Conspiracy: You’ve no iota of shame – Atiku’s aide slams BwalaAntonio Pierce: Chiefs vs. Raiders is best team in football vs. worst team in football - NBC Sports
LONDON — Pooches in pullovers paraded past Buckingham Palace on Saturday for a gathering of dogs in Christmas sweaters to raise funds for rescue charities. People and dogs take part in the Rescue Dogs of London and Friends Christmas Jumper Parade on Saturday outside Buckingham Palace in central London. About 130 pets, and their owners, walked Saturday from St. James's Park and along the Mall, the wide boulevard that leads to the royal palace as part of the Christmas Jumper Parade. Flossie the dog barks Saturday during the Rescue Dogs of London and Friends Christmas Jumper Parade in central London. Prizes were awarded for best-dressed pets, with contenders including canine Santas, puppy elves and a French bulldog dressed in a red beret and pink jacket adorned with red bows. People and dogs take part in the Rescue Dogs of London and Friends Christmas Jumper Parade on Saturday in central London. The event was organized by Rescue Dogs of London and Friends to raise money for charities that rehome dogs from overseas. People take part in the Rescue Dogs of London and Friends Christmas Jumper Parade on Saturday in central London. Christmas sweater animal parades have become something of an annual tradition in London. People and dogs take part in the Rescue Dogs of London and Friends Christmas Jumper Parade on Saturday outside Buckingham Palace in central London. There are more to come this year, including an event for corgis — the late Queen Elizabeth II's favorite breed — on Dec. 7 and the dachshund-friendly Hyde Park Sausage Walk on Dec 15. From bags of kibble in the grocery store to modern home sizes, things are getting smaller—and evidently, Americans are starting to look for furry friends that match. Small breeds like terriers and toys have largely dethroned the retrievers that once dominated the most popular breed rankings. This is a continuation of a trend that began in 2022 when the Labrador retriever lost its 31-year-long streak as #1 to the French bulldog, according to the American Kennel Club. This shift may be partially attributable to the rising costs of pet products and veterinary care since smaller dogs are more economical for tighter budgets. Moreover, as remote work and nomadic living become increasingly more common, smaller dogs may appeal to those looking for pets that require less space and are easier to transport. In fact, only two sporting dog breeds are the most popular in any American state—and neither is a Labrador retriever. The most popular dog overall represents 4% of all dogs in the country—constituting over 2.3 million out of 58 million households with dogs. Ollie used data from U.S. News & World Report to further explore which dog breeds are the most popular in which states and what factors may drive residents' preferences. Named after the northern Mexican state from which it originates, the Chihuahua is the smallest dog breed and one of the oldest, with a lineage that dates as far back as the ninth century. Today, the breed makes up a remarkable 4% of all dogs in the United States and is the most popular overall in 21 states. It ranks within the top five most common breeds in 42 states in total. Requiring just 200 to 250 calories per day but boasting a lifespan of 14 to 16 years, the Chihuahua offers owners low-cost longevity and is known for its adaptability and amusing personality. The French bulldog is a compact companion known for being friendly yet quiet, making it suitable for a range of lifestyles and homes. The breed has roots in the English bulldog, which was bred to a smaller size to accompany its working English owners, many of whom were artisans. As such trades closed amid the Industrial Revolution, these workers and their little bulldogs moved to France, where the breed's popularity began. The French developed a more standardized appearance which was iterated upon in the U.S. to develop the iconic bat ears. The breed has recently seen a massive increase in popularity, with AKC registrations surging by 1,000% between 2012 and 2022. Now, the French bulldog is the most popular dog in Florida, California, and Hawaii and is in the top five most common dogs in nearly half the remaining states. As loyal as they are intelligent, German shepherds are among the favored breeds for guide, military, police, and search and rescue roles. The breed, which first arrived in America in the early 20th century, also enjoys peak popularity in Alaska, Montana, Wyoming, Delaware, and Pennsylvania. Athletic in nature, the breed requires lots of exercise, making them well-suited for homes with or near lots of open land. They are also well-adapted to cold temperatures and harsher climates due to their thick double coats of fur. The shih tzu, whose name means "lion" in Chinese, is king of the Empire State (New York) as well as Iowa, Rhode Island, and New Jersey. Roughly a quarter of New York state residents live in apartments, making the dog that averages 9 to 16 pounds perfect for compact households. Despite being known for its playfulness, the breed does not require much physical activity or space. The breed dates back over 1,000 years but was first brought to America surprisingly recently, following World War II. According to the American Kennel Club, every shih tzu alive today has direct lineage to just 14 shih tzus that were saved when the breed nearly went extinct during the Communist revolution. Representing the best of both worlds, the golden retriever and poodle hybrid is known for its friendly, sociable demeanor and trainability. Bred to be guide dogs in the 1960s, the hybrid is not recognized as an official breed by the AKC, so there is no breed standard. Goldendoodles can thus range from mini-sized to about 90 pounds and may have fur that is curly, straight, or somewhere in between. While not official, the family-friendly dog has left paw prints all over the country, ranking in the top five most popular dogs in 37 states. In Idaho and Utah, the goldendoodle is the most popular overall. With webbed paws and an affinity for water, golden retrievers are lucky pups to be the favored breed of the Midwest. They are the most popular dogs in states bordering the Great Lakes—Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, and Ohio; the entirety of the New England region minus Rhode Island; plus North Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado, and Virginia. The iconic golden breed was developed in 19th-century Scotland to retrieve both from land and water during hunts, hence its swimming-related adaptations. Golden retrievers are known for their affectionate nature and eagerness to please, making them well-suited for service and other working dog roles. Maxing out at just 7 pounds, the Yorkshire terrier is the most popular breed among Maryland and Washington D.C. residents. This is not necessarily surprising considering the housing stock of the nation's capital is comprised mostly of apartment units, making the pint-sized pup perfect for metropolitans. The toy breed was bred to chase rats out of mines and mills in 19th-century England, arriving in North America in the 1870s and gaining official recognition by the AKC in 1885. Now, the breed is among the top five most common dogs in 26 states. The breed is a true terrier at heart, known for its feisty yet affectionate nature.' Additional research by Eliza Siegel. Story editing by Carren Jao. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Tim Bruns. This story originally appeared on Ollie and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!
By ROB GILLIES, Associated Press TORONTO (AP) — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told Donald Trump that Americans would also suffer if the president-elect follows through on a plan to impose sweeping tariffs on Canadian products , a Canadian minister who attended their recent dinner said Monday. Trump threatened to impose tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico if they don’t stop what he called the flow of drugs and migrants across their borders with the United States. He said on social media last week that he would impose a 25% tax on all products entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico as one of his first executive orders. Canadian Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc, whose responsibilities include border security, attended a dinner with Trump and Trudeau at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club on Friday. Trudeau requested the meeting in a bid to avoid the tariffs by convincing Trump that the northern border is nothing like the U.S. southern border with Mexico . “The prime minister of course spoke about the importance of protecting the Canadian economy and Canadian workers from tariffs, but we also discussed with our American friends the negative impact that those tariffs could have on their economy, on affordability in the United States as well,” LeBlanc said in Parliament. If Trump makes good on his threat to slap 25% tariffs on everything imported from Mexico and Canada, the price increases that could follow will collide with his campaign promise to give American families a break from inflation. Economists say companies would have little choice but to pass along the added costs, dramatically raising prices for food, clothing, automobiles, alcohol and other goods. The Produce Distributors Association, a Washington trade group, said last week that tariffs will raise prices for fresh fruit and vegetables and hurt U.S. farmers when the countries retaliate. Canada is already examining possible retaliatory tariffs on certain items from the U.S. should Trump follow through on the threat. After his dinner with Trump, Trudeau returned home without assurances the president-elect will back away from threatened tariffs on all products from the major American trading partner. Trump called the talks “productive” but signaled no retreat from a pledge that Canada says unfairly lumps it in with Mexico over the flow of drugs and migrants into the United States. “The idea that we came back empty handed is completely false,” LeBlanc said. “We had a very productive discussion with Mr. Trump and his future Cabinet secretaries. ... The commitment from Mr. Trump to continue to work with us was far from empty handed.” Joining Trump and Trudeau at dinner were Howard Lutnick, Trump’s nominee for commerce secretary, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Trump’s pick to lead the Interior Department, and Mike Waltz, Trump’s choice to be his national security adviser. Canada’s ambassador to the U.S., Kirsten Hillman, told The Associated Press on Sunday that “the message that our border is so vastly different than the Mexican border was really understood.” Hillman, who sat at an adjacent table to Trudeau and Trump, said Canada is not the problem when it comes to drugs and migrants. On Monday, Mexico’s president rejected those comments. “Mexico must be respected, especially by its trading partners,” President Claudia Sheinbaum said. She said Canada had its own problems with fentanyl consumption and “could only wish they had the cultural riches Mexico has.” Related Articles Flows of migrants and seizures of drugs at the two countries’ border are vastly different. U.S. customs agents seized 43 pounds of fentanyl at the Canadian border during the last fiscal year, compared with 21,100 pounds at the Mexican border. Most of the fentanyl reaching the U.S. — where it causes about 70,000 overdose deaths annually — is made by Mexican drug cartels using precursor chemicals smuggled from Asia. On immigration, the U.S. Border Patrol reported 1.53 million encounters with migrants at the southwest border with Mexico between October 2023 and September 2024. That compares to 23,721 encounters at the Canadian border during that time. Canada is the top export destination for 36 U.S. states. Nearly $3.6 billion Canadian (US$2.7 billion) worth of goods and services cross the border each day. About 60% of U.S. crude oil imports are from Canada, and 85% of U.S. electricity imports as well. Canada is also the largest foreign supplier of steel, aluminum and uranium to the U.S. and has 34 critical minerals and metals that the Pentagon is eager for and investing for national security.
Coleen Rooney reveals remark Trump made about her at White House meetingSome 140 years after its first trailblazing luxury train chugged out of Paris’s Gare de l’Est bound for Constantinople, the Orient Express is having something of a rebirth. Arguably the most interesting in a flurry of announcements from the brand is the launch of Orient Express Silenseas, a new collection of yachts that are a collaboration between three French giants: global hospitality group Accor, luxury goods titan LVMH and shipbuilders Chantiers de l’Atlantique. Orient Express Corinthian is the world’s largest sailing yacht. The finished product looks like the lovechild of the fanciest superyacht and the most elegant sailing boat. The first yacht to be completed, Orient Express Corinthian, which at 220m long, with three 100m-high sails, is the world’s largest sailing yacht, won’t be taking paying guests until 2026, but the first images of its interiors have been released. Luxury hotel groups such as Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons and Aman have all announced launches of luxury yachts this year . But while they may be fabulous, they are smallish cruise ships, not yachts. Evrima, for example, the first in the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, offers 224 suites. Then there’s Four Seasons, whose first “yacht”, when it launches in 2026, will have 14 decks and 95 suites. With just 50 cabins, Aman at Sea, which launches in 2027, is the closest of the offerings to a superyacht and also in scale to the 54-suite Orient Express Corinthian. But what Orient Express Corinthian has that none of the others do is sails. The interiors team took inspiration from classic French liners such as SS Normandie. There’s something much cooler and more adventurous-seeming about a great big yacht with sails than an all-bling one with just an engine. This is something that hasn’t escaped Jeff Bezos, who spent $500 million on his three-masted boat Koru , which at 127 metres was the world’s largest sailing yacht – until now. Inspired by the golden age of the French Riviera, Orient Express Corinthian has been designed by French architect and designer Maxime d’Angeac, who has also worked on a new Orient Express train that will launch in France around the same time. The two will combine on certain itineraries. Sustainability was central to the design process, seen through the minimal use of leather, no plastic and lots of walnut wood panelling. “The pillars of Orient Express are art deco, geometric patterns and strong colours, which both train and boat have,” says d’Angeac. “Train interiors can be much darker as this makes them feel cosy and luxurious. The boat [has] much more space and height, so its design feels more Riviera, like a villa on the Côte d’Azur. I’ve also replaced the really small windows you usually get in yacht cabins with huge, durable windows.” Orient Express Corinthian will have five restaurants, eight bars including a speakeasy, two swimming pools including a lap pool, an amphitheatre cabaret space and a private recording studio. In-room spa treatments and meditation sessions will also be available. The boats will spend summers in the Mediterranean and the Adriatic and winters in the Caribbean, with dining, shopping and cultural experiences offered at multiple stop-offs along the way. Sustainability has been at the forefront of the design process, as has working out how to be beautiful but also functional. For example, there is hardly any leather, no plastic and lots of walnut wood panelling, which as well as being elegant and warm is durable and lightweight. The team examined classic French liners such as SS Normandie for inspiration. There are lovely details at every turn: a long, daybed window seat that lifts up to reveal a wooden games box stocked with chess, dominoes and playing cards; luxurious velvet headboards and bathrooms lined in the most decadent-looking Violetta Calacatta marble with crimson walls behind. All of this will be accompanied by Orient Express service, with butlers on hand around the clock. The luxurious bathrooms feature Violetta Calacatta marble. Sustainability was central to the design process, seen through the minimal use of leather, no plastic and lots of walnut wood panellingThe luxurious bathrooms feature Violetta Calacatta marble “The in-room bar,” replies d’Angeac, when I ask him to name a small detail he particularly likes. “When I arrive at a hotel, I’m always excited to see what has been chosen. We are still deciding but I can tell you it will be the best artisan cocktails and chocolate, as opposed to big names. We will simply use small French companies offering the best things.” Silenseas is also debuting groundbreaking wind-harnessing technology that has been 20 years in the making: SolidSail, a rigid, foldable carbon sail and mast system that will provide more than 50 per cent of the yachts’ propulsion. “Wind technology is the future of cruising, everyone knows that,” says d’Angeac. “We can’t just go on producing bigger and bigger boats with enormous polluting engines. Using less gasoline is really important to us, so we will adapt our routes to ensure we follow the wind, which will all be part of the experience.” This hybrid system will combine wind power with an engine running on liquified natural gas (LNG – typically at least 85 per cent methane). While LNG is by no means the perfect option, it is much cleaner than other fossil fuels such as coal, gas or oil, so makes for a better alternative while the infrastructure needed to handle fully renewable energy is still being developed. It was said that Orient Express founder Georges Nagelmackers was first inspired to design a luxury train on a transatlantic crossing to America in 1867, revelling in its luxurious suites, social scene and general grandeur. “I think he would have gone into luxury cruising eventually, had he not died so young,” says d’Agneac. Either way, this feels like a full-circle moment. The Telegraph, London
I literally just added these to my cart because I keep losing AirPods, and they're on sale for a really cheap price (just $25!) at Amazon's Cyber Monday sale. The JBL Tune 510BT have over 50,000 positive reviews on Amazon and are one of the best-selling headphones on the site. The over-ear headphones come with JBL's renowned Pure Bass sound to deliver powerful audio and feature Wireless Bluetooth 5.0 Streaming, so you can stream music and podcasts and take calls from your device. JBL Tune 510BT headphones: was $49.95 now $24.95 at Amazon This little appliance has been on my wish list to help me keep my New Year's resolution of keeping my car clean. It has over 100,000 positive reviews on Amazon, and thanks to today's Cyber Monday sale, it's on sale for just $39.99—the lowest price we've seen all year and just $2 shy of the record low. The handheld vacuum is lightweight, portable, easy to recharge, and has a crevice tool to clean hard-to-reach areas. It's an Amazon best-seller rarely on sale, so you should snap up today's discount. Black+Decker Dustbuster Handheld Vacuum: was $59.99 now $39.99 There were a lot of disappointed faces in the TechRadar office when we saw the Kindle deals over Amazon Prime Day and the Prime Big Deal Days sale. A lot of us – and I'm sure many of you too – pinned a lot of hopes on big discounts during those Amazon-exclusive sales. And there wasn't much to be excited about at all. At least there's been some improvement in the Cyber Monday sales, with both the latest Kindle and Kindle Paperwhite getting their first-ever price cuts. Sure, both ereaders are nowhere near as cheap as I've seen previous versions in the past, but these are still decent offers for the new and improved models with bigger screens and longer battery life. I'm confident in saying these will likely be the best offers we see until at least July next year, so don't miss your chance to get a discount before the Amazon Cyber Monday sale ends later tonight. Kindle: was $109.99 now $84.99 at Amazon Kindle Paperwhite: was $159.99 now $129.99 at Amazon There's one Cyber Monday deal ending tonight that you need to see above the rest. It's this offer on Hulu that's already proved tremendously popular over the last few days. And, honestly, I can see why. You can pay just $0.99 per month for a Hulu subscription with ads, which saves you almost $100 over a year's membership. There's also an option to bundle it with Disney Plus for a measly $2.99 a month – another huge bargain for both streaming services. This one ends today, though, so it's definitely one I'd pull the trigger on as soon as possible. ENDS TONIGHT – Get Hulu for $0.99 per month This would make a GREAT stocking stuffer idea – the wildly popular Apple AirTag 4-pack is on sale for its lowest price yet. The Apple AirTag is a handy Bluetooth location-tracking device that pairs with your iPhone. If you're like me and tend to misplace your keys or wallet, just attach the AirTag to anything you don't want to lose, and your iPhone will locate the item with Precision Finding technology. Apple AirTag (4-pack): was $99 now $69.99 at Amazon I already own the third-generation Echo Dot and can't imagine life without it. The smart speaker plays music, answers any question I throw at it, and tells me the weather forecast - all I have to do is ask Alexa. The compact Echo Pop is Amazon's latest smart speaker. It shares all the same features I love about the Echo Dot but in a more compact design. The best part? Amazon's Cyber Monday sale has included a free Amazon Basics Smart Color Bulb for just $17.99 - a massive 66% discount. Echo Pop + Amazon Basics Smart Color Bulb: was $39.99 now $17.99 at Amazon If you're looking for the cheapest Cyber Monday OLED TV deal, Best Buy has LG's excellent 48-inch B4 OLED TV on sale for $599.99 - an incredible price for an OLED display. LG's B4 self-lit OLED pixels and Dolby Vision together enhance color and contrast beyond what the average backlit TV can do. Its built-in gaming features and 120Hz refresh rate make it an unbeatable deal for gamers looking for an upgrade. LG 48-inch B4 OLED TV: was $1,499.99 now $599.99 at Best Buy Welcome to this afternoon's live coverage of all the best Cyber Monday deals still available. While there are just hours left until most offers expire, there are plenty of deals to shop from retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart. I'll highlight all the top offers on tech gadgets, appliances, and beauty items from brands like Apple, Samsung, Bissell, Dyson, Sony, and Keurig. The TechRadar team has also reviewed most of the products listed in the guide so we can help you find the right product at the lowest price possible. Remember that Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart's Cyber Monday sales end tonight, and this might be your last chance to score your dream purchase at a record-low price. Ending soon: 75 best Amazon Cyber Monday deals I'd recommend as a five year sales veteran I took the term LEGO house quite literally and now I have no more space for these excellent LEGO Cyber Monday deals Trust me, you shouldn’t let Cyber Monday pass without scoring a deal on one of these bricktastic Lego setsWelcome to Streaming Rewind, a weekly breakdown of the new and noteworthy as we work to help readers wade through the absolute deluge of television series and movies in the streaming space. Who’s ready for the holidays? I’m not. How is Christmas just two weeks away? Anyway, there’s plenty to watch this week, ranging from fun and festive to a preview of the religious debate some can be prepared for when they head home for the holidays (though, hopefully you have a better time than the missionaries in Heretic). Here’s what to watch this weekend in between frantically trying to finish your Christmas shopping. Red One (Prime Video) Red One may have been met with mixed (bad) reviews during its theatrical run, but what if I told you it was fun, actually? It’s most certainly not remarkable filmmaking, and The Rock and Chris Evans somehow have no chemistry on screen but oodles of it on red carpets, but it’s a Christmas movie! It’s cute and silly and warm and exactly as formulaic as we’ve all come to expect our Christmas movies to be. It’s also surprisingly lore-heavy, featuring both Krampus and Gryla the Christmas witch, which I found quite lovely. Secret Level (Prime Video) Prime Video’s big video game anthology series dropped this week, with episodes spanning consoles and titles. The length of the episodes holds it back a bit — 15 minutes is rarely long enough to tell a meaningful story — but if you love one of the titles featured in the first batch of episodes (Dungeons & Dragons, Sifu, Warhammer and more) then a glorified cut-scene may be enough to tickle your fancy. Heretic (Digital) Heretic has been a divisive one, which is typically a good signifier that a film is actually interesting. The film follows two Mormon Missionaries as they work to convert people to their flock but, unfortunately, they knock on the wrong door on their journey. While this one didn’t work for me personally , Hugh Grant, Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East all deliver stellar performances. The film goes well beyond the idea of a religious debate — something that many folks were worried about pre-release — but, for my money, it’s actually a stronger film while Grant and Thatcher are going toe to toe over theology and belief systems. Great British Bake Off: Holiday Edition (Netflix) It feels safe to assume that we’re all looking for something nice to watch this time of year, and GBBO always scratches that itch. They’re back in quick succession after the wrap of the recent season with another holiday edition of the series. Mark, Maxy, Maggie, Jürgen, George, Sophie, Dan, Amelia, Linda and Carole all return for the festive fun. Where to Watch Every Friday the 13th Movie Because obviously, right? Note: this is accurate at the time of publish, as streamers hot-potato titles every 30 seconds. (I know this is a streaming and digital column, but I also recommend you just buy the box set for any of these long-running horror titles, because licensing gets screwy through the decades.) Friday the 13th (1980) — Paramount+ Friday the 13th Part II (1981) — Paramount+ Friday the 13th Part III (1982) — Paramount+ Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984) — Paramount+ Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985) — Paramount+ Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986) — Paramount+ Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988) — Paramount+ Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989) — Paramount+ Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993) — Rent or Buy on Digital Jason X (2002) — Rent or Buy on Digital Freddy vs. Jason (2003) — Max Friday the 13th (2009) — Max New on Streaming and Demand This Week Venom: The Last Dance — On Demand (December 10) Dream Productions — Disney+ (December 11) Maria — Netflix (December 11) Joker: Folie à Deux — (December 12) Max Dexter: Original Sin — (December 12) Paramount+ w/ Showtime
A new restaurant specializing in fried-chicken dishes made to order with fresh ingredients and whole foods has recently opened its doors, welcoming hungry New Hamburg and area customers into the flock. The team at Mother Flockers Restaurant celebrated a soft launch of the takeout eatery at 174 Union St. in New Hamburg Nov. 22, a momentous occasion for owners Manu Bahl and Vanessa Gale that nearly didn’t happen after the pair had resigned themselves to opening a food truck following a months-long search for a brick-and-mortar restaurant, nearly to no avail. “It’s our first restaurant and we are excited,” Bahl said during an interview just two days before the restaurant’s soft launch. “It took us forever, firstly, to find this place because of limited commercial real estate. ... This was an Indian restaurant and they weren’t looking to sell, so we had to convince them to sell it.” “First, we had spoken with the developer of this plaza,” Gale said. “Because we could find no real estate, we thought of asking, ‘How about if we set up a food truck, develop our customer base and when the (brick-and-mortar) restaurant comes, when the real estate comes, we’ll move into a physical location?’ “ Bahl and Gale were literally one day away from putting a deposit on a food truck when they had a conversation with Greg Voisin, the owner of the plaza where their restaurant is now located, in the nearby Sobeys parking lot. The pair was working with Voisin to finalize the food-truck deal when they made one, last, ditch effort to see if Voisin might have a physical space they could open Mother Flockers in. Voisin said he would try one more time to see if any existing businesses were willing to sell and, just 10 minutes later, he came back with a proposal to sell from the owners of Turmeric Indian Bistro. “It was last minute. Very last minute,” Gale said. But the pair’s dream had always been to open a restaurant, so they scrapped their food-truck plans and jumped headfirst into opening Mother Flockers Restaurant. The name, which has garnered tonnes of attention on social media and through local news outlets, is a playful hint that the restaurant is like the mother hen of what will ultimately become a whole flock of restaurants. “We know our name is a play on words and we understand some people may be offended, but the original idea comes from the mother of our flock and we’re leaning into the play on words,” Gale said. “We had one person who was offended by it and he posted about it on Facebook,” Bahl added. “It was an anonymous post and he deleted it. I am thankful to this community, to be very honest. I am feeling as if I am sitting in my home. They are so welcoming, so kind-hearted and I am in loved with this town.” The drive behind opening a takeout restaurant in New Hamburg was what Bahl and Gale saw as a lack of options while visiting friends in town. “There was only pizza in this area, so we were like, ‘We’re not far, let’s come up with some better ideas,’ ” Bahl said. “We started with only wings; we were going to do a wide variety of wings, and then we thought, ‘How wide can we go with this?’ ” As Bahl is a vegetarian, Gale took it upon herself to painstakingly develop an original recipe for Mother Flockers’ fried-chicken dishes, which include traditional fried chicken, wings, tenders, sandwiches, wraps and more. She said she would stay up all night testing and retesting her recipe until it was delicious, replicable by the line cooks in the Mother Flockers kitchen and, most importantly of all, leaves anyone who eats it feeling good. “Every time we went somewhere to eat, we would leave that place feeling nauseous,” Gale said. “So, we know they’re using canola oils, which are GMO. That’s an issue for a lot of people. We know they’re using the cheapest ingredients. Even from us finding our own suppliers; we found one supplier that had sort of cheap ingredients that we would never use, but we know a lot of places are using them. So that’s why if we won’t eat it ourselves, we won’t serve it to you or anyone else. “We want to do fast food better, and our chicken tastes good from real ingredients, not from MSG.” Bahl also wanted to ensure there were plenty of vegetarian dishes on the menu, which he took the lead in creating. Items like cauliflower bites, battered mushrooms, salads and spring rolls can be found throughout the menu, offering plenty of options for everyone. And, to maintain a small piece of Turmeric Indian Bistro’s legacy, Bahl and Gale have included a number of Indian dishes on the menu customers of the previous restaurant may have become accustomed to like chili paneer, lemon garlic chicken tikka, chana masala and, of course, fresh-made naan. The restaurant also offers a number of Indian fusion dishes like the paneer burger, Punjab fries and butter-chicken poutine. As Turmeric had catering contracts with local schools and New Hamburg Lanes, Gale and Bahl said they have agreed to continue honouring those contracts through their new business. While the pair had originally offered a full breakfast menu, after the soft launch, they announced on Facebook they would be taking a step back from serving breakfast at least until they improve their preparation process to ensure faster service. Mother Flockers Restaurant is open Sunday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday named centrist ally Francois Bayrou as prime minister, after a historic parliamentary vote ousted the previous government last week. Mr Bayrou, 73, a crucial partner in Macron’s centrist alliance, has been a well-known figure in French politics for decades. His political experience is seen as key in efforts to restore stability as no single party holds a majority at the National Assembly. Mr Macron’s office said in a statement that Mr Bayrou “has been charged with forming a new government”. During the handover ceremony, Mr Bayrou said that “no one knows the difficulty of the situation better” than he does. “I’ve taken reckless risks all along my political life to raise the issue of debt and deficits in the most important elections,” he said. France is under pressure from the European Union’s executive body and financial markets to reduce its colossal debt, estimated to reach 6% of its gross domestic product this year. “I know that the risks of difficulties are much greater than the chances of success,” Mr Bayrou said, adding that he hopes to lead the country towards a “needed reconciliation”. “I think this is the only possible path to success,” he said. The new prime minister is expected to hold talks with political leaders from various parties in the coming days in order to choose new ministers. Former prime minister Michel Barnier resigned last week following a no-confidence vote prompted by budget disputes in the National Assembly, leaving France without a functioning government. Mr Macron in an address to the nation vowed to remain in office until his term ends in 2027. Mr Macron’s centrist alliance does not have a majority in parliament and Mr Bayrou’s Cabinet will need to rely on moderate lawmakers from the left and the right to be able to stay in power. Some conservatives are expected to be part of the new government. Mr Macron’s strategy aims at preventing far-right leader Marine Le Pen from holding “make or break” power over the government. Ms Le Pen helped oust Mr Barnier by joining her National Rally party’s forces to the left to pass the no-confidence motion last week. Mr Bayrou’s appointment is also in line with Mr Macron’s efforts to build a non-aggression pact with the Socialists so that they commit not to vote against the government in any future confidence motion. Mr Bayrou leads the centrist Democratic Movement, known as MoDem, which he founded in 2007. In 2017, he supported Mr Macron’s first presidential bid and became a weighty partner in the French president’s centrist alliance. At the time, he was appointed justice minister, but he quickly resigned from the government amid an investigation into the MoDem’s alleged embezzlement of European Parliament funds. Mr Bayrou this year was cleared in the case by a Paris court, which found eight other party officials guilty and sentenced the party to pay a fine. Mr Bayrou became well known to the French public when he was education minister from 1993 to 1997 in a conservative government. He was three times a candidate for president: in 2002, 2007 and 2012. We do not moderate comments, but we expect readers to adhere to certain rules in the interests of open and accountable debate.One of the 39 people pardoned by President Joe Biden’s administration is a Utah woman who has turned her life around after struggling with substance abuse. Stevoni Doyle of Santaquin is a wife, mother and grandmother who also fosters animals and volunteers. "I'm a therapist with Wasatch Behavioral Health, with the jail transition program,” said Doyle. "If you would have asked me 20 years ago if I would be here today, I never would have imagined that,” said Doyle. She has come a long way. "In 2000, I was introduced to meth, and I instantly become addicted,” explained Doyle. “It was the one thing that I felt like just completed me. Within a year, I lost custody of my 4 kids to DCFS and I had racked up a bunch of charges." Doyle served time at the Utah State Prison and then at a federal prison in Arizona. There, she decided to make some changes. "I started to take accountability for my actions and realized that I didn’t want to live this lifestyle," she said. RELATED STORY | Biden commutes 1,500 sentences in largest single-day grant of clemency in modern history Doyle started helping people who were struggling with substance abuse and even went back to school to study social work. "I never thought I would graduate college, let alone get a master’s degree,” Doyle said. On Wednesday, she got a special phone call and was pardoned by President Biden. "I was like, no way, I can’t believe this is happening.” She said. "I won’t have to explain myself all the time. Even though I don’t have a problem sharing it, it’s part of my story, it’s part of who I am, it’s still nice to not have to do that." RELATED STORY | January 6 defendant tells Scripps News he may not accept a potential pardon from Trump This story was originally published by Mythili Gubbi at Scripps News Salt Lake City .
Towson 64, Morgan St. 60Macron names ally Bayrou as new PM as he aims to restore political stability