PM: Youth’s Innovation Will Drive India’s Future
The decision to sell Rashford will not be taken lightly by Manchester United. The club values him highly, both for his on-field contributions and his off-field impact as a role model and ambassador. However, in the highly competitive world of football, tough decisions sometimes need to be made in order to progress and achieve success.In a wild and exhilarating night of trading, Chinese concept stocks experienced a surge in activity, leaving investors thrilled as the Golden Dragon Index skyrocketed by an impressive 8.5%. The excitement was palpable across the market as traders celebrated the bullish trend that swept through the Chinese tech sector.
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JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A four-goal second period provided enough offensive momentum to propel the Danbury Hat Tricks to a 6-1 victory over the Johnstown Tomahawks at 1st Summit Arena @ Cambria County War Memorial Saturday night. The Hat Tricks tallied four markers in a span of 7:11, giving Danbury an insurmountable lead and earning the series split with the Tomahawks in front of 2,089 fans. “That was definitely the difference in the game,” Johnstown coach Jared Kersner said. “I don’t attribute it to a lack of energy or effort. We just had seven bad minutes when we let those goals up, and unfortunately, we just couldn’t stop the bleeding. It’s very hard to come back from being down four.” Danbury was able to capitalize on two costly turnovers by Johnstown to jump in front. Isaac Mitchell swiped the puck in the Tomahawks zone before firing a shot that hit the left post and went into the net for the Hat Tricks’ first tally, just 42 seconds into the second period. Danbury then recorded a takeaway behind the Tomahawks net, as Kai Elkie finished off a one-time pass from Niko Tournas at 2:14. “Those were big turnovers that led to their goals,” Kersner said. “We’ve got to be stronger on the way out. I thought we broke the puck out well over the weekend, but turnovers are dangerous.” Ameen Ghosheh and Alexis Billequey each scored to increase Danbury’s lead to 4-0 at 7:53, which led to an early exit for Tomahawks goaltender Zack Ferris. Hank Reed got the Tomahawks on the board with his fourth goal of the season at 14:48 of the second. Johnstown outshot Danbury 8-4 in the first period, but was doubled up by the Hat Tricks 16-8 in the second. Danbury set the final with a pair of goals in the third frame, as Ryan Lukko and Luke Golisano both tallied markers, with Lukko’s coming on an empty net. Nick Avakyan stopped 18 of 19 Hat Tricks shots after entering for Ferris. Danbury goaltender Tyler Spokane made 27 saves on 28 Johnstown shot attempts. “Credit goes to their goalie,” Kersner said. “He made a lot of big saves at key times, especially when we were trying to push to get back into the game. Sometimes the game just doesn’t go your way, and that’s what happened tonight.” Despite the loss, Johnstown (15-14-2) still holds the fifth-place spot in the East Division standings, five points behind Maine for fourth. The Tomahawks host Northeast next for a pair of games Dec. 30 and 31. “I’m very proud of this group and how they got to this point, now being more than halfway through the season, from where they started,” Kersner said. “We’ve played ourselves into a good position. The guys can enjoy the break and get back to work. This division is tight, so every game is important going forward.” (c)2024 The Tribune-Democrat (Johnstown, Pa.) Visit The Tribune-Democrat (Johnstown, Pa.) at www.tribune-democrat.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
As we celebrate this momentous occasion, it is important to acknowledge the critical role that scientific research and innovation play in shaping the future of our world. The contributions of individuals like Dr. Chen Wei and Dr. Zhang Boli not only expand our knowledge and understanding of the natural world but also have a profound impact on improving the quality of life for people around the globe.
Furthermore, the central government is also focusing on increasing the supply of affordable housing to meet the needs of the growing urban population. By investing in the construction of affordable housing units and improving access to financing for homebuyers, the government aims to ensure that everyone has access to safe and affordable housing. This focus on affordability is not only important for social stability but also for maintaining a healthy and balanced real estate market.In addition to their defensive responsibilities, the Salzburg defenders also recognize the importance of being proactive in their approach. They understand that in order to compete with PSG, they must not only be solid at the back but also look to exploit any weaknesses in the opponent's defense. Quick transitions and smart positioning will be key in creating scoring opportunities for Salzburg.
S ocial security pensions are grabbing headlines for the wrong reasons in Kerala. Towards the end of November, the State Finance Department published a list of 1,458 government employees, which included gazetted officers, assistant professors, and higher secondary teachers, who were drawing social security pension despite not qualifying for it. The list sparked outrage as the monthly payment of ₹1,600 per person is meant for the disadvantaged sections of society. A few days later, an audit by the State’s Finance Department revealed that many wealthy people, including owners of high-end cars, in Kottakkal municipality of Malappuram district, had snuck into the list of beneficiaries, presumably with the connivance of government officials. The Finance Department then issued instructions to government departments to initiate disciplinary action against all those who were fraudulently claiming pension and recover the money in full at a penal interest rate of 18%. Last week, the State Soil Survey and Soil Conservation Department suspended six employees who were illegally drawing social security pension. More departments are expected to follow suit in the following weeks. The government has also taken steps to weed out ineligible recipients from the list of beneficiaries. Over the years, Kerala has been a model State in the distribution of social security pension. The support system ensures that nearly 50 lakh people receive a monthly payment of ₹1,600. The beneficiaries include people who are 60 years or older, the disabled, widows, unmarried women above 50 years, and agriculture labourers. The government increased the pension amount from ₹600 per beneficiary in 2016 to ₹1,600 in 2017. A revised government order issued in 2017 was specific about ineligibility too, stating that income tax payers, service pensioners, and people with an annual family income of more than ₹1 lakh do not qualify for pension. According to the Economic Review published by the State Planning Board, the number of social security pensioners rose from 34 lakh in 2015-16 to 52.38 lakh in October 2022. It came down to 46.77 lakh in November 2023. If we add welfare fund board pension to this list, the number would be closer to 62 lakh. The latest Economic Review breaks up the categories as follows: 56.5% of the beneficiaries are those aged 60 years and above, 27.1% are widows, 7.8% are the disabled, and 6.8% are agricultural workers. A little more than 81,300 unmarried women are also among the recipients. Those who have been illegally drawing pension have been mostly doing so under the disability and widow category. These figures illustrate the enormous financial load on the Kerala government. The government needs more than ₹900 crore every month to pay social security and welfare fund board pension. Social security cesses on Indian-Made Foreign Liquor, petrol, and diesel, announced in the 2023-24 State Budget, scarcely cover even one month’s payment. The first two quarters of 2024-25 yielded just ₹549.71 crore from these levies. According to Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal’s office, the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front government, which came to power in 2021, has so far spent ₹33,800 crore on social security pension alone. The State government also claims that a Central share, albeit small, for which 5.88 lakh of the pensioners are eligible, is in arrears. All this means that the Kerala government, which is already battling a financial crunch, cannot overlook any leakage and pilferage in public funds. A January 2020 Finance Department circular indicates that the government was aware that government employees and service pensioners were illegally drawing social security support. The circular instructed them to return the money in full and get their names deleted from the beneficiary list. The Comptroller and Auditor General of India had also flagged the issue of ‘irregular disbursement’ of pensions to service pensioners and employees in a performance audit report for 2022. The latest developments yet again call for tighter surveillance on the outflow and utilisation of funds for social support schemes as well as periodic reviews and updates of the lists of beneficiaries. Further, action must be taken against government servants who were complicit in this. tiki.rajwi@thehindu.co.in Published - December 25, 2024 02:29 am IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Kerala / pension and welfare / wage and pension
Reddit, known for its vast array of user-generated content spanning various topics and communities, has long been a go-to destination for those seeking information, advice, and discussion on a wide range of subjects. However, one of the platform's historical limitations has been its search functionality, which many users have found to be lacking in terms of accuracy and relevance.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina lawmakers on Wednesday enacted a law over the governor’s veto that would diminish the powers afforded to his successor and other other Democratic statewide winners in the Nov. 5 elections. In a 72-46 vote, the Republican-dominated House overrode Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto voted to do the same. Like during the Senate vote, opponents to the power-shifting bill sat in the gallery and disrupted the chambers’ floor proceedings. More than 150 people gathered on the third floor — more than the House gallery could seat. They chanted “shame” as the override vote completed and continued to yell as they were escorted out. After warning disruptors they would face arrest if they didn’t quiet down and leave the building, General Assembly police arrested one woman who refused to leave, said police Chief Martin Brock, adding that she would face charges of trespassing, resisting arrest and violating building rules. Many provisions within the 132-page law seek to diminish powers afforded to Gov.-elect Josh Stein, incoming attorney general Jeff Jackson, the next Democratic lieutenant governor and the schools superintendent. They all take office early next month. One of the most significant changes shifts the power to appoint State Board of Elections members from the governor to the state auditor, who will be a Republican next year. For decades, the governor has selected its five members, with the governor’s party usually taking three seats. The enacted law transfers that power to the state auditor starting in spring. This, in turn, means Republicans will likely hold majorities on the state board and the county election boards. The legislation also weakens the governor’s authority to fill vacancies on the state Court of Appeals and Supreme Court and prevents the attorney general from taking legal positions contrary to the General Assembly in litigation challenging a law’s validity. Several post-election deadlines will move up under the law after Republican complaints that counties took too long to count provisional and absentee ballots, especially in light of . The veto override took place in the final days of a lame-duck General Assembly session where Republicans hold exactly the number of seats necessary to override vetoes without help from Democrats. That won’t be the case much longer — barring a successful election protest that would flip a race’s result — after Democrats picked up one more House seat in the general elections. Despite ultimately succeeding in their override, House Republicans had some difficulty staying unified. Some GOP lawmakers from western North Carolina — where Hurricane Helene caused historic flooding — initially voted against the measure last month. But all three — Reps. Mike Clampitt, Karl Gillespie and Mark Pless — ended up voting to override the veto. Part of the criticism levied against the bill centered on the $252 million of Helene recovery funds attached to it, most of which can’t be spent until the General Assembly acts again. , Cooper called the bill a sham in which Republicans used Helene and “disaster relief” in its title to mask unconstitutional political power grabs — a message repeated by House Democrats and Stein. “It is despicable for the Republicans in the General Assembly to use folks’ incredible need for aid to cloak their political pettiness,” Stein said in a statement after Wednesday’s vote. Other opponents to the bill said at a Wednesday news conference that GOP lawmakers weren’t serving western North Carolinians and instead were undermining democracy. “Western North Carolina is not a toy to be played with. It is not an opportunity to exploit. It is not a place to be so violently disrespected,” said Sam Stites, a Transylvania County staff member from advocacy group Just Economics of Western North Carolina. Republicans point out they had already allocated more than $900 million to Helene relief since October, with plans for more funding next session. Caldwell County Republican Rep. Destin Hall, who is expected to be the House speaker next year, further defended the bill’s executive power shifts as the legislature’s constitutional right. “This body is entirely committed to helping folks in this state with storm relief,” Hall said. “So, in my opinion, what’s happened is political football has been made out of this bill.” It’s likely the new law will soon be mired in litigation — just like eight years ago, after Republicans passed laws weakening Cooper’s powers just before he took office. “Of course it’s going to go to court,” outgoing House Speaker Tim Moore, a congressman-elect, told reporters after the vote. “That’s just the way it is.” The House also secured for the November 2026 statewide ballot a proposed constitutional amendment to require all North Carolina voters show photo identification before voting. The constitution currently only specifies that it’s required for in-person voting. ID exceptions are afforded now and would continue with the amendment, and laws separate from the state constitution already direct voters to provide a photo ID copy when voting by mail.It all began with a seemingly routine visit from a door-to-door salesman. Witnesses reported that a man had knocked on the door of a nearby house, engaging in what appeared to be a friendly conversation with the homeowner. However, as the encounter took a dark turn, the boy, who happened to be passing by, witnessed a sudden and violent altercation. In a split second, the man drew a weapon and carried out a vicious attack, leaving the homeowner gravely injured and in need of immediate medical attention. The boy's world was forever changed as he witnessed this act of senseless violence unfold before his eyes.Scholastic basketball roundup | Turkeyfoot Valley boys roll past Shanksville-Shade in Pine Grill title game
Renowned artist Cai Guo-Qiang's fireworks show using drones recently captured the attention of spectators, but not for the reasons one might expect. Eyewitnesses reported seeing several drones used in the display crash into the sea off the coast of a popular tourist destination. Despite the spectacle of the drones plummeting into the water, there is a sense of relief and gratitude in the air as reports confirm that no injuries were sustained as a result of the incident.Looking ahead, the outlook for growth stocks remains optimistic, with continued momentum expected in the technology sector and other innovative industries. As companies continue to push the boundaries of innovation and governments lend their support to these efforts, growth stocks are poised to outperform the broader market and deliver strong returns for investors.
First and foremost, the impact of this change falls heavily on the shoulders of the general population. For many individuals and households, the introduction of a water tax may lead to increased financial burdens. This is especially true for low-income families who may struggle to afford higher water bills as a result of this policy adjustment. Such a shift in terminology, from fee to tax, implies a more mandatory and non-negotiable obligation to pay, which can be particularly challenging for those already facing economic hardships.