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Ohio State, Michigan players involved in postgame scuffleCHANGES NECESSARY?
WASHINGTON — Democratic lawmakers including California Sen. Alex Padilla are urging President Joe Biden to take action now to protect immigrants with temporary legal statuses and work authorizations. President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to move quickly to crack down on immigrants once he takes office, including mass deportations. The lawmakers said during a news conference Wednesday that protecting hundreds of thousands of immigrants was not just a moral imperative, but an economic priority as well. "By taking work authorization for hundreds of thousands of workers away, we're gutting our own workforce," Sen. Steve Padilla of California said. "For all the voters who turned out in November, who told campaigns and pollsters that top of mind for them was the high cost of living, the cost of housing, the price of food and so much more: Let's be clear that mass deportations will directly result in an economic disaster and higher prices." Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada said White House officials told her they are considering the request, but have offered no timetable for when they could act. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. She and Padilla, along with Sen. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico, sent Biden a letter last week asking him to redesignate eligible countries, including Nicaragua, El Salvador and Venezuela, for Temporary Protected Status, and to designate Ecuador for protections. They also urged Biden to expedite processing of applications for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, an Obama-era program granting work permits and deportation protections to certain immigrants brought to the U.S. as children. California is home to about 68,000 Temporary Protected Status holders and 150,000 DACA recipients . Temporary Protected Status is a presidential authority that allows people to live and work in the U.S. when conditions in their home country, such as war or environmental disaster, make it unsafe to return. More than 860,000 immigrants from 17 countries are protected under the program, which the Biden administration significantly expanded. The program's protection is granted for up to 18 months. Protections for some countries are due to end soon; designations for El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Nepal and Sudan, for instance, expire in March. Renewing them now would buy those immigrants more time to work legally and seek out alternative legal options. During his first term, Trump revoked the humanitarian protections for people from several countries, but a class-action lawsuit kept their protections in place until the Biden administration took office and reversed Trump's move. It is widely anticipated that Trump will attempt to revoke the protections or let them expire soon after being sworn in. The plea by lawmakers and advocates comes after Trump said on NBC's "Meet the Press" that the only way to prevent families from being separated is to deport them all, including children who are U.S. citizens. Trump also said he will "work with Democrats on a plan" to help DACA recipients remain in the country. The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on Tuesday titled, "How mass deportations will separate American families, harm our armed forces, and devastate our economy." In a floor speech previewing the hearing a day earlier, Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Ill., said there's reason to be skeptical, if not cynical, of Trump's promises to work with Democrats. "(In his) last term, President-elect Trump walked away from four different bipartisan compromises with Democrats to solve the DACA crisis," Durbin said. "Democrats were willing to provide billions of dollars, at one point, for President Trump's unpopular border wall in exchange for a bipartisan Dream Act, but we just couldn't seem to reach a positive answer." Andrea Flores, a former Biden White House official who is now vice president for immigration policy and campaigns at the advocacy group Fwd.us , said Biden's decision to protect hundreds of thousands of immigrants from dangerous conditions is being politicized in the aftermath of the election. She noted that Temporary Protected Status is a bipartisan law created in 1990, has been used by presidents of both political parties and requires "a sober legal assessment of the diplomatic foreign policy and country conditions." "Factors that are not in the law could potentially stop the Biden administration from acting," she said. "The usage of TPS historically has always reflected the best of what our country does, which is to protect people fleeing harm from oppressive regimes. To fail to act now, to protect those people that we welcomed in and provided refuge to, would be a stain on the Biden administration's legacy for years to come." ©2024 Los Angeles Times. Visit latimes.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.None
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MAPUTO, Mozambique. (AP) — At least 6,000 inmates escaped from a high-security prison in Mozambique’s capital on Christmas Day after a rebellion, the country's police chief said, as widespread post-election riots and violence are roiling the country. Police chief Bernardino Rafael said 33 prisoners died and 15 others were injured during a confrontation with the security forces. The prisoners fled during violent protests that have seen police cars, stations and infrastructure destroyed after the country’s Constitutional Council confirmed the ruling Frelimo party as the winner of the Oct. 9 elections. The escape from the Maputo Central Prison, located 14 kilometers (9 miles) southwest of the capital, started around midday on Wednesday after “agitation” by a “group of subversive protesters” nearby, Rafael said. Some of the prisoners at the facility snatched weapons from the guards and started freeing other detainees. “A curious fact is that in that prison we had 29 convicted terrorists, who they released. We are worried, as a country, as Mozambicans, as members of the defense and security forces,” said Rafael. “They (protesters) were making noise, demanding that they be able to remove the prisoners who are there serving their sentences”, said Rafael, adding that the protests led to the collapse of a wall, allowing the prisoners to flee. He called on the escaped prisoners to surrender to authorities and for the population to be informed about the fugitives. Videos circulating on social media show the moment inmates left the prison, while other recordings reveal captures made by military personnel and prison guards. Many prisoners tried to hide in homes, but some were unsuccessful and ended up being detained again. In one video, a prisoner still with handcuffs on his right wrist says he was held n the disciplinary section of the prison and was released by other inmates. Violence has engulfed Mozambique since the country’s highest court confirmed ruling Frelimo party presidential candidate Daniel Chapo as the winner of disputed Oct. 9 elections on Monday. Mozambique's Interior Minister Pascoal Ronda told a news conference in Maputo late Tuesday that the violence was led by mostly youthful supporters of losing candidate Venancio Mondlane, who received 24% of the vote, second to Chapo, who got 65%. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is concerned at the violence and urges all political leaders and relevant parties “to defuse tensions including through meaningful dialogue (and) legal redress,” U.N. associate spokesperson Stephanie Tremblay said Thursday. The U.N. chief also calls for a halt to the violence and redoubled efforts “to seek a peaceful resolution to the ongoing crisis,” she said.49ers need their own red-hat mojo Since 49ers standout Nick Bosa displayed a “Make America Great Again” hat in support of President-elect Donald Trump on TV after a football game (getting fined over $11,000 for violating NFL rules), and because his team has a mediocre record so far this year, maybe he should get another more appropriate hat. I suggest, “Make the 49ers Great Again.” — Margarida da Silva, Novato Our socialistic tendencies deserve a much closer look In a recent letter, Ed Bazquerio posits that, “‘blue’ states will be taxed to uplift ‘red’ states.” That sounds like the “equity” that I hear so much about — leveling the playing field as it were. To me, the consequences of equity means finding the lowest common denominator. That’s a divisive process. Conceptually, imagine the disincentive to an A student being given a B so a D student can have a C. Former President Ronald Reagan used to say that, back when he made his money in film, he would take the rest of the year off as soon as his income hit the 90% tax bracket. Why do the same work for 10% of the reward and give 90% to the “red states,” as it were? Had it been a more moderate rate, Reagan surely would have kept working and revenue into the tax coffer would have continued. There is a popular political observation from across the pond that can be adapted here: The problem with socialism (aka the taking and giving other people’s money away) is that, eventually, you run out of other people’s money. In Bazquerio’s case, it would be the blue state’s money. It seems that more of us are catching on every day. — Eric Fransen, San Rafael Seeing Texas helps me support Newsom’s plan I don’t think California is as bad as some think. I think it has a messaging problem. I just returned from two trips to visit family in Dallas and Austin, and was expecting some sort of Texas Republican cowboy nirvana. What I found was the opposite of nirvana. From what I saw, Dallas was a hotbed of the “haves” and “have nots.” I saw evidence of high crime and a high cost of living. I think Austin is a “hot mess.” Its infrastructure — airport, roads and parking — is undersized (some of it is in terrible condition). Meanwhile, it appears to have unchecked construction. It’s no wonder some people call it the “city of cranes.” They are everywhere, lifting steel into the new highrises. Both Dallas and Austin appear to have drug-addled people on the street. I think the numbers rival San Francisco. Oh, and it was 85 degrees and humid in mid-November. As I arrived home and thought about Gov. Gavin Newsom’s statements about preparing for another Donald Trump presidency, I fully understand that he wasn’t speaking to issues of interest to the majority of American voters. But I know that Trump’s “communication machine” convinced enough people to deal the country a terrible hand with his election, so we better get more focused on our message. And to all the former Californians who moved to Texas: We’re here if you want to come back. — Polly Elkin, San Rafael Transgender issues were a big factor in the election I am writing in response to the recently published article about what some in Marin public health departments think will change when President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January (“Trump presidency casts shadow over Marin health care, social services,” Nov. 19). I found some of the comments to be silly. The most striking sentence for me was in regard to Janna Barkin, identified as “a Marin advocate for parents and families of transgender youths.” According to the article, “Barkin said she recently spoke at a gender identity training conducted by the Novato Unified School District to instruct teachers in how to be allies.” I do not agree with that path. When asked during exit polling following the Nov. 5 election, Blueprint, a public opinion research group, found that “transgender issues” was a top-three reason driving voters away from Vice President Kamala Harris. In the U.S., more states are shutting down transgender procedures for minors and Biden administration transgender “health-care protections” are facing many legal challenges. Make no mistake, I consider puberty blockers and surgeries for minors to be child abuse. They should be treated as such. — Tief Gibbs, Novato
NEW YORK, Dec 11 (Reuters) - Investment bank Lazard's (LAZ.N) , opens new tab CEO, Peter Orszag, predicted a surge in dealmaking momentum to continue into next year, helped by private equity activity. Wall Street executives have expressed optimism that the incoming Trump administration will usher in deregulation and more openness to mergers and acquisitions. The bullish views come as investment banking activity recovers from a two-year dry spell. "There were a lot of large transactions that were being informally discussed that now are more in 'let's see if we can really make this happen,' and that's pretty much across the board," Orszag said in an interview on Wednesday at the Reuters NEXT conference in New York. President-elect Donald Trump , who takes office on Jan. 20, has said he will slap 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada, as well as additional duties on Chinese goods, which would hit companies in sectors from autos to retail and has sparked concern among investors. "There may have been a lot of rhetoric, but when you get to governing and want to make sure that inflation doesn't begin to spike, things will be done in a more tempered manner," Orszag said. He was also bullish about Lazard's prospects for next year. New York-based Lazard's financial advisory revenue climbed 39% in the third quarter to $371 million, driving a 50% jump in revenue to $785 million. Lazard was the ninth-most active investment bank in global M&A in the first nine months of the year, ranked by fees, according to data from Dealogic. To view the live broadcast of the World Stage go to the Reuters NEXT news page: https://www.reuters.com/world/reuters-next/ Sign up here. Reporting by Nupur Anand and Lananh Nguyen in New YorkEditing by Matthew Lewis Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab Thomson Reuters Lananh Nguyen is the U.S. finance editor at Reuters in New York, leading coverage of U.S. banks. She joined Reuters in 2022 after reporting on Wall Street at The New York Times. Lananh spent more than a decade at Bloomberg News in New York and London, where she wrote extensively about banking and financial markets, and she previously worked at Dow Jones Newswires/The Wall Street Journal. Lananh holds a B.A. in political science from Tufts University and an M.Sc. in finance and economic policy from the University of London. Thomson Reuters Nupur Anand is a U.S. banking correspondent at Reuters in New York. She focuses on JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo and regional banks. Anand covered banking and finance in India for more than a decade, chronicling the collapse of major lenders and turmoil at digital banks and cryptocurrencies. She has a degree in English literature from Delhi University and a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism & New Media in Bangalore. Anand is also an award-winning fiction writer.
New Delhi: While over 2.5 million people are living with HIV in India, the country has made notable progress, and outperformed the global reduction rate, said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Saturday, ahead of World AIDS Day. World AIDS Day has been observed annually on December 1 since 1988, to raise awareness about HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) /AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) and to fight the stigma attached to the disease. According to the India HIV Estimations 2023 report, more than 2.5 million people are living with HIV in India. However, the country has seen a 44 per cent reduction since 2010 — with adult HIV prevalence recorded at 0.2 per cent and annual new HIV infections estimated at 66,400, the ministry said. “India has outperformed the global reduction rate of 39 per cent, demonstrating the success of sustained interventions. The availability of free high-quality lifelong treatment for over 16.06 lakh people living with HIV (PLHIV) through 725 ART (Antiretroviral Therapy) centers (as of June 2023) and 12.30 lakh viral load tests conducted between 2022–2023 reflect India’s commitment to ensuring care for affected populations,” the ministry said. “World AIDS Day 2024 serves as a reminder of the work that remains to be done to eliminate HIV/AIDS. Through the NACP Phase-V and its rights-based approach, India has made significant progress in prevention, treatment, and care,” it added. The National AIDS and STD Control Programme (NACP) was launched in 1992 to tackle the disease in the country. The Global AIDS Update 2023 released by The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), also acknowledged the significant strides made by India in combating HIV/AIDS. It also lauded India for “robust legal framework and financial investments which led to a decline in new HIV cases in India”. These have also facilitated the country’s progress toward the goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030, said the report, while acknowledging India “for strengthening laws to protect the rights of vulnerable populations”. The theme this year “Take the Rights Path: My Health, My Right!” encapsulates the collective mission to foster inclusivity, uphold human rights, and ensure equitable healthcare access. The ministry noted the importance of collaboration, the need to address structural challenges, and scaling up successful interventions, to lead the global fight against HIV/AIDS.
Ohio State, Michigan players involved in postgame scuffle
Donald Trump will ring the New York Stock Exchange bell as he’s named Time’s Person of the YearMegan Giles Cooney | Ads jar epic documentary
Trump's 'Made in USA' Bitcoin is a promise impossible to keepMovie Review: Brave, mesmerizing Amy Adams triumphs over frustratingly odd script in ‘Nightbitch’ The question sounds so basic and friendly. But it’s actually loaded, as many mothers can attest. “Do you just love getting to be home with him all the time?” asks the younger, more put-together woman in the supermarket. “Must be so wonderful. Jocelyn Noveck, The Associated Press Dec 5, 2024 3:49 PM Dec 5, 2024 3:50 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message This image released by Searchlight Pictures shows Amy Adams in a scene from "Nightbitch." (Searchlight Pictures via AP) The question sounds so basic and friendly. But it’s actually loaded, as many mothers can attest. “Do you just love getting to be home with him all the time?” asks the younger, more put-together woman in the supermarket. “Must be so wonderful.” Wonderful, of course — and sometimes brain-numbing and soul-draining too, some exhausted fulltime moms might reply. Especially if, like Amy Adams’ character in Marielle Heller's “Nightbitch," they’d left their prized art gallery job to this other woman. And so Adams responds, twice, showing in this very opening scene exactly why her typically brave, brutally frank performance lifts this movie from an oddly uneven script to something unequivocally worth seeing. First we get the honest answer, the one no one really gives until later in the shower: she feels “stuck inside of a prison of my own creation,” where she torments herself and ends up binge-eating Fig Newtons to keep from crying. She is angry all the time. Oh and, she has gotten dumber. Then we rewind and director-writer Heller has Adams give her real answer: “I do, I love it! I love being a Mom.” There we are, two minutes and 13 seconds into “Nightbitch” and you may already find yourself wowed by Adams. If not, just wait until her Mother is sitting at a chic restaurant with a bunch of colleagues from the art world, and her fangs come out. And we don’t mean figuratively. We mean literally. Let’s go back to the beginning, shall we? “Nightbitch” is based on the 2021 novel by Rachel Yoder, a feminist fable that the author has said came from her own malaise when pausing work for child-rearing. She sets her tale in an unidentified suburb of an unidentified city. Mother (characters all have generic names), formerly an admired installation artist, spends her weekdays alone with her adorable, blond 2-year old Son. Husband has a job that seems to bring him home only on weekends. The early scenes depicting Mother’s life are tight and impactful, a contrast to the confused havoc that will come toward the end of the film. Life revolves around the playground and the home, with occasional trips to storytime at the library where she notes, in narration, that she has no interest in the company of other moms — why should they be friends just because they're moms? In fact, Mother lives in solitude, and director Heller does a nice job illustrating how that feels you can almost feel the weight of the afternoon coming around, at this comfortable but hardly ostentatious home, when it’s too early for dinner and you’ve done all the activities already and you wonder if you can make it through the day. Then things start to get weird. In the bathroom mirror, Mother starts noticing things. Her teeth are getting sharper. There’s something weird coming out of an apparent cyst at the bottom of her spine. She finds extra nipples. And that’s before she starts eating rare meat. (Also, if you love cats, you may want to close your eyes at one point.) Somewhow Adams, who also produces here, makes these things seem, if not quite natural, then logical. What's happening is that Mother’s frustration is becoming ferocious. Dangerously ferocious. But also — empowering. At night, or so she thinks, she is a wild dog. Aspects of the film work wonderfully. Mother’s relationship with Son (twins Arleigh and Emmett Snowden) is lovely, largely due to a decision to let the young boys talk freely, with the adult actors reacting to their words. It lends a grounding realism to a film that quickly veers surreal. Less successful is the relationship between Mother and Husband (Scoot McNairy), which takes on too much importance as the film goes on, in a baffling way, rather than Mother’s transformation. (Also, just asking, has anyone in this movie ever heard of a babysitter?) More importantly, a story that posits itself on such a tantalizing idea — that by transforming into a dog, Mother discovers her true nature and power —resorts late in the game to a safer story about a marriage that never seemed appealing enough for us to care about anyway. It doesn't help that it's hard to grasp the distracting subplot about Mother’s own mother. None of this takes away from the strength of Adams’ performance. You believe her love for her child as much as you believe her resentment for what he is taking away from her. And Adams can make almost any line work, including one about a walnut. But we digress. It’s an irony that for reasons of storytelling, characters have generic names — because Adams is such a singular and particular, talent. The journey she embarks upon is bizarre indeed, but you won’t regret taking it with her. “Nightbitch,” a Searchlight Pictures release, has been rated R by the Motion Picture Association “for language and some sexuality. “ Running time: 98 minutes. Two stars out of four. Jocelyn Noveck, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message More Entertainment News Specially minted Paul McCartney UK coins to go on sale as part of legends collection Dec 5, 2024 4:11 PM Exiled Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof's definition of home is shifting Dec 5, 2024 1:44 PM Q&A: Binoche and Fiennes on reuniting for ‘The Return' and fighting for meaningful movies Dec 5, 2024 1:23 PM Featured FlyerNone
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A state attorney in Florida told his staff he can’t legally help take over his seat because Gov. Ron the Democrat from the office, according to an internal email obtained by The Associated Press. An executive order issued by DeSantis in 2023 suspending then-State Attorney Monique Worrell from office is still in effect, argued state attorney Andrew Bain in a message sent to staff on Monday. The governor appointed Bain to the 9th Judicial Circuit to replace Worrell, who beat him in last month’s election to retake the Orlando metro area’s top prosecutor’s office. “While I accept the results of the election and wish to do everything I can to ensure the Office is successful going forward, I do not yet feel I can assist her in that transition,” Bain wrote. Worrell’s new term is slated to begin Jan. 7, 2025. She is one of two elected state attorneys, both Democrats, who DeSantis has removed from office. Worrell failed to prosecute minors and didn’t seek mandatory minimum sentences for gun crimes, putting her central Florida district in danger. She disputed his criticism as false and . across the U.S. have called Democratic prosecutors’ decisions into question. Bain said in the email shared with the AP that Worrell’s suspension must be resolved by either another executive order by DeSantis or a decision by the Florida Senate, which reviews the cases of elected officials suspended from office. “Without one of these things, I do not feel I can lawfully assist in a transition to an individual whose lawful suspension was ,” Bain wrote. “We are living through an unprecedented legal event without clear answers.” Representatives for Bain did not respond to phone and email inquiries from the AP. A statement posted to the state attorney’s website Monday appeared to contradict Bain’s message to staff. “The state attorney is ready and willing to ensure a smooth transition,” reads a message released by the agency’s public information office. “The state attorney’s term ends Jan. 6, 2025, and he will no longer be in office. Ms. Worrell’s term will begin Jan. 7, 2025. It is the intent of the state attorney to enforce the will of the people.” Worrell criticized Bain’s statements as a “betrayal of democratic principles” and argued that the executive order suspending her expired with the 2024 election. “No executive order, no political maneuver, and certainly no personal grievance can override the will of the people,” Worrell said in a statement. “Any delay in the transition process is a direct affront to the very people this office serves.” A spokesperson for DeSantis pointed to the statement released by the state attorney’s public information office and didn’t respond to other questions from the AP. ___ Kate Payne is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. 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Innovators from universities and research institutions worldwide are encouraged to submit proposals until January 31, 2025 , at https://bridge.lgensol.com/ . Since its inaugural competition in 2017, BIC has been LG Energy Solution's flagship research contest. This year's edition has been revamped to foster greater collaboration between academia and industry. Selected researchers will receive annual research funding of up to USD 150,000 annually. Additional funding may be granted to projects making significant achievements through extended contracts. "By presenting specific research optics, we aim to go beyond merely supporting academia and maximize the mutual benefits between the industry and academia," said an LG Energy Solution spokesperson. To facilitate active collaboration, LG Energy Solution has introduced the ' BRIDGE ' system, a platform designed to manage open innovation programs like BIC. The system facilitates seamless collaborations with features that help teams working on joint research projects track their objectives and deliverables. LG Energy Solution has unveiled the preselected 18 research topics for collaborative projects on the ' BRIDGE ' platform, such Battery Safety diagnosis algorithm technology and New materials for LFP Batteries topic. At the same time, the contest retains its traditional format to ensure participants are free to propose completely original research ideas. All research proposals must be submitted through the ' BRIDGE ' system. "The BIC platform serves as a bridge of wisdom between members of academia and industry, driving technological innovation for the all-important battery sector," said Je-Young Kim , CTO of LG Energy Solution. "Through this initiative, we aim to provide differentiated value to our customers by strengthening our technology leadership." As of today, LG Energy Solution has supported 26 battery research projects through the 'BIC' initiative, with some evolving into large-scale projects that have received additional funding and resources. Thanks to the success of this competition, the company continues to establish partnerships with world-leading universities and research institutions, reinforcing its commitment to preparing the battery field for the future. About LG Energy Solution LG Energy Solution (KRX: 373220), a split-off from LG Chem, is a leading global manufacturer of lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles, mobility, IT, and energy storage systems. With 30 years of experience in revolutionary battery technology and extensive research and development (R&D), the company is the top battery-related patent holder in the world with over 58,000 patents. Its robust global network, which spans North America, Europe, and Asia , includes battery manufacturing facilities established through joint ventures with major automakers. Committed to building sustainable battery ecosystem, LG Energy Solution aims to achieve carbon neutrality across its value chain by 2050, while embodying the value of shared growth and promoting diverse and inclusive corporate culture. To learn more about LG Energy Solution's ideas and innovations, visit https://news.lgensol.com .
Analysis: Alex Kamangila and the Pitfalls of allegations without evidenceFLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — The New York Jets might be dealing with an opponent even tougher to overcome than their poor play, missed opportunities and ill-timed mistakes. Wide receiver Garrett Wilson suggested last Sunday a losing “gene” might be an explanation for the Jets’ inability to pull out victories after the team dropped to 3-10 with a loss at Miami. On Wednesday, Aaron Rodgers presented another perhaps more sinister reason. “I mean, it might be something like that," the quarterback said of Wilson's theory. "It might be some sort of curse we've got to snap as well.” Generations of frustrated Jets fans have half-jokingly insisted there have been negative forces at work against the franchise since Joe Namath delivered on his Super Bowl guarantee in January 1969. It remains the team's only appearance in the NFL's biggest game. Rodgers has been there once — and won — with Green Bay. The 41-year-old quarterback came to New York hoping to finally lead the Jets back to the Super Bowl. He even commented on how lonely the team's only Lombardi Trophy looked during his introductory news conference 20 months ago. Instead, Rodgers' first season in New York was cut short by a torn Achilles tendon just four snaps in, immediately resurrecting "curse” theories among jaded Jets fans. With its loss last Sunday, New York extended its playoff drought to 14 straight years, the longest active skid among the major North American sports leagues. And the team will be looking for a new general manager and coach after this season, and Rodgers' future in New York is very much up in the air. “Whatever the case, this team, this organization is going to figure out how to get over the hump at some point,” Rodgers said. “The culture is built by the players. There’s a framework set down by the organization, by the upper ups, by the staff. But in the end, it’s the players that make it come to life. "And at some point, everybody’s going to have to figure out what that special sauce is to turn those games that should be wins into wins.” The Jets have held the lead in the fourth quarter in five games this season. They've lost each of them, including the past three games. New York's inability to come away with wins in those prompted Wilson's “gene” theory. “I’m not exactly sure what he was talking about there,” Rodgers said with a smile. "I don’t know what the proper nomenclature is for the situation where we’ve lost some leads or haven’t been able to take the lead late in the game, but that’s the way it goes sometimes. We haven’t been great in situational football. “A lot of those games come down to the plays in the first and second, even third quarter, where if you make the play the game is not in that situation. But in those situations, we haven’t been very good on offense or defense or even (special) teams.” Rodgers said “it takes a conscious effort, it takes an intentional effort” to establish a winning culture, and it includes leadership, practice habits and setting standards inside and outside of the locker room. And this year's Jets, Rodgers said, are “on the edge” of that. “We just haven’t quite figured out how to get that special sauce worked out, mixed up,” he said. “It’s close and a lot of great guys are in the locker room. There’s some good mix of veterans and young guys, but we just haven’t quite put it all together.” AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFLNEW YORK , Nov. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- After an exciting Black Friday event filled with exclusive discounts and unbeatable offers on Monport Laser's cutting-edge machines, the excitement isn't over just yet. Monport Laser is keeping the momentum alive with a highly anticipated Cyber Monday Sale . 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With a focus on precision, durability, and customer support, Monport is committed to empowering creators and helping businesses grow with their state-of-the-art engraving technology. Contact Information View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/monport-cyber-monday-mega-sale-final-chance-to-save-big-on-laser-machines-this-2024-302319089.html SOURCE Monport LaserSix Republicans in the Missouri Senate want to start the debate over whether to eliminate the state income tax with a move to a 4% flat tax. Among the bills filed in advance of the 2025 legislative session are identical proposals to move to a flat tax that also include provisions that would slowly reduce the rate to zero. Part of that plan is a proposed constitutional amendment that would put a strict cap on spending and allow sales taxes to be applied to services such as auto repair labor and accountant fees. “They really go together in tandem,” said state Sen. Curtis Trent, a Springfield Republican. “They’re sort of two pieces in one whole. It would change the conversation if the constitutional amendment wasn’t enacted.” During this year’s election campaign, Gov.-elect Mike Kehoe promised to eliminate Missouri’s state income tax . Kehoe hasn’t outlined the details of how the tax that provided 65% of the $13.4 billion in general revenue during fiscal 2024 would be dismantled without severe cuts to state programs. Since 2014, when lawmakers enacted a tax cut over the veto of then-Gov. Jay Nixon, Missouri’s top income tax rate has fallen from 6% to 4.8%, with another 0.1 percentage point cut set to take effect on Jan. 1. Two future tax cuts, to a 4.5% rate, are already in state law and will take effect if general revenue growth hits targets. Along with Trent, the bill for a 4% flat tax has been introduced by GOP state Sens. Ben Brown of Washington, Nick Schroer of Defiance and Jill Carter of Granby, as well as state Sens.-elect Brad Hudson of Cape Fair and Adam Schnelting of St. Charles. In the Missouri House, the bill and accompanying constitutional amendment have been filed by state Rep. Bishop Davidson, a Republican from Republic. Nonpartisan legislative staff have yet to prepare cost estimates for the bills, so the impact of an immediate move to a 4% rate is unknown. Hudson said he hasn’t discussed the proposal with Kehoe’s transition staff so he doesn’t know if it will be the favored plan. The plan for a 4% flat tax with provisions for further cuts, he said, was developed in conversations with other legislators looking for a plan that could be enacted without major disruptions. “There seem to be a number of us that agree that the product that you are looking at is definitely a great place to start this conversation,” Hudson said. The proposals have the backing of Americans for Prosperity-Missouri, an affiliate of the Koch brothers-founded super PAC , which endorsed the flat tax plan in a news release issued Tuesday. The release said the organization will use digital ads, petitions, mailers and door-to-door advocacy to promote the bills. “It’s past time for Missouri to join the ranks of states that have moved to a flat tax and are gradually phasing out their state income taxes that are a burden to workers and families,” state director Gary Hollis said in the release. AFP-Missouri provided feedback to legislators as they worked on the bill but did not draft the legislation, Hollis said in response to an email inquiry. Nationally, he wrote, AFP is backing tax cut proposals in several states. The proposals are also generating opposition, including the Missouri Realtors Association. The Realtors funded an initiative passed in 2016 to ban sales taxes on services that would be repealed by the proposed constitutional amendments. “It’s a really bad idea,” said Sam Licklider, lobbyist for the Realtors. “Nobody will admit to thinking taxes are a good idea. But on the other hand, how are you going to run the government?” For years, economists have described Missouri’s personal income tax as “nearly flat” because narrow tax brackets mean the top rate kicks in when taxable income exceeds $8,911. Taxpayers are allowed two deductions from their income before calculating how much they owe. The first is the standard deduction — $14,600 for an individual this year — that matches the federal deduction. The second is a deduction for a portion of federal income taxes that starts at 35% for the lowest income groups and phases out after income exceeds $125,000. The first $1,273 earned beyond the standard deduction is exempt from taxation. The brackets, each covering $1,273 of income, start at 2% and hit the maximum rate at $8,911 or more of taxable income. That means the top rate is paid on income exceeding approximately $24,000 a year, or 37.5 hours a week at the current minimum wage of $12.30 an hour. Shifting to a 4% flat tax would cost all taxpayers about $64 by eliminating brackets with a lower rate. Taxpayers would save money on income currently taxed at the highest rate, with net lower taxes starting when income exceeds $32,000. A taxpayer with an income of $250,000 would see a tax cut of about $1,500 with a 4% flat tax compared to the 2025 rate of 4.7%. People with incomes of $250,000 or more represent only about 1.5% of all returns but nearly one-third of all income reported. Missouri collected $9.8 billion from income taxes — before accounting for refunds — in the fiscal year that ended June 30, about 65% of general revenue. The state collected $13.4 billion in general revenue for the year after accounting for refunds. That is enough money, Trent said. “The goal is that the amount of revenue that’s available to the state right now would continue to be available on the same basis,” he said. When Missourians make a purchase subject to sales tax, they don’t pay just one tax. For state government purposes, it is actually four taxes. A myriad of local taxes imposed by counties, cities and special districts can more than double the state rate. For general revenue purposes , the rate is 3%, applied to cars, clothes, computers and other tangible goods, but excluding food purchased for home consumption. The tax generated $3.2 billion in the most recent fiscal year, about 21% of general revenue collections. Food purchases are subject to all other sales taxes. A tax of 1% generates money that is distributed to public schools on a per-pupil basis and a tax of 0.125% is dedicated to the operations of the Department of Conservation . The final piece is 0.1% split between state park operations and soil conservation efforts. Including local taxes means many taxpayers pay 8% or more on purchases. The highest rate on general purchases is in St. Ann, in St. Louis County , where the rate in special districts is 12.238%. Along with the constitutional prohibition on expanding sales tax to services, the Realtors in 2010 succeeded with an initiative that prevents sales tax from being imposed on real estate transactions . An additional tax of 9% would be needed to generate the same general revenue from sales tax that is produced by the personal income tax. “Folks can make an argument that a consumption tax is a better way to do business,” Hudson said. “I understand the philosophy behind that. But ultimately, what I would like to see happen is where the income tax goes away without the necessity of increasing taxes anywhere else.” The flat-tax proposals all make cuts beyond the move to 4% dependent on passage of a constitutional amendment intended to limit the growth of state spending. Under the proposal, growth in total annual appropriations — $50.9 billion from all funds for the current year after vetoes by Gov. Mike Parson — would grow, or decrease, along with the state’s population. When the population grows by 1% or more in a year, the growth rate would be the cap. Population growth of less than 1% would mean a cap of 1% year-to-year. And if the state’s population declined, state spending would have to be cut by the percentage decrease. Any revenue of estimates would be directed to a new fund in the treasury. When the total in the fund exceeds $120 million, it would trigger a 0.1 percentage point cut in the top income tax rate, with another 0.05 percentage point for every additional $60 million available when the calculation is made. Money in the fund could be used to cover any shortfall in available general revenue. If it was in place during the year that ended June 30, the deposit to the “Tax Reform Fund” would have been $294 million because actual receipts exceeded the estimate made in December 2023 by that amount. But the current revenue isn’t the only general revenue being spent by lawmakers. Even after $1 billion in vetoes, the budget will use about $1.6 billion of the $4.8 billion in general revenue surplus on hand on June 30. The sales tax changes made by the constitutional amendment would allow the state to charge a maximum rate of 3.775% on the broader base that includes services. The amendment would not force lawmakers to add services to the sales tax or change the rate, Trent said. “It doesn’t require it,” he said. “It would just make it available.” The amendment does allow one targeted sales tax that would exceed 3.775%. Anyone hiring a lobbyist would pay a sales tax of 6%. “They want to hurt people’s ability to petition their government for redress of grievances,” Licklider said. Missouri’s sales tax receipts have grown almost 45% since fiscal 2018, a combination of inflation of almost 25% and new revenue from online sales. In the same period, income tax collections grew by 27%. If sales taxes continue to grow at the rate of the past 6 years, it will take about 15 years before sales tax receipts match current revenue from income tax. “You have got to have a long time horizon upon which to accomplish any reform,” Hudson said. “A lot of the places that we’ve landed are basically designed to prevent the need for any tax increases, like shifting taxes from one area to another or any spending cuts. “We’re limiting the conversation to how we collect taxes instead of how much taxes we should collect,” he said. The spending cap is based on population, rather than growth in economic output or some other measure of economic activity such as personal income, because many state spending programs, such as public school aid, provide money on a per-capita basis, Trent said. “Using population is pretty common in how a lot of the funds in the state are distributed,” he said. Missouri’s population grew 2.8% from 2010 to 2020, lower than 39 other states. The value of all goods and services produced or provided, the gross domestic product, grew by an average of 2.5% per year in the same period. There are a lot of state spending lines that aren’t tied to population. Every state employee who has been on the payroll since Jan. 1, 2021 has received a net 21% pay raise. Other new payroll costs include a new state government base wage of $15 an hour and a $2 night shift differential. Payroll costs have also increased due to rising contribution rates for pensions. Inflation also pushes up the cost of goods the state purchases from asphalt for roads to Ziploc bags for food storage in state institutions. Those factors make spending limits based on population as bad an idea as the flat tax proposal itself, Licklider said. “You’ve got to have a basic income level to maintain a government,” he said. “How do you run a government on no money unless we want to simply not have a government, which strikes me as kind of a bad idea.” This was first published by the Missouri Independent, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization covering state government, politics and policy, and is reprinted with permission.