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Why Naira will remain stable in 2025 – Muda YusufElias Petterson and Quinn Hughes will not be making the Vancouver Canucks’ upcoming two-game road trip, according to the head coach, who gave on update on the injured players Sunday. “Petey’s probably a week away, give or take a day here or there,” said Rick Tocchet. “Quinn’s probably week-to-week, that’s kind of, probably the update we have for them.” Both Petterson and Hughes sat out Saturday’s 5-4 overtime loss to the Seattle Kraken in which the Canucks squandered a three-goal lead with less than five minutes remaining. The Canucks did not disclose what type of injuries both players are dealing with. Hughes currently leads the Canucks with 42 points in 34 games. Petterson has 28 points in 34 games. The Canucks begin their road trip Tuesday night in Calgary, followed by a trip to Seattle to play the Kraken on Thursday. The Canucks are currently one point up on the Flames in the standings.
Boston cancer researcher accused of tricking distant relative with dementia into changing her will to get apartment
The lawmaker representing Abia North, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, has revealed that Simon Ekpa , the self-proclaimed leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), issued threats against him for not supporting the agitation for Biafra. Kalu made this disclosure during an interview with Arise Television on Monday. Simon Ekpa, a dual citizen of Finland and Nigeria, was arrested by Finnish police on November 21, 2024, and subsequently imprisoned by the district court of Päijät-Häme. He faces charges of spreading terrorist propaganda via social media in 2021, allegedly inciting violence and terror in Nigeria’s southeast region. The federal government has been pressing for Ekpa’s extradition to Nigeria to face prosecution, while the Finnish court has set May 2025 as the deadline for filing charges against him. Kalu, who urged security agencies to enhance intelligence operations, stressed the importance of proactive measures in combating crime. He said, “I am very strong-willed when it comes to security, and I can do anything to safeguard the lives and property of the people I rule. “You must be a strong leader to condemn crime, and I eradicated crime. No governor should tolerate any type of crime in his state; it is not allowed. “Igbos must have safety on their hands. The federal government and state governors should work towards that, and the army should dismantle all the roadblocks in Igboland. “Where people will come with transport and stop on the road is no longer viable; that is no longer security. Security is about intelligence. “Simon Ekpa was calling and threatening me that I don’t support Biafra, but I left him to his conscience. “My conscience is that I am a democrat, an Igbo man at heart, and I believe in this country, and I believe in my tribe, where I come from, in Igbere.” Kalu asked the south-east governors to be resolute and ruthless in dealing with the activities of non-state actors.
US to send $1.25 billion in weapons to Ukraine, pushing to get aid out before Biden leaves officeATA Creativity Global ( NASDAQ:AACG – Get Free Report ) saw a large decline in short interest during the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totalling 154,200 shares, a decline of 16.3% from the November 30th total of 184,200 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 45,300 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 3.4 days. Analysts Set New Price Targets Separately, StockNews.com began coverage on ATA Creativity Global in a research report on Saturday. They issued a “sell” rating on the stock. Get Our Latest Stock Report on AACG ATA Creativity Global Trading Down 2.2 % ATA Creativity Global Company Profile ( Get Free Report ) ATA Creativity Global, together with its subsidiaries, provides educational services to individual students through its training center network in China and internationally. Its educational services include portfolio training, research-based learning, overseas study counselling, in-school art classes through cooperation with high schools and training organizations, foreign language training services, junior art education, and other related educational services to its students. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for ATA Creativity Global Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for ATA Creativity Global and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
AP News Summary at 3:01 p.m. ESTThe Latest: Former President Jimmy Carter is Dead at age 100
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Failing Joe Biden has brutally exposed the limits of American power and left the world in chaos. It's time for 'Trumpian realism' - and the return of diplomacy to Washington Game Changer: Trump Card - Erdogan &Turkey by Erbil Gunasti is available here By ERBIL GUNASTI Published: 17:25 EST, 2 December 2024 | Updated: 18:16 EST, 2 December 2024 e-mail View comments According to Secretary of State Antony Blinken , America is in a ‘much stronger geopolitical position today than it was four years ago’. Few outside Biden’s increasingly bizarre bubble will agree with that thought– or could possibly agree because this claim is, to use a technical term, a truck-load of tosh. Ever since he arrived in the Oval Office in January 2017, Biden and his advisers have assumed with the neocons that America is ruler of the world and that its president is king - which defies all logic, of course. From Afghanistan to Gaza , the Donbas to Damascus, the certainties that held the post-war world together are fast unraveling. And with Biden in the White House , the limits of American power have been brutally exposed. That’s why, for all the many contradictions about what his true position might be when he takes office in January, I’m confident that Donald Trump will change things for the better. According to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, America is in a ‘much stronger geopolitical position today than it was four years ago’ A car burns after an airstrike next to a hospital in Idlib, Syria. A push by Islamist rebels has brought fresh chaos to the region Whatever he says about ‘America First’ (and which president is not America First) the bigger point is this: Trumps knows there are limits to US power. Aside from Biden and Blinken, does anyone honestly believes that Washington can fight Putin, defend Taiwan, protect Europe, restrain China and settle the Middle East all at the same time? Trump understands that America must pick its battles wisely. Merely by accepting the harsh realities of power, he is ahead. There is more to Trump than that, of course. Like the predecessors he so much admires, Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan, he knows there is a place for personal diplomacy - threats if necessary. Last week, Trump raised the specter of an all-out trade war with the BRICS grouping of middle ranking powers – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – should they dare to establish an alternative global currency and threaten the primacy of the Dollar. Is he serious? Who knows – that’s part of the point. But the intervention acknowledges another key reality: the world has changed. The rise of China with its multi-billion dollar trade and investment programs means other nations no longer feel obliged to do whatever Washington says. Former ‘client states’ are restive, all too aware that past US promises of prosperity came to nothing. There will be no let-up in Iranian aggression so long as India and China buy Russian and Iranian oil – in the teeth of US sanctions. There is little America and Europe can do about Russia so long as China and the ‘global south’ refuse to condemn Putin’s bloodshed. It might seem a statement of the obvious but after the last four years, it needs saying: diplomacy matters. Whatever we think about Russia's Putin and Xi of China, it is surely better to meet them face-to-face and attempt to build some rapport, as Trump did last time he was in office. He had warm relations with India’s President Narendra Modi, too. It has even been suggested that his advisers at Mar-a-Lago have opened back-channel negotiations with the Iranians. Turkey is another power worth throwing into the mix – is already in the mix, in fact. While other currencies suffer under the threat of US trade sanctions, readers of the financial pages might have noticed that the Turkish Lira is gaining ground. That’s because Trump admires Recep Tayyip Erdogan, president of Turkey. It’s understood the two men have already held discussions via intermediaries – and about time. Under the Biden regime, Turkey, a key player in its region and a huge manufacturer of drones and other weaponry, has been allowed to grow closer to Russia. Given the sensitivity of Turkey's location between Europe, Russia and the Middle East, and bearing in mind its vast network of oil and pipelines, this counts as a mistake. The last few days have seen a fresh outbreak of Islamist inspired fighting in Syria – more sparks flying in a tinder-dry region. Yet there will be no peace deal without Turkey, which already controls much of northern Syria, including a 30-mile buffer zone on its border. It is likely that Turkey will have much to say about the future of Israel, as one of the few powers capable of bridging the gulf between Jerusalem and Gaza. Whatever we think about Russia's Putin and Xi of China, it is surely better to meet them face-to-face and attempt to build some rapport, as Trump did last time he was in office President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey has a good relationship with Donald Trump - and the Turkish Lira has strengthened since Trump's re-election How to re-establish influence in Africa, a continent fast spinning out of control thanks in part to Russian meddling? How to persuade the BRICS nations to take a more positive view of the West? Or to address the world migration crisis and much else besides? America needs help with all these things – from Turkey, from India, Mexico, China, Canada, Venezuela and the EU. It will have to learn to give a little in return and maybe even take a risk or two. There will certainly be losers – I would hate to be Ukrainian right now. But the alternative is pretending with Anthony Blinken and Pangloss that all has been for the best in the best of all possible worlds. And that the past four years have been a roaring success. They haven’t. It’s time to bring this fantasy to an end. India Antony Blinken Russia China Turkey Share or comment on this article: Failing Joe Biden has brutally exposed the limits of American power and left the world in chaos. It's time for 'Trumpian realism' - and the return of diplomacy to Washington e-mail Add comment
Engadget has been testing and reviewing consumer tech since 2004. Our stories may include affiliate links; if you buy something through a link, we may earn a commission. Read more about how we evaluate products . There are numerous options for concert earplugs nowadays, so you don't have to settle for the bargain bin foam bits that completely seal off your ears anymore. The PPE-grade products vary in design and performance, with some offering different levels of noise reduction. That hearing protection always comes with the promise that the earplugs won't completely muffle the band, which is a real problem when you have to settle for the generic foam versions from the bartender. Loop has been in the concert earplug game since its founding in 2016. In that time, its product roster has grown to encompass nine different models, including dedicated options for sleep, travel, commuting and social events in addition to concerts, festivals and sporting events. The Switch 2 ($59.95) is Loop's latest, an improved version of the original Switch that debuted the ability to change sound filter levels while the earplugs were still in your ears. To put the audio quality to the test, I took them to a 100dB rock show in a small venue last month. Loop/Engadget 88 100 Expert Score Loop Switch 2 The Switch 2 delivers on Loop's promise to safely filter loud noise without overly muffling the sound for social gatherings, concerts, commuting and more. Pros Easy to adjust while wearing Very comfortable Cons Priciest model from Loop Noise levels on vary by 3dB $60 at Loop Loop has maintained mostly the same design from its first model. There's a silicone ear tip, similar to those on wireless earbuds, that's attached to a circular loop where all the protective bits reside. In the case of the Switch 2, the outer half of that loop rotates to allow you to select between three levels of sound filtration: Engage, Experience and Quiet. These settings reduce noise by 20dB, 23dB and 26dB... Billy SteeleLoop Switch 2 review: Easily adjustable earplugs that are great for concerts
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US President Joe Biden on Sunday issued an official pardon for his son Hunter, who was facing sentencing for two criminal cases, despite assurances that he would not intervene in his legal troubles. “No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter’s cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son — and that is wrong,” the president said in a statement. The move is sure to bring about fresh scrutiny over the independence of the US judicial system — especially at a time when incoming president Donald Trump has moved to appoint loyalists to the FBI and Justice Department himself. The younger Biden was convicted earlier this year of lying about his drug use when he bought a gun — a felony — and has also pleaded guilty in a separate tax evasion trial, but had not faced sentencing. Joe Biden, who is in the final weeks of his presidency before Trump takes office on January 20, had repeatedly said he wouldn’t pardon his son. “I said I would not interfere with the Justice Department’s decision-making, and I kept my word even as I have watched my son being selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted,” President Biden said in Sunday’s statement. “The charges in his cases came about only after several of my political opponents in Congress instigated them to attack me and oppose my election,” he added. “I believe in the justice system, but as I have wrestled with this, I also believe raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice.” The pardon comes as criminal cases against President-elect Trump have stalled after a sweeping ruling on presidential immunity by the Supreme Court — all but ensuring Biden’s Republican rival will likely never see a jail cell, even after his landmark conviction for falsifying business records in May. – Plea deal gone awry – US presidents have previously used pardons to help family members and other political allies. Bill Clinton pardoned his half-brother for old cocaine charges and Trump pardoned the father of his son-in-law for tax evasion, though in both cases those men had already served their prison terms. Trump has vowed to pardon supporters who stormed the US Capitol in a deadly riot on January 6, 2021, in a bid to reverse his 2020 election loss. He referenced them in a social media post late Sunday, writing, “Does the Pardon given by Joe to Hunter include the J-6 Hostages, who have now been imprisoned for years? Such an abuse and miscarriage of Justice!” Hunter Biden pleaded guilty in a tax evasion trial in September, facing up to 17 years in prison. For the separate gun charge, he was facing 25 years in prison. His lawyers have said he was only being brought before the court because he is the son of the president. Hunter has paid the back taxes, as well as penalties levied by authorities, and previously reached a plea deal that would have kept him out of jail — but that agreement fell apart at the last minute. His case has long been a thorn in the Biden family’s side, particularly during this election year when Republicans have charged that Hunter was being treated too leniently. President Biden’s withdrawal from the presidential race in favor of Vice President Kamala Harris took much of the zeal out of the Republican drive to make an example out of his son. Still, prosecutors appeared unwilling to cut him any slack, rejecting a so-called “Alford plea,” whereby Hunter Biden would admit guilt because of the high probability of conviction, but would maintain his innocence. In a statement to US media, Hunter Biden, who has grappled with drug addiction, said he would “devote the life I have rebuilt to helping those who are still sick and suffering.” AFP