Shortest and tallest living women declared 'icons' in LondonSome 700 youngsters from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including 375 women, learnt critical market-driven vocational and technical skills through a three-month-long training programme that had been supported by the government of Japan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP). The training programme was designed to empower youth from the Kurram and Orakzai erstwhile tribal districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). The programme's closing ceremony was held in Islamabad earlier in the week to mark its successful completion. During the programme, the youth were equipped with skills such as cell phone repair, LED bulb assembly, eco-friendly packaging, jewellery-making, motorcycle repair, electrical works, plumbing, solar system installation and maintenance, and installing universal power supply (UPS) systems. Upon completion of the programme, the graduates received certificates and customised toolkits to help them apply their skills and start small businesses or secure employment opportunities. The initiative is part of an ongoing project worth $4.1 million and is supported by the government of Japan and UNDP. It aims to stabilise and help revive economic recovery in Kurram and Orakzai districts through a people- and institution-centred approach. Focusing on social cohesion, local governance, and livelihood creation, the project places youth and women at its core as key agents of change and is expected to benefit over 200,000 people, including 50% of women. Speaking at the occasion, Rana Mashood, the chairman of Prime Minister's Youth Programme, said: "Women's empowerment is a key focus of Prime Minister's Youth Programme. I am delighted to see that 375 women have been trained in hands-on skills under this initiative." He expressed gratitude to the Japanese government, the UNDP and SRSP for contributing to the skills training programme in remote areas. Security Threats And State Response In Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa UNDP Pakistan Deputy Resident Representative Van Nguyen expressed gratitude for the collaboration and said: "We are grateful to the government of Japan for their long-standing partnership with UNDP. Through their support, this programme has demonstrated the potential of young people in Kurram and Orakzai." He added that by empowering young women and men with skills for income generation, they were confident that this project would foster gender-sensitive economic recovery in the region and contribute to its long-term stability. Japanese Embassy's Charge d' Affaires ad interim Ito Takeshi, stated, "The long-standing partnership between Japan and UNDP has enabled us to support projects that build strong communities and bring positive change. Our key initiatives have focused on creating safe spaces for women to engage in community decision-making and access economic opportunities. Through these interventions, we have enabled women to take on more active roles contributing to social cohesion and economic stability. Our development partnership is based on the principle of 'Leave No One Behind'". Climate adaption dialogue As part of a broader effort to develop youth leadership, empower young women, and generate actionable strategies to build climate resilience, youth from Kurram and Orakzai also participated in a grand dialogue on "Climate Adaptation and Girls' Education" during the closing ceremony.
The expanded Big Ten is poised to be a major player in this season's College Football Playoff. The 18-team conference had three of the top-four teams in the AP poll this week — No. 1 Oregon, No. 2 Ohio State and No. 4 Penn State. A one-loss Indiana team is ranked 10th but is still very much a contender to make the playoff, given how many Southeastern Conference teams have three defeats or more. Indiana's rise has been perhaps the Big Ten's biggest story this season. Much of the spotlight was on newcomers Oregon, Southern California, UCLA and Washington, but aside from the top-ranked Ducks, that foursome has struggled to impress. Meanwhile, the Hoosiers won their first 10 games under new coach Curt Cignetti before losing at Ohio State last weekend. Oregon beat Ohio State 32-31 back in October, and if the Buckeyes beat rival Michigan this weekend, they'll earn a rematch with the Ducks for the Big Ten title. And it's entirely possible another matchup between those two teams awaits in the CFP. Dillon Gabriel has quarterbacked Oregon to an unbeaten record, throwing for 3,066 yards and 22 touchdowns in 11 games. But don't overlook Iowa's Kaleb Johnson and his 21 rushing TDs, and quarterback Kurtis Rourke has been a big part of Indiana's improvement. Penn State's Abdul Carter has eight sacks and two forced fumbles and could be one of the top edge rushers drafted this year. Oregon (11-0, 8-0), Ohio State (10-1, 7-1), Penn State (10-1, 7-1), Indiana (10-1, 7-1), Illinois (8-3, 5-3), Iowa (7-4, 5-3), Michigan (6-5, 4-4), Minnesota (6-5, 4-4), Washington (6-5, 4-4), Southern California (6-5, 4-5), Nebraska (6-5, 3-5) and Rutgers (6-5, 3-5) have already reached the six-win mark for bowl eligibility. Michigan State (5-6, 3-5) and Wisconsin (5-6, 3-5) can join them. There may not be many firings in general at the top level of college football. The prospect of sharing revenue with athletes in the future might lead schools to be more judicious about shedding one coach and hiring a new one. Who should be most worried in the Big Ten? Well, Lincoln Riley is struggling to stay above .500 in his third season at USC. Purdue is 1-10, but coach Ryan Walters is only in his second season. Maryland's Mike Locksley has been there six years and his Terrapins are 4-7, but this was his first real step backward after guiding the team to three straight bowl wins. Cignetti has shown it is possible for a coaching change to push a previously moribund program to some impressive heights in a short amount of time — but the improvement has been more incremental at Michigan State following Jonathan Smith's arrival. Sherrone Moore wasn't a completely unknown commodity at Michigan after he won some massive games in place of a suspended Jim Harbaugh last year. But in his first season completely at the helm, the Wolverines have declined significantly following their national title a season ago. The Big Ten is home to one of the most dynamic freshmen in the country in Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith. He has 52 catches for 899 yards and nine touchdowns. Highly touted quarterback Dylan Raiola has teamed up with fellow freshman Jacory Barney (49 catches) to lead Nebraska to bowl eligibility. Ohio State is on track to land the Big Ten's top class, according to 247 Sports, but the big news recently was quarterback Bryce Underwood flipping from LSU to Michigan. If the Wolverines do in fact keep Underwood in his home state, that would be a big development for Moore. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Why Tho? On the cusp of Thanksgiving, I’m grateful for my readers, even when they hate my adviceRams WR Demarcus Robinson not suspended, will play Sunday after arrest on DUI suspicion LOS ANGELES (AP) — Receiver Demarcus Robinson will not be suspended by the Los Angeles Rams this week after his arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence. Greg Beacham, The Associated Press Nov 27, 2024 3:03 PM Nov 27, 2024 3:05 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Demarcus Robinson (15) gestures during the first half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Inglewood, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) LOS ANGELES (AP) — Receiver Demarcus Robinson will not be suspended by the Los Angeles Rams this week after his arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence. Robinson will be available to play when the Rams (5-6) visit the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, Rams coach Sean McVay said Wednesday. “I think he does understand the severity of this, and how lucky we were that nobody was injured,” McVay said. “I do believe that he's remorseful. We are going to let the legal process take place. The league has a process as well.” Robinson was arrested early Monday morning after California Highway Patrol officers observed a white Dodge sedan driving over 100 mph on the 101 freeway in the western San Fernando Valley, a few miles from the Rams’ training complex in Woodland Hills. The driver, who identified himself as Robinson, had “objective signs and symptoms of alcohol impairment,” the CHP said in a statement released to The Associated Press. Robinson spoke to the team and expressed remorse about his arrest, McVay and quarterback Matthew Stafford said. “I think it was a bad decision he made,” McVay said. “I don't think that makes him a bad person, and I do believe this is something that, with the words that he said, our guys will learn from it, and hopefully nobody is ever going to repeat something like this. Let it be a learning opportunity, and a fortunate outcome that nobody was injured.” Robinson has 26 receptions for 384 yards and a team-leading six touchdown catches while starting all 11 games in his second season with the Rams . He caught a TD pass in the Rams' 37-20 loss to Philadelphia several hours before his arrest. The nine-year NFL veteran has served as a capable No. 3 option for Stafford behind star receivers Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua. Robinson spent his first six NFL seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, winning a Super Bowl ring in February 2020, and spent one year with Baltimore before joining the Rams last year. “Let this be a lesson to all of us,” Stafford said. “We're lucky with the result that came of it, to be honest with you, that nobody was hurt or injured. I know that D-Rob is a great person. I love being around him. Love him as a teammate. ... I'm just trying to support him, help him out any way I can.” ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL Greg Beacham, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Football (NFL) NFC-leading Lions host Bears on Thanksgiving, trying to stop 7-game losing streak on the holiday Nov 27, 2024 2:58 PM 49ers QB Brock Purdy remains severely limited by injury to his throwing shoulder Nov 27, 2024 2:39 PM McDermott, AFC East-leading Bills refreshed coming out of bye week, and looking ahead to host 49ers Nov 27, 2024 2:29 PM
Eating Pasta to Spread Joy: Barilla Is Giving Back by Bringing Connection to Those Who Need It MostThe $15 million Pacific Centre for Maritime Studies (PCMS) at Fiji National University (FNU) in Suva aims to advance education, research, and innovation in the maritime sector, focusing on sustainability and the Pacific Blue Economy. Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, at the opening, highlighted the centre’s role in blending traditional navigation knowledge with modern technology to empower future maritime leaders. FNU Vice Chancellor Unaisi Nabobo- Baba noted the centre’s alignment with national plans like the Pacific Blue Ocean 2050 strategy, fostering global collaborations, and revising curriculums to meet industry needs. Partnerships, including one with Fiji Water, are also underway. Feedback: ioane.asioli@fijisun.com.fj
Liverpool remain perfect in Europe as Madrid misery continues
NoneNEWS BRIEF Texas Tech University's Health Sciences Centers (HSCs) in Lubbock and El Paso are the latest victims of a disruptive cyberattack. The incident impacted the data of 1.4 million patients, exposing a treasure trove of valuable information that could be used for convincing follow-up social engineering attacks, identity theft, and more. The attackers had access to the university's medical environments between Sept. 17 and 29, during which time they made off with "certain files and folders from the HSCs' network," according to a website notice . The folders contained patient names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers, financial data, medical information, billing and insurance data, medical records numbers, and more. "The health and social-care sector has always been a popular target for cybercriminals ," Brian Higgins, security specialist at Comparitech, said via email. "The combination of plentiful data points along with the often very sensitive nature of some of the information serves not only to add increased pressure on breached organizations to settle any ransom demands, but also to render individual client-side victims more susceptible to follow-up attacks seeking password or logon access and other personal information." Related: Microsoft Teams Vishing Spreads DarkGate RAT In October, a ransomware group called Interlock claimed to be behind the hack, saying that it stole 3.2 terabytes of data from the Red Raiders. "The group posted images of what it says are stolen documents on its leak site," Paul Bischoff, consumer privacy advocate at Comparitech, said via email. "TTHUSC hasn't verified that claim, but no other groups have claimed responsibility at this time. Interlock is a new ransomware gang that first started adding targets to its leak site in October. This was one of the biggest medical data breaches of 2024." For its part, the school is offering somewhat boilerplate information: "The HSCs are in the process of notifying individuals whose information may be involved in this incident," according to the notice, which added that free credit monitoring is available. "To help prevent a recurrence, the HSCs are reviewing existing security policies and procedures as part of the investigation and are implementing additional safeguards to enhance system protection and monitoring." It also noted that affected individuals should monitor their credit reports and bank accounts for evidence of identity theft and fraud, review account statements, and scrutinize health care and health insurance billing statements for suspicious activity or errors. Related: 'Dubai Police' Lures Anchor Wave of UAE Mobile Attacks "One can only hope that Texas Tech will offer a decent level of security mitigation measures ... to try to alleviate what is an incredibly stressful situation for all involved," Higgins noted. "It's reasonable, after so many documented attacks, that users should expect high-risk sectors to harden, but that doesn't seem to be happening with the force and frequency necessary to combat the threat." Tara Seals has 20+ years of experience as a journalist, analyst and editor in the cybersecurity, communications and technology space. Prior to Dark Reading, Tara was Editor in Chief at Threatpost, and prior to that, the North American news lead for Infosecurity Magazine. She also spent 13 years working for Informa (formerly Virgo Publishing), as executive editor and editor-in-chief at publications focused on both the service provider and the enterprise arenas. A Texas native, she holds a B.A. from Columbia University, lives in Western Massachusetts with her family and is on a never-ending quest for good Mexican food in the Northeast.
Everyone, or at least someone you probably know, has a streaming device. They make it easy to watch Netflix , Hulu , Max and other streaming services whenever you want. And there are tons to chose from: Apple , Roku , Google Chromecast and Amazon offer just a few of the devices on the market. But as convenient and easy as these devices are, it's important to note that they can often monitor your viewing habits behind the scenes. Every major smart TV streaming platform captures your viewing data. Makers of software and hardware (from your new streaming stick to your TV itself) use that data to "improve" the products and services they offer, by tailoring recommendations and the ads they show you, for example. While that's potentially frustrating, ads do help keep the price down when you're buying a new streaming stick . While we've previously covered privacy settings for the TVs themselves, for this story we checked out all of the latest software on streaming devices from Amazon, Roku, Google and Apple. Here's what we found and what you can do about it on your respective new streaming players. Amazon Fire TV Stick Amazon told CNET that it collects limited information about customers' use of third-party apps on Fire TV. "We collect data on the frequency and duration of use of apps on Fire TV (i.e., when a customer opens or closes an app), which helps with service and device improvements. We don't collect information about what customers watch in third-party apps on Fire TV." Amazon's privacy policy says that your Amazon device also "collects data about your use of the device and its features, such as your navigation of the home screen [and] selection of device settings (such as device language, display size, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth options)." Here's how you limit the amount of data Fire TV collects. All settings can be found by going to Settings , then Preferences, then Privacy Settings . Now, your Amazon Fire TV device will not be able to track your data for marketing purposes or be able to look at the frequency and duration of your usage of downloaded apps. It will also not give you targeted advertising, but it will still have ads. For more details check out Amazon's privacy settings FAQ. Google Chromecast with Google TV Google has one privacy policy across the company's products, which details the data it collects to sell ads or recommend other content such as YouTube videos. The data collected includes terms you search for, videos you watch, views and interactions with content and ads, voice and audio information when you use audio features, purchase activity, people with whom you communicate or share content, activity on third-party sites and applications that use our services. Google says that Google Chromecast as a platform does not perform ACR or monitor what specific content users are watching. Here's how to control data on the Google Chromecast with Google TV. Roku Roku's privacy policy states that the company will collect "your search history, search results, audio information when you use voice-enabled features, channels you access (including usage statistics such as what channels you access, the time you access them and how long you spend viewing them), interactions with content and advertisements, and settings and preferences." Roku says that it shares data with advertisers "including ads that you view within Roku's Channels and Third-Party Channels, as well as ads included in content that you view through your Roku TV's antenna and connected devices." Here's what you need to do to limit or disable some of the tracking. Apple TV Apple's privacy policy says that the company collects information from your Apple ID mainly so that you can seamlessly pick up where you left off on other devices. The information that it tracks includes "what content you're playing, when you played it, the device you played it from and where exactly in the content you paused or stopped watching. We also collect a detailed history of all playback activity for Apple TV channels and Apple TV Plus." It also states that the company does share some information with partners that "work with Apple to provide our products and services, help Apple market to customers and sell ads on Apple's behalf to display in the App Store and Apple News and Stocks." Unlike the others on this list, Apple always asks if you want individual apps to track your usage the first time that you use them. You can prevent each app from seeing your data by clicking no every time this pops up. Apple also has some more privacy settings that you can change. Here's how to find them: First, you'll have to find and click on the settings icon . Hit the General tab , then scroll down to Privacy . The Privacy menu features Location Services, Tracking, Photos, Bluetooth, HomeKit, Media and Apple Music as well as Apple TV Users. You've now limited Apple from tracking your analytics and using your data to improve Siri or dictation.Chargers RB J.K. Dobbins unlikely to play against Falcons because of knee injury
Constricted Pipeline for New Deliveries Means No New Wave to Maintain Equilibrium , /PRNewswire/ -- A widening supply and demand imbalance for apartments across the U.S. will drive national annual year-over-year (YOY) Class A multifamily rent growth up 2.4% by , with rates in markets such as , , , , , and increasing between 4.0% and 5.7%. In its , proprietary suite of machine learning models, is also forecasting YOY Class A rent growth gains in the West, Northeast and Southeast regions of the country at or above the 3% historical national average. The Southwest region is an outlier where YOY rent growth is predicted to be only 0.2%. "We're seeing record delivery of new product, the result of unprecedented new development that broke ground three plus years ago, when interest rates were at their lowest," said , co-CEO, Origin Investments. "But that tremendous wave of deliveries isn't being replaced. In the absence of the next wave, I see a world where rents continue escalating in the next one, two, three and maybe even four years." In the Multilytics report, Origin's five-year compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) for rents in the 15 cities where it invests and/or owns and manages multifamily assets all are greater than 4.0%, and ranges from 4.2% in to 5.7% in . Newmark projects the number of expected deliveries in 2024 to be approximately 600,000. However, the pipeline of deliveries is expected to fall precipitously, by 15.2% in 2025 and 53.8% in 2026. Demand for units, especially in growth markets around the country, isn't expected to change, with absorption keeping pace with mew deliveries. At the market level, Origin is predicting rent growth in 15 targeted markets where the firm continues to evaluate future potential developments or acquisitions. According to Multilytics, by all but three of Origin's target markets will return to positive growth, with , and lingering in the negative. However, by , all markets will return to positive territory, with seven markets topping 4% and six increasing by at least 3%. Two markets will have rent growth from 1.5% to 2.0%. The Origin markets experiencing the greatest YOY annual rent growth for Class A apartments are , 5.6%; , 5.6%; , 4.6%; , 4.4%; and , 4.4%. The two markets with rent growth lower than 2% are , 1.7% and , 1.6%. In other significant national and regional markets across the country, Origin projects that YOY Class A apartment growth will exceed 4.0% in (4.3%) and (4.4%); meet or exceed 3.0% in (3.0%), (3.0%) and (3.1%), and exceed 2.5% in (2.6%) and (2.8%). Multifamily market dynamics will produce a sharp contrast in YOY rent growth among some markets between and . In , for example, YOY rent growth in is projected at -2.6%, but in it is projected to increase to 1.6%. Other markets with significant discrepancies include , at -2.1% rent growth in mid-2025 but projected at 1.7% by . , too, will have a nice turnaround, from -0.4% at mid-year to 3.1% by . According to the Origin report, three of the top five market reporting the most dramatic contrasts are in : , 4.2%; , 3.4%; and , 3.3%. In , the contrast from mid-year 2025 to the beginning of 2026 was only 1.0%. "From an investment perspective, I believe we are at the beginning of a pretty significant bull cycle for rents," Scherer said. "At this point, it will take an exogenous shock to bring it back on the supply side." , Data Scientist, Origin Investments, identified a deep recession and meaningful decline in homeownership costs as two exogenous shocks that could significantly alter the record pace of absorption. In a recession, household formation would fall because instead of renting an apartment, individuals tend to move back home or take on one or more roommates who otherwise would be renting apartments themselves. He also noted markets where it could be as much as 40% to 50% more expensive to buy than rent. "The combination of a pricing reset and a significant reduction in mortgage rates isn't likely to occur quickly enough to make a meaningful difference in the cost of renting versus buying," he said. "As a result, we are increasingly becoming a nation of renters." Last year, for a return to normalized rent growth was tempered by looming unquantifiable market risks. Despite a changed landscape, and in the presence of a transitioning political picture, unquantifiable risks remain a concern. The Origin report says it's too early to predict what a new administration will do in 2025 and beyond. President-elect proposals to increase tariffs are likely to lead to higher interest rates and rising inflation. Other proposals could spur job creation. His goal to keep interest rates low to may be hampered by higher material costs, which could make new construction deals more difficult. Founded in 2007, Origin Investments is a private real estate manager that helps high-net-worth investors, family offices and registered investment advisors grow and preserve wealth by providing tax-efficient real estate solutions through private funds. We build, buy and finance multifamily real estate projects in fast-growing markets throughout the U.S. In 2023, we founded affiliate firm Origin Credit Advisers, an SEC-registered investment adviser that provides yield-focused multifamily debt investments for qualified purchasers. SEC registration does not constitute an endorsement by the Commission nor does it indicate that the adviser has attained a particular level of skill or ability. Through our Origin Exchange platform, introduced in 2024, investors can complete a 1031 exchange of their properties for professionally managed, institutional-quality assets. To learn more, visit . View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Origin InvestmentsHUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Alabama A&M University football player Medrick Burnett Jr. is still on life support following an injury during a game against Alabama State in October, according to Alabama A&M University Sports Information Director Brian Howard. This updates an earlier announcement from the university that Burnett had died a month after the injury. Howard said the university got news last night from Burnett's father, who is on the West Coast where the family is from, that his son had died. Burnett's mother, who is with him, said that he is still alive. The announcement from the university Wednesday that originally stated he had died has since been removed from their website . The redshirt freshman from Lakewood, California, joined Alabama A&M's team over the summer after starting his college career at Grambling State. He appeared in seven games for Alabama A&M this season, recording three tackles during a game at Austin Peay.The NFL's security division is warning players to be aware of professional burglars targeting the homes of pro athletes. The Athletic reported Thursday that the NFL sent a memo to teams that outlines the threat. "The homes of professional athletes across multiple sports leagues have become increasingly targeted for burglaries by organized and skilled groups," read the memo, which was obtained by The Athletic. "Law enforcement officials have noted these groups appear to exploit team schedules to target athletes' homes on game days." NBC News reported Wednesday that law enforcement is working to figure out whether an international crime syndicate is involved. The Athletic reported that the memo includes tips for home security and also gives recommendations about the use of social media, such as not posting photos of items that would attract thieves. Players also learned via the memo how homes are targeted and how burglars enter. Mahomes hasn't said much about the burglary, other than to call it "disappointing" and "frustrating." "I can't get into too many of the details because the investigation is still ongoing," he said. "But obviously something that you don't want to happen to really anybody, but obviously yourself." It's not clear what was stolen from Mahomes' home in Belton, Mo., during the Oct. 6 incident. But Kelce apparently lost $20,000 in cash in the burglary at his home in Leawood, Kan., the following day when the Chiefs played the New Orleans Saints on "Monday Night Football," according to a police report. The burglary at the home of Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis in River Hills, Wis., occurred Nov. 2 during the Bucks' home game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. He said the perpetrators "took most of my prized possessions" and is offering a reward for the return of his property. "Any info that leads to the return of any of my belongings will be rewarded handsomely," Portis said. "Let me know, thank you." --Field Level Media