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41 jili Best Black Friday supermarket bargains including Aldi’s £200 50-inch TVATLANTA — Georgia Republicans can subpoena Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis about her romantic relationship with Nathan Wade, the outside attorney she hired to lead her 2020 election interference case against former and future President Donald Trump and his allies, a judge has ruled. The decision by Fulton County Superior Court Judge Shukura Ingram was published Monday. It is the latest blow to Willis in regard to her prosecution of Trump. On Nov. 19, the Georgia Court of Appeals disqualified Willis and her office from the case due to her relationship with Wade . Ingram rejected Willis’ arguments that GOP leaders of a state Senate committee didn’t have the authority to issue a pair of subpoenas in August seeking documents and her testimony. But the judge gave Willis until Jan. 13 to explain why the subpoenas shouldn’t be enforced. “(Willis) claims that the subpoenas are overbroad and seek privileged and/or confidential information,” the judge said in her order. “This may very well be true, but this court needs more details on the basis for these objections from (Willis) before ruling on (committee members’) application for enforcement.” Representatives for Willis did not immediately respond Friday to questions about the ruling. Sen. Greg Dolezal , one of the committee members, mentioned the ruling in a social media post Friday. “We’ll see you soon, Madam D.A.,” he wrote. Dolezal, R-Cumming, has unveiled plans to extend the life of the committee into 2025. He told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that Ingram’s ruling “follows the plain reading of the law as outlined in our committee.” “From open records laws to lawfully issued subpoenas, D.A. Willis seems to think she is above the law,” Dolezal said. “Once again, the courts ruled otherwise.” Ingram heard arguments from both sides during a hearing in Atlanta on Dec. 3. Willis claimed the subpoenas from the Senate’s Special Committee on Investigations were void because the committee and its members lacked legislative subpoena power, issued the subpoenas while the Senate was adjourned and violated part of the Georgia Constitution. Ingram disagreed. “It is undisputed that the General Assembly has the unenumerated and implied constitutional power to conduct investigations and the statutory authority to issue subpoenas for the purposes of such investigations,” she said. “Here, the Senate, as a chamber, empowered itself to issue subpoenas, which it was authorized to do.” The judge further said Willis failed to identify any authority to support her theory that the subpoenas could not be issued after the Legislature adjourned its regular session on March 28. Ingram also said the Georgia Constitution allows members of one branch of government to investigate members of another branch. The committee members offered to narrow the scope of the subpoenas, the judge noted. She gave them until Jan. 31 to respond to any objections Willis raises about enforcement of the subpoenas. Senators created the committee in January, just weeks after news surfaced that Willis had been in a romantic relationship with Wade. Members sought years worth of communications between Willis and Wade as well as information about his hiring and pay, the DA office’s federal grant funding and interactions with the White House, Justice Department and members of Congress regarding the elections case. They also sought to compel Willis’ attendance at a September hearing, which she declined to attend as she fought her summons in court. ©2024 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Visit at ajc.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Tulisa sparks concern as she snubs I'm A Celeb spin-off after deleting jungle Instagram postsAlan Halsall admits he’s gutted to lose his I’m A Celebrity ‘wife’ Tulisa after her shock eviction

Sunday, November 24, 2024 The Kochi Biennale Foundation (KBF) has announced renowned artist Nikhil Chopra and his team, HH Art Spaces , as the curators for the sixth edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale (KMB) , a premier international exhibition of contemporary art set to open in Kochi in December 2025. The announcement was made by Chief Minister Shri Pinarayi Vijayan at a press conference attended by Nikhil Chopra. The event also saw the participation of Tourism and Public Works Minister Shri P A Mohamed Riyas , with Thiruvananthapuram MP Shri Shashi Tharoor attending virtually. The curatorial selection was carried out by a committee of globally renowned art figures: Shanay Jhaveri , Dayanita Singh , Rajeeb Samdani , Jitish Kallat , and Bose Krishnamachari , who also serves as the KBF President. The sixth edition of KMB is scheduled to span four months, commencing on December 12, 2025 , and concluding on March 31, 2026 . It will feature 60 artists and art practices from India and around the world, making it a significant event in the global contemporary art calendar. Welcoming Nikhil Chopra, the Chief Minister said “We invite the people of Kerala, the nation and the world to join us in celebrating this spectacular event that fosters the spirit of art, community and dialogue.” “Kochi Muziris Biennale enabled Kerala and India to make a mark in the global art map,” said Shri Shashi Tharoor. Former Kerala Chief Secretary and KBF Chair Dr Venu V and KBF CEO Thomas Varghese were present. Highlighting the Biennale’s famed calibre to “ignite conversations about being human; poetic and political”, Nikhil Chopra hailed the eminent artistic potential of Kerala. “The ancient, the modern and the contemporary in the region have always been in critical dialogue with each other churning ideas and knowledge into wisdom,” he said. “For me, the process or the journey of art work is more central than the destination itself. I envision this Biennale as a series of moments, where one can enter and exit. For this Biennale we look at works that lean more on process, works which are still in making as opposed to the industrial norm of valuing only the completed work. I feel it’s important to embrace the unfinished and the process,” said Chopra explaining his curatorial vision. Introducing Nikhil Chopra and HH Art Spaces, Bose Krishnamachari highlighted the artist’s diverse practice, which blends performance, drawing, painting, photography, sculpture, and installation to critically explore themes of identity, politics, history, and the body. Chopra, who spent part of his early education in Kochi, called the opportunity to curate KMB an “incredible task” and a “humbling privilege.” He previously participated in the second edition of KMB in 2014, earning acclaim for his unconventional approach at the Aspinwall House venue. “Nikhil’s unique perspective, paired with the creative energy of HH Art Spaces, promises to bring fresh dialogue and innovative perspectives to this global platform. We look forward to witnessing the transformative experience they will create for artists, audiences, and the community alike.” The announcement coincides with significant structural changes at KBF, including the appointment of Dr. Venu as Chair of the Board of Trustees. A cultural and museum expert with over three decades of administrative experience, Dr. Venu has served in key roles within the cultural and tourism sectors of both the Central and Kerala governments. Other key appointments include Ms. Fereshte Sethna as legal advisor and Kuruvilla & Jose as auditors, strengthening KBF’s management and compliance framework. “In addition to the well-recognised contributions towards art and culture, the benefits accrued to tourism and local economic development have become increasingly apparent,” Dr Venu, who has been associated with the Biennale since its first edition, said. Mr Thomas Varghese, CEO of the foundation said “The Biennale, while remaining rooted to the unique historical and cosmopolitan sensibilities of Kochi, engages creatively with global artistic, cultural and political discourse to reimagine worldviews, which is bold and disruptive as it is austere and inclusive. This social dimension must be strengthened.” In this new chapter, we will reaffirm the epithet ‘People’s Biennale’,” he added. On the financial front, KBF continues to receive robust support from the Government of Kerala , international arts councils, embassies, philanthropists, and corporate sponsors. Notable supporters include the JSW Foundation , led by Chairperson Sangita Jindal , alongside prominent benefactors like Kiran Nadar (HCL Foundation and KNMA), Mariam Ram (TNQ), and Shabana Faizal (Faizal & Shabana Foundation). Long-time corporate supporters such as the BMW Group also continue their association with KBF, having supported the biennale since its inception in 2012 and through challenging times like the global pandemic. The sixth edition of KMB is set to once again position Kochi as a vital hub for contemporary art and cultural discourse, promising an engaging and thought-provoking experience for visitors from around the globe.TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Snoop Dogg has nearly as many ties to football as he does to rap music. The entertainer coached youth football for years and created the Snoop League, an after-school program for inner city Los Angeles youths. Snoop has been a guest analyst on football broadcasts and his son, Cordell Broadus, played Division I football. When Snoop took his latest step, becoming the sponsor of a bowl game, he had a demand: Find a way for all players in the game to receive name, image and likeness (NIL) money. “This was Snoop's idea,” said Kym Adair, executive director of the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl presented by Gin & Juice. “He was having conversations with people he knows in the college football world and I got a call that said he wants us to be the first bowl to make this commitment and that's what we did.” The beneficiaries are Colorado State and Miami (Ohio), who will conclude their seasons Saturday at Arizona Stadium in the Arizona Bowl. The bowl is classified as a 501(c)(3), so all revenue goes to charity. And, being one of the few bowls not tied to ESPN, it opens the door for unique sponsorship opportunities. The bowl was previously sponsored by Barstool Sports and the digital media company used its own cast of characters on the broadcast, which was streamed on its digital platforms. Snoop Dogg takes over this year. The rapper/entertainer is the latest celebrity to sponsor a bowl, following the footsteps of Jimmy Kimmel and Rob Gronkowski at the LA Bowl. And, Snoop being Snoop, he wanted to put his own spin on his own bowl. “College football fans are exhausted by the constant talk around NIL, conference realignment, coach movement, transfer portal and super conferences,” Snoop said in a video posted on social media. “So it’s time that we get back to the roots of college football — when it was focused on the colleges, the players and the competition, the community, the fan experience and the pageantry.” With that will be an NIL component. The bowl can't pay players just for playing in the bowl, but both teams participated in football clinics on Friday and will get paid for their services. Other bowls have given single players NIL opportunities, but this is believed to be the first to offer it to every player on both teams. “I love the fact that the Arizona Bowl is unique and tries new things, and obviously having Snoop here is unique,” Colorado State coach Jay Norvell said. “The NIL component, it’s the future. It’s what football has become now. We think it’s fantastic for our kids and then the interaction with the kids is the hidden gem of the whole thing.” The NIL component of the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl comes a month after a similar effort in The Players Era Festival basketball tournament in Las Vegas. The eight-team tournament said it paid out $9 million in NIL money to participating players for activities outside the competition. It also offered $50 million in NIL opportunities over the next three years for services and activities compliant with NCAA regulations. Are the Players Era Festival and Arizona Bowl the start of a new future? It is not out of the question in big-time college athletics, where schools are already preparing for the era of revenue sharing with players next year. “Revenue sharing between the players and the athletic departments is already on the horizon, so whether that takes the place of these types of arrangements or they're completely separate has yet to be determined," Adair said. "We're just trying to be flexible, ahead of the curve and make an impact any way we can.” Just the way Snoop wants it. ___ 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-football

Health rethink needed as aging escalates Canada's costs significantly: report

The final state championship games of the season have competed and the last bits of confetti have been swept up. Now it’s time to take a look back at the top athletes in their respective sports. The player of the year award is judged by staff at The Oregonian/OregonLive, taking into account season stats and finishes at the state championship.Proton batteries: An innovative option for the future of energy storage

President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers urge judge to toss his hush money conviction

Ruben Amorim admits Man Utd fans are ‘tired’ and expects ‘nervous’ Old Trafford for Newcastle clashAll you need to know about the new MyWay+ ticketing systemREPUBLIC Financial Holdings Limited (RFHL) announced today the addition of Mr. Robert Wickham to its Board of Directors, effective November 19, 2024. Robert Wickham is a seasoned executive with extensive experience in leading technology-based businesses and a notable track record in management, consulting, entrepreneurship, and corporate leadership. He began his professional journey at the esteemed Boston Consulting Group. His distinguished career includes leadership roles at multinational companies, Salesforce and Oracle where he spearheaded significant growth initiatives and technological advancements. At Salesforce, Mr. Wickham served as a former General Manager of Tableau Asia Pacific and Chief of Staff for the Asia Pacific region where he was responsible for the Platform & Emerging Technologies portfolio and the launch of Salesforce’s $50 million Australian venture fund and regional startup programme. At Oracle, Mr. Wickham had responsibility for leading the Engineered Systems business in Australia and New Zealand, and System Management business in North America. He also co-founded Go Fly Limited, a low-cost airline later acquired by easyJet. In announcing the appointment, Mr. Vincent Pereira, Chairman of the RFHL Board of Directors shared, “Robert Wickham’s formidable leadership expertise in technology, entrepreneurship and corporate strategy makes him a valuable addition to our Board. We welcome him onboard and look forward to his keen insight which will certainly contribute to the Republic Group fortifying its position as a leader of innovation in the financial services industry.”If you're planning to join Bluesky , you're in good company: The platform has 20 million users as of Tuesday . It continues to rake in a million new users every day, as a big wave of users leave competitor site X, formerly Twitter, following the US presidential election. While the Bluesky platform has seen its fair share of growing pains since it launched in the fall of 2021 and is still missing features you can find on other social networks, it's becoming one of the closest things to the Twitter 1.0 that many people loved. It's increasingly the place where those looking for an alternative to X -- owned by Elon Musk -- are going. But even with Bluesky's growing popularity, performing the switch and ditch isn't easy, especially if you'd spent a long time on Twitter creating a hefty list of accounts you followed. However, there's a browser extension that should soften the blow to find your old friends. Sky Follower Bridge by developer Kawamata Ryo is available in the Chrome Web Store for free, providing a fairly easy way to find your friends from X that have also made the move to Bluesky. Below, we'll show you how to set it up. For more, how to lock down your X posts now that the block function has been changed. How to set up the Sky Follower Bridge extension To set up Sky Follower Bridge, you'll first need to be using the Chrome browser or another Chromium-based browser that supports Chrome extensions. We'll treat this setup as if you have Google's Chrome browser. To get started, download Sky Follower Bridge . Pin the extension to the browser toolbar for easy access later. Create an app password for Sky Follower Bridge After you've installed the extension, you can now create an app password for it. This is a more secure way of handling third-party extensions such as Sky Follower Bridge, and it protects you from having to share your Bluesky account's password with the extension. Here's how to do it. You'll be presented with a password that you should only use for extension. Copy it. Continue the Sky Follower Bridge setup With your app password in tow, it's time to find the people you were following on X. From here, the extension will begin scanning your Following list, and accounts with matching usernames will begin to appear in a list, allowing you to follow the account on Bluesky from there. If you're coming up short, the extension allows you to search specifically for matching handle name, display name and handle name in the profile description -- all of which are enabled by default. If you still can't find an account you're looking for, they may have used a different handle on Bluesky, and the extension won't be much help if that's the case. Also bear in mind that even an identical user name may not be the same person on both sites -- the extension is effectively just guessing that's the case. For more, here's how to delete your X account .

Singh won’t support Conservative non-confidence motion that uses his own wordsKANSAS CITY, Mo. — Taylor Swift once raved about the sweet potato casserole served at a New York City restaurant and now that recipe pops up every now and again at Thanksgiving. The holidays encourage many of us to try new recipes. Social media right now is flooded with recipes for appetizers, side dishes and desserts. Anyone making that cornbread casserole from TikTok? While we might not get to share a Thanksgiving feast with Swift — is your name Blake Lively? — or other celebrities beloved by Kansas City, we can eat like them. So here’s the recipe for that casserole Swift loved so much, and favorite family side dish recipes from Donna Kelce and Eric Stonestreet. Enjoy. Travis Kelce's mother, Donna Kelce, seen here last year at her son's music festival, dined on a cheesesteak made by actor Bradley Cooper at QVC festivities in Las Vegas this week. (Emily Curiel/Kansas City Star/TNS) If we tried to guess how many holiday dinner rolls Travis Kelce and his brother, Jason Kelce, have scarfed over the years, would it be in the hundreds? Thousands? Their mom has spoken often about the batches of holiday crescent rolls she has baked over the years. Based on the recipe that won the 1969 Pillsbury Bake-Off, Pillsbury’s Magic Marshmallow Crescent Puffs , they’re now known as Mama Kelce’s Dinner Rolls. They blend the crescent roll pastry with marshmallows, cinnamon and sugar. Dinner roll or dessert? We bet they didn’t last long enough in front of Travis and Jason for that debate. Ingredients Rolls •1/4 cup granulated sugar •2 tablespoons Pillsbury Best all-purpose flour •1 teaspoon ground cinnamon •2 (8-ounce) cans refrigerated Pillsbury Original Crescent Rolls (8 Count) •16 large marshmallows •1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted Glaze •1/2 cup powdered sugar •1/2 teaspoon vanilla •2-3 teaspoons milk •1/4 cup chopped nuts Directions Make the rolls 1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray 16 medium muffin cups with nonstick baking spray. 2. In a small bowl, mix the granulated sugar, flour and cinnamon. 3. Separate the dough into 16 triangles. For each roll, dip 1 marshmallow into melted butter; roll in the sugar mixture. Place marshmallow on the shortest side of a triangle. Roll up, starting at shortest side and rolling to opposite point. Completely cover the marshmallow with the dough; firmly pinch edges to seal. Dip 1 end in remaining butter; place butter side down in muffin cup. 4. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. 5. When done, remove from the oven and let the puffs cool in the pan for 1 minute. Remove rolls from muffin cups; place on cooling racks set over waxed paper. Make the glaze and assemble In a small bowl, mix the powdered sugar, vanilla and enough milk for desired drizzling consistency. Drizzle glaze over warm rolls. Sprinkle with nuts. Serve warm. Eric Stonestreet attends 'Eric Stonestreet visits The SiriusXM Hollywood Studios in Los Angeles' at SiriusXM Studios on Oct. 8, 2019, in Los Angeles. (Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for SiriusXM/TNS) Thanksgiving is one of the “Modern Family” star’s favorite holidays. Three years ago, as part of a campaign honoring hometown heroes , he shared one of his favorite recipe with McCormick Spices: Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Butternut Squash . This recipe serves eight. Ingredients •1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved •1 pound butternut squash, peeled and cut into bite-size cubes •1 tablespoon olive oil •1/2 teaspoon garlic powder •1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves •1/2 teaspoon salt •1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper •5 slices bacon, chopped •1 shallot, finely chopped •1/2 cup dried cranberries •1/4 cup balsamic vinegar •1 teaspoon whole grain mustard •1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted (optional) •1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese, (optional) Directions 1. Preheat oven to 475°F. Spray large shallow baking pan with no stick cooking spray; set aside. Place Brussels sprouts and squash in large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic powder, thyme, salt and pepper; toss to coat evenly. Spread in single layer on prepared pan. 2. Roast 16 to 18 minutes or until tender and lightly browned, stirring halfway through cooking. 3. Meanwhile, cook bacon in medium skillet on medium heat about 6 minutes or until crispy. Remove using slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain. Add shallot to same skillet; cook and stir 2 minutes until softened and lightly browned. Stir in cranberries, vinegar and mustard until well blended. Transfer mixture to small bowl; set aside. 4. Arrange roasted Brussels sprouts and squash on serving platter. Drizzle with cranberry balsamic glaze and toss gently to coat. Sprinkle with cooked bacon, toasted pecans, and crumbled blue cheese, if desired. Serve immediately. Donna Kelce, left, mother of Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce watched the game with pop superstar Taylor Swift, center, during the first-half on Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023, at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. (Tammy Ljungblad/Kansas City Star/TNS) Swift gushed about the sweet potato casserole served at Del Frisco’s Grille in New York City, a dish crowned with a crunchy candied pecan and oatmeal crumble. “I’ve never enjoyed anything with the word casserole in it ever before, but it’s basically sweet potatoes with this brown sugary crust,” she told InStyle. ”Oh my God, it’s amazing.” The media rushed to find the recipe, which Parade has published this Thanksgiving season . “Similar to T. Swift herself, we think this recipe is a mastermind, especially if you’ve been asked to bring the sweet potato side dish to this year’s Thanksgiving feast. It seriously begs the question: who needs pumpkin pie?” the magazine writes. Ingredients •4 lbs sweet potatoes •1⁄3 cup oats •12 oz unsalted butter, divided •1⁄2 cup packed brown sugar •1⁄2 cup toasted pecans •1⁄2 cup granulated sugar •1 tsp kosher salt •2 tsp vanilla extract •4 large eggs, beaten Directions Preheat oven to 375°F. 1. Scrub sweet potatoes. Pierce each several times with a fork and wrap tightly in foil. Place on a sheet pan. Bake 90 minutes or until tender. Set aside until cool enough to handle. 2. Meanwhile, place oats in a food processor; process 1 minute. Add 4 oz butter, brown sugar and pecans; pulse five times to combine. Spread mixture on a baking sheet; bake 10 minutes. Remove from oven, crumble. Bake 5 minutes or until golden brown. 3. Melt remaining 8 oz butter. Remove skin from cooled sweet potatoes. In a large bowl, whisk sweet potatoes, melted butter, granulated sugar and remaining ingredients until slightly lumpy. Transfer to a greased baking dish, smoothing surface evenly. Top with oat mixture. Bake 12 minutes or until heated through. Make-ahead tips •Sweet potato filling can be made up to 2 days in advance. Prepare the sweet potato filling, cool, place in a casserole dish and keep refrigerated. •Oat-pecan crust can also be made up to 2 days ahead. Make the crust according to recipe directions, cool and store in an airtight container at room temperature. Sprinkle over the sweet potato filling just before baking. With our weekly newsletter packed with the latest in everything food.NEW YORK -- The founder and former CEO of the failed cryptocurrency lending platform Celsius Network could face decades in prison after pleading guilty Tuesday to federal fraud charges, admitting that he misled customers about the business. Alexander Mashinsky , 58, of Manhattan, entered the plea in New York federal court to commodities and securities fraud. He admitted illegally manipulating the price of Celsius’s proprietary crypto token while secretly selling his own tokens at inflated prices to pocket about $48 million before Celsius collapsed into bankruptcy in 2022. In court, he admitted that in 2021 he publicly suggested there was regulatory consent for the company's moves because he knew that customers “would find false comfort” with that. And he said that in 2019, he was selling the crypto tokens even though he told the public that he was not. He said he knew customers would draw false comfort from that too. “I accept full responsibility for my actions,” Mashinsky said of crimes that stretched from 2018 to 2022 as the company pitched itself to customers as a modern-day bank where they could safely deposit crypto assets and earn interest. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in a release that Mashinsky “orchestrated one of the biggest frauds in the crypto industry” as his company's assets purportedly grew to about $25 billion at its peak, making it one of the largest crypto platforms in the world. He said Mashinsky used catchy slogans like “Unbank Yourself” to entice prospective customers with a pledge that their money would be as safe in crypto accounts as money would be in a bank. Meanwhile, prosecutors said, Mashinsky and co-conspirators used customer deposits to fund market purchases of the Celsius token to prop up its value. Machinsky made tens of millions of dollars selling his own CEL tokens at artificially high prices, leaving his customers “holding the bag when the company went bankrupt,” Williams said. An indictment alleged that Mashinsky promoted Celsius through media interviews, his social media accounts and Celsius’ website, along with a weekly “Ask Mashinsky Anything” session broadcast that was posted to Celsius’ website and a YouTube channel. Celsius employees from multiple departments who noticed false and misleading statements in the sessions warned Mashinsky, but they were ignored, the indictment said. A plea agreement Mashinsky made with prosecutors calls for him to be sentenced to up to 30 years in prison and to forfeit over $48 million, which is the amount of money he allegedly made by selling his company's token. Sentencing was scheduled for April 8.

Icebreaker on hand in Labrador to guide season's last freight arrivals by ferryLocal folk patronise a flood-hit eatery in Kuala Berang, Terengganu. SME Bank says it is committed to assisting flood-affected entrepreneurs and businesses. – Bernama photo KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 4): SME Development Bank Malaysia Berhad (SME Bank) has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting entrepreneurs and businesses affected by the recent floods across the country. Recognising the disruption caused to livelihoods and operations, the bank has announced a range of tailored financing solutions and relief measures to assist its customers during this challenging period. In this regard, SME Bank acting group president and chief executive officer Datuk Dr Mohammad Hardee Ibrahim underscored the bank’s dedication to aiding customers with existing financing facilities. “We understand the struggles faced by our customers due to the recent floods and are ready to help them navigate these challenges. Affected customers are encouraged to contact us to explore financing assistance options and other relief measures,” he said. To further support micro, small, and medium enterprises, SME Bank is offering additional financing through Bank Negara Malaysia’s Disaster Relief Facility (DRF). The DRF provides funding of up to RM700,000 for SMEs and RM150,000 for micro enterprises at a competitive financing rate of 3.5 per cent per annum, inclusive of guarantee fees. The facility offers a financing tenure of up to seven years, providing much-needed breathing space for businesses to recover. Additionally, Hardee highlighted SME Bank’s track record in supporting customers during crises, including the Covid-19 pandemic and previous natural disasters. “From 2022 to 2023, our assistance programmes benefitted approximately 3,855 customers, involving a total outstanding value of RM5.82 billion,” he shared. Through these initiatives, SME Bank continues to demonstrate its commitment to fostering resilience and recovery among Malaysian businesses, ensuring they remain strong drivers of the national economy despite ongoing challenges. The bank is urging customers impacted by the floods to contact their Relationship Managers or reach out via the Customer Contact Centre at 03-26037700. For more information, customers can also visit SME Bank’s official website or its social media platforms.

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Snoop Dogg has nearly as many ties to football as he does to rap music. The entertainer coached youth football for years and created the Snoop League, an after-school program for inner city Los Angeles youths. Snoop has been a guest analyst on football broadcasts and his son, Cordell Broadus, played Division I football. When Snoop took his latest step, becoming the sponsor of a bowl game, he had a demand: Find a way for all players in the game to receive name, image and likeness (NIL) money. “This was Snoop's idea,” said Kym Adair, executive director of the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl presented by Gin & Juice. “He was having conversations with people he knows in the college football world and I got a call that said he wants us to be the first bowl to make this commitment and that's what we did.” The beneficiaries are Colorado State and Miami (Ohio), who will conclude their seasons Saturday at Arizona Stadium in the Arizona Bowl. The bowl is classified as a 501(c)(3), so all revenue goes to charity. And, being one of the few bowls not tied to ESPN, it opens the door for unique sponsorship opportunities. The bowl was previously sponsored by Barstool Sports and the digital media company used its own cast of characters on the broadcast, which was streamed on its digital platforms. Snoop Dogg takes over this year. The rapper/entertainer is the latest celebrity to sponsor a bowl, following the footsteps of Jimmy Kimmel and Rob Gronkowski at the LA Bowl. And, Snoop being Snoop, he wanted to put his own spin on his own bowl. “College football fans are exhausted by the constant talk around NIL, conference realignment, coach movement, transfer portal and super conferences,” Snoop said in a video posted on social media. “So it’s time that we get back to the roots of college football — when it was focused on the colleges, the players and the competition, the community, the fan experience and the pageantry.” With that will be an NIL component. The bowl can't pay players just for playing in the bowl, but both teams participated in football clinics on Friday and will get paid for their services. Other bowls have given single players NIL opportunities, but this is believed to be the first to offer it to every player on both teams. “I love the fact that the Arizona Bowl is unique and tries new things, and obviously having Snoop here is unique,” Colorado State coach Jay Norvell said. “The NIL component, it’s the future. It’s what football has become now. We think it’s fantastic for our kids and then the interaction with the kids is the hidden gem of the whole thing.” The NIL component of the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl comes a month after a similar effort in The Players Era Festival basketball tournament in Las Vegas. The eight-team tournament said it paid out $9 million in NIL money to participating players for activities outside the competition. It also offered $50 million in NIL opportunities over the next three years for services and activities compliant with NCAA regulations. Are the Players Era Festival and Arizona Bowl the start of a new future? It is not out of the question in big-time college athletics, where schools are already preparing for the era of revenue sharing with players next year. “Revenue sharing between the players and the athletic departments is already on the horizon, so whether that takes the place of these types of arrangements or they're completely separate has yet to be determined," Adair said. "We're just trying to be flexible, ahead of the curve and make an impact any way we can.” Just the way Snoop wants it. 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-football