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Manchester City blew a 3-0 lead to draw 3-3 against Feyenoord in a Champions League thriller on Tuesday and extended their winless run to six games. Pep Guardiola The English champions did snap a five-game losing streak but did little to boost confidence ahead of Sunday’s trip to Premier League leaders Liverpool by conceding three times in the final 15 minutes. Related News EPL: Title dreams over if we lose to Liverpool, says Guardiola 75% of EPL clubs want City relegated — Guardiola EPL returns: Liverpool play Southampton, Amorim debuts, City target redemption Details later AFPDeveloper eyes 30 acres off West Villa Maria Road to build new neighborhoodStock market today: Rising tech stocks pull Wall Street to another record
LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — After plenty of talk in recent weeks about Terry McLaurin lining up only on the left side, the Washington Commanders’ first offensive snap was a throw by Jayden Daniels to his top receiver — on the right side, of course. OK, Kliff Kingsbury. Well played. Beyond that not-so-subtle answer to criticism, Washington’s offensive coordinator went back to a tried-and-true recipe to get his unit back on track: running the ball early and often. Brian Robinson Jr. returned from a sprained ankle to account for 103 of a season-high 267 yards rushing in a 42-19 rout of Tennessee on Sunday that ended a three-game losing streak and showed what this offense can do when clicking in all facets. “It’s a beautiful thing to see,” said Robinson, who had the longest rushing touchdown of his three-year NFL career, a 40-yarder. “It’s a beautiful thing to do. Just glad we were able to really put it back out there and show the potential we have in our room and our running game. We have a serious run game, and we just got to believe in it.” A balanced attack with Daniels handing the ball off 36 times, throwing it 30 and running nine allowed the Commanders to dominate time of possession and improve to 8-5 going into their bye week. “It opens up a lot, obviously, to be able to get guys to move the line of scrimmage and get to the second level and let our backs do what they do,” said Daniels, who ran for 34 yards to go along with 206 yards passing. “We’re getting to those times of the season where in December, January when you’ve got to be able to control the line of scrimmage and run the ball.” Robinson playing makes a big difference. His teammates are 1-2 without him this season, and Austin Ekeler going on injured reserve Saturday because of a concussion put everything on Robinson’s shoulders. Averaging 6.4 yards on 16 carries got the job done. “Man, is he a difference maker,” coach Dan Quinn said. “When Brian can kick through and step and get onto the next level, he’s really difficult to tackle.” What’s working: The defense thrived while needing to be on the field for less than 20 minutes, forcing a turnover and keeping Tennessee off the scoreboard until late in the first half. It was already 28-0 at that point. Rookie cornerback Mike Sainristil — who celebrated his alma mater, Michigan, upsetting Ohio State a day earlier by asking McLaurin about the result while the Buckeyes product was forced to sit in the interview room after their game with Sainristil’s Wolverines jersey — forced and recovered Tony Pollard’s fumble in the first quarter. The Commanders made it 21-0 three plays later. “Offense, defense, special teams we all feed off one another,” said six-time All-Pro linebacker Bobby Wagner, who joined London Fletcher as the only players with 100-plus tackles in 13 consecutive seasons. “Whether it’s us getting turnovers, special teams getting turnovers or the offense going down the field and scoring, we all got to feed off of that and I felt like we did a good job of that.” What needs help: The kicking game continues to struggle. Zane Gonzalez missed two field goal attempts while filling in for Austin Seibert, who went on injured reserve earlier in the week. Seibert reported a groin injury the day after missing an extra point that would have tied the score in the final minute against Dallas. If there are any Cyber Monday deals on kickers, the Commanders are in the market for a new one. They’ve had six on the roster since March. Stock up: With starting right tackle Andrew Wylie out because of a concussion, Cornelius Lucas took his spot and did not miss a beat. Lucas opened the season splitting time at left tackle with rookie Brandon Coleman, and the journeyman lineman’s quick adjustment in Wylie’s absence helped the offense get on track. “I thought that’s a guy that was ready for the challenge,” Quinn said. Stock down: Defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis was a healthy scratch against the Titans after Carl Davis was elevated from the practice squad. Quinn called it a coaching decision. Sitting the 2022 second-round pick is another blow to the four drafts Ron Rivera oversaw from 2020-23. Every first-round pick is now gone after cornerback Emmanuel Forbes’ release Saturday, and Mathis already has been passed on the depth chart by rookie Johnny Newton. Injuries: Attrition added up through 13 consecutive games, and Ekeler and Seibert are out at least the next three games following the bye: at New Orleans on Dec. 15, against Philadelphia on Dec. 22 and against Atlanta on Dec. 28 or 29. Dealing with a hamstring injury, cornerback Marshon Lattimore has not played since the Commanders acquired him at the trade deadline from the Saints, so his debut for them could come against his old team. Next steps: Rest up. As McLaurin said before leaving the stadium, “I’m going to enjoy this bye week.”Published 4:22 pm Friday, December 27, 2024 By Data Skrive The Oklahoma City Thunder and Charlotte Hornets hit the hardwood in one of nine compelling games on the NBA card on Saturday. We have everything you need in terms of how to watch Saturday’s NBA action right here. Check out the links below. Sign up for NBA League Pass to get access to games, live and on-demand, and more for the entire season and offseason. Watch ESPN originals, The Last Dance and more NBA content on ESPN+. Use our link to sign up for ESPN+ or the Disney bundle. Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER .Russia Tells U.S. to Help Rebuild Afghanistan Under Taliban Rule
Supreme Court decision could have endless impact on transgender medical careJERUSALEM (AP) — Israel approved a United States-brokered ceasefire agreement with Lebanon's Hezbollah on Tuesday that would end nearly 14 months of fighting linked to the war in the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire would mark the first major step toward ending the regionwide unrest triggered by Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. But it does not address the devastating war in Gaza, where Hamas is still holding dozens of hostages and the conflict is more intractable. Hours before the ceasefire with Hezbollah was to take effect, Israel carried out the most intense wave of strikes in Beirut and its southern suburbs since the start of the conflict and issued a record number of evacuation warnings. At least 24 people were killed in strikes across the country, according to local authorities, as Israel signaled it aims to pummel Hezbollah before the ceasefire takes hold at 4 a.m. local time on Wednesday. Another huge airstrike shook Beirut shortly after the ceasefire was announced. There appeared to be some lingering disagreement over whether Israel would have the right to strike Hezbollah if it believed the militants had violated the agreement, something Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted was part of the deal but which Lebanese and Hezbollah officials have rejected. Israel's security Cabinet approved the ceasefire agreement after it was presented by Netanyahu, his office said. U.S. President Joe Biden, speaking in Washington, called the agreement “good news” and said his administration would make a renewed push for a ceasefire in Gaza. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to bring peace to the Middle East without saying how. The Biden administration spent much of this year trying to broker a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza but the talks repeatedly sputtered to a halt . Still, any halt to the fighting in Lebanon is expected to reduce the likelihood of war between Israel and Iran, which backs both Hezbollah and Hamas and exchanged direct fire with Israel on two occasions earlier this year. Netanyahu presented the ceasefire proposal to Cabinet ministers after a televised address in which he listed a series of accomplishments against Israel’s enemies across the region. He said a ceasefire with Hezbollah would further isolate Hamas in Gaza and allow Israel to focus on its main enemy, Iran, which backs both groups. “If Hezbollah breaks the agreement and tries to rearm, we will attack,” he said. “For every violation, we will attack with might.” The ceasefire deal calls for a two-month initial halt in fighting and would require Hezbollah to end its armed presence in a broad swath of southern Lebanon, while Israeli troops would return to their side of the border. Thousands of additional Lebanese troops and U.N. peacekeepers would deploy in the south, and an international panel headed by the United States would monitor all sides’ compliance. Biden said Israel reserved the right to quickly resume operations in Lebanon if Hezbollah breaks the terms of the truce, but that the deal "was designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities.” Netanyahu’s office said Israel appreciated the U.S. efforts in securing the deal but “reserves the right to act against every threat to its security.” Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati welcomed the ceasefire and described it as a crucial step toward stability and the return of displaced people. Hezbollah has said it accepts the proposal, but a senior official with the group said Tuesday that it had not seen the agreement in its final form. “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 Al Jazeera news network. “We want an end to the aggression, of course, but not at the expense of the sovereignty of the state," he said, referring to Israel's demand for freedom of action. “Any violation of sovereignty is refused.” Even as ceasefire efforts gained momentum in recent days, Israel continued to strike what it says are Hezbollah targets across Lebanon as the militants fired rockets, missiles and drones across the border. An Israeli strike on Tuesday leveled a residential building in central Beirut — the second time in recent days warplanes have hit the crowded area near the city’s downtown. At least seven people were killed and 37 wounded, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry. Strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs killed at least one person and wounded 13, it said. Three people were killed in a separate strike in Beirut and three in a strike on a Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon. Lebanese state media said another 10 people were killed in the eastern Baalbek province. Israel says it targets Hezbollah fighters and their infrastructure. Israel also struck a building in Beirut's bustling commercial district of Hamra for the first time, hitting a site that is around 400 meters (yards) from Lebanon’s Central Bank. There were no reports of casualties. The Israeli military said it struck targets in Beirut and other areas linked to Hezbollah's financial arm. The evacuation warnings covered many areas, including parts of Beirut that previously have not been targeted. The warnings, coupled with fear that Israel was ratcheting up attacks before a ceasefire, sent residents fleeing. Traffic was gridlocked, and some cars had mattresses tied to them. Dozens of people, some wearing their pajamas, gathered in a central square, huddling under blankets or standing around fires as Israeli drones buzzed loudly overhead. Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee issued evacuation warnings for 20 buildings in Beirut's southern suburbs, where Hezbollah has a major presence, as well as a warning for the southern town of Naqoura where the U.N. peacekeeping mission, UNIFIL, is headquartered. UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti told The Associated Press that peacekeepers will not evacuate. The Israeli military also said its ground troops clashed with Hezbollah forces and destroyed rocket launchers in the Slouqi area on the eastern end of the Litani River, a few kilometers (miles) from the Israeli border. Under the ceasefire deal, Hezbollah would be required to move its forces north of the Litani, which in some places is about 30 kilometers (20 miles) north of the border. Hezbollah began firing into northern Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, saying it was showing support for the Palestinians, a day after Hamas carried out its attack on southern Israel, triggering the Gaza war. Israel returned fire on Hezbollah, and the two sides have been exchanging barrages ever since. Israel escalated its campaign of bombardment in mid-September and later sent troops into Lebanon, vowing to put an end to Hezbollah fire so tens of thousands of evacuated Israelis could return to their homes. More than 3,760 people have been killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon the past 13 months, many of them civilians, according to Lebanese health officials. The bombardment has driven 1.2 million people from their homes. Israel says it has killed more than 2,000 Hezbollah members. Hezbollah fire has forced some 50,000 Israelis to evacuate in the country’s north, and its rockets have reached as far south in Israel as Tel Aviv. At least 75 people have been killed, more than half of them civilians. More than 50 Israeli soldiers have died in the ground offensive in Lebanon. Chehayeb and Mroue reported from Beirut. Associated Press reporters Lujain Jo and Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut, and Aamer Madhani in Washington, contributed. Find more of AP’s war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-warMinnesota hunters registered 120,675 deer after the third weekend of the firearms deer season, up 6% from 2023, but down 4% from the five-year mean, or average, the Department of Natural Resources reported Tuesday, Nov. 26. Deer Season A opened Saturday, Nov. 9, and ended Nov. 17 in 200- and 300-series deer permit areas (DPAs) and continued through Nov. 24 in 100-series DPAs, which are mainly in the northern and northeastern part of the state. ADVERTISEMENT The Season B firearms deer season in 300-series DPAs opened Nov. 23 and continues through Sunday, Dec. 1. The firearms deer harvest by region after 16 days was as follows: According to Todd Froberg, big game program coordinator for the DNR at Whitewater Wildlife Management Area in Altura, Minnesota, the harvest really only increased in the Northwest, Northeast and Central regions during the rest of the 16-day season and then in the B season in the southeast part of the state. The 200-series DPAs only had the nine-day season, and there is only one DPA in the southwest region open during the ongoing B season, Froberg said. The cumulative harvest to date, which includes archery, firearm, early antlerless, youth and special hunts, was 153,390 deer, the DNR said. That’s up 3% from 2023, but down 6% from the five-year average and down 8% from the 10-year average. Cumulative tallies by region were as follows: In related deer hunting news, Minnesota archery hunters as of Tuesday had harvested 23,047 deer, Froberg said, up 12% from last year. Crossbows, which are legal for all archery hunters in Minnesota, are making up a greater percentage of the archery harvest, Froberg says. ADVERTISEMENT “Crossbows are making up 47% of (the) archery harvest,” he said. “For crossbow-specific harvest, we are up 24% compared to last year’s crossbow harvest. Vertical bow harvest is up 4% compared to last year’s vertical bow harvest.” Minnesota’s muzzleloader opens Saturday, Nov. 30, and continues through Sunday, Dec. 15. Archery season continues through Dec. 31. The DNR posts regular harvest updates, both statewide and by DPA, on its website at dnr.state.mn.us/mammals/deer/management/statistics.html.
On a rare two-game skid, No. 24 Arizona faces DavidsonArdelyx CFO Justin Renz sells $25,219 in stockMatlock review – Kathy Bates has spent years waiting for a role like this
Eagle-eyed viewers spot Tulisa was eager to remove 'all traces' of I'm A CelebFG FT Reb BETHUNE-COOKMAN Min M-A M-A O-T A PF PTS Carralero Martin 31 1-4 0-0 1-5 1 2 3 Rouzan 27 5-10 0-0 1-6 1 4 10 Ward 27 3-8 3-3 3-4 1 4 9 Freeman 33 12-20 2-5 1-4 1 0 26 T.Thomas 35 4-12 5-6 1-6 2 3 17 Camara 25 3-6 2-2 3-6 0 3 9 Willoughby 13 1-3 0-0 0-1 0 2 3 Love 9 1-3 0-0 2-2 0 0 2 Totals 200 30-66 12-16 12-34 6 18 79 Percentages: FG .455, FT .750.
US: Republicans condemn ICC arrest warrants for Israeli leaders, Democrats keep quiet
NoneRALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper on Tuesday vetoed a Hurricane Helene relief bill that also included sweeping changes to the power and authority structures for several state leaders and agencies. Senate Bill 382, which lawmakers passed last week, was originally expected to primarily address ongoing disaster relief efforts for the impacts of the devastating storm that hit Western North Carolina in September. But when lawmakers unveiled the bill just hours before the first vote on it, it included far more than relief measures. Among several other changes, the Republican-drafted bill would strip the state’s next governor, Democrat Josh Stein, of the power to appoint members of the State Board of Elections and instead give the authority to the next auditor, Republican Dave Boliek. It would prevent the state’s next attorney general, Democrat Jeff Jackson, from taking positions on behalf of the state that are “contrary to or inconsistent with the position of the General Assembly,” which has Republican majorities in both chambers. The lieutenant governor and state superintendent would also lose some authority. The bill would set aside $227 million for the state’s Helene relief fund, but it does not appear to spend all of that money. It would provide $25 million to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for debris removal, $2 million for technical assistance to soil and water conservation districts in affected areas and $200 million split between two separate loan programs. Cooper, a Democrat, called the bill “a sham” and said “it does not send money to Western North Carolina but merely shuffles money from one fund to another in Raleigh.” Three Republicans in the state House, all representing western parts of the state, voted against the bill. No Senate Republicans followed suit. Cooper’s veto of SB 382 marks his 12th this year, and lawmakers so far have overridden all 11 previous vetoes. Rep. Destin Hall, whom House Republicans elected last week to succeed Tim Moore as speaker of the House in the next legislative session, said last week that he was confident that his chamber would have enough votes to override Cooper’s veto of the bill, which requires a three-fifths majority. Lawmakers are expected to return to Raleigh on Monday. Non-Helene measures in bill The bill would also: •Significantly reduce the amount of time voters are given to fix issues with their provisional ballots and require counties to finish counting all provisional ballots on the third day after Election Day, a process that took nearly two weeks this year. •Make the the State Highway Patrol into a standalone department, rather than a subset of the N.C. Department of Public Safety, and require the governor’s choice for Highway Patrol commander to be approved by lawmakers. •Eliminate the positions of two Superior Court judges after their terms expire, including a Democrat who threw out two amendments to the North Carolina Constitution that voters approved in 2018 — one on voter ID and another to cap the state income tax rate. •Require the governor to fill any vacancies on the state Supreme Court and Court of Appeals from a list of people recommended by the leaving judge’s political party. •Allow donations from corporations, business entities and labor unions to be used to fund legal actions for political parties. •Shift control of the state Utilities Commission away from the governor. •Require an extra step before the attorney general’s office can intervene in matters before the Utilities Commission, such as cases over how much Duke Energy’s utilities can charge for electricity. •Prevent incoming State Superintendent of Public Instruction Mo Green, a Democrat, from appealing decisions made by the N.C. Charter School Review Board. Cooper criticized those measures and others in the bill on Tuesday, saying the legislation “plays politics.” “This legislation was titled disaster relief but instead violates the constitution by taking appointments away from the next Governor for the Board of Elections, Utilities Commission and Commander of the NC Highway Patrol, letting political parties choose appellate judges and interfering with the Attorney General’s ability to advocate for lower electric bills for consumers,” he said in a statement. Cooper also noted that the bill did not provide grants for small businesses in the disaster-affected counties, calling the move a “cruel blow.” Local business owners and officials from Western North Carolina had advocated for state legislators to fund grants over loans, with Buncombe County Democratic Rep. Eric Ager noting in a press conference last week that it could be difficult for businesses to pay back loans. Ager and other Democratic legislators from the western part of the state criticized the bill for its relative lack of Helene-related funding combined with the additional measures it included. Democratic Rep. Julie Mayfield, also of Buncombe County, questioned why the Helene measures weren’t included in their own bill, separate from the other provisions. Hall told reporters the measures were combined into a single bill because the state had already provided “about a billion dollars in Helene relief.” Lawmakers previously appropriated about $877 million for Helene recovery in two separate relief bills. Republican Sen. Ralph Hise, who represents several counties in Western North Carolina, said during floor debate over SB 382 last week that considering additional funding measures in December would depend on congressional actions. ---------- Reporters Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi, Adam Wagner, Kyle Ingram, Avi Bajpai and Dawn Baumgartner Vaughan contributed. -------- ©2024 The Charlotte Observer. Visit at charlotteobserver.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
At least 6 dead in political protests in Pakistan’s capital
Rudy Giuliani blew up at a federal judge on Tuesday after he was reprimanded for not showing "anything close to due diligence" regarding evidence requirements, including giving the 1980 Mercedes-Benz SL500 convertible, which he drove to a polling station earlier this month , to the election workers he defamed. "Your implication that I've not been diligent about it is totally incorrect," Giuliani said after interrupting the judge, according to Reuters. "Everything I have is tied up. I don't have a car. I don't have a credit card. I don't have cash. I can't get to bank accounts that truly would be mine because they have put stop orders on, for example, my Social Security account. ... I don't have a penny, and it's been tied up by them." Judge Lewis Liman then told Giuliani he will not be allowed to speak next time, or "the court will have to take action." "He's either represented by counsel, or he's permitted to proceed pro se—he can't have hybrid representation," Liman said, directing his attention at Giuliani's attorney. "There should be no higher priority for your client than complying with the court's orders, period." The judge also ruled Giuliani won't be allowed to skip an upcoming court date to attend Donald Trump's inauguration, Reuters reported . While speaking to the press outside the courthouse, Giuliani said the Trump-appointed judge is as "left as you get." "The reality is I have no cash. So right now, if I wanted to call a taxi cab, I can't do it. I don't have a credit card. I don't have a checking account," the former attorney shared. Originally published by Latin Times
WTI Extends Gains After Another Crude Draw, Cushing 'Tank Bottoms' Loom
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks are climbing Thursday after market superstar Nvidia and another round of companies said they’re making even fatter profits than expected. The S&P 500 was pulling 0.7% higher, as of 2:45 p.m. Eastern time, after flipping between modest gains and losses several times in the morning. Banks, smaller companies and other areas of the stock market that tend do best when the economy is strong helped lead the way, while bitcoin briefly broke above $99,000. Crude oil, meanwhile, continued to rise. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get any of our free email newsletters — news headlines, obituaries, sports, and more.Eagle-eyed viewers spot Tulisa was eager to remove 'all traces' of I'm A Celeb
WASHINGTON – In an evening announcement, President-elect Donald Trump railed against Mexico and Canada, accusing them of allowing thousands of people to enter the U.S. Hitting a familiar theme from the campaign trail and his first term in office, Trump portrayed the country's borders as insecure and immigrants as contributing to crime and the fentanyl crisis. In an announcement that could have stark repercussions, he threatened to impose 25% tariffs on everything coming into the country from those two countries. Recommended Videos Trump's anti-immigration rhetoric has resonated with voters concerned about immigration and crime. Yet there's more to the story than Trump's short statement suggested. A look at what the numbers and studies say about border crossings, fentanyl smuggling and whether there's a connection between immigration and crime: Border crossings The number of migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border is a key metric watched intensely by both Republicans and Democrats. Customs and Border Protection, an arm of the Department of Homeland Security, releases monthly statistics that track everything from drug seizures to cross-border trade. One of the metrics tracked is the number of Border Patrol arrests or encounters each month with people entering the country between the official border crossings — known as the ports of entry. The vast majority of those arrests happen at the southern border. Those numbers have actually been falling this year under the Biden administration. The Border Patrol made 56,530 arrests in October, which is about a four-year low. It hasn't always been like that. The Biden administration struggled to bring down the growing number of migrants coming to the southern border. A little less than a year ago, in December 2023, the Border Patrol made about a quarter of a million arrests along the southern border — an all-time high . Cross-border trade was damaged as border agents were reassigned to help process migrants and train traffic was temporarily shut down. Since then, the numbers of people encountered at the southern border have dropped and stayed down through a combination of stricter enforcement on the Mexican side and asylum restrictions announced earlier this year by the Biden administration. Republicans put a caveat on those numbers. They have frequently accused the Biden administration of using an app called CBP One to let hundreds of thousands of people into the country who otherwise wouldn't be allowed in. They've described the program where 1,450 people a day can schedule an appointment to come into the U.S., as essentially a way to keep the border encounter numbers artificially low. On the northern border, the numbers are much smaller. Border Patrol made 23,721 arrests between October 2023 and September 2024, compared with 10,021 the previous 12 months. Trump also struggled to get a handle on illegal border crossings. Arrests topped 850,000 in 2019, nearly triple the amount two years earlier, though still far below the tally of more than 2 million for two different years under Biden. Drug smuggling Trump and many Republicans have often portrayed the U.S.'s southern border as wide open to drug smuggling. They have also linked immigrants to drug smuggling and accused Mexico of doing little to stop it. Much of America’s fentanyl is smuggled from Mexico. The fentanyl scourge began well before Biden took office. Border seizures have jumped sharply under Biden, which may partly reflect improved detection. About 27,000 pounds (12,247 kilograms) of fentanyl was seized by U.S. authorities in the 2023 government budget year, compared with 2,545 pounds (1,154 kilograms) in 2019, when Trump was president. Cooperation between the Mexican and U.S. governments on fighting drug smuggling undoubtedly suffered under President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who left office at the end of September. Before López Obrador took office in December 2018, the U.S. worked closely with Mexico’s military to take down drug capos. But López Obrador, a nationalist and folksy populist, railed against the violence set off by the drug war waged by his predecessors and the Americans. He proposed addressing the root societal causes of violence found in poverty and a lack of opportunity for young people, in what he called “hugs, not bullets.” For years, López Obrador denied that Mexico made fentanyl, despite evidence to the contrary, including statements from his own security officials. He blamed U.S. society, where he said families push children out of home too early, for cultivating addicts. It's only two months into the term of President Claudia Sheinbaum. But while most of the fentanyl comes from Mexico, statistics show that it is Americans who are doing the smuggling across the border. According to the U.S. Sentencing Commission , 86.4% of people sentenced for fentanyl trafficking crimes in a 12-month period ending September 2023 were American citizens. Crime and immigration Trump also has argued that the influx of immigrants is causing a crime surge in the U.S., although statistics show violent crime is on the way down. Texas is the only state that tracks crime by immigration status. A study published by the National Academy of Sciences, based on Texas Department of Public Safety data from 2012 to 2016, found people in the U.S. illegally had “substantially lower crime rates than native-born citizens and legal immigrants across a range of felony offenses.” While FBI statistics do not separate out crimes by the immigration status of the assailant, there is no evidence of a spike in crime perpetrated by migrants, either along the U.S.-Mexico border or in cities seeing the greatest influx of migrants, like New York. Studies have found that people living in the U.S. illegally are less likely than native-born Americans to have been arrested for violent, drug and property crimes. Some crime is inevitable given the large population of immigrants. There were an estimated 11 million people in the country illegally in January 2022, according to the latest estimate by U.S. Homeland Security Department. In 2022, the Census Bureau estimated the foreign-born population at 46.2 million, or nearly 14% of the total, with most states seeing double-digit percentage increases in the last dozen years. Republicans have highlighted high-profile crimes by immigrants such as the February killing of 22-year-old Laken Riley in Georgia and argued that any crime committed by someone in the country illegally is a crime that shouldn't have happened. A Venezuelan man who entered the country illegally was convicted and sentenced to life in prison this month in Riley's killing .
Texas will offer land for mass deportation facilities in project named after 12-year-old Jocelyn NungarayNittany Lions share the holiday with parents, teammates and coaches Subscribe to continue reading this article. Already subscribed? To login in, click here.The Gunners delivered the statement Champions League victory their manager had demanded to bounce back from a narrow defeat at Inter Milan last time out. Goals from Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Magalhaes, Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard got their continental campaign back on track, lifting them to seventh place with 10 points in the new-look 36-team table. It was Arsenal’s biggest away win in the Champions League since beating Inter by the same scoreline in 2003. “For sure, especially against opposition we played at their home who have not lost a game in 18 months – they have been in top form here – so to play with the level, the determination, the purpose and the fluidity we showed today, I am very pleased,” said Arteta. “The team played with so much courage, because they are so good. When I’m watching them live they are so good! They were all exceptional today. It was a big performance, a big win and we are really happy. “The performance was there a few times when we have played big teams. That’s the level that we have to be able to cope and you have to make it happen, and that creates belief.” A memorable victory also ended Sporting’s unbeaten start to the season, a streak of 17 wins and one draw, the vast majority of which prompted Manchester United to prise away head coach Ruben Amorim. The Gunners took the lead after only seven minutes when Martinelli tucked in Jurrien Timber’s cross, and Saka teed up Havertz for a tap-in to double the advantage. Arsenal added a third on the stroke of half-time, Gabriel charging in to head Declan Rice’s corner into the back of the net. To rub salt in the wound, the Brazilian defender mimicked Viktor Gyokeres’ hands-over-his-face goal celebration. That may have wound Sporting up as they came out after the interval meaning business, and they pulled one back after David Raya tipped Hidemasa Morita’s shot behind, with Goncalo Inacio netting at the near post from the corner. But when Martin Odegaard’s darting run into the area was halted by Ousmane Diomande’s foul, Saka tucked away the penalty. Substitute Trossard added the fifth with eight minutes remaining, heading in the rebound after Mikel Merino’s shot was saved. A miserable night for prolific Sporting striker Gyokeres was summed up when his late shot crashed back off the post.
{ "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "NewsArticle", "dateCreated": "2024-12-02T21:33:01+02:00", "datePublished": "2024-12-02T21:33:01+02:00", "dateModified": "2024-12-02T21:32:59+02:00", "url": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/article/22296/news/featured/featured-icraf-introduces-new-strategies-to-increase-tree-cover-on-farms-countrywide", "headline": "FEATURED: ICRAF introduces new strategies to increase tree cover on farms countrywide", "description": "Rewarding farmers with high survival rates of trees to plant in addition to extending Vision Umurenge Programme to include the planting and management of...", "keywords": "", "inLanguage": "en", "mainEntityOfPage":{ "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/article/22296/news/featured/featured-icraf-introduces-new-strategies-to-increase-tree-cover-on-farms-countrywide" }, "thumbnailUrl": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/thenewtimes/uploads/images/2024/12/02/65397.jpeg", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/thenewtimes/uploads/images/2024/12/02/65397.jpeg" }, "articleBody": "Rewarding farmers with high survival rates of trees to plant in addition to extending Vision Umurenge Programme to include the planting and management of trees on public and private land are new financial strategies that could help enhance trees’ survival rates, according to the International Centre for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF). Evidence shows that the survival rates of trees planted in farmlands are very low, ranging between 30 per cent and 50 per cent during the first year, and 10 to 30 per cent three years after planting. This represents a loss of financial resources and leads to failure to achieve expected plantation outcomes. According to ICRAF, there is a need to rethink the strategies to increase trees on farms by controlling the factors and conditions that lead to high tree mortality after field planting. A related dialogue was held on November 29, by ICRAF and the ministry of environment to formulate and recommend financial strategies that will enhance survival rates of trees on farms for increased socio-economic and environmental benefits. Dr. Athanase Mukuralinda, the Country Director of ICRAF Rwanda, said that tree planting campaigns are often successful in getting more trees in the ground, but survival rates are usually very low, and farmers need greater incentives to invest in the management of their trees up to the point when they become profitable. In Rwanda, considering the last five years, the loss incurred by a high mortality rate is estimated to be Rwf30 billion in the most conservative hypothesis. An increase in survival rate saves an average Rwf6 billion lost in replacement of trees every year, he said. Rewarding farmers Mukuralinda highlighted the importance of performance-based contracts (PBC) to incentivise farmers to manage the trees. The PBC model was developed in partnership with Dr.Brian Chiputwa, an economist from ICRAF Nairobi. The performance is judged on the survival of trees and their good management to a given level of maturity. All farmers who meet survival and management criteria are rewarded, in cash or in kind. Examples of in-kind rewards that have been tried are livestock and agricultural implements. The approach was tried in Nyagatare and Rutsiro districts where it led to a tree survival rate of 70% after incentivizing farmers. As incentives, ICRAF signed with local farmers a performance-based contract geared towards the protection of the transplanted trees which included alunus, grevillea, and acacias. ICRAF provided goats and pigs to every family which reached a tree survival of 70%. Extending Vision Umurenge Programme ICRAF recommended the use of Vision Umurenge Programme (VUP), an integrated local development programme meant to accelerate poverty eradication, rural growth, and social protection, to incentivise farmers to plant and manage trees on their land. Saidi Sibomana, the Division Manager in charge of Local Development Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation at the Local Administrative Entities Development Agency (LODA), said that the VUP programme in 2023/24 created 73,000 jobs through radical terraces construction and tree planting. It can be a good approach to promoting agroforestry for reforestation and ecosystem restoration. Citizens get engaged as long as they see benefits. There are areas where we created community agroforestry groups, he said. Egide Karuranga, a researcher, said fruit trees such as avocados should be promoted under performance-based contracts by introducing fruit trees on the farm. Farmers start getting new income starting from the third year after transplantation, as is the case for avocado and mango trees. ICRAF’s conservative hypothesis puts that perennial income at Rwf13,000 per tree. That income will increase every year as the trees grow to reach maturity level starting from the seventh year when the harvest is valued at Rwf65,000 per tree, based on current market prices. This will, as explained, lead to fast graduation out of poverty and put farmers in the middle-income class posted in Rwanda’s Vision 2030. On the macro-economic level, fruits will help in fighting malnutrition while increasing the so-much-needed exports to lessen Rwanda's trade deficit, he said. In addition to helping poor households graduate out of poverty, managing the trees well will help Rwanda tap into the carbon market, Karuranga said. Concorde Nsengumuremyi, the Director General of Rwanda Forestry Authority, said the new financial strategies will help Rwanda achieve a global pledge to restore two million hectares of degraded land by 2030. Having partners such as ICRAF will help meet the target of increasing survival rates of planted trees. This year, we will plant 65 million trees including agroforestry, fruit trees, and trees for timber production. New financing strategies to increase the number of trees on farms are needed. These include rewarding farmers who manage the trees. The farmers can get money or in-kind support such as tools used in agriculture and forestation. They can get subsidized seedlings and fertilizers as a motivation to ensure tree survival rates. The VUP programme can also be used to increase cover. Farmers participating in VUP could be paid to plant trees on their land, he said, adding that there is a need for scaling up such strategies.", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michel Nkurunziza" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "The New Times", "url": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/", "sameAs": ["https://www.facebook.com/TheNewTimesRwanda/","https://twitter.com/NewTimesRwanda","https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuZbZj6DF9zWXpdZVceDZkg"], "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "/theme_newtimes/images/logo.png", "width": 270, "height": 57 } }, "copyrightHolder": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "The New Times", "url": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/" } }OTTAWA — The small business loan program the federal government rolled out during the COVID-19 pandemic wasn't managed with "due regard for value for money," auditor general Karen Hogan said Monday. The Canada Emergency Business Account program lent 898,000 small businesses $49.1 billion to help cover expenses such as rent and payroll during the pandemic. Hogan said while Export Development Canada, which was responsible for the program, acted quickly to get the loans out, it relied on sole-source contracts and a single vendor without strong checks and balances. Hogan's report says the Crown corporation gave that vendor, Accenture, "too much control over key aspects of contracts, such as the scope of work and pricing, and failed to exercise basic controls in contract management, such as monitoring that amounts paid aligned with the work performed." At the same time, it says the federal government didn't provide effective oversight to ensure the program was cost-effective. The report estimates $3.5 billion of the loans went to recipients that were ineligible. Hogan told reporters she is "concerned that EDC only partially agreed with our recommendation that it should carry out additional work to identify all ineligible recipients and recover the amounts involved." In an emailed statement, Export Development Canada said it only partially agreed because in "practical terms, implementing (the recommendation) would be challenging and may also come at significant cost." Todd Winterhalt, its head of communications and public affairs, said in the statement it would explore potential options to recoup the money. The auditor general's report outlined the example of a call centre that was set up to provide information about the loan program. "The initial contract awarded for the call centre was expected to last four months and cost $2.78 million. However, as of March 31, 2024, the call centre was still operating with a cumulative total cost of approximately $23.2 million," the report outlines. The costs per call, meanwhile, increased to $589 per call in the spring of 2023, up from $31 on average in 2020. Because Expert Development Canada didn't require timesheets, it didn't realize that the number of calls had dropped in 2022 and agents were answering six calls a day, while it "continued to pay for full-time work." Winterhalt said the organization was asked to "design, develop and launch the program within two weeks." He said the organization is "very proud of what we were able to accomplish on behalf of the Government of Canada for Canadian small businesses. This was a net-new program with no precedent or instruction manual to follow." The report found that as of March of this year, $8.5 billion of the loans hadn't yet been repaid. Hogan noted in the press conference that the program is ongoing. "Payments ... will be ongoing for several years while action on defaulted loans is just beginning," she said. "Value for money will be further compromised without better monitoring and improved plans to recover defaulted loans." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 2, 2024. Anja Karadeglija, The Canadian PressMaryland is suing the company that produces the waterproof material Gore-Tex often used for raincoats and other outdoor gear, alleging its leaders kept using “forever chemicals” long after learning about serious health risks associated with them. The complaint, which was filed last week in federal court, focuses on a cluster of 13 facilities in northeastern Maryland operated by Delaware-based W.L. Gore & Associates. It alleges the company polluted the air and water around its facilities with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances , jeopardizing the health of surrounding communities while raking in profits. The lawsuit adds to other claims filed in recent years, including a class action on behalf of Cecil County residents in 2023 demanding Gore foot the bill for water filtration systems, medical bills and other damages associated with decades of harmful pollution in the largely rural community. “PFAS are linked to cancer, weakened immune systems, and can even harm the ability to bear children,” Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown said in a statement. “It is unacceptable for any company to knowingly contaminate our drinking water with these toxins, putting Marylanders at risk of severe health conditions.” Gore spokesperson Donna Leinwand Leger said the company is “surprised by the Maryland Attorney General’s decision to initiate legal action, particularly in light of our proactive and intensive engagement with state regulators over the past two years.” “We have been working with Maryland, employing the most current, reliable science and technology to assess the potential impact of our operations and guide our ongoing, collaborative efforts to protect the environment,” the company said in a statement, noting a Dec. 18 report that contains nearly two years of groundwater testing results. But attorney Philip Federico, who represents plaintiffs in the class action and other lawsuits against Gore, called the company’s efforts “too little, much too late.” In the meantime, he said, residents are continuing to suffer — one of his clients was recently diagnosed with kidney cancer. “It’s typical corporate environmental contamination,” he said. “They’re in no hurry to fix the problem.” The synthetic chemicals are especially harmful because they’re nearly indestructible and can build up in various environments, including the human body. In addition to cancers and immune system problems, exposure to certain levels of PFAS has been linked to increased cholesterol levels, reproductive health issues and developmental delays in children, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Gore leaders failed to warn people living near its Maryland facilities about the potential impacts, hoping to protect their corporate image and avoid liability, according to the state’s lawsuit. The result has been “a toxic legacy for generations to come,” the lawsuit alleges. Since the chemicals are already in the local environment, protecting residents now often means installing complex and expensive water filtration systems. People with private wells have found highly elevated levels of dangerous chemicals in their water, according to the class action lawsuit. The Maryland facilities are located in a rural area just across the border from Delaware, where Gore has become a longtime fixture in the community. The company, which today employs more than 13,000 people, was founded in 1958 after Wilbert Gore left the chemical giant DuPont to start his own business. Its profile rose with the development of Gore-Tex , a lightweight waterproof material created by stretching polytetrafluoroethylene, which is better known by the brand name Teflon that’s used to coat nonstick pans. The membrane within Gore-Tex fabric has billions of pores that are smaller than water droplets, making it especially effective for outdoor gear. The state’s complaint traces Gore’s longstanding relationship with DuPont , arguing that information about the chemicals' dangers was long known within both companies as they sought to keep things quiet and boost profits. It alleges that as early as 1961, DuPont scientists knew the chemical caused adverse liver reactions in rats and dogs. DuPont has faced widespread litigation in recent years. Along with two spinoff companies, it announced a $1.18 billion deal last year to resolve complaints of polluting many U.S. drinking water systems with forever chemicals. The Maryland lawsuit seeks to hold Gore responsible for costs associated with the state’s ongoing investigations and cleanup efforts, among other damages. State oversight has ramped up following litigation from residents alleging their drinking water was contaminated. Until then, the company operated in Cecil County with little scrutiny. Gore announced in 2014 that it had eliminated perfluorooctanoic acid from the raw materials used to create Gore-Tex. But it’s still causing long-term impacts because it persists for so long in the environment, attorneys say. Over the past two years, Gore has hired an environmental consulting firm to conduct testing in the area and provided bottled water and water filtration systems to residents near certain Maryland facilities, according to a webpage describing its efforts. Recent testing of drinking water at residences near certain Gore sites revealed perfluorooctanoic acid levels well above what the EPA considers safe, according to state officials. Attorneys for the state acknowledged Gore’s ongoing efforts to investigate and address the problem but said the company needs to step up and be a better neighbor. “While we appreciate Gore’s limited investigation to ascertain the extent of PFAS contamination around its facilities, much more needs to be done to protect the community and the health of residents,” Maryland Department of the Environment Secretary Serena McIlwain said in a statement. “We must remove these forever chemicals from our natural resources urgently, and we expect responsible parties to pay for this remediation.”