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The encounter took place during a high-profile summit where leaders from various countries gathered to discuss important international issues. As President Macron extended his hand in a gesture of greeting, President Trump swooped in with his trademark aggressive handshake style. The forceful nature of Trump's handshake left Macron looking slightly taken aback, his expression a mix of surprise and discomfort. The scene, captured by cameras, quickly made its rounds on social media, sparking a flurry of reactions and speculation.Maryland bullies Bucknell to secure third straight winBabar remains No 1 batter, Bumrah reclaims top spot in bowling rankingsChapter 4: The Healing Journey
In conclusion, the sharp decline in housing inventory in Beijing is a complex phenomenon influenced by a multitude of factors. While it may indicate strong market dynamics and investor optimism, it also raises concerns about potential overheating and speculative bubbles. It is crucial for policymakers, developers, and buyers to closely monitor these trends and take necessary steps to ensure a balanced and sustainable property market in Beijing.Surgical equipment provided to midwives Dr Shah says that MNCH programme, in collaboration with JICA, has been operating in remote parts of KP, including Mansehra MANSEHRA: The Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (MNCH) programme in collaboration with Japan International Cooperation Agency on Sunday provided surgical equipment to qualified midwives to establish birth stations in remote parts of Mansehra and Torghar districts. “We are implementing a comprehensive strategy to set up birth stations in remote parts of the Hazara division to reduce maternal and infant mortality rates,” Dr Shah Faisal Khanzada, the district health officer, told a ceremony at the Community Midwifery School here. The surgical equipment was given away to 14 qualified midwives for birth stations in the both districts. “These midwives, who have previously undergone modern training courses in obstetrics, as well as pre-and post-natal care, will establish birth stations in remote areas of both the districts,” Dr Khanzada said. He said that the MNCH programme, in collaboration with JICA, has been operating in remote parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including Mansehra, Battagram, and Torghar, where 24 such stations have already been established. Dr Tariq Shah, a representative of the international programme, said that Dr Khizra Hayat, provincial coordinator for MNCH in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has been focusing on addressing maternal and infant health issues, particularly in rural areas. The event was also attended by divisional social organiser for MNCH in Hazara, Hameed Turabi; district head Sayyar Khan and others. “This is why local educated girls are first trained in modern healthcare and obstetric practices and then deployed in their respective communities to provide essential healthcare and obstetric services to pregnant and lactating mothers,” said Turabi.
NoneTitle: Gaode Map Launches the "Peace of Mind Services" Plan to Further Enhance Local Life ServicesAs the sun sets on the small town, a sense of warmth and gratitude fills the air, a testament to the enduring impact of one man's selfless act of kindness. Through his generosity, Mr. Chen has not only helped an elderly man return home but has also reignited the flame of compassion in the hearts of all who have heard his story. And in doing so, he has proven that the simplest acts of kindness have the power to touch and transform lives in ways that words alone cannot express.Yang Niuhua, with unwavering faith, faced the uphold of the death penalty in her second trial. Despite the daunting circumstances, her resolve remained unshakeable as she stood before the verdict.
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After deciding not to pursue a postgraduate degree, a female student in a Wuhan university found herself with over ten thousand yuan in her savings account. In response to inquiries about her decision, she explained that she did not feel suited for scientific research and has since explored over a dozen different job opportunities.
Bethlehem marks a second subdued Christmas Eve during the war in Gaza BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) — Bethlehem is marking another somber Christmas Eve under the shadow of war in Gaza. Manger Square lacked its usual festive lights and crowds of tourists on Tuesday. Instead, the area outside the Nativity Church was quiet. The church was built atop the spot where Jesus is believed to have been born. The war, the violence in the occupied West Bank it has spurred and the lack of festivities has deeply hurt Bethlehem's economy. The town relies heavily on Christmas tourism. The economy in the West Bank was already reeling because of restrictions placed on laborers preventing them from entering Israel during the war. Pope Francis kicks off a yearlong Jubilee that will test his stamina and Rome's patience VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis has opened the great Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica. The ceremony kicks off the 2025 Holy Year. It's a celebration of the Catholic Church that is expected to draw some 32 million pilgrims to Rome. And it will test the pope’s stamina and the ability of the Eternal City to welcome them. This begins the Christmas Eve Mass. The ceremony inaugurates the once-every-25-year tradition of a Jubilee. Francis has dedicated the 2025 Jubilee to the theme of hope. Trump vows to pursue executions after Biden commutes most of federal death row FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump says he'll “vigorously pursue” capital punishment after President Joe Biden commuted the sentences of most people on federal death row partly to stop Trump from pushing forward their executions. Trump criticized Biden’s decision on Monday to change the sentences of 37 of the 40 condemned people to life in prison without parole. Trump said that he will direct the Department of Justice to pursue the death penalty “as soon as I am inaugurated.” Trump was vague on what specific actions he may take. 21 dead as Mozambique erupts in violence after election court ruling MAPUTO, Mozambique (AP) — Violence that engulfed Mozambique after the country’s highest court confirmed ruling party presidential candidate Daniel Chapo as the winner of disputed Oct. 9 elections has killed at least 21 people, including two police officers. Mozambique Interior Minister Pascoal Ronda told a news conference in Maputo late Tuesday that a wave of violence and looting was sparked by the court’s announcement a day earlier. He said it was led by mostly youthful supporters of losing candidate Venancio Mondlane, who received 24% of the vote, second to Chapo, who got 65%. Spain's monarch pays tribute to the victims of Valencia floods in his Christmas Eve speech MADRID (AP) — Spanish King Felipe VI has used his traditional Christmas Eve speech to remember the victims of the catastrophic Valencia flash floods. He also urged the country to remain calm despite public debates around hot-button issues such as immigration and housing affordability. Felipe acknowledged the frustration of many of the flood victims at the government's handling of the disaster in a pre-recorded speech that usually reviews the year’s most relevant issues. He also addressed immigration and the country’s housing crunch and high rents, which have become leading concerns in the southern European Union country that is the eurozone's fourth-largest economy. The speech was broadcast on Tuesday. Prosecutors find workers in 'slavery like' conditions at Chinese car company site in Brazil RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (AP) — A task force led by Brazilian prosecutors says it has rescued 163 Chinese nationals working in “slavery-like” conditions at a construction site in northeastern Brazil, where Chinese electric vehicle company BYD is building a factory. The Labor Prosecutor’s Office released videos of the dorms where the construction workers were staying, which showed beds with no mattresses and rooms without any place for the workers to store their personal belongings. In a statement issued Monday, the prosecutor’s office said the workers had been hired in China by Jinjian Group, one of the contractors on the site, which is located in Camaçari, a city in the Salvador metropolitan region. Haiti gangs fire on journalists covering a planned hospital reopening, leaving casualties PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Suspected gang members have opened fire on journalists in Haiti’s capital as they were covering the attempted reopening of the country’s largest hospital, wounding or killing an unknown number of people. The country's interim president, Leslie Voltaire, said in an address to the nation that journalists and police were among the victims of the vicious Christmas Eve attack. He did not specify how many casualties there were, or give a breakdown for the dead or wounded. Radio Télé Métronome said earlier on Tuesday that seven journalists and two police officers were wounded in the shooting. Street gangs have taken over an estimated 85% of Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince. Heavy travel day starts with brief grounding of all American Airlines flights WASHINGTON (AP) — American Airlines briefly grounded flights nationwide due to a technical problem just as the Christmas travel season kicked into overdrive and winter weather threatened more potential problems for those planning to fly or drive. Government regulators cleared American flights to get airborne Tuesday about an hour after the Federal Aviation Administration ordered a national ground stop, which prevented planes from taking off. American said in an email that the problem was caused by vendor technology in its flight operating system. Aviation analytics company Cirium said flights were delayed across American’s major hubs, with only 37% leaving on time. Nineteen flights were cancelled. NFL players who use platform to share their faith say it's their duty to spread their love of Jesus ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — Jake Bates was standing on the turf in his hometown of Houston when asked to reflect on an unlikely journey from learning how to sell bricks to making game-winning kicks for the Detroit Lions. Bates used his platform as an NFL player to spread his love of Jesus. A month later, Bates told The Associated Press it is a duty to share his faith. The NFL is filled with players and coaches who feel the same way, such as Houston's C.J. Stroud, Atlanta's Kirk Cousins, and Lamar Jackson and John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens. Stunning photos show lava erupting from Hawaii's Kilauea volcano HONOLULU (AP) — Lava is erupting from Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano for the second straight day. The eruption has stayed within Kilauea’s summit caldera inside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and no homes are threatened. Molten rock began spewing out of the volcano before dawn on Monday when fissures opened in the caldera floor and shot lava high into the air. It then oozed across the caldera floor. Scientists expect activity to fluctuate in coming days. The lava paused Monday afternoon but fountains reemerged Tuesday morning. The eruption has occurred in an area that’s been closed to the public since 2007 due to hazards including crater wall instability and rockfalls.The situation is further complicated by the involvement of other regional actors, including Russia, which has a strong military presence in Syria in support of the Assad regime. The risk of an accidental escalation between these various parties is a major concern for international observers.
NEW YORK (AP) — A gunman killed UnitedHealthcare’s CEO on Wednesday in a “brazen, targeted attack” outside a Manhattan hotel where the health insurer was holding its investor conference, police said, setting off a massive search for the fleeing assailant hours before the annual Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting nearby. Brian Thompson, 50, was shot around 6:45 a.m. as he walked alone to the New York Hilton Midtown from a nearby hotel, police said. The shooter appeared to be “lying in wait for several minutes” before approaching Thompson from behind and opening fire , New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. Police had not yet established a motive. “Many people passed the suspect, but he appeared to wait for his intended target,” Tisch said, adding that the shooting "does not appear to be a random act of violence.” Surveillance video reviewed by investigators shows someone emerging from behind a parked car, pointing a gun at Thompson’s back, then firing multiple times from several feet away. The gunman continues firing, interrupted by a brief gun jam, as Thompson stumbles forward and falls to the sidewalk. He then walks past Thompson and out of the frame. “From watching the video, it does seem that he’s proficient in the use of firearms as he was able to clear the malfunctions pretty quickly,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said. Thompson was shot at least once in the back and once in the calf, Tisch said. The shooter, who wore a jacket, face mask and large backpack, fled through Midtown on foot before pedaling an electric bike into Central Park a few blocks away, police said. The assailant remained at large Wednesday afternoon, sparking a search that included police drones, helicopters and dogs. “Brian was a highly respected colleague and friend to all who worked with him,” the insurer’s Minnetonka, Minnesota-based parent company, UnitedHealth Group Inc., said in a statement. "We are working closely with the New York Police Department and ask for your patience and understanding during this difficult time.” Police issued a poster showing a surveillance image of the man pointing what appeared to be a gun and another image that appeared to show the same person on a bicycle. Minutes before the shooting, he stopped at a nearby Starbucks, according to additional surveillance photos released by police on Wednesday afternoon. They offered a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction. Thompson’s wife, Paulette Thompson, told NBC News that he told her “there were some people that had been threatening him.” She didn’t have details but suggested the threats may have involved issues with insurance coverage. Eric Werner, the police chief in the Minneapolis suburb where Thompson lived, said his department had not received any reports of threats against the executive. The killing shook a part of New York City that's normally quiet at that hour, happening about four blocks from where tens of thousands of people were set to gather for Wednesday night’s tree lighting. Police promised extra security for the event. The hotel is also a short walk from other tourist sites, including the Museum of Modern Art and Radio City Music Hall, and is often dense with office workers and visitors on weekday mornings. Many security cameras are nearby. “We’re encouraging New Yorkers to go about their daily lives and their daily business but to be alert,” NYPD Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey said. Investigators recovered several 9 mm shell casings from outside the hotel and a cellphone from the alleyway through which the shooter fled. They were also searching Thompson's hotel room, interviewing his UnitedHealthcare colleagues and reviewing his social media, Kenny said. Police initially said the bicycle the shooter used to ride into Central Park came from the city’s bike-share program, CitiBike. But a spokesperson for Lyft, which operates the program, said they were informed by department officials Wednesday afternoon that the bike was not from the CitiBike fleet. Health care giant UnitedHealth Group was holding its annual meeting with investors to update Wall Street on the company's direction and expectations for the coming year. The company ended the conference early in the wake of Thompson's death. “I’m afraid that we — some of you may know we’re dealing with a very serious medical situation with one of our team members,” a company official told attendees, according to a transcript. “And as a result, I’m afraid we’re going to have to bring to a close the event today. ... I’m sure you’ll understand.” Thompson, a father of two sons, had been with the company since 2004 and served as CEO for more than three years. UnitedHealthcare is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans in the U.S. and manages health insurance coverage for employers and state-and federally funded Medicaid programs. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz posted on the social platform X that the state is “sending our prayers to Brian’s family and the UnitedHealthcare team.” “This is horrifying news and a terrible loss for the business and health care community in Minnesota,” the Democrat wrote. Associated Press writers Tom Murphy in Indianapolis, Steve Karnowski in St. Paul, Minnesota, and Anthony Izaguirre in Albany, New York, contributed to this story.
NoneWhen union boss Paddy Crumlin appeared at an international labour conference last month, he entered smiling to the strains of the 1997 hit Tubthumping : “I get knocked down, but I get up again, you’re never going to keep me down.” Crumlin, who led the merger of the Maritime Union he leads with the scandal-plagued CFMEU in 2018, had reason to grin. Wayne Swan, Paddy Crumlin, Nicola Roxon and Julia Angrisano are among the many superannuation fund directors with labour connections. Credit: Monique Westerman In 2021, the Maritime Super fund that Crumlin chaired had performed so poorly that it handed over investment decisions to another fund, Hostplus, and formally merged with it two years later. But this week Crumlin was back as a super fund director. The CFMEU had picked him as a director of Cbus, the building industry superannuation fund. The CFMEU’s Crumlin pick is just one of a thicket of ties between the unions, Labor and industry superannuation funds that have come to be among the largest and most powerful players in the Australian economy. These funds, which count about 11 million members, are run to profit their members while retail super funds are typically operated by for-profit businesses such as fund managers or banks. And, under the industry model in which unions and employer groups nominate roughly equal numbers of directors to funds, ties between the sector and the labour movement are backed in. But as the $3.9 trillion sector’s coffers have swelled, with big industry funds such as AustralianSuper ($341 billion under management), Cbus ($94 billion) and CareSuper ($53 billion) counting memberships up to 3.4 million people, the level of oversight that model delivers has come under greater scrutiny. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission launched Federal Court proceedings last week against Cbus after it failed to identify and prevent delays in processing death and disability insurance claims that affected 10,000 members, dating back to August 2022 – a failure that Cbus has conceded cost its members about $20 million. CFMEU manufacturing division boss Michael O’Connor is facing separate allegations he misused his position at a small fund, First Super, to bankroll the salary of a union delegate with fund money while his organisation was experiencing financial difficulties. And AustralianSuper, the industry’s largest, could be fined $27 million over its failure to consolidate more than 90,000 members’ accounts, costing them almost $70 million, in another case brought by the corporate regulator. While the funds are variously declining to comment, blaming external contractors, or apologising and saying they have already addressed the issues, superannuation critics smell blood. Liberal senator Andrew Bragg, the opposition assistant spokesman for home ownership, says the sector’s board model, in which union and industry representatives oversee funds rather than typical corporate directors, is no longer fit for purpose. “There is an unmanageable conflict of interest between the interests of unions and workers,” Bragg says. “And there is the cavalcade of Labor politicians, how do they get these positions?” Cbus, for example, is chaired by former Labor treasurer and current party president Wayne Swan. Don Russell, a former senior adviser to Labor prime minister Paul Keating, chairs AustralianSuper. HESTA, an $88 billion fund for the health and community sector, is chaired by Nicola Roxon, a Rudd-Gillard era minister. Bragg says the sector has created a perception that it operates in line with modern governance standards. “It has taken the CFMEU issue to expose that,” he says. Bragg is referring to the litany of allegations of underworld infiltration and corruption revealed in this masthead’s Building Bad series that led the federal government to appoint a barrister to take over the CFMEU. That barrister, Mark Irving, KC, said in August he wanted a “clean sweep” of serving CFMEU representatives from the Cbus board but reappointed one who resigned, Jason O’Mara, alongside Crumlin and a union lawyer, Lucy Weber. There are no allegations against any of those individuals. Super Consumers Australia chief executive Xavier O’Halloran, whose group represents people with superannuation accounts, says the “partisan debate” over Cbus should not be the main focus. “The skills and competence of these boards are really important, and that should be the primary focus,” O’Halloran says. “What we have seen in the UK, the regulator has a role in determining a fit and proper person, to determine who should be on the board. “That’s not something the regulator [APRA] here does. They [unions and industry groups] make their own picks, and we think that could be improved, that there should be greater rigour.” But while O’Halloran would like to see improvements to board regulation, and perhaps the introduction of more independent directors, he also confirms the industry superannuation sector is largely beating its retail competitors. And there is evidence they are delivering on the goals Paul Keating had in mind when he set up the superannuation system: ensuring comfortable retirements and reducing the burden, over time, of the aged pension on federal government coffers. The federal 2023 Intergenerational Report shows government spending on Aged and Service pensions will fall from 2.3 per cent of GDP to 2 per cent by 2063, because of superannuation, even as the population ages. Misha Schubert, chief executive of the lobby group for industry super funds, argues their performance shows the board model is working. “The shared governance model of this type of fund – whether they arose from an industry, company or the public sector – was created with a clear and single purpose,” she wrote earlier this year. “To serve the fund members whose retirement savings they safeguard and grow. “They do so by deeply understanding their members and the workplaces in which their members work – they know exactly whose money it is they are stewarding.” The law governing superannuation funds, Schubert notes, requires directors to comply with high standards of performance and act in members’ best interests. Alongside the labour representatives, big superannuation boards are balanced with employer heavyweights. Cbus’ board employer directors, for example, are all nominated by Master Builders Australia and include that organisation’s chief executive, Denita Wawn. It’s a similar story with AustralianSuper, whose employer directors include AiG chief executive (and former Liberal staffer) Innes Willox, as well as a number of other directors aligned with the employer group that originally represented manufacturing firms. A Cbus spokesman said in a statement that having equal employer and employee representation on its board had ensured its success for 40 years, and it was pleased to welcome the three new directors. “After applying a comprehensive ‘fit and proper persons test’ the Cbus board confirmed the appointment of the three directors who share a determination to generate the strongest, sustainable financial returns for members and deliver the best possible service,” the spokesman said. The fund previously apologised to its members over the claim delays, said it was implementing a compensation process and co-operated with ASIC. Swan, the Cbus chairman, told the Today show last week that many of the criticisms of the fund were “completely inaccurate” and blamed a contracted service provider for the insurance delays but apologised to affected members’ families. “I can assure you, from the minute I became aware of this as chair of the board, I worked with the board to resolve it as quickly as possible,” he said. AustralianSuper has apologised for the multiple accounts issue. “We found this mistake, we reported it, we apologised to impacted members, we paid them back, and we’ve improved our processes to prevent it happening again,” a spokesman said. Michael O’Connor, the CFMEU manufacturing division boss, has voluntarily stood aside while the court case over the alleged misuse of his position is under way and had not responded to comment requests. Unlike some of the union heavyweights, many of the Labor figures on superannuation boards have external pedigree. Russell, of AustralianSuper, for example, is a former ambassador to the United States who has worked at global finance firms including BNY Mellon Asset Management and Sanford C. Bernstein. Hostplus chair Roxon is also an independent director at the property company Dexus. And increasingly, the funds also have independent directors with financial or governance expertise. The 2.4 million-member Australian Retirement Trust, for example, has on its board former top regulator Helen Rowell, and Martin Parkinson, who headed the public service under conservative governments. But that has not satisfied the sector’s critics. Bragg, the Liberal senator, is expected to haul Cbus chairman Swan before the Senate’s economics committee for questions next week. Given the pair’s background, it is unlikely to be a genteel affair. Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter .
In conclusion, the symposium provided a platform for constructive dialogue, mutual learning, and collaboration between the party and non-party members on critical economic issues. The insights and suggestions shared at the symposium will inform and enrich the party's economic policies, contributing to sustainable growth, innovation, and prosperity for the nation. Such inclusive and participatory approaches to governance are essential for building a resilient and dynamic economy that can navigate the complexities and challenges of the contemporary global landscape.The upcoming naturalization of three undisclosed players, including one linked to Manchester United, adds an intriguing dimension to Indonesia's football landscape. With the potential influx of new talent on the horizon, the national team faces both challenges and opportunities in harnessing the collective strength and diversity of its roster.
Winless at home, Cowboys shoot for eighth consecutive victory over GiantsGeorgia's prime minister had vowed to punish those participating in the anti-government protests that have engulfed the capital Tbilisi. On Wednesday, it seems, the crackdown began. Police launched multiple raids on opposition party offices, with one leader reportedly detained and beaten unconscious. In footage shared by the Coalition for Change party, its leader Nika Gvaramia can be seen arguing with officers. Tensions are high. All of a sudden, things turn violent and the politician disappears under a mass of masked men. We are unable to independently verify whether he was beaten or not. But he doesn't appear to be moving when his body is carried away by police. Outside the offices of Droa, another opposition party that was targeted by authorities, we saw dozens of masked police officers. Some formed a wall around the door to the building, as others carried out box after box of Droa's property, and loaded them onto a lorry. More on Georgia 'We need new life': Protesters undeterred in battle on the streets for Georgia's future Georgia: Fourth night of clashes in Tbilisi amid reports protests are spreading Georgia protests: President says government 'not legitimate' as thousands take to streets for third night Related Topics: Georgia Activists say it's an attempt to silence them. If it is, it doesn't seem to have worked. "This is alarming of course. This is undemocratic. This is violent. But I did not expect anything else from this government," Droa executive secretary Giga Lemonjava told Sky News. "They're just a criminal gang. They do not have any political legitimacy. "We're not scared. We're going until the end. We won't give up our European future, our freedom." Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Protesters aren't giving up either. In a blaze of fireworks and fury, thousands once again filled the main avenue outside Georgia 's parliament on Wednesday for a seventh night in a row. Their anger was initially sparked by the government's suspension of EU accession talks last week, which demonstrators claim has stolen their future. The ruling Georgian Dream party, they say, is in fact a Russian dream - a Kremlin plot to drag Georgia into Moscow's orbit. Read more from Sky News: Georgians worry about ending up like Ukraine Protesters undeterred in battle for Georgia's future Each night, the protesters have been dispersed by a violent mixture of tear gas, water cannon, and rubber bullets. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has repeatedly praised the police for their response, but others have raised the alarm. Lasha Uchava, a doctor at the National Institute for Endocrinology, says the water cannon has been mixed with pepper spray. Having seen its effect on demonstrators, he fears it could prove lethal. Follow our channel and never miss an update "Such dispersal measures should not be used repeatedly on the same group of people," Dr Uchava told Sky News. "When clothing becomes saturated in this mixture, the harmful effects on the respiratory system and the skin are prolonged. This can lead to severe problems, including fatal consequences in some cases." The protesters hope it'll be the other way around, of course - that the only consequences are for those cracking down.