Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau returned home Saturday after his meeting with Donald Trump without assurances the president-elect will back away from threatened tariffs on all products from the major American trading partner. Trump called the talks “productive” but signaled no retreat from a pledge that Canada says unfairly lumps it in with Mexico over the flow of drugs and migrants into the United States. After the leaders’ hastily arranged dinner Friday night at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, Trudeau spoke of “an excellent conversation.” Trump said in a Truth Social post later Saturday that they discussed “many important topics that will require both Countries to work together to address.” For issues in need of such cooperation, Trump cited fentanyl and the “Drug Crisis that has decimated so many lives as a result of Illegal Immigration,” fair trade deals “that do not jeopardize American Workers” and the U.S. trade deficit with its ally to the north. Trump asserted that the prime minister had made “a commitment to work with us to end this terrible devastation” of American families from fentanyl from China reaching the United States through its neighbors. The U.S., he said, “will no longer sit idly by as our Citizens become victims to the scourge of this Drug Epidemic.” The Republican president-elect has threatened to impose a 25% tax on all products entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico as one of his first executive orders when he takes office in January. U.S. customs agents seized 43 pounds of fentanyl at the Canadian border last fiscal year, compared with 21,100 pounds at the Mexican border. On immigration, the U.S. Border Patrol made 56,530 arrests at the Mexican border in October alone and 23,721 arrests at the Canadian border between October 2023 and September 2024 — and Canadian officials say they are ready to make new investments in border security. Trudeau called Trump after the Republican’s social media posts about the tariffs last Monday and they agreed to meet, according to a official familiar with the matter who was not authorized to publicly discuss detail of the private talks. The official said other countries are calling Canadian officials to hear how about how the meeting was arranged and to ask for advice. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, after speaking with Trump on the telephone, said Thursday she was confident a tariff war with Washington would be averted. At the dinner that was said to last three hours, Trump said he and Trudeau also discussed energy, trade and the Arctic. A second official cited defense, Ukraine, NATO, China, the Mideast, pipelines and the Group of Seven meeting in Canada next year as other issues that arose. Trudeau’s office said in a statement that the leaders “shared a productive wide-ranging discussion” centering on “collaboration and strengthening our relationship,” adding, “As Canada’s closest friend and ally, the United States is our key partner, and we are committed to working together in the interests of Canadians and Americans.” Trump, during his first term as president, once called Trudeau “weak” and “dishonest,” but it was the prime minister who was the first G7 leader to visit Trump since the Nov. 5 election. “Tariffs are a crucial issue for Canada and a bold move was in order. Perhaps it was a risk, but a risk worth taking,” Daniel Béland, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal. Trudeau had said before leaving from Friday that Trump was elected because he promised to bring down the cost of groceries but now was talking about adding 25% to the cost of all kinds of products, including potatoes from Prince Edward Island in Atlantic Canada. “It is important to understand that Donald Trump, when he makes statements like that, he plans on carrying them out. There’s no question about it,” Trudeau said. “Our responsibility is to point out that he would not just be harming Canadians, who work so well with the United States, but he would actually be raising prices for Americans citizens as well and hurting American industry and business,” he added. The threatened tariffs could essentially blow up the North American trade pact that Trump’s team negotiated during his first term. Trudeau noted they were able to successfully renegotiate the deal, which he calls a “win win” for both countries. When Trump imposed higher tariffs as president, other countries responded with retaliatory tariffs of their own. Canada, for instance, announced billions of new duties in 2018 against the U.S. in a response to new taxes on Canadian steel and aluminum. Canada is the top export destination for 36 U.S. states. Nearly $3.6 billion Canadian (US $2.7 billion) worth of goods and services cross the border each day. About 60% of U.S. crude oil imports are from Canada, and 85% of U.S. electricity imports are from Canada. Canada is also the largest foreign supplier of steel, aluminum and uranium to the U.S. and has 34 critical minerals and metals that the Pentagon is eager for and investing in for national security. Canada is one of the most trade-dependent countries in the world, and 77% of Canada’s exports go to the U.S.Welcome to the online version of From the Politics Desk , an evening newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics team’s latest reporting and analysis from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign trail. In today’s edition, senior White House reporter Peter Nicholas examines how Donald Trump is overshadowing the final weeks of Joe Biden's presidency. Plus, we dive into what Kamala Harris and Trump campaigns spent their cash on in the closing days of the 2024 race. Sign up to receive this newsletter in your inbox every weekday here. Trump isn’t president yet, but that hasn’t stopped him from starting to act like he is By Peter Nicholas Foreign leaders have lined up to speak with him. He has rattled Mexico and Canada with threats of steep tariffs and warned there would be “hell to pay” for militants in Gaza unless they release the hostages by the time he’s sworn in. That won’t happen for another 45 days, but Donald Trump, the president-in-waiting, isn’t shying away from acting like the president-in-reality. Trump can’t sign a bill or issue an executive order yet, but he is crowding out Joe Biden as the sitting president winds down his term and steadily recedes from public view. In two foreign trips since the election, Biden has answered all of two questions from reporters. He has been left to kibitz about Trump’s pronouncements — “ I hope he rethinks it ,” he said of Trump’s plan to impose 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico — rather than drive an agenda of his own. As for Trump, “his view is that he’s not going to follow rules that he thinks are stupid rules,” said a former senior White House official in Trump’s first term. “His view is these are hostages and if he can help bring them home, then why would he follow protocol if it’s going to impact peoples’ lives?” At this point, Trump is “already basically running things, and he’s not even president yet,” the person added. Trump’s penchant for plunging into current affairs is testing the one-at-a-time dictum that presidents are supposed to honor but, for reasons of political expediency or practical necessity, usually don’t. This weekend, Trump will join French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris for the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral five years after it was devastated by fire. Biden was invited but opted not to attend, a White House official said. Trump’s return to the world stage after a four-year hiatus, coupled with news about his hires, has overshadowed Biden’s trip to sub-Saharan Africa this week, in which he faced fallout from the sweeping pardon he gave his son Hunter. Read more → How Harris’ campaign spent $277 million in the final weeks By Bridget Bowman, Ben Kamisar and Joe Murphy Despite coming up short in the vote count, Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign raised and spent roughly twice as much as President-elect Trump in the final days of the 2024 election and the weeks that followed, new campaign finance reports show. The Harris campaign raised $160 million and spent $277 million from Oct. 25 through Nov. 25, the period covered by the latest reports filed with the Federal Election Commission, while the Trump campaign pulled in $87 million and spent $113 million over that time. The largest shares of both campaigns’ spending went to media buys and ad production, with the Harris campaign spending $129 million to Trump’s $95.1 million, according to an analysis of expenditures in the new filings. The Harris campaign spent much more than Trump’s on directly contacting voters, reporting a combined $25.4 million on text message outreach, canvassing, phone calls and direct mail. Trump’s campaign spent $3 million on “SMS advertising” and just $1,500 on direct mail printing and posting, underscoring how the campaign outsourced much of its field operation to other groups. Harris’ campaign also spent a much larger share of its funds on events, racking up at least $45.5 million in payments (17% of its total operating expenses in this report) to pay for event production, audio and visual services, equipment rental, supplies and event security. The Trump campaign, meanwhile, reported spending $632,000, or less than 1% of its operating expenditures, on events. The Harris campaign paid $165,000 to a production company affiliated with Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, who spoke at a late October rally in Houston . Companies affiliated with musicians Katy Perry, Ricky Martin and Christina Aguilera (all three of whom appeared at Harris events in the closing weeks of the campaign) received six-figure payments as well. And others affiliated with musicians like Bruce Springsteen, John Legend and Jason Isbell received smaller checks, too. The celebrities themselves were not paid, a campaign official previously told NBC News , but the campaign had to pay for costs associated with production and their travel. Campaign finance laws dictate that campaigns have to pay market value for anything they receive, including entertainment at events. Read more → 💲 More number crunching: The new campaign finance reports also revealed that billionaire Elon Musk poured more than $20 million into a mysterious super PAC at the end of the campaign, part of more than $250 million he spent overall to boost Trump. Read more → That’s all from the Politics Desk for now. If you have feedback — likes or dislikes — email us at politicsnewsletter@nbcuni.com And if you’re a fan, please share with everyone and anyone. They can sign up here .
A new name has been on the tip of the tongue of those with a keen eye for social media this past week, as the amphitheatre of micro-blogging was introduced to its latest contender. Several Highland-based micro-bloggers, including journalists, activists, artists, authors, historians, sportspeople and politicians, have signed up to the upstart social media platform, Bluesky - which many media experts are calling a viable alternative to X (Twitter). RELATED: YOUR VIEWS: The vital role of local media Journalism Matters campaign finds three-quarters of Brits value trusted journalism more than ever Follow Highland News & Media titles on BlueSky First launched in October 2021, Bluesky today reports a user count of over 21 million, boasting an average of one million new user signups per day in the past week. Highland MSPs Maree Todd, Emma Roddick and Jamie Halcro Johnston are among a long list of Scottish Government ministers to have joined the platform, while author Ian Rankin, singer Julie Fowlis, and football clubs Brora Rangers, Clachnacuddin and Nairn County have also decided to sign up. Micro-blogging, a social medium designed for quick and typically direct audience interactions, first came to the fore with the launch of Twitter in 2006. But despite many alternatives popping up over the years, such as Mastadon and most recently, Meta’s Threads, the platform now known as X has remained largely unchallenged as the world’s number one choice. But the industry-defining social network, which was renamed after Tesla and Space X CEO Elon Musk acquired the platform for $44 billion in October 2022, has undergone significant change of late. The introduction of an opt-in, paid subscription service, which offers features such as longer posts and enhanced visibility, as well as a paid-for verification mark, attracted criticism from users and advertisers, concerned that the platform could become vulnerable to the sharing of disinformation. This was evidenced soon after its introduction when a spoof account with a paid-for verification mark masqueraded as drinks icon Pepsi, before tweeting the line, “Coke is better.” Many experts now believe that Bluesky - an ‘open source’ alternative - could become a viable competitor to Musk’s X. The app, accessible via bsky.app is currently top of the free section of the US iPhone App Store, above Meta’s alternative Threads and AI assistant ChatGPT, after a surge of new downloads. Bluesky is a PBC (public benefit corporation) with the mission “to develop and drive large-scale adoption of technologies for open and decentralized public conversation.” From the start, our goal has been to build a decentralized social network that is usable by the mainstream. [image or embed] The outcome of the US presidential election, which has since seen Musk named as the man to spearhead President-elect Trump’s new “Department of Government Efficiency”, has been highlighted as the likely catalyst for Bluesky’s sudden rise in popularity. Yesterday, Forbes.com described the growing app as a “decentralized alternative for those disillusioned by algorithmic favouritism, toxic discourse and privacy concerns.” Among those to join Bluesky this week is Highland MSP Maree Todd, Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport, who believes that recent changes to the X platform have made it “increasingly more difficult to communicate and connect” with constituents. She said: "As a politician, it's important to me that I am accessible for my constituents, stakeholders, the media and local activists, and X, over the years, has supported me in this. “However, recent changes to the platform have made it increasingly more difficult to communicate and connect with these groups effectively. “I have also noticed a significant rise in the amount of online abuse I have experienced since the platform’s takeover. While scrutiny is part of the role, abuse is never acceptable, and I now find X to be a rather unpleasant online space. “I am also deeply concerned about the changes to the block function and what this means for online safety overall. “I am hopeful that Bluesky will provide a more constructive way of engaging with my constituents, similar to how X functioned prior to its takeover.” Inverness cycling advocate Emily Williams, who also left X to join Bluesky, says that the app’s facility to allow users to bulk-follow accounts using “starter packs” has made her micro-blogging experience less “toxic”. “It is a much more chilled place than Twitter,” she explains. “Most of the UK active travel chat folk have moved over wholesale, and there are follow lists that make things really easy. “Finding people was really easy. There are curated lists, so I just bulk-followed two or three active travel ones. There is less toxicity from the known anti-cycling brigade, so far less blocking and deleting! “It’s just nice having the chronological feed and no adverts, but I do need to do some admin so that I don’t miss stuff.” Photographer Mel Roger, who lives in Caithness, also made the switch, but she says she’s not quite ready to say goodbye to X just yet. She said: “I haven’t left X entirely yet as I still require to interact with and send information to users who have not yet moved platform, or have not yet added an additional platform. “I will run my posts down on X over the next few months though, using Facebook and Bluesky as the main outlets for links. When using X for news at the moment I no longer use the “for you” option, I only use the “following” option. “That’s seems to have reduced the amount of toxic posts that I see.” Fiona Macleod from Invergordon, who works for an adult learning charity, says the joy of finding people with shared interests is a big part of Bluesky’s appeal. “I really love the 'starter packs', making it easier to follow people linked to a topic so you can really tailor your feed to be full of people who are interested in the same thing as you. “I understand some may say that’s creating an ‘echo chamber’, but I personally think that’s the joy of it. “It's what we do in real life, we go to groups or take part in activities that interest us, we hang out with people that share interests with us.” Run by a staff of just 20 full-time employees, Bluesky is currently operated by its CEO, software engineer Jay Graber - but the app was originally conceptualised by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey. While Dorsey is no longer on the board of Bluesky, the application’s similarities to X are undeniable. It’s white butterfly on a blue background bears a striking resemble to "Larry the Bird", the iconic logo for Twitter for over a decade. The big difference though? Bluesky has been cultivated as an ‘open ecosystem’. While it might look like a familiar app on the surface, behind the scenes it's CEO says it has been designed to “always put users first.” Using the AP protocol - a system which emphasizes “decentralization, transparency and user autonomy” - users will have more control over their data and the curation of their feed. CEO Graber says it can ‘guarantee’ that the platform will always be open to developers to create new ways for their data and information to be used. One developer has already created a directory of “starter packs” enabling new Bluesky users to hit the ground running by following groups of people they will be most interested in. Another has created an analytics perform which allows Bluesky users to follow the growth of their account in real-time, or over custom date ranges. Bluesky uses AI internally to assist in content moderation, which helps us triage posts and shield human moderators from harmful content. We also use AI in the Discover algorithmic feed to serve you posts that we think you’d like.None of these are Gen AI systems trained on user content. Bluesky has also confirmed to users that their posts will not be used to train generative artificial intelligence (AI). In a post on November 15, Bluesky confirmed that it only uses AI to “assist in content moderation, in an effort to “triage posts and shield human moderators from harmful content.” It also uses it in its algorithmic Discover feed, but it says “none of these are Gen AI systems trained on user content.” But where Bluesky is not quite at the races yet is in having many of the ease-of-use features the likes of Twitter has come to possess after years as the market leader. On users’ list of “wants” will be tools such as the ability to schedule posts (a handy tool for marketers or content creators) or post longer videos (Bluesky currently limits video to 60 seconds). Bluesky still has a long way to go in matching up to X’s user count, 21 million is a far cry from X’s estimated 300 million active users worldwide, but if the speed of its growth in November is anything to go by, it appears as though it may be here to stay. A starting point as we await a few others signing up to BlueSky. Highland News & Media journalists assemble! Covering news and sport across the Highlands and Moray. Please share around. [image or embed]What both sides are saying about the ceasefire deal between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Freshman wide receiver George Dimopoulos threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Dane Pardridge on the first play of double overtime and Jordan Hansen ended the game on a fourth-down sack to give Northern Illinois a 28-20 victory over Fresno State on Monday in the Idaho Potato Bowl. Dimopoulos, who played quarterback in high school, also converted the two-point conversion when he passed it to quarterback Josh Holst for his second completion of the season. Holst, a freshman walk-on, was making just his third start at quarterback as NIU was without starter Ethan Hampton, who entered with 1,600 yards and 12 touchdowns to go with six interceptions. Holst completed 18 of 30 passes for 182 and two touchdowns for Northern Illinois (8-5). He was also intercepted on the first play of the game. Both teams missed a 35-yard field goal in the final three minutes of regulation, including Dylan Lynch's third miss of the game on the final play to send it to overtime. Fresno State started overtime with a touchdown when Bryson Donelson was left wide open out of the backfield to haul in a 9-yard touchdown pass. NIU needed five plays, and a defensive holding penalty, to score as Holst found Grayson Barnes for a 3-yard touchdown. Donelson finished with 15 carries for 82 yards and a touchdown for Fresno State (6-7). He added three catches for 28 yards and another score. Dual-threat quarterback Joshua Wood was 16 of 23 for 180 yards and a touchdown. Mac Dalena made six catches for 118 yards to help go over 1,000 yards for the season. Fresno State was without 14 players, including starting quarterback Mikey Keene after he transferred to Michigan. Two top-three receivers, Jalen Moss and Raylen Sharpe, also did not play as the Bulldogs were forced to use five new starters. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballNone
Authored by Lura Forcum via RealClearPolitics , In the marketplace, competition empowers consumers. The more options you have for a particular product, the lower prices become. Moreover, having more options means you are more likely to find exactly what you want instead of just settling for something good enough. In politics, competition empowers voters. However, unlike the marketplace, where consumers are accustomed to a variety of options, politics offers only two. Worse still, the two options available are so feckless that a plurality of voters choose neither. When there’s little competition, power ends up in the hands of companies, not consumers. And that’s what we see with the Republican and Democratic parties. The lack of competition allows both parties to continue to be unresponsive to voters’ concerns. According to recurring surveys by Gallup , beginning around 2010, independents have been the electorate’s plurality, with few exceptions. And since Obama’s reelection in 2012, independents have been the plurality without exception . Put differently, voters have reported feeling disempowered for more than a decade. It’s no wonder why. The parties set it up so they don’t have outside competition . A number of rules make it difficult – or impossible – for non-party voices to be heard. For instance, in 10 states, you can’t vote in a party’s primary unless you’re a registered party member. Another nine states allow unaffiliated voters but not opposing party members to vote in party primaries. Only 15 states allow for open party primaries where any voter can participate. If you’re running for office as an independent, you don’t have access to the resources that a major party offers its candidates for statewide or national office. It’s hard enough to win political office even with the support of the duopoly; independents are forced to do the impossible. While the election results suggest that voters found the Trump campaign more responsive to their concerns this time, that doesn’t mean Republicans will become better listeners going forward. And why should they? Without competition, there is no incentive for either party to take voters’ concerns seriously for longer than an election cycle. With the Republican party the party of Trump now, attention has focused on his public and private lives, his various legal cases, and his influence over the Republican Party writ large. These distractions have taken attention away from good policy and effective governance. And while you might expect when one party takes its eye off the ball, it would allow the other party to flourish, but that hasn’t been the case. Democrats are flailing because the shift in the Republican party led them to believe that it was enough to just not be Republicans. Since the rise of Donald Trump, their offering to voters has increasingly been, “At least we’re not those guys.” On a variety of issues, from the environment to health care to national defense, one party’s position is, “We should do this,” and the other’s is, “No, we shouldn’t,” and the result is a gridlocked Congress . The Independent Center does the exact opposite. We are bringing competition back to politics by identifying, activating, and empowering independent voters. These voters insist on effective government. They are the swing voters who went for Trump in 2016, Biden in 2020, and Trump again in 2024 because they value results over political allegiances. They expect the government to be fiscally responsible, but they don’t like the more extreme positions on social policies favored by Republicans. In short, they want government to live within its means, as they do, and respect the decisions of consenting adults. The Independent Center believes that the best way to make government more responsive to voters is to bring more people into the political process, especially the people who don’t identify as Republicans or Democrats. By creating a movement of independent voters, we will have more voices about what people want and need, more ideas about effective policy responses, and more feedback about what the best policy solutions are. By competing with Democrats and Republicans for voters, independents will push those parties to understand voters’ values and preferences better, develop better policy proposals, and actually pass legislation instead of devoting their energies to name-calling and obstructing the other side. Lura Forcum is the incoming president of the Independent Center. A former professor and researcher, she conveys complex ideas and policy insights to engage independent voters who now comprise the plurality of the electorate.
OTTAWA — NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says his party will not support a Liberal plan to give Canadians a GST holiday and $250 unless the government expands eligibility for the cheques, saying the rebate leaves out "the most vulnerable." The Liberals announced a plan last week to cut the federal sales tax on a raft of items like toys and restaurant meals for two months, and to give $250 to more than 18.7 million Canadians in the spring. Speaking after a Canadian Labour Congress event in Ottawa, Singh says he's open to passing the GST legislation, but the rebate needs to include seniors, students, people who are on disability benefits and those who were not able to work last year. Singh says he initially supported the idea because he thought the rebate cheques would go to anyone who earned under $150,000 last year. But the so-called working Canadians rebate will be sent to those who had an income, leaving out people Singh says need the help. The government intends to include the measures in the fall economic statement, which has not yet been introduced in the House of Commons. The proposed GST holiday would begin in mid-December, lasting for two months. It would remove the GST on prepared foods at grocery stores, some alcoholic drinks, children's clothes and toys, Christmas trees, restaurant meals, books, video games and physical newspapers. A privilege debate has held up all government business in the House since late September, with the Conservatives pledging to continue a filibuster until the government hands over unredacted documents related to misspending at a green technology fund. The NDP said last week they had agreed to pause the privilege debate in order to pass the legislation to usher in the GST holiday. Singh said Tuesday that unless there are changes to the proposed legislation, he will not support pausing the debate. The Bloc Québécois is also pushing for the rebates to be sent to seniors and retirees. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 26, 2024. David Baxter, The Canadian PressVirgo, Weekly Horoscope, December 01 to December 07, 2024: The weekend demands more time and effort
A mugshot of far-right streamer Nick Fuentes has gone viral on social media after the 26-year-old was booked on battery charges after he maced a woman named Marla Rose in November. According to reports, Fuentes was booked from his home in Berwyn, in the suburbs of Illinois, on November 27. He is expected to make a court appearance on December 19. Here's the viral mugshot: Why Was Nick Fuentes Charged? It all started with the election victory of President-elect Donald Trump on November 5. After Trump won the election, Fuentes made a comment on X taunting the abortion rights activists in the United States. The 26-year-old wrote on X: "Your body, my choice. Forever," taking a dig at the slogan, "my body, my choice." The remark sparked a massive backlash and Fuentes' address was also shared publicly on social media. It led to several women going to the address and confronting the controversial streamer and activist from Illinois. One such woman was Marla Rose, who went to Fuentes' house in Berwyn and tried to confront him. In a video captured by Rose, Fuentes can be seen spraying some liquid on the woman, before seizing her phone. It ends with Fuentes and throwing the phone on the ground and stomping it. Also read: Nick Fuentes Arrested: What Did The Controversial Streamer Do? What Are The Charges Against Nick Fuentes? Detective Phillip Quattrocchi of the Berwyn Police Department reported the November 27, 2024, arrest of Nick Fuentes for Class A misdemeanor battery. Fuentes was processed at 7:03 p.m., undergoing a search fingerprinting, and was later released at 7:30 p.m. He received a court notice for December 19, 2024 at the Maybrook Courthouse in Illinois. Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from US Buzz, World and around the world.2 rescued after California wharf partially collapses due to heavy surf from major Pacific storm
Canada’s Trudeau returns home after Trump meeting without assurances that tariffs are off the table‘Unhinged behaviour’ – Naomi Osaka shares her panic as she survives first day of preseason training
NoneAES Announces 2% Increase in Quarterly Dividend
OWINGS MILLS, MD, Nov. 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Maryland Public Television (MPT) has launched its new Maryland Center for Media Literacy & Education (Center). The initiative and its mission were introduced during a livestreamed event on November 19 at the statewide public TV network’s Irene and Edward H. Kaplan Production Studio in Owings Mills, Maryland. The event recording is available for viewing at mpt.org/media-literacy . A major expansion of MPT’s long-standing Education Division, the Center will address the challenges and impacts of today’s media-saturated society and support the well-being of Maryland citizens. Its programs and resources on a variety of topics will empower individuals of all ages to navigate media in a complex digital world. The Center’s website is MarylandMediaLiteracy.org . Major funding support for the Maryland Center for Media Literacy & Education is being provided by the Sherman Family Foundation. Media literacy at every age is vital, notes the Center’s leadership. Social media is cited as a top source of news and information for adults and teenagers, with nearly half of teens ages 13-17 saying they are online “almost constantly.” In addition, research revealed that 55% of students are not confident in their ability to recognize false information online, 94% of teens say they want their schools to teach media literacy, and 69% of parents fear their children are sharing private information on social media without realizing it. On top of these findings, older adults reported losing more than $1.9 billion in online scams and digital fraud in 2023. “Over more than five decades, MPT’s education team has been a trusted partner in learning and convener in Maryland, which is why we’re well-positioned to spearhead this effort. We recognize media’s power to influence our perceptions, beliefs, and actions, and it’s more important than ever that everyone – from our youngest learners to our seniors – is equipped with healthy media habits,” explained Betsy Peisach, vice president, Maryland Center for Media Literacy & Education. “We’re committing the resources, expertise, and leadership over the long term to advance media literacy.” Serving as hosts for the Center’s November 19 launch event were Frank Sesno , former CNN anchor, correspondent, and Washington bureau chief, and current director of strategic initiatives and professor at the School of Media and Public Affairs at George Washington University, and Kelsey Russell , a Gen Z national media literacy advocate and influencer with 100,000 TikTok followers. The program featured Maryland First Lady Dawn Moore , who spoke to the audience about the need for essential media literacy skills and the necessity for awareness of children’s digital media use. “For the past 55 years, MPT has helped build strong citizens from childhood to adulthood, and the Maryland Center for Media Literacy & Education will build on that legacy. I’m proud this new Center will be a guiding light for our kids and adults,” said Moore. “As first lady, the wellbeing of our children is one of my top priorities – and that’s why I will continue to work in partnership with MPT to uplift the future generations of Marylanders.” FCC Commissioner Anna M. Gomez and Sheppard Pratt President and CEO Dr. Harsh K. Trivedi took part in a conversation with Frank Sesno about the intersection of media literacy, technology, and mental health, and their impacts on individuals, families, and communities. “If you’re on social media more than three hours a day, that’s specifically correlated with higher rates of anxiety and depression. We’re seeing unprecedented mental health issues and problems from too much social media,” said Dr. Trivedi. “It’s really about making information accessible – like the wonderful things MPT does and this coalition can do – and coming out with tangible things that parents, kids, and educators can use to help to teach skills, change behavior, and impact mental health.” “What MPT is doing today to promote media literacy is important to make sure people can discern what is true and what is misinformation, disinformation, or mal-information,” said Gomez. “Remember, this is both a mental health issue and a public safety issue.” The one-hour program integrated videos about social media use and media literacy topics of importance to students at several grade levels. These videos were produced by students from Benjamin Tasker Middle School in Bowie, Maryland, the DC International School in Washington, D.C., and Stevenson University in Owings Mills. The Maryland Center for Media Literacy & Education’s staff, advisors, and partners are developing and curating tools and resources to promote media literacy knowledge and best practices. This team will also create effective learning opportunities that teach media literacy and support informed choices. Among the Center’s initial primary resources and continuing professional development assets are – Media STEPs frameworks and curated partner resources specific to early learners , tweens and teens , and adults and seniors . Early Learning Media Ambassadors , who model best practices for teaching and learning with educational media in the early years. MPT uses a "train the trainers" model to develop media literacy ambassadors, equipping them with the tools to help children develop healthy habits to last a lifetime. In partnership with public libraries, ambassadors host free events, sharing media literacy tips and resources with families and educators in their communities. Maryland State Department of Education-approved media literacy courses for early childhood educators. A network of nine dedicated education professionals is instrumental in guiding the Center’s media literacy initiatives and advancing the movement statewide and beyond. The list of advisors is available at marylandmedialiteracy.org/advisors . (Statistic sources: Pew Research Center, 2022; News Literacy Project, 2022; C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll, 2021; News Literacy Project, May 2024; FTC Annual Report to Congress, 2024) # # # About Maryland Public Television Maryland Public Television (MPT) is a statewide, public-supported TV network and Public Broadcasting Service member offering entertaining, educational, and inspiring content delivered by traditional broadcasting and streaming on TVs, computers, and mobile devices. A state agency, it operates under the auspices of the Maryland Public Broadcasting Commission. MPT creates and distributes local, regional, and national content and is a frequent winner of regional Emmy® awards. MPT’s commitment to educators, parents, caregivers, and learners of all ages is delivered through its Maryland Center for Media Literacy and Education and Thinkport.org . MPT’s year-round community engagement activities connect viewers with resources on a wide range of topics. For more information visit mpt.org. Attachments Maryland First Lady Dawn Moore at MPT Interview during MPT's Maryland Center for Media Literacy & Education launch event Tom Williams Maryland Public Television 4105814031 tomwilliams@mpt.org
Kirori Meena says Raj govt ‘turned against’ him, accuses woman cop of ‘misconduct’
A ceasefire deal that could end more than a year of cross-border fighting between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group won backing from Israeli leaders Tuesday, raising hopes and renewing difficult questions in a region gripped by conflict. Hezbollah leaders also signaled tentative backing for the U.S.-brokered deal, which offers both sides an off-ramp from hostilities that have driven more than 1.2 million Lebanese and 50,000 Israelis from their homes. An intense bombing campaign by Israel has killed more than 3,700 people, many of them civilians, Lebanese officials say. But while the deal, set to take effect early Wednesday, could significantly calm the tensions that have inflamed the region, it does little directly to resolve the much deadlier war that has raged in Gaza since the Hamas attack on southern Israel in October 2023 that killed 1,200 people. Hezbollah, which began firing scores of rockets into Israel the following day in support of Hamas, has previously said it would keep fighting until there was a stop to the fighting in Gaza. Here’s what to know about the tentative ceasefire agreement and its potential implications: The terms of the deal The agreement reportedly calls for a 60-day halt in fighting that would see Israeli troops retreat to their side of the border while requiring Hezbollah to end its armed presence in a broad swath of southern Lebanon. President Joe Biden said Tuesday that the deal is set to take effect at 4 a.m. local time on Wednesday (9 p.m. EST Tuesday). Under the deal, thousands of Lebanese troops and U.N. peacekeepers are to deploy to the region south of the Litani River. An international panel lead by the U.S. would monitor compliance by all sides. Biden said the deal “was designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities.” Israel has demanded the right to act should Hezbollah violate its obligations. Lebanese officials have rejected writing that into the proposal. Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz insisted Tuesday that the military would strike Hezbollah if the U.N. peacekeeping force, known as UNIFIL , does not provide “effective enforcement” of the deal. Lingering uncertainty A Hezbollah leader said the group's support for the deal hinged on clarity that Israel would not renew its attacks. “After reviewing the agreement signed by the enemy government, we will see if there is a match between what we stated and what was agreed upon by the Lebanese officials,” Mahmoud Qamati, deputy chair of Hezbollah’s political council, told the Qatari satellite news network Al Jazeera. “We want an end to the aggression, of course, but not at the expense of the sovereignty of the state” of Lebanon, he said. The European Union’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, said Tuesday that Israel’s security concerns had been addressed in the deal also brokered by France. Where the fighting has left both sides After months of cross-border bombings, Israel can claim major victories, including the killing of Hezbollah’s top leader, Hassan Nasrallah, most of his senior commanders and the destruction of extensive militant infrastructure. A complex attack in September involving the explosion of hundreds of walkie-talkies and pagers used by Hezbollah was widely attributed to Israel, signaling a remarkable penetration of the militant group. The damage inflicted on Hezbollah has come not only in its ranks, but to the reputation it built by fighting Israel to a stalemate in the 2006 war. Still, its fighters managed to put up heavy resistance on the ground, slowing Israel’s advance while continuing to fire scores of rockets, missiles and drones across the border each day. The ceasefire offers relief to both sides, giving Israel’s overstretched army a break and allowing Hezbollah leaders to tout the group’s effectiveness in holding their ground despite Israel’s massive advantage in weaponry. But the group is likely to face a reckoning, with many Lebanese accusing it of tying their country’s fate to Gaza’s at the service of key ally Iran, inflicting great damage on a Lebanese economy that was already in grave condition. No answers for Gaza Until now, Hezbollah has insisted that it would only halt its attacks on Israel when it agreed to stop fighting in Gaza. Some in the region are likely to view a deal between the Lebanon-based group and Israel as a capitulation. In Gaza, where officials say the war has killed more than 44,000 Palestinians, Israel’s attacks have inflicted a heavy toll on Hamas, including the killing of the group’s top leaders. But Hamas fighters continue to hold scores of Israeli hostages, giving the militant group a bargaining chip if indirect ceasefire negotiations resume. Hamas is likely to continue to demand a lasting truce and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza in any such deal. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas offered a pointed reminder Tuesday of the intractability of the war, demanding urgent international intervention. “The only way to halt the dangerous escalation we are witnessing in the region, and maintain regional and international stability, security and peace, is to resolve the question of Palestine,” he said in a speech to the U.N. read by his ambassador.OTTAWA - NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says his party will not support a Liberal plan to give Canadians a GST holiday and $250 unless the government expands eligibility for the cheques, saying the rebate leaves out "the most vulnerable." Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * OTTAWA - NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says his party will not support a Liberal plan to give Canadians a GST holiday and $250 unless the government expands eligibility for the cheques, saying the rebate leaves out "the most vulnerable." Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? OTTAWA – NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says his party will not support a Liberal plan to give Canadians a GST holiday and $250 unless the government expands eligibility for the cheques, saying the rebate leaves out “the most vulnerable.” The Liberals announced a plan last week to cut the federal sales tax on a raft of items like toys and restaurant meals for two months, and to give $250 to more than 18.7 million Canadians in the spring. Speaking after a Canadian Labour Congress event in Ottawa, Singh says he’s open to passing the GST legislation, but the rebate needs to include seniors, students, people who are on disability benefits and those who were not able to work last year. Singh says he initially supported the idea because he thought the rebate cheques would go to anyone who earned under $150,000 last year. But the so-called working Canadians rebate will be sent to those who had an income, leaving out people Singh says need the help. The government intends to include the measures in the fall economic statement, which has not yet been introduced in the House of Commons. The proposed GST holiday would begin in mid-December, lasting for two months. It would remove the GST on prepared foods at grocery stores, some alcoholic drinks, children’s clothes and toys, Christmas trees, restaurant meals, books, video games and physical newspapers. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. A privilege debate has held up all government business in the House since late September, with the Conservatives pledging to continue a filibuster until the government hands over unredacted documents related to misspending at a green technology fund. The NDP said last week they had agreed to pause the privilege debate in order to pass the legislation to usher in the GST holiday. Singh said Tuesday that unless there are changes to the proposed legislation, he will not support pausing the debate. The Bloc Québécois is also pushing for the rebates to be sent to seniors and retirees. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 26, 2024. Advertisement Advertisement
Duke rallies from 14 down, beats Wake Forest 23-17 on final-play pass