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how to play fortune gems 2 HALIFAX - Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston named an expanded 21-member cabinet Thursday during a ceremony in downtown Halifax that excluded reporters in a departure from a long-standing tradition of open coverage. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * HALIFAX - Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston named an expanded 21-member cabinet Thursday during a ceremony in downtown Halifax that excluded reporters in a departure from a long-standing tradition of open coverage. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? HALIFAX – Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston named an expanded 21-member cabinet Thursday during a ceremony in downtown Halifax that excluded reporters in a departure from a long-standing tradition of open coverage. In an address that was livestreamed, Houston said his newly re-elected government would continue to deal with issues that matter to Nova Scotians, including health care, housing and affordability. “This term will also be very focused on growing our economy and continuing to lower taxes,” the premier said. “We have to grow our economy to be better able to support the services that Nova Scotians have a right to expect.” Before the election, in which the Tories won 43 of the legislature’s 55 seats, Houston led a 17-member cabinet. The government allowed only one television outlet to have a pool camera at the ceremony held at the Halifax Convention Centre, citing “limited capacity” inside the building that occupies a full city block. Journalists who tried to enter Thursday were turned away by building security. Houston was asked by reporters as he arrived why the media were not being given access to the new cabinet members. “It’s all live streamed ... It’s a really exciting day, you guys have lots of access, and you guys know that,” he said. Reporters were allowed to attend the swearing-in ceremony held at the same venue after the Tories were first elected in 2021, although it was during the COVID-19 pandemic and they were placed in a separate room to monitor the event before interviewing ministers. In the new cabinet, Houston will be joined by veterans John Lohr, who becomes finance minister, Becky Druhan, who moves from education to justice, and Michelle Thompson, who continues as minister of health. There are five new members, including political newcomer Leah Martin as minister of Communications Nova Scotia and L’ nu affairs and Fred Tilley, a former Liberal who crossed the floor just before the Nov. 26 election and becomes minister of public works. The other new ministers are Dave Ritcey in the tourism portfolio, Nolan Young, who is minister of labour, and Scott Armstrong as minister of opportunities and social development — formerly the Department of Community Services. In another departmental change, veteran minister Colton LeBlanc will head the new Department of Growth and Development, which was formerly known as economic development and will now also oversee housing. Composed of 14 men and seven women, the cabinet will see Barbara Adams return as minister of seniors and long-term care and serve as deputy premier. Tim Halman retains the environment portfolio and Tory Rushton stays on in natural resources, while Kim Masland moves from public works to the Department of Emergency Management. The former community services minister, Brendan Maguire, takes over education and also assumes the duties of advanced education from Brian Wong, who was dropped from cabinet along with Susan Corkum-Greek, the former minister of economic development. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Alex Marland, a political scientist at Acadia University, said the government could have found room for reporters had it wanted to. “This isn’t a new government, so there are some experienced hands who at a minimum could have been made available,” Marland said. He added that in general, there are governments that feel the need to control their message, and that also tend to be cautious with newer ministers who lack media training. “If this is a pattern and it persists, that’s going to be a problem for the Houston government,” he said. “But if this is a one off and by January things are a little different because people have gone through media training, then a lot of it will be forgotten.” This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 12, 2024. — With files from Lyndsay Armstrong Advertisement AdvertisementNEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rose to records Friday after data suggested the job market remains solid enough to keep the economy going, but not so strong that it raises immediate worries about inflation . The S&P 500 climbed 0.2%, just enough top the all-time high set on Wednesday, as it closed a third straight winning week in what looks to be one of its best years since the 2000 dot-com bust. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 123.19 points, or 0.3%, while the Nasdaq composite rose 0.8% to set its own record. The quiet trading came after the latest jobs report came in mixed enough to strengthen traders’ expectations that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates again at its next meeting in two weeks. The report showed U.S. employers hired more workers than expected last month, but it also said the unemployment rate unexpectedly ticked up to 4.2% from 4.1%. “This print doesn’t kill the holiday spirit and the Fed remains on track to deliver a cut in December,” according to Lindsay Rosner, head of multi-sector investing within Goldman Sachs Asset Management. The Fed has been easing its main interest rate from a two-decade high since September to offer more help for the slowing job market, after bringing inflation nearly all the way down to its 2% target. Lower interest rates can ease the brakes off the economy, but they can also offer more fuel for inflation. Expectations for a series of cuts from the Fed have been a major reason the S&P 500 has set an all-time high 57 times so far this year. And the Fed is part of a global surge: 62 central banks have lowered rates in the past three months, the most since 2020, according to Michael Hartnett and other strategists at Bank of America. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

Outgoing Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says that the Biden administration’s new refund rules will likely remain in place under Donald Trump’s upcoming presidency. In an interview with Travel + Leisure , Buttigieg said that the new rules are “the law of the land.” “The automatic refunds principle, for example, began as a rule making, but it wound up in the FAA legislation, which means it’s not something that any administration can unilaterally change,” he told the magazine. He was responding to a question about potential consumer protections that will remain in place after Biden leaves office. His answer referenced a new regulation announced in April that would require airlines to issue refunds to passengers whose flights were canceled. “Passengers deserve to get their money back when an airline owes them — without headaches or haggling,” said Buttigieg at the time of the announcement . “Our new rule sets a new standard to require airlines to promptly provide cash refunds to their passengers.” After a recent Supreme Court decision overturned the “Chevron” doctrine that gives government agencies leeway to implement federal policy through rules implementation, there has been some concern that government regulations will become more difficult to enforce. 📬 Sign up for the Daily Brief Our free, fast, and fun briefing on the global economy, delivered every weekday morning.

Team claims NASCAR rescinded approval to buy new charter unless federal antitrust suit is droppedSAN LUIS, Ariz. — Under the darkness of the early morning hours, the Day of the Farm Workers started on Friday. With temperatures in the low 50s in the border town of San Luis, Arizona farm workers gathered for the 30th anniversary of the Day of the Farm Worker. VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL: Día del Campesino: Así celebra Arizona a los trabajadores del campo Medical resources such as vaccines, glucose, cholesterol, and other checkups were offered, as well as blankets, socks, and some information for the employees were available at the event. With the focus on celebrating the workers who play an important role in putting food on the table for many families in the United States, Campesinos Sin Fronteras has been putting the event together for three decades now. “It was started by a group of farm workers who knew the needs of the people,” Ema Torres, CEO and co-founder of Campesinos Sin Fronteras, said. Thousands of farm workers attend the event every year not only to enjoy the food, music and the resources being available at the event. “First the screening they do and then, the little gifts we get,” said Martin Aguayo, who has been a farm worker for about 35 years and crosses the border daily. Farm Worker's Day recognizes the contribution of farm workers in the community and the entire country since almost 80% of the fruits and vegetables consumed in the country in the winter are produced in Yuma, Arizona. “Housing information and documentation important for my children,” Trinidad, a temporary worker for 10 years now and resident of San Luis, said. But before the sun goes up at 6 a.m., the event ends, and the workers head to the field to start their daily work duties. You can now watch 12News content anytime, anywhere thanks to the 12News+ app! The free 12News+ app from 12News lets users stream live events — including daily newscasts like "Today in AZ" and "12 News" and our daily lifestyle program, "Arizona Midday"—on Roku and Amazon Fire TV . 12News+ showcases live video throughout the day for breaking news, local news, weather and even an occasional moment of Zen showcasing breathtaking sights from across Arizona. Users can also watch on-demand videos of top stories, local politics, I-Team investigations, Arizona-specific features and vintage videos from the 12News archives. Roku: Add the channel from the Roku store or by searching for "12 News KPNX." Amazon Fire TV: Search for "12 News KPNX" to find the free 12News+ app to add to your account , or have the 12News+ app delivered directly to your Amazon Fire TV through Amazon.com or the Amazon app. The Border Get the latest news and updates on the 12News coverage of the U.S./Mexico border.

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A federal appeals court panel on Friday unanimously upheld a law that could lead to a ban on TikTok in a few short months, handing a resounding defeat to the popular social media platform as it fights for its survival in the U.S. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit denied TikTok's petition to overturn the law — which requires TikTok to break ties with its China-based parent company ByteDance or be banned by mid-January — and rebuffed the company's challenge of the statute, which it argued had ran afoul of the First Amendment. “The First Amendment exists to protect free speech in the United States,” said the court's opinion, which was written by Judge Douglas Ginsburg. “Here the Government acted solely to protect that freedom from a foreign adversary nation and to limit that adversary’s ability to gather data on people in the United States.” TikTok and ByteDance — another plaintiff in the lawsuit — are expected to appeal to the Supreme Court, though its unclear whether the court will take up the case. “The Supreme Court has an established historical record of protecting Americans’ right to free speech, and we expect they will do just that on this important constitutional issue," TikTok spokesperson Michael Hughes said in a statement. “Unfortunately, the TikTok ban was conceived and pushed through based upon inaccurate, flawed and hypothetical information, resulting in outright censorship of the American people,” Hughes said. Unless stopped, he argued the statute “will silence the voices of over 170 million Americans here in the US and around the world on January 19th, 2025.” Though the case is squarely in the court system, it's also possible the two companies might be thrown some sort of a lifeline by President-elect Donald Trump, who tried to ban TikTok during his first term but said during the presidential campaign that he is now against such action . The law, signed by President Joe Biden in April, was the culmination of a yearslong saga in Washington over the short-form video-sharing app, which the government sees as a national security threat due to its connections to China. The U.S. has said it’s concerned about TikTok collecting vast swaths of user data, including sensitive information on viewing habits , that could fall into the hands of the Chinese government through coercion. Officials have also warned the proprietary algorithm that fuels what users see on the app is vulnerable to manipulation by Chinese authorities, who can use it to shape content on the platform in a way that’s difficult to detect — a concern mirrored by the European Union on Friday as it scrutinizes the video-sharing app’s role in the Romanian elections. TikTok, which sued the government over the law in May, has long denied it could be used by Beijing to spy on or manipulate Americans. Its attorneys have accurately pointed out that the U.S. hasn’t provided evidence to show that the company handed over user data to the Chinese government, or manipulated content for Beijing’s benefit in the U.S. They have also argued the law is predicated on future risks, which the Department of Justice has emphasized pointing in part to unspecified action it claims the two companies have taken in the past due to demands from the Chinese government. Friday’s ruling came after the appeals court panel, composed of two Republicans and one Democrat appointed judges, heard oral arguments in September. In the hearing, which lasted more than two hours, the panel appeared to grapple with how TikTok’s foreign ownership affects its rights under the Constitution and how far the government could go to curtail potential influence from abroad on a foreign-owned platform. On Friday, all three denied TikTok’s petition. In the court's ruling, Ginsburg, a Republican appointee, rejected TikTok's main legal arguments against the law, including that the statute was an unlawful bill of attainder, or a taking of property in violation of the Fifth Amendment. He also said the law did not violate the First Amendment because the government is not looking to "suppress content or require a certain mix of content” on TikTok. Story continues below video “Content on the platform could in principle remain unchanged after divestiture, and people in the United States would remain free to read and share as much PRC propaganda (or any other content) as they desire on TikTok or any other platform of their choosing,” Ginsburg wrote, using the abbreviation for the People’s Republic of China. Judge Sri Srinivasan, the chief judge on the court, issued a concurring opinion. TikTok’s lawsuit was consolidated with a second legal challenge brought by several content creators — for which the company is covering legal costs — as well as a third one filed on behalf of conservative creators who work with a nonprofit called BASED Politics Inc. Other organizations, including the Knight First Amendment Institute, had also filed amicus briefs supporting TikTok. “This is a deeply misguided ruling that reads important First Amendment precedents too narrowly and gives the government sweeping power to restrict Americans’ access to information, ideas, and media from abroad,” said Jameel Jaffer, the executive director of the organization. “We hope that the appeals court’s ruling won’t be the last word.” Meanwhile, on Capitol Hill, lawmakers who had pushed for the legislation celebrated the court's ruling. "I am optimistic that President Trump will facilitate an American takeover of TikTok to allow its continued use in the United States and I look forward to welcoming the app in America under new ownership,” said Republican Rep. John Moolenaar of Michigan, chairman of the House Select Committee on China. Democratic Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, who co-authored the law, said “it's time for ByteDance to accept” the law. To assuage concerns about the company’s owners, TikTok says it has invested more than $2 billion to bolster protections around U.S. user data. The company has also argued the government’s broader concerns could have been resolved in a draft agreement it provided the Biden administration more than two years ago during talks between the two sides. It has blamed the government for walking away from further negotiations on the agreement, which the Justice Department argues is insufficient. Attorneys for the two companies have claimed it’s impossible to divest the platform commercially and technologically. They also say any sale of TikTok without the coveted algorithm — the platform’s secret sauce that Chinese authorities would likely block under any divesture plan — would turn the U.S. version of TikTok into an island disconnected from other global content. Still, some investors, including Trump’s former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and billionaire Frank McCourt, have expressed interest in purchasing the platform. Both men said earlier this year that they were launching a consortium to purchase TikTok’s U.S. business. This week, a spokesperson for McCourt’s Project Liberty initiative, which aims to protect online privacy, said unnamed participants in their bid have made informal commitments of more than $20 billion in capital.Seventh-seeded Mizzou volleyball lost to SEC rival and No. 3 seed Kentucky 3-1 (25-20, 25-20, 16-25, 25-13) on Thursday in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, ending the Tigers' 2024 season. The biggest challenge for Mizzou during the regional semifinal was putting a defensive stop to Kentucky sophomore outside-hitter Brooklyn DeLeye. DeLeye had a strong performance, ending the match with 22 kills, three service aces and six digs. After MU was handed losses in the first two sets, Mizzou Coach Dawn Sullivan told her squad to "play our volleyball." The Tigers responded in the third set with adjustments at the service line, focusing more on putting the ball in the back row of the Wildcats' defense. The Tigers went on a 8-0 tear with senior libero Kiaraliz Perez Catala serving the ball at the line. Catala surpassed 50 service aces this season during the third set of the match, ending the game with three, all during that run. "We've seen how capable Missouri is on beating top-10 teams, and, you know, they made adjustments," Kentucky volleyball Coach Craig Skinner said in a postgame news conference. During this momentum-building third set, Mizzou right-side hitter Jordan Iliff was putting up a strong offensive effort, effectively using the Kentucky block against it to extend the Tigers' lead. Iliff ended the third set with a 17 kills in the game and a hitting percentage of .400. She finished the game with 20 kills, two service aces and nine digs. "She's unstoppable," ESPN broadcaster Anne Marie Anderson said of Iliff during the third set of the match. However, Kentucky, the SEC regular-season champ, would shut down the Tigers' offense in the fourth and final set, going on a 5-2 scoring run to force Sullivan to take a timeout with the Wildcats leading 12-6. Kentucky's blockers were aggressive toward outside-hitter Mychael Vernon, who was held to just one kill and six errors in Set 4. After the loss, Vernon took to social media reflecting on her final season playing college volleyball as a Tiger. "So proud of this team," Vernon said on an Instagram story following the game. "Couldn't have had a better last year. M.I.Z." The loss eliminates Mizzou from the NCAA Tournament after its fifth Sweet 16 appearance in program history. The Tigers fell in four of those in the regional semifinals, advancing to an Elite Eight only once, in 2005. Throughout their season, the Tigers were a strong Southeastern Conference competitor, ending with a record of 22-9 overall and 11-5 in the SEC. In the other NCAA Tournament Pittsburgh Regional semifinal, No. 1 overall seed Pitt survived a scare from No. 4 seed Oregon, winning in five sets (25-19, 24-26, 25-16, 21-25, 15-12). The host Panthers take on Kentucky for a trip to the Final Four at 4 p.m. Saturday in Pittsburgh.

President-elect Donald Trump reiterated his support for his pick to lead the Department of Defense, saying "Pete Hegseth is doing very well." He will be a fantastic, high energy, Secretary of Defense...Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that!!!" Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social media platform on Friday. Hegseth's Nomination Hegseth, a former Fox News host, Army National Guard major and combat veteran, spent the week on Capitol Hill working to secure his Cabinet nomination. Behind closed doors, he sought to reassure Republican senators of his qualifications to lead Trump's Pentagon . Hegseth's confirmation by the Senate remains uncertain amid scrutiny over allegations of excessive drinking, sexual assault and his controversial views on women serving in combat roles. The contentious nomination of Hegseth has become more than a debate over who should lead the Pentagon, and it underscores a conservative push for a more traditionally masculine military while targeting diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Trump's allies have mounted a vigorous defense of Hegseth, including the Heritage Foundation's political arm, which has pledged $1 million to bolster his embattled nomination. Meanwhile, Hegseth has vowed to remain in the fight as long as the president-elect supports him. "We're going to earn those votes," Hegseth said in Washington D.C. this week. "As long as Donald Trump wants me in this fight, I'm going to be standing right here." The fight over Hegseth's nomination has also been seen by some observers as a test of Trump's influence and the limits of loyalty among Republican senators grappling with concerns over his picks. Two of Trump's earlier nominees have already withdrawn under intense scrutiny: former Congressman Matt Gaetz , his initial choice for attorney general, and Florida Sheriff Chad Chronister, who was tapped to head the Drug Enforcement Administration. Views of Hegseth Donald Trump Jr., the president-elect's son, voiced support for Hegseth this week, saying on social media that "if you're a GOP Senator who voted for [current Defense Secretary] Lloyd Austin , but criticize @PeteHegseth, then maybe you're in the wrong political party!" Hegseth has assured lawmakers he would abstain from drinking while in office and denied any allegations of sexual misconduct. However, his professional stance on female service members has faced mounting criticism, particularly after he stated last month that women "straight up" should not serve in combat roles. Hegseth secured a key endorsement from Republican Senator Katie Britt of Alabama, whose backing is viewed as a significant counterbalance to the lukewarm reception he received from Republican Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa, a former Army National Guard lieutenant colonel. Ernst, a sexual assault survivor, declined to endorse Hegseth following their meeting this week. While acknowledging his military service, Ernst stated that they "had a frank and thorough conversation." Trump's incoming Vice President J.D. Vance also issued support for Hegseth on Friday, saying: "I fully support Pete. I think Pete's gonna get confirmed, and we are completely behind him." The New York Times Report The New York Times recently published a 2018 email from Hegseth's mother, Penelope, in which she accused him of mistreating women after he fathered a child with his current wife while still married to his second. This week, she appeared on Fox & Friends to defend her son. As Hegseth continued his battle for Senate confirmation, he appeared to make some headway with Republican lawmakers who had previously voiced concerns, particularly regarding reports about his drinking. "I'm not going to make any decision regarding Pete Hegseth's nomination based on anonymous sources," Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said. This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.‘Qatar one of the leading countries in addressing climate change challenges’

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‘Shun personal desires over national interests, work for identity’PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George has a bone bruise on his left knee and will miss two games, the team said Thursday. The 76ers said George did not suffer any structural damage when he that he hyperextended during in Wednesday night’s loss at Memphis. The game marked the first time this season the All-Star trio of George, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey started a game together. George will miss home games Friday against Brooklyn and Sunday against the Los Angeles Clippers, his former team. A nine-time All-Star, the 34-year-old George will be evaluated again on Monday. dropped the Sixers to 2-12, the worst record in the NBA headed into Thursday night’s games. George signed a four-year, $212 million contract with Philadelphia after five seasons with the Clippers. He has averaged 14.9 points in eight games this season. Embiid has been out with injuries, load management rest and a suspension, while Maxey was sidelined with a hamstring injury. An expected contender in the Eastern Conference, the Sixers haven’t won since an overtime victory against Charlotte on Nov. 10. ___ AP NBA: