and seeing so many members of the community just out in the cold reveling in the joy of just being together, being alive, being able to be who they are,” he said. “It was a really beautiful rally, and gave me a lot of hope for the future.” A decision is expected in U.S. v. Skrmetti in the spring or early summer of 2025. Lindsay Shachnow Lindsay Shachnow covers general assignment news for Boston.com , reporting on breaking news, crime, and politics across New England. Boston.com Today Sign up to receive the latest headlines in your inbox each morning.HUNTINGTON, W.Va. , Dec. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Energy Services of America Corporation (the "Company" or "Energy Services") (Nasdaq: ESOA) has completed the previously announced purchase of Tribute Contracting & Consultants, LLC ("Tribute"), an underground utility contractor that employs approximately 90 construction workers and primarily specializes in water and wastewater system installations in Ohio , Kentucky , and West Virginia. As previously noted, Energy Services purchased substantially all of the assets of Tribute for $22 million in cash, less any assumed debt and working capital adjustments, and $2.0 million of Energy Services' common stock. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. 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PARIS — Howling winds couldn’t stop Notre Dame Cathedral ’s heart from beating again. People stand outside Notre-Dame Cathedral on Nov. 29 in Paris. With three resounding knocks on its doors by Paris Archbishop Laurent Ulrich, wielding a specially designed crosier carved from fire-scorched beams, the monument roared back to life Saturday evening. For the first time since a devastating blaze nearly destroyed it in 2019, the towering Gothic masterpiece reopened for worship, its rebirth marked by song, prayer, and awe beneath its soaring arches. The ceremony, initially planned to begin on the forecourt, was moved entirely inside due to unusually fierce December winds sweeping across the Île de la Cité, flanked by the River Seine. Yet the occasion lost none of its splendor. Inside the luminous nave, choirs sang psalms, and the cathedral’s mighty organ, silent for nearly five years, thundered to life in a triumphant interplay of melodies. The vaulted ceiling of the Notre-Dame cathedral is seen Nov. 29 in Paris. The restoration, a spectacular achievement in just five years for a structure that took nearly two centuries to build, is seen as a moment of triumph for French President Emmanuel Macron, who championed the ambitious timeline — and a welcome respite from his domestic political woes. The evening’s celebration, attended by 1,500 dignitaries, including President-elect Donald Trump, US first lady Jill Biden, Britain’s Prince William, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, underscored Notre Dame’s enduring role as both a spiritual and cultural beacon. Observers see the event as Macron's, and his intention to pivot it into a fully fledged diplomatic gathering, while highlighting France’s ability to unite on the global stage despite internal political crises. France's iconic Notre Dame Cathedral is formally reopening its doors on Saturday for the first time since a devastating fire nearly destroyed ... As the cathedral’s largest bell, the 13-ton Emmanuel — which was not named after the French leader — tolled into the Paris night, signaling the start of the ceremony, the crowd inside Notre Dame fell into an expectant hush. Emmanuel, a legacy of King Louis XIV, had rung through centuries of French history, and its peal now resonated as a call to witness another epochal moment. Outside the cathedral’s monumental doors, Ulrich raised his fire-scarred crosier. “Brothers and sisters, let us enter now into Notre Dame,” he declared. “It is she who accompanies us on our path to peace.” With the congregation of over 2,500 people watching in silence, Ulrich struck the floodlit doors, the base of his crosier reverberating against the wood. Inside, the choir answered with soaring hymns, their voices filling the nave. Illuminations on the cathedral facade heightened the drama. On the final strike, the heavy doors swung open, revealing the glowing interior of restored blond Lutetian limestone. Adding to the ceremony’s visual splendor, Ulrich and the clergy wore vibrant liturgical garments designed by French fashion designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac. Known for his signature pop-art aesthetic, Castelbajac created 2,000 colorful pieces for 700 celebrants, blending modern elements with medieval touches. Flooded with light and song, the cathedral came alive in a moment of breathtaking spectacle. What had been a silent, soot-blackened ruin five years ago now blazed with renewed vitality, marking the culmination of a nearly $1 billion global effort to resurrect it. Speaking inside the cathedral, Macron expressed “gratitude” Saturday to those who saved, helped, and rebuilt Notre Dame, his voice reverberating through the nave. People gather near France's iconic Notre Dame Cathedral, hours before formally reopening its doors for the first time since a devastating fire nearly destroyed the 861-year-old landmark in 2019, on Saturday in Paris. “I stand before you ... to express the gratitude of the French nation,” he said, before voices flooded the space with song, harmonies not heard in over five years. “Tonight, the bells of Notre Dame are ringing again. And in a moment, the organ will awaken,” sending the “music of hope” cascading through the luminous interior to Parisians, France, and the world beyond, he said. The celebration is expected to give a much-needed boost to the embattled French leader, whose prime minister was ousted this week, plunging the nation’s politics into more turmoil. Macron has called Notre Dame’s reopening “a jolt of hope.” Observers say he hoped the occasion would briefly silence his critics and showcase France’s unity and resilience under his leadership — a rare moment of grace in a presidency now facing a grave crisis. Inside Notre Dame, 42,000 square meters of stonework—equivalent to six soccer pitches—gleamed anew, revealing intricate carvings and luminous limestone. Above, 2,000 oak beams, nicknamed “the forest,” restored the cathedral’s iconic spire and roof. The great organ, dormant for over five years, roared back to life like a slumbering giant. With its 7,952 pipes—ranging from pen-sized to torso-wide—and a renovated console featuring five keyboards, 115 stops, and 30 foot pedals, it responded to Archbishop Laurent Ulrich’s command: “Wake up, organ, sacred instrument.” Notre Dame's thunderous great organ was heard in public for the first time since 2019 at the cathedral's reopening ceremony Saturday night. The first low rumble grew into a triumphant symphony as four organists pulled out the stops, weaving improvised responses to the archbishop’s invocations. Eight times, Ulrich addressed the organ; eight times, its voice filled the nave with breathtaking sound. Guests marveled at the spectacle, many capturing the moment on their phones. “It’s a sense of perfection,” said François Le Page of the Notre Dame Foundation, who last saw the cathedral cloaked in scaffolding in 2021. “It was somber then. Now, it’s night and day.” The Rev. Andriy Morkvas, a Ukrainian priest who leads the Volodymyr Le Grand church in Paris, reflected on his first visit to Notre Dame in over a decade. “I didn’t recognize it,” he said. “God is very powerful; He can change things.” He expressed hope that the cathedral’s revival could inspire peace in his homeland, drawing strength from the presence of Ukraine’s president. “I think that will have a big impact,” he said. “I hope Notre Dame and Mary will help us resolve this conflict.” The reopening of Notre Dame comes at a time of profound global unrest, with wars raging in Ukraine and the Middle East. For Catholics, Notre Dame’s rector said the cathedral “carries the enveloping presence of the Virgin Mary, a maternal and embracing presence.′′ “It is a magnificent symbol of unity,” Olivier Ribadeau Dumas said. “Notre Dame is not just a French monument — it is a magnificent sign of hope.” The international range of dignitaries coming to Paris underline the cathedral’s significance as a symbol of shared heritage and peace. Canadian visitor Noelle Alexandria, who had traveled to Paris for the reopening, was struck by the cathedral’s ability to inspire. “She’s been nearly ruined before, but she always comes back,” Alexandria said. “Not many of us could say the same after such tragedy, but Notre Dame can.” Guests entered through Notre Dame’s iconic western façade, whose arched portals adorned with biblical carvings were once a visual guide for medieval believers. Above the central Portal of the Last Judgment, the Archangel Michael is depicted weighing souls, as demons attempt to tip the scales. These stone figures, designed to inspire both awe and fear, set the stage for a ceremony steeped in history. Inside, the hum of hundreds of guests awaiting the service filled the cathedral with human sounds once more — a stark contrast to the construction din that echoed there for years. Tuners restoring the great organ often worked through the night to find the silence needed to perfect its 7,952 pipes, ranging from pen-sized to torso-wide. Notre Dame echoed to the sound of a sustained standing ovation after the showing of a short movie that documented the gargantuan rebuilding effort. Outside, the word “MERCI” — thank you — was projected against the cathedral’s iconic western facade. The movie showed the terrible wounds left by the inferno — the gaping holes torn into its vaulted ceilings and the burned roof. But that was followed by images of all types of artisans, many using traditional handicraft techniques, who collectively restored Notre Dame to look better now than ever. "We went from night to light," said one of the workers in the movie. Security will be high through the weekend, echoing measures taken during the Paris Olympics earlier this year. The Île de la Cité — the small island in the River Seine that is home to Notre Dame and the historic heart of Paris— is closed to tourists and non-residents. Police vans and barriers blocked cobblestoned streets in a large perimeter around the island, while soldiers in thick body armor and sniffer dogs patrolled embankments. A special security detail followed Trump. For many, Notre Dame’s rebirth is not just a French achievement but a global one — after the reopening, the cathedral is set to welcome 15 million visitors annually, up from 12 million before the fire. People stand outside Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, Friday Nov. 29 2024 before French President Emmanuel Macron's final visit to the construction site to see the restored interiors before the iconic monument's reopening for worship on Dec. 8. (Sarah Meyssonnier, Pool via AP) The tabernacle of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral is seen while French President Emmanuel Macron visits the restored interiors of the monument, Friday Nov. 29, 2024, in Paris. (Stephane de Sakutin, Pool via AP) The vaulted ceiling of the Notre-Dame cathedral is seen while French President Emmanuel Macron visits the restored interiors of the monument, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024 in Paris. (Sarah Meyssonnier/Pool via AP) Windows in the heart of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral are seen while French President Emmanuel Macron visits the restored interiors of the monument, Friday Nov. 29, 2024, in Paris. (Stephane de Sakutin, Pool via AP) People stroll in Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral while French President Emmanuel Macron visits the restored interiors the monument, Friday, Nov.29, 2024 in Paris. (Christophe Petit Tesson, Pool via AP) French President Emmanuel Macron, center, and his wife Brigitte Macron visit the restored interiors of the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral, Friday, Nov.29, 2024 in Paris. (Christophe Petit Tesson, Pool via AP) French President Emmanuel Macron, third right, and his wife Brigitte Macron visit the restored interiors of the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral, Friday, Nov.29, 2024 in Paris. (Christophe Petit Tesson, Pool via AP) People gather as French President Emmanuel Macron visits the renovated Notre Dame Cathedral Friday, Nov. 29, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Michel Euler) French President Emmanuel Macron gestures as he visits the restored interiors of the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral, Friday, Nov.29, 2024 in Paris. (Christophe Petit Tesson, Pool via AP) The nave, the western Rose window and the organ of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral are seen while French President Emmanuel Macron visits the restored interiors of the monument, Friday Nov. 29, 2024, in Paris. (Stephane de Sakutin, Pool via AP) A man takes a picture of Notre Dame Cathedral as French President Emmanuel Macron visits the renovated cathedral, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Michel Euler) The nave of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral is seen while French President Emmanuel Macron visits the restored interiors of the cathedral, Friday Nov. 29, 2024, in Paris. (Stephane de Sakutin, Pool via AP) People stroll in Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral while French President Emmanuel Macron visits the restored interiors the monument, Friday, Nov.29, 2024 in Paris. (Christophe Petit Tesson, Pool via AP) The South Rose stainglass window of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral is seen while French President Emmanuel Macron visits the restored interiors of the cathedral, Friday Nov. 29, 2024, in Paris. (Stephane de Sakutin, Pool via AP) The South Rose stainglass window of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral is seen while French President Emmanuel Macron visits the restored interiors of the cathedral, Friday Nov. 29, 2024, in Paris. (Stephane de Sakutin, Pool via AP) The nave of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral is seen while French President Emmanuel Macron visits the restored interiors of the cathedral, Friday Nov. 29, 2024, in Paris. (Stephane de Sakutin, Pool via AP) Part of the nave and the organ of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral are seen while French President Emmanuel Macron visits the restored interiors of the cathedral, Friday Nov. 29, 2024, in Paris. (Stephane de Sakutin, Pool via AP) The altar designed by French artist and designer Guillaume Bardet is seen in the heart of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral while French President Emmanuel Macron visits the restored interiors of the monument, Friday Nov. 29, 2024, in Paris. (Stephane de Sakutin, Pool via AP) The altar designed by French artist and designer Guillaume Bardet is seen in the heart of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral while French President Emmanuel Macron visits the restored interiors of the monument, Friday Nov. 29, 2024, in Paris. (Stephane de Sakutin, Pool via AP) The facade of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral in Paris, is seen Friday Nov. 29, 2024, ahead of French President Emmanuel Macron's final visit to the construction site to see the restored interiors. (Stephane de Sakutin, Pool via AP) The facade of Notre-Dame Cathedral is seen in Paris, Friday Nov., 29 2024 ahead of French President Emmanuel Macron's final visit to the construction site to see the restored interiors before the iconic monument's reopening for worship on Dec. 8. (Christophe Petit Tesson, Pool via AP) Part of the facade of Notre-Dame Cathedral is seen in Paris, Friday Nov., 29 2024 ahead of French President Emmanuel Macron's final visit to the construction site to see the restored interiors before the iconic monument's reopening for worship on Dec. 8. (Christophe Petit Tesson, Pool via AP) People stand inside Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, Friday Nov. 29 2024 before French President Emmanuel Macron's final visit to the construction site to see the restored interiors before the iconic monument's reopening for worship on Dec. 8. (Sarah Meyssonnier, Pool via AP) Get local news delivered to your inbox!Anne Hegerty wows The Chase fans with incredible transformation
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — While other teams around the NFL are seeing their injury lists grow as the season winds down, the Green Bay Packers appear to be getting healthy at just the right time. Not only is quarterback Jordan Love looking like himself after dealing with early-season left knee and groin injuries, but the rest of the roster is getting better, too. “I think every team that can realize their potential needs to be as healthy as they can be. And injuries are a part of this business,” coach Matt LaFleur said. “It is what it is in terms of the next man up, but obviously, you want the guys that are your starters to be available — especially as you get closer to the end of the year.” Love certainly has been rolling of late, completing 67.1% of his passes for 904 yards with six touchdowns and one interception (118.8 passer rating) over the past four games, owing some of his hot streak to simply being healthy again. “The name of the game is trying to stay as healthy as possible, especially late into the season,” Love said. “There’s definitely injuries that stack up and guys being out. To have everybody relatively healthy and to be able to have our top guys out there would be huge for us." The Packers (9-4) head into their Sunday night matchup with the Seahawks (8-5) in Seattle with only one player having been unable to take part in Wednesday’s practice at all: safety Javon Bullard. LaFleur said Bullard is week-to-week with an ankle injury he suffered in the team’s Dec. 5 loss at Detroit . The Packers got full participation from Jaire Alexander, who has missed four of the team’s last five games with a knee injury suffered at Jacksonville on Oct. 27, and wide receiver Romeo Doubs, who has missed the last two games with a concussion he suffered against San Francisco on Nov. 24. Although Alexander had practiced on a limited basis in recent weeks, he has missed the last three games and pulled himself out of the team’s Nov. 17 win at Chicago because of his knee. Getting Alexander back to face Seahawks receivers DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba would give a major lift to the Packers’ pass defense, currently ranked 21st with 222.2 yards per game allowed. “When I was watching him, he looked like he was moving around well, and we’ll just see how it transpires throughout the course of the week,” LaFleur said. “Hopefully, he’ll be ready to roll.” LaFleur said Doubs and rookie safety Evan Williams, who left the Packers’ 34-31 loss to the Lions because of a concussion, are still in the concussion protocol. But Williams was able to practice on a limited basis. Meanwhile, tight end Luke Musgrave, who hasn’t played a snap since injuring his left ankle during a a Sept. 29 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, has been designated for return from injured reserve. Musgrave took part in practice for the first time since undergoing surgery in early October to repair a torn ligament in the ankle. He said he only did individual drill work Wednesday, making it unlikely he would be activated this week. “Just going to ease back into it, but I feel good,” Musgrave said. “Still getting the cutting back, but overall, it feels good.” AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
POCATELLO — A car careened off a local road, struck an assistant basketball coach and then crashed into a parked bus carrying the entire Highland High School girls basketball team on Wednesday afternoon, authorities said. The adult male driver of the car was arrested and booked into Bannock County Jail on a charge of aggravated driving under the influence following the crash, police said. Fortunately the adult female coach suffered no major injuries during the 3 p.m. incident that occurred in Highland's north parking lot, authorities said. She was rushed via Pocatello Fire Department ambulance to Portneuf Medical Center following the incident. Her name hasn't been released. Neither the adult male driver of the car nor anyone on the bus suffered injuries, authorities said. Police said the man, whose name hasn't been released, was driving his Honda sedan along Fairway Drive when he left the roadway and struck the Highland assistant girls basketball coach who was standing in the parking lot. He then crashed into the Holiday Motor Coach bus with the girls basketball team aboard. The man's Honda appeared to be totaled in the crash while the bus suffered noticeable but not major damage. The bus was going to transport the girls basketball team to a game at Canyon Ridge High School in Twin Falls. "Ensuring the safety and well-being of our student-athletes and coaching staff is our highest priority and the game has been postponed," School District 25 stated in a news release. The incident remains under investigation by Pocatello police.None
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Jamiya Neal finished with 19 points, nine rebounds, nine assists and four blocks to lead host Creighton over UNLV 83-65 on Saturday in Omaha, Neb. Creighton was without star Pop Isaacs, who was ruled out for the season on Saturday morning after undergoing surprise hip surgery. It was a startling turn, considering Isaacs led Creighton with 27 points in Wednesday's win over No. 1 Kansas. Neal and Steven Ashworth (17 points) anchored the backcourt in Isaacs' absence, combining to make 13-of-20 shots from the field. Neal made 7 of his 10 and Ashworth 6 of 10. Isaac Traudt also stepped up, making five 3-pointers off the bench to account for all 15 of his points. Ryan Kalkbrenner scored 12 points, making 4-of-5 attempts from the field, and added six rebounds. Creighton opened the second half on a 10-0 run, extending its lead to 49-27 before UNLV mustered an answer. Creighton made 10 consecutive shots early in the second half, extending its lead to a 62-41 with 12:20 remaining. Dedan Thomas Jr. paced UNLV with 18 points on 7-of-16 shooting, making 1 of 4 attempts from 3-point range. Jailen Bedford added a team-high 20 points for the Rebels on 8-of-15 shooting, scoring 17 points in the second half. Julian Rishwain added 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting, but UNLV's second leading scorer for the season, Jeremiah Cherry, was limited to just four points in 16 minutes after early foul trouble. Creighton shot a resounding 63.3 percent from the field for the game, including going 10-of-20 from beyond the arc. Creighton outscored UNLV 38-34 in the paint and outrebounded them 34-21. UNLV finished the game shooting 42.2 percent field, making 7-of-21 attempts from distance. --Field Level MediaUnions score a major win in Wisconsin with a court ruling restoring collective bargaining rightsBiden claims Hunter charges were politically motivated. Here is what the facts show
The government has notified the telecom cyber security rules, that aim to safeguard India's communication networks and services, through a host of measures including specified timelines for telcos to report security incidents and make disclosures. The rules also empower the central government/ its authorised agency to seek traffic data and any other data (other than the content of messages) from a telecom entity for the purpose of ensuring cyber security. Telecom entities would also be required to adopt telecom cyber security policy, that would include security safeguards, risk management approaches, actions, training, network testing, and risk assessment. "The central government, or any agency authorised by the central government, may, for the purposes of protecting and ensuring telecom cyber security, seek from a telecommunication entity, traffic data and any other data, other than the content of messages, in the form and manner as may be specified by the central government on the portal; and direct a telecommunication entity to establish necessary infrastructure and equipment for collection and provision of such data from designated points to enable its processing and storage," according to the rules framed under the new Telecom Act. The government and any agency authorised by it to collect data under these rules, as well as persons with whom such data is shared, will place adequate safeguards to ensure that such data is stored and maintained in strict confidentiality and prevent any unauthorised access, it said. The rules clearly outline telecom cyber security obligations. "...no person shall endanger telecom cyber security by misuse of telecommunication equipment or telecommunication identifier or telecommunication network or telecommunication services or by fraud, cheating or personation; transmitting any message which is fraudulent; committing or intending to commit any security incident; engaging in any other use which is contrary to the provision, of any other law for the time being in force; or any other means which may have security risk on telecom cyber security," according to the rules," it said. Under the rules, every telecom entity will be required to implement specified measures to ensure cyber security, including adopting a telecom cyber security policy (security safeguards, risk management approaches, actions, training, best practices and technologies, to enhance telecom cyber security). The policy, it said, should also encompass telecom network testing including hardening, vulnerability assessment and risk assessment, identification and prevention of security incidents among other aspects. The policy should entail a rapid action system to deal with security incidents including mitigation measures to limit the impact of such incidents; and forensic analysis of security incidents to ensure learnings from such incidents and further strengthening telecom cyber security. Telecom entities would be required to appoint a Chief Telecommunication Security Officer, and report security incidents within six hours to the Centre along with "relevant details of the affected system including the description of such incident." In 24 hours of becoming aware of the security incident, telecom entities would be required to furnish information on a number of users affected, duration, geographical area, the extent to which the functioning of the network or service is affected; and the remedial measures taken or proposed to be taken. As per the rules, a manufacturer of equipment that has an International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number, will register the number of such equipment manufactured in India with the government, before the first sale of such equipment. A telecommunication entity has been defined as any person providing telecommunication services, or establishing, operating, maintaining, or expanding a telecommunication network, including an authorised entity holding an authorisation.LOS ANGELES — In announcing that he was pardoning his son Hunter in two federal cases, President Joe Biden said the criminal charges “came about only after several of my political opponents in Congress instigated them to attack me and oppose my election.” The president’s claim that the cases were politically motivated — which his son’s camp has long asserted — has been met with skepticism from some corners. Biden was convicted by a jury of illegally purchasing a handgun in Delaware, and he pleaded guilty to tax charges in Los Angeles. Here is what we know about the cases and the pardon. What is the gun case? Earlier this year, a federal jury in Delaware convicted Biden of federal gun crimes, including lying about being drug-free when he purchased and briefly owned a gun while he was addicted to crack cocaine. Biden was on trial for three felony charges, and the jury convicted him of all three. In addition to lying on a federal background check form and giving a false statement to a federal firearms dealer, he was also convicted of possessing a gun while being an illicit drug user. The testimony the jurors heard centered around a question Biden answered on a background check form at a Delaware gun store on Oct. 12, 2018: “Are you an unlawful user of, or addicted to, marijuana or any depressant, stimulant, narcotic drug, or any other controlled substance?” Biden checked “No.” Prosecutors told jurors that there was “overwhelming evidence” of Biden’s drug use in the years before and the months after the gun purchase. They summoned ex-girlfriends and photos of L.A. hotel rooms where Biden had gone on drug-fueled benders. Prosecutors also played excerpts of Biden’s memoir, Beautiful Things, in which he recounted years of hard partying following his brother’s death. Abbe Lowell, the defense attorney, argued to jurors that his client had completed a rehab program in L.A. and that the gun salesman did not perceive Biden to be under the influence or glassy-eyed. No witness at the trial testified to observing Biden using drugs in the days after purchasing the Colt Cobra revolver. His attorneys contended that the gun was never fired and remained locked up until Hallie Biden, his brother’s widow, found it on the morning of Oct. 23, 2018, and in a panic, disposed of it in a trash bin outside a nearby grocery store. Biden, who was dating Hallie Biden at the time, urged her to retrieve the gun once he discovered it missing, asking her, “Are you insane?” When Hallie Biden returned to the supermarket, the gun was gone from the trash can, and Biden instructed her to contact police. What did jurors say about the politics of the case? The Times interviewed two jurors— a 51-year-old woman from northern Delaware and a 68-year-old man from the southern half of the state. Speaking on condition of anonymity, both said there was clear evidence that Biden knowingly lied about his drug addiction in order to buy the gun. The male juror said that despite repeatedly noticing the first lady in the courtroom, he rarely thought of the fact that Hunter Biden was the president’s son. “You are looking at him. You are looking at his family,” the juror said of the experience in court. But he said he “tried to block the rest of it out” because Biden “was just like everybody else.” “It was not politically motivated. Politics played no part in this whatsoever. Again, we just went by the evidence,” the juror said. What about the tax case? In September, Hunter Biden pleaded guilty to all nine federal tax charges he faced, just as jury selection was about to begin in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom. The indictment in the tax case included racy details of Biden’s life between 2016 and 2019 — the period during which now he admits he failed to pay at least $1.4 million in federal taxes — including the hundreds of thousands of dollars he spent on escorts, a pornographic website, hotels, luxury car rentals and other lavish personal expenses. As part of his guilty plea, Biden had acknowledged improperly classifying his personal expenses as business expenses. Did Hunter Biden face prison time? In the tax case, Biden faced a maximum of 17 years in federal prison, although he was likely to be sentenced to a few years in prison at most. In the gun case, he faced a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison, although as a nonviolent first-time offender, he was likely to face no more than two years behind bars. In the tax case, U.S. District Judge Mark Scarsi was scheduled to sentence him in Los Angeles on Dec. 16. In the handgun case, U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika was set to hand down her sentence in Delaware on Dec. 12. Both judges were appointed to the bench by President Donald Trump. What does the pardon do? The pardon covers offenses that Hunter Biden “may have committed or taken part in” from Jan. 1, 2014, through Dec. 1, 2024. It effectively wiped away the two pending criminal cases in which the younger Biden faced years in prison. However, it also offers immunity for other conduct in that period, when he was active in foreign business dealings, including his seat on the board of Burisma, the Ukrainian natural gas company he joined in 2014 while his father was vice president. “No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter’s cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son — and that is wrong,” Biden said in his statement. “There has been an effort to break Hunter — who has been five and a half years sober, even in the face of unrelenting attacks and selective prosecution.” Shortly after the pardon was issued, Hunter Biden’s lawyers filed petitions to have both criminal cases dismissed. How is this a change in the president’s position? The White House and President Biden himself have long insisted he would not pardon his son. Shortly before the trial testimony began, President Biden told ABC journalist David Muir that he would accept the jury’s verdict in the Delaware case. “Have you ruled out a pardon for your son?” Muir asked. “Yes,” Biden replied. After the gun verdict, the president said he would continue to “respect the judicial process” while his son considered an appeal. What has Hunter Biden’s team claimed about the prosecutions? Hunter Biden has long been the target of ire from right-wing political figures, activists and the media. In both criminal cases, Hunter Biden and his legal team had sought to paint him as a victim of selective, unfair, and politically motivated prosecution. His lawyers had pointed to a plea deal reached in 2023 that would have spared Hunter any prison time. It unraveled under questioning from a judge in Delaware, and after the deal collapsed, David C. Weiss, the special counsel, secured indictments in both cases. Hunter Biden filed but later dropped a defamation lawsuit against Fox News over a fictional program that depicted his legal troubles. Hunter Biden’s lawsuit asserted that Fox News defamed him in a six-part series called “The Trial of Hunter Biden: A Mock Trial for the American People” that was shown on its streaming platform Fox Nation. ©2024 Los Angeles Times. Visit at latimes.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
A newborn orca calf has been sighted in Puget Sound in Washington state, sparking cautious hope for the endangered southern resident killer whale population. The Centre for Whale Research (CWR) reported that the calf was spotted on Dec. 20, swimming alongside J35, a female orca known as Tahlequah, from J pod. However, researchers have yet to conduct their first official encounter to confirm the calf's parentage. "We don't know yet for sure that the calf is hers," said Michael Weiss, research director at CWR. "These whales do babysit ... so I really want to get on the water, have some prolonged observations, and some repeated observations to confirm who the calf belongs to." J35, or Tahlequah, gained global attention in 2018 when she carried the body of her deceased calf for 17 days, which has since been described as a "tour of grief." The mother has two other successful calves, J47 and J57. The calf was seen travelling alongside J35, also known as Tahlequah. In this 2018 photo, Tahlequah is balancing her dead baby on her nose, trying to keep it afloat. The mother orca carried her dead calf for 17 days as a show of grief, scientists say. (Kelley Balcomb-Bartok) A fragile milestone The southern resident killer whales, which inhabit the waters of the Pacific Northwest off the coast of B.C. and Washington state, are listed as endangered under Canada's Species at Risk Act. According to the Seattle-based Orca Conservancy, their numbers dropped to just 72 individuals as of November this year — the lowest count since 2020. The southern resident killer whales are composed of three distinct pods — J Pod, K Pod and L Pod — close-knit, matriarchal family groups. If you haven’t already seen the news, a brand new calf was spotted in J Pod! The calf was photographed by Brittany Philbin from a Washington State Ferry and was seen traveling in the echelon position of J35 Tahlequah.📷 Brittany Philbin pic.twitter.com/u0IgmYQHY0 — @OrcaConservancy J pod, which the calf was seen travelling with, consists of only 25 members, says Weiss, noting that every new birth is a significant milestone for this struggling population. "[It's] a big deal ...that's increasing the population size by more than a percent every time you get a new calf," he said. However, the celebration is tempered by sobering statistics: about half of newborn orca calves don't survive their first year, Weiss says, and many more perish before researchers can confirm their existence. The most recent calf born to J pod, J 60 , survived less than a month after its birth in December 2023. 3 killer whales lost from southern resident population: census "We're always kind of cautiously optimistic, especially with these very young individuals [because] the mortality rate in that first year of life is very, very high," said Weiss. Challenges to survival Researchers attribute these grim statistics to several factors, including high levels of contaminants passed from mothers to calves during gestation and lactation. "These whales are some of the most contaminated animals on the planet because they're so high up the food chain," Weiss said. WATCH | Orca mother, J35 with her son, J47: Orca mother, J35 and her son, J47 6 years ago Duration 1:09 Drone video from the Center for Whale Research and the University of Exeter taken off Pile Point, on the west side of San Juan Island. "So everything in the marine ecosystem is getting magnified every step up it goes until you get to a killer whale that is just loaded with contaminants," said the cetacean expert, adding that chemicals like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) accumulate in orca milk and weaken the health of newborn calves. Another major challenge facing the killer whales is the decline in chinook salmon stocks—their primary food source. Many chinook salmon stocks in B.C. and Washington state have declined, according to Fisheries and Ocean Canada's (DFO) latest threat assessment. Experts say the lack of salmon has increased calf mortality rates, with mothers unable to produce enough nutritious milk for their young. Orca baby boom: 8 calves born to endangered orcas in 2015 Killer whale lets her dead newborn go after carrying body for 17 days DFO also cites vessel-related noise that affects the killer whales' ability to communicate and hunt, in addition to the dangers of vessel strikes. Despite the odds, conservation groups and researchers have expressed hope that this new calf might beat the statistics. "We hope this little one inspires people to keep fighting for this population," the Orca Conservancy said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. Weiss echoed the sentiment. "We're really hoping that this one can beat the odds."WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump has selected former Sen. David Perdue of Georgia to be the U.S. ambassador to China, leaning on a former business executive turned politician to serve as the administration’s envoy to one of America’s most potent economic and military adversaries. Trump said in a social media post that Perdue “brings valuable expertise to help build our relationship with China.” Perdue lost his Senate seat to Democrat Jon Ossoff four years ago and ran unsuccessfully in Republicans’ 2022 primary against Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. Perdue pushed Trump’s debunked lies about electoral fraud during his failed gubernatorial bid. During his time in the Senate, the former Georgia lawmaker advocated for a more robust naval force to cope with threats, including from China. Before launching his political career, Perdue held a string of top executive positions, including at Sara Lee, Reebok and Dollar General. Economic tensions will be a big part of the U.S.-China picture for the new administration. Trump has threatened to impose sweeping new tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China as soon as he takes office, as part of his effort to crack down on illegal immigration and drugs. He said he would impose a 25% tax on all products entering the country from Canada and Mexico, and an additional 10% tariff on goods from China, as one of his first executive orders. The Chinese Embassy in Washington has cautioned that there will be losers on all sides if there is a trade war. It is unclear whether Trump will actually go through with the threats or if he is using them as a negotiating tactic. The tariffs, if implemented, could dramatically raise prices for American consumers on everything from gas to automobiles to agricultural products. The U.S. is the largest importer of goods in the world, with Mexico, China and Canada its top three suppliers, according to the most recent U.S. Census data. Perdue, if confirmed, will also have to negotiate difficult issues that go beyond trade. Washington and Beijing have long had deep differences on the support China has given to Russia during its war in Ukraine, and on human rights issues, technology and Taiwan, the self-ruled island that Beijing claims as its own. Chinese President Xi Jinping said in a meeting with outgoing President Biden last month that Beijing stood “ready to work with a new U.S. administration.” Xi also warned that a stable China-U.S. relationship was crucial not only to the two nations but to the “future and destiny of humanity.” Trump’s relationship with Xi started out well during his first term, but grew strained over disputes about trade and the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. Trump seems particularly focused on using tariffs as a pressure point with Xi, even threatening he would use them to pressure Beijing to crack down on the production of materials used in making fentanyl in Mexico that is illegally sold in the United States. Trump’s second administration is expected to test U.S.-China relations even more than his first, when the U.S. imposed tariffs on more than $360 billion in Chinese products. That brought Beijing to the negotiating table, and in 2020, the two sides signed a trade deal in which China committed to improving intellectual property rights and buying an additional $200 billion in American goods. A couple of years later, a research group showed that China had bought essentially none of the goods it had promised. Before Trump’s return to power, many American companies, including Nike and eyewear retailer Warby Parker, had been diversifying their sourcing away from China. Shoe brand Steve Madden says it plans to cut imports from China by as much as 45% next year. Long and Madhani write for the Associated Press. AP writer Didi Tang contributed to this report.