Putin responds to Ukraine’s use of U.S. arms with ballistic missile strikeUS coach Emma Hayes admits to anthem uncertainty ahead of England stalemateThe billing of London-born former Chelsea boss Hayes against England’s Dutch manager Sarina Wiegman – arguably the best two bosses in the women’s game – had generated more buzz in the build-up than the players on the pitch, despite it being a rare encounter between the two top-ranked sides in the world. Hayes enjoyed her return to familiar shores but felt the US lacked the “killer piece” after they looked the likelier side to make the breakthrough. Elite meeting of the minds 🌟 — U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) Asked what was going through her mind during the national anthem, Hayes said: “I was definitely mouthing (it), and Naomi (Girma) and Lynn (Williams) could see that I was struggling with where to be and all that. “I got to the end of the anthems and I thought, ‘that’s so ridiculous. I’m proud to be English and I’m proud of our national anthem, and I’m also really proud to coach America’. “Two things are possible all at once. I don’t want to fuel a nationalist debate around it. The realities are both countries are really dear to me for lots of reasons, and I’m really proud to represent both of them.” The Lionesses did not register a shot on target in the first half but grew into the game in the second. US captain Lindsey Horan had the ball in the net after the break but the flag was up, while Hayes’ side had a penalty award for a handball reversed after a VAR check determined substitute Yazmeen Ryan’s shot hit Alex Greenwood’s chest. Hayes, who left Chelsea after 12 trophy-packed years this summer, said: “I’ve been privileged to coach a lot of top-level games, including here, so there’s a familiarity to being here for me. “It’s not new to me, and because of that there was a whole sense of I’m coming back to a place I know. I have a really healthy perspective, and I want to have a really healthy perspective on my profession. “I give everything I possibly can for a team that I really, really enjoy coaching, and I thrive, not just under pressure, but I like these opportunities, I like being in these situations. They bring out the best in me. “You’ve got two top teams now, Sarina is an amazing coach, I thought it was a good tactical match-up, and I just enjoy coaching a high-level football match, to be honest with you. I don’t think too much about it.” Hayes had travelled to London without her entire Olympic gold medal-winning ‘Triple Espresso’ forward line of Trinity Rodman, Mallory Swanson and Sophia Smith, all nursing niggling injuries. Before the match, the 48-year-old was spotted chatting with Wiegman and her US men’s counterpart, fellow ex-Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino, who was also in attendance. England were also missing a number of key attackers for the friendly including Lauren Hemp, Lauren James and Ella Toone, all ruled out with injury. "This shows where we are at and we need to keep improving. It is November now. This is good but we want to be better again. We have to be better again." 👊 Reaction from the boss ⬇️ — Lionesses (@Lionesses) Wiegman brushed aside suggestions from some pundits that her side were content to settle for a draw. She said: “I think we were really defending as a team, very strong. We got momentum in the second half, we did better, and of course both teams went for the win. “So many things happened in this game, also in front of the goal, so I don’t think it was boring. “We wanted to go for the win, but it was such a high-intensity game, you have to deal with a very good opponent, so you can’t just say, ‘Now we’re going to go and score that goal’. “We tried, of course, to do that. We didn’t slow down to keep it 0-0. I think that was just how the game went.”
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Biden welcomed 2,500 guests to the South Lawn under sunny skies as he cracked jokes about the fates of “Peach” and “Blossom” and sounded wistful tones about the last weeks of his presidency after a half-century in Washington power circles. “It’s been the honor of my life. I’m forever grateful,” Biden said, taking note of his impending departure on Jan. 20, 2025. That's when power will transfer to Republican President-elect Donald Trump, the man Biden defeated four years ago and was battling again until he was pressured to bow out of the race amid concerns about his age and viability. Biden is 82. Until Inauguration Day, the president and first lady Jill Biden will continue a busy run of festivities that will double as their long goodbye. The White House schedule in December is replete with holiday parties for various constituencies, from West Wing staff to members of Congress and the White House press corps. Biden relished the brief ceremony with the pardoned turkeys, named for the official flower of the president's home state of Delaware. “The peach pie in my state is one of my favorites,” he said during remarks that were occasionally interrupted by Peach gobbling atop the table to Biden's right. “Peach is making a last-minute plea,” Biden said at one point, drawing laughter from an overflow crowd that included Cabinet members, White House staff and their families, and students from 4H programs and Future Farmers of America chapters. Biden introduced Peach as a bird who “lives by the motto, ‘Keep calm and gobble on.’” Blossom, the president said, has a different motto: “No fowl play. Just Minnesota nice.” Peach and Blossom came from the farm of John Zimmerman, near the southern Minnesota city of Northfield. Zimmerman, who has raised about 4 million turkeys, is president of the National Turkey Federation, the group that has gifted U.S. presidents Thanksgiving turkeys since the Truman administration after World War II. President Harry Truman, however, preferred to eat the birds. Official pardon ceremonies did not become an annual White House tradition until the administration of President George H.W. Bush in 1989. With their presidential reprieve, Peach and Blossom will live out their days at Farmamerica, an agriculture interpretative center near Waseca in southern Minnesota. The center's aim is to promote agriculture and educate future farmers and others about agriculture in America. Separately Monday, first lady Jill Biden received the official White House Christmas tree that will be decorated and put on display in the Blue Room. The 18.5 foot (5.64 meters) Fraser fir came from a farm in an area of western North Carolina that recently was devastated by Hurricane Helene . Cartner’s Christmas Tree Farm lost thousands of trees in the storm “but this one remained standing and they named it ‘Tremendous’ for the extraordinary hope that it represents,” Jill Biden said at the event. The Bidens were also traveling to New York City on Monday for an evening “Friendsgiving” event at a Coast Guard station on Staten Island. Biden began his valedictory calendar Friday night with a gala for hundreds of his friends, supporters and staff members who gathered in a pavilion erected on the South Lawn, with a view out to the Lincoln Memorial. Cabinet secretaries, Democratic donors and his longest-serving staff members came together to hear from the president and pay tribute, with no evidence that Biden was effectively forced from the Democratic ticket this summer and watched Vice President Kamala Harris suffer defeat on Nov. 5. “I’m so proud that we’ve done all of this with a deep belief in the core values of America,” said Biden, sporting a tuxedo for the black-tie event. Setting aside his criticisms of Trump as a fundamental threat to democracy, Biden added his characteristic national cheerleading: “I fully believe that America is better positioned to lead the world today than at any point in my 50 years of public service.” The first lady toasted her husband with a nod to his 2020 campaign promise to “restore the soul of the nation,” in Trump’s aftermath. With the results on Election Day, however, Biden’s four years now become sandwiched in the middle of an era dominated by Trump's presence on the national stage and in the White House. Even as the first couple avoided the context surrounding the president's coming exit, those political realities were nonetheless apparent, as younger Democrats like Maryland Gov. Wes Moore , Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Biden's Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg not only raised their glasses to the president but held forth with many attendees who could remain in the party's power circles in the 2028 election cycle and beyond.
December 2, 2024 This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlightedthe following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: fact-checked trusted source proofread by Li Yali, Chinese Academy of Sciences A research team led by Prof. Zhang Ze from the Aerospace Information Research Institute (AIR) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has developed a hyper-sampling imaging (HSI) technology that enhances the image quality and resolution of digital imaging systems. The study was published in Laser & Photonics Reviews . Current digital image sensors, such as CCD and CMOS chips, have reached their technical limit in pixel resolution , a core factor in capturing fine details for applications such as astronomy and remote sensing . In this study, researchers introduced HSI technology to enable sensors with fewer pixels to deliver ultra-high-resolution images. HSI operates by leveraging an optical steady wave field, which scans digital imaging sensors and extracts fine details beyond the traditional pixel resolution limit. Using this stable wave field—generated through the transverse-wave-vector-elimination method—the team determined the intra-pixel quantum efficiency of the sensor. This enabled the development of pixel subdivision algorithms that enhance digital cameras' imaging capabilities without relying on large datasets or creating artificial information. Unlike traditional super-resolution image algorithms, HSI offers a stable and dataset-independent solution. Tests on various targets—including imaging unmanned aerial vehicles, buildings, high-speed trains, and the moon—proved this method's robustness. HSI could be widely employed in satellite remote sensing, infrared night vision, and security surveillance, by delivering ultra-high-resolution images at a fraction of the cost required for upgrading current hardware. For example, using HSI, a 2k × 2k infrared imaging chip can achieve a pixel resolution of over 8k × 8k—levels that current commercial chips cannot achieve. This study demonstrates the potential of HSI technology. However, additional computational power is required to implement HSI on a larger scale. More information: Hemeng Xue et al, Hyper‐Sampling Imaging by Measurement of Intra‐Pixel Quantum Efficiency Using Steady Wave Field, Laser & Photonics Reviews (2024). DOI: 10.1002/lpor.202401306 Provided by Chinese Academy of Sciences
Republican senator blocks promotion of US Army general associated with Afghanistan withdrawalTrump wants to turn the clock on daylight saving timeA “Coalition to Save Culpeper” is mobilizing to scrutinize and hopefully curtail data center growth in the town and county. The new nonprofit formed to “protect the rural, historic character of Culpeper for the citizens of today and generations to come,” according to saveculpeper.com . Spokeswoman Charlotte Cole, a town resident and 50-year PR expert, said the group’s focus is the data center greenlighted for location next to Culpeper National Cemetery on East Chandler Street. She said in a recent phone call “my heart bleeds” at the prospect. “My husband is in section 11 at the national cemetery and that bank of obnoxious polluting behemoths will be overlooking him and me, eventually, and I am not at all happy about that,” Cole said. “I don’t want to be there—there will be no peace when people come to visit.” People are also reading... It’s not just them either, she added. “Everyone else who is there will have to listen to that obnoxious noise and there are eight more (data centers) next door,” Cole said of various projects approved by local officials in the past few years in the Culpeper Technology Zone, or CTZ, in the McDevitt Drive area. Various rezonings have been approved in the area and millions of dollars in real estate transactions have occurred. “It’s an abomination for the town and all of it seemingly done under the cloak of darkness,” Cole said. A member of the Culpeper Economic Development Advisory Commission from 2017-19, Cole said there was never any talk during those years of a data center in that area. The approved project, Copper Ridge, sits on a site formerly rezoned by town council in the early 2000s for a so-named 55-and-older housing development, on a hill which once sat historic Eastern View. The Coalition to Save Culpeper wants to know how the use was changed to industrial, Cole said. At a planning commission meeting in August 2023, Stephen Plescow, president of St. Mawes real estate developers in Culpeper, sought the rezoning. He said the Copper Ridge data center project would have a substation located as close as 450-feet away from the cemetery boundary. Plescow said at the time it was their top priority to buffer and appropriately screen their hallowed neighbor. The planning commission split on their approval of the project , recommending to town council to not rezone the land for the data center, finding it was out of character with the neighborhood and out of compliance with the comprehensive plan. Town council ultimately approved the project and a substation on the property this past summer. Residents living near the cemetery objected to the rezoning due to the amount of noise purported to be emitted by data centers. Councilwoman Jamie Clancey in July questioned this concern due to the fact that the area had previously been zoned for residential development. Cole said the data centers also threaten the town’s water supply. “My dad was president of Hayes, Seay, Mattern and Mattern. His area of responsibility was northern Virginia to Charlottesville, we lived in Roanoke, and we grew up with it—conserve water, take care of water,” she said. “These concerned citizens decided we needed to somehow coalesce, been doing that for the last several months now, it’s time for more folks in our sweet town and county to understand what’s at stake here.” Cole lives on Blue Ridge Avenue west of Main Street. She believes she will hear the noise from the data centers next to the cemetery on the east side of Main. She said their group has been working with partner Sarah Parmelee from Piedmont Environmental Council to champion the effort. Cole said she has worked with public officials for 50 years, and that Culpeper town officials have shocked her with their lack of interest in public engagement on the issue. Coalition to Save Culpeper has no elected hierarchy, Cole said, and its membership is comprised of everyone from young families to folks that have been in historic homes for quite a long time. “We believe there is still the remote possibility we can change, through public opinion, the decision to build six data centers overlooking the National Cemetery,” she said. “It’s citizens concerned—no one knows this is going on except a few and we need to help illuminate these decisions, at least allow the public to come in and have their say.” From a PR perspective, it’s going to take a whole lot of pitchforks and torches and shaming of the developers to bring it to a halt, Cole added. “That’s what we’re trying to get to the bottom of—how these deals were done to make this black magic happen so quickly,” she said. “We want people to understand this is of concern from an environmental perspective, future of Culpeper and quality of life perspective. You can’t have 14 data centers humming over your town and casting that shrill noise for as far as three to five miles and sucking up your water without an impact on your commercial core. I don’t care how much money somebody wants to give me, that quality of life will suck.” According to PEC, Copper Ridge will be located within 1,000 feet of Mountain Brook Estates neighborhood and several homes on East Chandler Street. “Depending on the type of cooling equipment used, homes near data centers can be subject to a constant buzz or humming noise from rooftop cooling equipment and substations,” PEC states. “Data Center Alley is coming to Culpeper,” says saveculpeper.com . “Lured by the siren song of tax revenue, Culpeper’s elected officials have approved over 12 million square feet of new data center campuses, an area roughly the equivalent of 64 Walmart Supercenters. These massive facilities will be built next to our homes, our historic district, and even our National Cemetery, the final resting place of over 7,500 American Service Members, permanently industrializing our rural community.” Group publicity stated while they cannot undo many projects already approved, they can work for greater government transparency as well as a moratorium on any more data centers. Coalition to Save Culpeper wants use-specific zoning for data centers, noise protections and a say in how the local power grid is used. For information, contact saveculpeper@gmail.com and on Facebook. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox!
Syrian insurgents reach the capital’s suburbs. Worried residents flee and stock up on suppliesPerhaps Davis won't take a step back after losing four starters from its fifth-place team to graduation last spring. The unbeaten Pirates notched arguably their most impressive win yet Saturday in Richland, knocking off Mount Spokane 55-40. Cesar Hernandez led the way once again with a game-high 26 points against last year's third-place team. Tyson Lee added 13 points and Davis held the Wildcats to their lowest point total since a 70-39 loss to O'Dea in the 2019 state championship game. The Pirates led by eight at halftime and put up 20 points in the third quarter to pull away for good. Davis (4-0) will start league play at Eisenhower next Friday. MABTON 66, KITTITAS 58: At Mabton, Cisco Morena tallied 15 points and Armando Chavez added 14 for the Vikings. Kittitas (1-2) will play at Quincy next Tuesday and Mabton (1-1) will host Cle Elum next Friday. Elsewhere, Cle Elum beat Warden 66-51 and La Salle lost 87-58 at Burbank. KITTITAS — Eli Nash 18, Terry Huber 13, Lowe 8, Varnum 4, Coles 0, Dallon Walker 15, Hutchinson 0, Balverde 0. MABTON — Cisco Moreno 15, Armando Chavez 14, Marco Espinoza 13, Manuel Birueta 10, Zuniga 2, Martinez 8, Carreon 4, Rosales 0, Morrow 0. Kittitas=9=7=27=15=—=58 Mabton=14=11=24=17= —=66 Mabton highlights: Chavez 8 res; Birueta 6 rebs. SCAC West WAPATO 84, WAHLUKE 56: At Wapato, Julian Hamilton's 15 points led five Wolves in double figures as they nearly reached 50 points by halftime. Wapato (1-0 SCAC, 3-0 overall) will play at College Place next Friday. WAHLUKE — Rafael Rodriguez 14, Ziker 8, Perez 5, Ramirez 4, Heslop 2, Rex Buck 15, A. Acevedo 4, J. Acevedo 2, A. Rodriguez 0, Nievez 0. WAPATO — Julian Hamilton 15, AJ Garza 13, Jaywaan Aranda 11, Omar Arizpe 10, McConville 9, Watoyma 10, Bobb 8, Cl. Eneas 6, Ch. Eneas 0. Wahluke=7=12=15=22=—=56 Wapato=28=20=22=14= —=84 Wapato highlights: Mathias McConville 5 rebs, 7 assts, 4 stls; Garza 6 stls, 5 rebs, 4 assts. YAKAMA TRIBALAL 64, PRESCOTT 35: At Yakama Tribal, Jarvis Peters led the Eagles with 26 points and they pulled away early thanks to a 25-point first quarter. Yakama Tribal (2-2) will host Touchet next Friday. PRESCOTT — Garcia 9, Tiedeman 8, Rodriguez 6, Madrigal 0, Ortega 0, Vasquez 7, Reyes 5, Burgas 0. YAKAMA TRIBAL — Jarvis Peters 26, Max Oats 11, Wyena 5, Brice 2, Savala 7, Stahi 7, Holliday 4, Cloud 2, Martelli 0, Visaya 0, Eyle 0. Yakama Tribal=25=11=17=11= —=64 Prescott=9=7=8=11= —=35 SELAH 55, NACHES VALLEY 48: At Selah, Elise Kingston's 15 points helped the Vikings hold on for their first win of the season despite Maddy Jewett's almost triple-double of 19 points, 12 rebounds and eight steals for the Rangers. Naches Valley (1-1) will play at College Place Tuesday and Selah (1-1) will host Grandview next Friday. NACHES VALLEY — Maddy Jewett 19, Ellie Bost 13, Rowe 6, Mendoza 4, St.Martin 3, Vanwagoner 2, Staggs 1, VanAmburg 0, Hahn-Keenan 0. SELAH — Elise Kingston 17, MaKenna Pepper 13, Pendleton 9, St. Mary 6, Coons 4, Keller 6, Phinney 0. Naches Valley=10=17=11=10=—=48 Selah=12=11=14=18=—=55 NV highlights: Jewett 12 rebs, 8 stls. MABTON 51, KITTITAS 31: At Mabton, the Vikings rolled past the Coyotes to stay undefeated. Kittitas (1-3) will travel to Quincy Tuesday and Mabton (3-0) will host Cle Elum next Friday. In Saturday's other nonleague games, Yakama Tribal beat Prescott 61-26 and Cle Elum toppled Warden 61-29. KITTITAS — Elysa Nash 12, Blackmore 8, Weekes 5, Huber 4, Hink 2. MABTON — Scorers not available. SCAC WAPATO 73, WAHLUKE 15: At Wapato, Trinity Wheeler tallied 24 points and Jordyn Bobb added 17 for the Wolves, who allowed only two points in the second half. Wapato (1-0, 1-1) will travel to College Place next Friday. WAHLUKE — Eraza 4, Magaia 3, Harlow 2, Pineda 2, Buck 0, Rodriguez 4. WAPATO — Jordyn Bobb 17, Romero 9, Kenoras 8, Greybull 4, Alvarado 2, Trinity Wheeler 24, Cilla Thomas 10, Blodgett 0. Wahluke=4=9=0=2=—=15 Wapato=15=22=24=13=—=74 Deer Park Invite At Deer Park Local team scores: 5, Prosser 135; 8, Granger 101. Local finalists — 106: Bodey Schweiger (Riverside) d. Bryan Garcia Rosas (Pro), 10-4. 175: Jance Novak (Cash) p. Logan Myers (Pro), 1:12. Local third place — 106: Maddox Taft (MS) d. Dominic Castaneda (Gra), 9-4.. 120: Kaysic Lundquist (Mead) inj. Rene Torres Jr., 2:08.. 138: Julian Joe Torres (Prosser) inj. Wyatt Laney (Lewiston), 0:00. 215: Angel Huizar (Gra) d. Michael Rosas (Pro), 2-1. At Wenatchee Team scores: Selah 358, Prosser 280, Wenatchee 254, East Valley 165, Toppenish 55, Naches Valley 22, Grandview 15. Local winners — 200 medley relay: 1, Selah (De Dios Ramírez, Peace, Strand, Sausen) 1:25.52. 200 free: 1, Gabriel Petroff 1:57.4. 200 IM: 1, James Field (EV) 2:16.0. 50 free: 1, Jake Brandt (EV) 22.81. 100 fly: Petroff (P) 59.5. 100 free: Brandt (EV) 52.08. 500 free: Jacob Goin (S) 5:39.46. 200 free relay: 1, East Valley (Field, Bombard, Alejo, Brandt) 1:42.5. 100 back: 1, De Dios Ramírez 1:02.36. 100 breast: 1, Field 1:09.78. 400 free relay: 1, Selah (De Dios Ramírez, Peace, Strand, Sausen) 3:53.84.49ers to sever ties with De’Vondre Campbell after Thursday night walkoutA title that was on my most-anticipated upcoming horror movies list is finally here, and it’s both funny and (very) gory. Y2K is an A24 movie from SNL alum Kyle Mooney that imagines if the titular event had actually happened when the public at large ushered in the year 2000. While I was never personally afraid of that event, the movie does have a scene that actually taps into my nightmares: falling while inside a porta potty. Kyle Mooney and more spoke with CinemaBlend about filming it, and I get why co-lead Rachel Zegler wasn't into it. In the latest scary entry in the schedule of 2024 movie releases , Jaeden Martell’s Eli finds himself trying to survive an apocalypse alongside his crush, Laura, played by Rachel Zegler. At one point, Eli and Laura hilariously and romantically lock eyes for the first time while inside a falling porta potty, after using it to hide from the technological-based monsters out to get them. Here’s what Martell had to say to me about filming the scene: To clarify, it was mostly chocolate, which is pretty great. It was really cold though, and they kind of set this porta potty up on hydraulics and they were just shaking us around, getting the camera in from different angles. It was a pretty good time. Martell, who famously starred in the It movies, said he had a blast performing the porta potty scene, while it makes me personally shudder every time I think about it. Director/co-writer Kyle Mooney then jumped in, saying this: Yeah. I don't like throwing people under the bus, but I feel like Rachel really did not enjoy it... I think there were only two takes ultimately of like the interior porta potty. While I’m happy Martell had a fun time shooting the porta potty scene, I totally get why Zegler would not be having the same reaction to shooting the scene. Even if it was in fact chocolate, getting into character to pretend poop and such is getting all over you is actually horrifying to me. Further discussing his experience shooting the sequence with me, Martell explained: Then, what was really fun was getting in, shooting that. With the camera rig on top and then you just pop the top off. Yep. And then we had to kind of like all be in sync. We had to fake falling while the camera was going this way. But, that was really funny. I’m happy to hear the filmmakers didn’t simply throw the cast down a hill in a porta potty. But his comments are really interesting in regard to how the scene was shot practically. Kyle Mooney also gave some major props to the movie’s cinematographer, Bill Pope, who has shot iconic movies like The Matrix and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World . In Mooney’s words: Bill Pope who shot the movie, he at some early point in the process, I didn't even remember exactly what I feel like he took like a milk carton. He like, kind of like made his own, like, 'We gotta do this.' Y2K Trailer Delivers A Blend Of Superbad And Maximum Overdrive, And The 1999 Vibes Are Da Bomb And that’s just one scene in Y2K . Considering the other wild scenes in the film, it's reasonable to wonder how the crew accomplished other feats like making a monstrous Tamagatchi and getting Fred Durst on board. All of those creative choices, though, contribute to a flick that's as scary as it is funny. Kyle Mooney's directorial debut has been lauded for its "painfully accurate" portrayal of the '90s teen experience , yet it's mostly been met with mixed responses from critics. Nevertheless, CinemaBlend’s Y2K review awarded it a 4 out of 5 stars. Believe me when I say, the movie is fun, and the the porta potty scene alone still makes it worth the price of admission. So check it out in theaters now and also dream about this amazingly nostalgic popcorn bucket idea from A24 with us. CINEMABLEND NEWSLETTER Your Daily Blend of Entertainment News
OTB hotel expansion delayedB.C. Premier David Eby Friday (Dec. 13) says his B.C. NDP party holding a single-seat majority in the legislature has reached an agreement in principle with the B.C. Greens and their two MLAs to ensure "stable governance" for the next four years. The four-year agreement spells out the basis on which B.C. Greens provide "confidence" to the B.C. NDP and areas where the parties will work together. The agreement echoes without replicating the confidence-and-supply agreement of 2017 that allowed the B.C NDP to return after 16 years in opposition as a minority government with the help of three B.C. Greens. The 2024 agreement does "not lay out the full program" of government "nor does it presume support" from the B.C Greens for "initiatives and other matters not addressed within this agreement." But it gives Eby's government holding a bare-majority additional stability once the legislature returns next year. The agreement commits government to policies in 11 areas, starting with health care, where the B.C. NDP will support the growth of Community Health Centres, a key proposal of the B.C. Greens during the election campaign. Government will also work with the Greens and BC Psychological Association to expand public coverage of psychologists. Other key elements include housing. Government commits itself to "actively" supporting efforts by various groups to "protect, purchase and build 30,000 units of non-market housing" over the next four years with 7,500 units set as the goal for 2025. Other housing measures include steps to protect renters through more financial assistance and reduce homelessness. The B.C. Greens also will also have a hand in reviewing CleanBC, a central policy against climate change, and forestry. Electoral reform also makes a return with the establishment of a special commitment to "review and consider preferred methods of proportional representation" as part of deliberations designed to "increase democratic engagement, address increasing political polarization, and improve the representativeness of government." The agreement also includes a section spelling out how the parties will work in the legislature on agreed upon policies. "Deliverables" under the agreement include regular meetings of the party's respective house leaders to preview and discuss the agreed upon legislative agenda and calendar, detailed financial and technical briefings for B.C. Greens and rules around the timing, substance and process of legislative amendments. The agreement commits parties to "regular consultation and dialogue" but also tries to ward off expectations around working together in other areas. Both parties "agree to the limitations and clear scope of the agreement" with areas outside operating under standard legislative processes. "This includes the ability of the BC Green Caucus to publicly advocate for or against, or propose adjustments to, (government) decisions and actions." More to come...School ends on a high note! The annual awards day and graduation ceremonies concluded the 2024 academic year. Journalists from The Fiji Times were busy travelling around the country taking pictures and reporting success stories from this special day. Ana Madigibuli and her team did a marvellous job as they reported on the prizegiving ceremonies that were carried out. I could imagine the excitement and sheer delight within those who walked away with a prize. Their hard work and struggles ended as they celebrated their success with loved ones. Nabua Secondary rewarded their students on Thursday, and I thank Wanshika Kumar and The Fiji Times for the coverage. The emotions on the faces of the day scholars and Matua students spoke about their struggles and how they brandished them to achieve excellence. The prize getters journey to achieving this feat has been through hard work and perseverance. These students organised and managed their time effectively. Their success demonstrates that with balance, and support, success is achievable. We must encourage young people to sacrifice and struggle to strive for their goals. They must be encouraged to set their priorities right and manage their time wisely. Parental support plays a vital role in the child’s success. With the changing tide and impact of drugs, technology and social media, parents need to step up and spend quality time with their children. Rajnesh Ishwar Lingam Nadawa, Nasinu Yaqona thieves On Taveuni, as with most areas throughout our beloved nation, the place is small enough that the people know more than those who are supposed to know! Just ask the people! They know who the culprits are! And you better start eradicating the freebies now because the words of warning out on social media for the culprits is most certainly not sounding good! On an island where the authorities have lost the plot, and the history of theft amounts to years and millions of dollars in heartbreak and losses, retaliation escalates to a peak where the outcome will most certainly not be pleasing! Noleen Billings Savusavu Bill to protect kids It’s good the parliamentarians have passed new legislation for the care and protection of children in need or at risk and Rajnesh Ishwar Lingam is waxing lyrical about it (FT 7/12). But I wonder how many of them had actually read the Juveniles Act, the Probation of Offenders Act and the Adoption of Infants Act which had provided the legal framework for the care and protection of children with their best interest and welfare as paramount? Rajend Naidu B Sydney, Australia Game changer The planned, game-changer $1.5billion tourism development on the Wailoaloa Nadi foreshore augurs well for Fiji’s employment, economy and the country’s inherited debt repayments. This is truly a massive investment. We trust all authorities will rise to the occasion with their vetting and due diligence. I wish to sincerely congratulate the Hong Kong based investors for their confidence in choosing Nadi for their bold initiatives. May every success and good fortune be bestowed upon them, Nadi and Fiji, as a whole. Ronnie Chang Martintar, Nadi The horse has bolted The drug problem has gotten out of hand in the past two years since the election of this government. There appears to be a perception in high places that once a Commissioner of Police is confirmed the drug problem will suddenly disappear. I think these people believe in Santa Claus as well. All the chiefs are talking about making up their own laws about this problem as they go – just like the government has been making up laws as they go. The reality is, while everyone does not want vulagi things permeating the culture in Fiji, they simply cannot stop these things. It is like trying to stop a vulagi religion permeating every aspect of life in Fiji. The horse bolted a long time ago. Jan Nissar Osaka, Japan Supply and demand chain Honourable Naupoto mentions the need for a major Supply and Demand chain check in the country to assist in countering drug activities. This is best addressed by much more intensive investigation into the contents of shipping containers at wharfs, and further checks during unstuffing of containers at the point of delivery, e.g wholesalers, retailers, vehicle importers etc. Anecdotal advice suggests that the port of Suva is used as a major transit hub for precursors, at least one instance has been uncovered. In England, $200million worth of drugs was shipped in over four years hidden in consignments of garlic, onions and ginger which naturally cannot be detected by sniffer dogs. These items are plentiful imports into the country. Are these shipments ever thoroughly checked? Stashing drugs into large electrical items such as fridges, washing machines et cetera, is another favourite method which could be detected when containers are unstuffed at points of destination. It doesn’t need me to tell the authorities how proper checks can be implemented, it can be done but the “secrecy” is always a problem. Allan Loosley Tavua 2013 Constitution So much had been said and heard during the 26th Attorney-General’s Conference at the Sheraton Fiji Golf & Beach Resort at Denarau in Nadi but with very little being accomplished as far as the Changing of the 2013 Constitution is concerned and rightly so because of the major hurdles of requirements of the majority numbers in Parliament and of course the unpredictable public referendum. Digesting the many issues that were the highlights of constitutional and prominent Suva lawyer Jon Apted (F/T 07/12), it is obviously clear and plain that the 2013 Constitution was engineered by its authors with all the intention of permanent subjection of all people of this small, tiny country with autocracy and subserviency control under the covering of ‘democratic’ principles. Now, we must bear in mind that as we currently live under this 2013 documents, we are actually living and conducting all our civil and democratic principles unlawfully since the coup-de tat of 2006 was declared unlawful by the Supreme Court ruling in April 2009 with the Qarase case judgement. Aren’t we conscious of our total illegality? So, the only possible path way forward without too many hurdles is for this country to allow the Court system to decide on that 2009 Supreme Court ruling on the Qarase case and remove this controversial and illegal document and believe me – there is no other way. MELI BOGILEKA Natabua, Lautoka Walking the talk You raise a number of pertinent questions in The Fiji Times editorial on who is responsible and accountable for the “over 8000 illegal immigrants in Fiji” (FT 7/12). One thing for sure is that it’s not the ordinary citizens. Could this have been a post coup phenomenon when democratic governance was weakened because those in power could not be held to standards of transparency, accountability and scrutiny expected? One other very important question we must not shy away from is what part official corruption played in the influx of illegal immigrants in the country? Rajend Naidu Sydney, Australia Lack of trash bins! I commend the trusted brand and the people’s newspaper for highlighting Fiji’s political, social and environmental issues in an ethical and professional manner. Littering has become a nemesis, an eyesore and an issue affecting our municipal councils and the residents alike. While the municipalities are pointing fingers at the residents for illegal rubbish and white goods dumping, fingers are also pointing at the municipalities for their failure to collect white goods on time and for the lack of trash bins, as pointed out by The Fiji Times (05/12). According to Jake Wise, municipalities across Fiji were grappling with a shortage of rubbish bins, leaving many towns and cities unable to effectively manage the growing waste generated by their growing populations. It’s sad to note that there is a shortage of rubbish bins along footpaths in the Capital City. With rising urban population, the demand for proper waste management systems, including the provision of sufficient rubbish bins, is more urgent than ever. We need to keep our environment clean. It cannot be done by an individual but by everyone! Rajnesh Ishwar Lingam Nadawa, Nasinu Cause and effect Drugs have silently eroded the moral and physical stature of the people of our beloved nation. I note that the second Speaker’s Debate touched on Drugs while the slogan on the banner that late afternoon cried ‘The Evidence is Clear: Invest in Prevention’. Sadly, the reality of our solutions are targeted more at fixing the effects of drugs while we tend to shy away from treating the cause which is the heart and heat of the matter! And despite the fact that we have national security planners and are spending ‘every which way’ as us kailoma like to put it, somehow our borders remain open and defenceless to all forms of criminal activity. So how about instead of bringing in the huge boats that get stuck on reefs, we decentralise our Customs Department, set them up on the furthest of our islands in our group of islands including Rotuma, build the right infrastructure on them, equip them with the right communication and surveillance equipment, get them say 40 boats and a bunch of armed policemen and service them with our government barges and island freighters! We can bet our bottom dollar that our weak and vulnerable points has been studied to the letter! Noleen Billings Savusavu English and the vernacular OK, I get it. Children taught in their vernacular, as Prof. Paul Gerahaty (FT 29/11) is suggesting, might help improve some of the academic results attributed to a better comprehension in their own language. But jeez, Prof, how on Earth do you teach a myriad of subjects in the vernacular that require English as a basis of learning and understanding? If we were to take a step back, could the problem be how teachers are conveying the message of the subject so it’s a communication based teaching style issue that needs looking into? Or, could it be a lack of adequate teaching materials and technological support? Could it be a lapse and focus on the part of pupils who’re failing because of the challenges of home life where there are serious financial constraints or even domestic violence issues? Could the problem be related to nutrition where a child is not getting adequate nutrients in their everyday meals because of the financial struggles in the home? Could it be linked to problems with alcohol, drugs, porn and the lure of digitised games on the internet because of plain boredom? Is the curriculum relevant or appropriately structured to meet the needs and standards of the current crop of students? Could some of these students who’re not up to par have learning difficulties? Could some of these students have issues at home where they’re not receiving the love and support of their parents and/or guardians to help them overcome the hurdles and challenges of school life? Could it be because exams favour certain learning styles while they lose a significant proportion of pupils because they didn’t understand or grasp the message, context or concept of what was being taught? There could be a myriad of different reasons why certain children do well while others flop. So there needs to be a holistic approach to understand why so many children are struggling with school work and with their exams. I’m a fan of yours and have great respect for the work that you do. I know your heart’s in the right place. And I understand that you’re trying desperately to find a solution to help improve academic excellence and performance. However, the positive side to all of this is that your suggestion has started a dialogue deluge. And hopefully, there’ll be a host of solutions raining down to help fix the failure rate. So vinaka and good on you for sparking the discussion. Colin Deoki Australia
NEW YORK , Dec. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Tannenbaum Helpern is pleased to announce that Anne-Mette Elkjær Andersen has joined the Firm as partner in the Firm's Corporate practice. Anne-Mette is a highly qualified corporate attorney focusing on cross border and U.S. mergers and acquisitions, international business transactions, and corporate transactions and corporate compliance for engineering & architecture firms. Her decades of experience include advising clients on strategic purchases and sales in many sectors, including engineering, architecture, and other licensed professional design professions; defense; software; renewable energy; oil and gas; technology; retail and manufacturing; service; aviation; and shipping and rail, among others. Anne-Mette comes to Tannenbaum Helpern from the New York office of Holland & Knight, where she counseled clients on international M&A, financing and securities, performed regulatory and licensing work for professional design corporations, and assisted startup and emerging growth companies enter the U.S. market. Her clients include U.S. and foreign established privately and publicly held corporations and emerging companies on stock and asset sales, joint ventures, and SPAC matters, among others. Her experience also includes advising foreign bank clients on loan and financing agreements involving U.S.-based subsidiaries of foreign clients. Anne-Mette's primary experience is with private strategic buyers and sellers, and she also has experience in public and private securities offerings and initial public offerings (IPOs), including simultaneous offerings both in the U.S. and internationally. Anne-Mette began her career in Denmark as a lawyer with the Danish Ministry of Justice. She also spent four years with the Danish law firm Reumert & Partners (now Kromann Reumert), primarily in the areas of general corporate law, M&A and insolvency law. While practicing in Denmark , Anne-Mette represented, among others, U.S., Canadian, and Danish corporations in M&A transactions and other corporate matters. Managing Partner Andrew W. Singer commented, "Anne-Mette will expand our Corporate and M&A practices, facilitate increased opportunities for our clients and increase our ability to pursue new client relationships, especially in overseas markets and the professional design professions. Welcome, Anne-Mette!" "Anne-Mette is a welcome addition to Tannenbaum Helpern . Her capabilities and international reach add to our existing platform and relationships, both in the U.S. and globally," said Drew Jaglom , Chair of Tannenbaum Helpern's Corporate practice. Regarding her arrival, Anne-Mette added, "It's my privilege to join Tannenbaum Helpern . I'm excited to be a part of such a talented team of attorneys, and a Firm that is focused on the future!" About Tannenbaum Helpern Since 1978, Tannenbaum Helpern Syracuse & Hirschtritt LLP has combined a powerful mix of insight, creativity, industry knowledge, legal talent and experience to successfully guide clients through periods of challenge and opportunity. Our mission is to deliver the highest quality legal services in a practical and efficient manner and to provide the judgment, common sense and legal acumen of well trained, business minded lawyers, all within a culture that fosters an inclusive and respectful workplace. Through our commitment to exceptional service and driven by a focus on results, Tannenbaum Helpern continues to earn the loyalty of our clients and a reputation for excellence. For more information, visit www.thsh.com . Jennifer Papantonio Chief Marketing & Business Development Officer papantonio@thsh.com 212.702.3147 View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/anne-mette-elkjaer-andersen-joins-tannenbaum-helpern-as-partner-in-the-firms-corporate-practice-group-302320136.html SOURCE Tannenbaum Helpern Syracuse & Hirschtritt LLP
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