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‘Simple Sa Aadmi Hai’: Salman Khan Praises Mahesh Babu on ‘Bigg Boss 18’ Weekend Ka Vaar (Watch Video)The Latest: State funeral for Jimmy Carter will be Jan. 9Rupee set to extend recovery on RBI-motivated dollar-long liquidationBy Melina Walling, The Associated Press BAKU, Azerbaijan — In the wee hours Sunday at the United Nations climate talks, countries from around the world reached an agreement on how rich countries can cough up the funds to support poor countries in the face of climate change. It’s a far-from-perfect arrangement, with many parties still deeply unsatisfied but some hopeful that the deal will be a step in the right direction. World Resources Institute president and CEO Ani Dasgupta called it “an important down payment toward a safer, more equitable future,” but added that the poorest and most vulnerable nations are “rightfully disappointed that wealthier countries didn’t put more money on the table when billions of people’s lives are at stake.” The summit was supposed to end on Friday evening but negotiations spiraled on through early Sunday. With countries on opposite ends of a massive chasm, tensions ran high as delegations tried to close the gap in expectations. Here’s how they got there: Rich countries have agreed to pool together at least $300 billion a year by 2035. It’s not near the full amount of $1.3 trillion that developing countries were asking for, and that experts said was needed. But delegations more optimistic about the agreement said this deal is headed in the right direction, with hopes that more money flows in the future. The text included a call for all parties to work together using “all public and private sources” to get closer to the $1.3 trillion per year goal by 2035. That means also pushing for international mega-banks, funded by taxpayer dollars, to help foot the bill. And it means, hopefully, that companies and private investors will follow suit on channeling cash toward climate action. The agreement is also a critical step toward helping countries on the receiving end create more ambitious targets to limit or cut emissions of heat-trapping gases that are due early next year. It’s part of the plan to keep cutting pollution with new targets every five years, which the world agreed to at the U.N. talks in Paris in 2015. The Paris agreement set the system of regular ratcheting up climate fighting ambition as away to keep warming under 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels. The world is already at 1.3 degrees Celsius (2.3 degrees Fahrenheit) and carbon emissions keep rising. The deal decided in Baku replaces a previous agreement from 15 years ago that charged rich nations $100 billion a year to help the developing world with climate finance. The new number has similar aims: it will go toward the developing world’s long laundry list of to-dos to prepare for a warming world and keep it from getting hotter. That includes paying for the transition to clean energy and away from fossil fuels. Countries need funds to build up the infrastructure needed to deploy technologies like wind and solar power on a large scale. Communities hard-hit by extreme weather also want money to adapt and prepare for events like floods, typhoons and fires. Funds could go toward improving farming practices to make them more resilient to weather extremes, to building houses differently with storms in mind, to helping people move from the hardest-hit areas and to help leaders improve emergency plans and aid in the wake of disasters. The Philippines, for example, has been hammered by six major storms in less than a month , bringing to millions of people howling wind, massive storm surges and catastrophic damage to residences, infrastructure and farmland. “Family farmers need to be financed,” said Esther Penunia of the Asian Farmers Association. She described how many have already had to deal with millions of dollars of storm damage, some of which includes trees that won’t again bear fruit for months or years, or animals that die, wiping out a main source of income. “If you think of a rice farmer who depends on his or her one hectare farm, rice land, ducks, chickens, vegetables, and it was inundated, there was nothing to harvest,” she said. The ending of COP29 is “reflective of the harder geopolitical terrain the world finds itself in,” said Li Shuo of the Asia Society. He cited Trump’s recent victory in the US — with his promises to pull the country out of the Paris Agreement — as one reason why the relationship between China and the EU will be more consequential for global climate politics moving forward. Developing nations also faced some difficulties agreeing in the final hours, with one Latin American delegation member saying that their group didn’t feel properly consulted when small island states had last-minute meetings to try to break through to a deal. Negotiators from across the developing world took different tacks on the deal until they finally agreed to compromise. Meanwhile, activists ramped up the pressure: many urged negotiators to stay strong and asserted that no deal would be better than a bad deal. But ultimately the desire for a deal won out. Some also pointed to the host country as a reason for the struggle. Mohamed Adow, director of climate and energy think tank Power Shift Africa, said Friday that “this COP presidency is one of the worst in recent memory,” calling it “one of the most poorly led and chaotic COP meetings ever.” The presidency said in a statement, “Every hour of the day, we have pulled people together. Every inch of the way, we have pushed for the highest common denominator. We have faced geopolitical headwinds and made every effort to be an honest broker for all sides.” Shuo retains hope that the opportunities offered by a green economy “make inaction self-defeating” for countries around the world, regardless of their stance on the decision. But it remains to be seen whether the UN talks can deliver more ambition next year. In the meantime, “this COP process needs to recover from Baku,” Shuo said. Associated Press reporters Seth Borenstein and Sibi Arasu contributed to this report. The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org . More in Nation-World News Rising price of paying national debt is risk for Trump’s promises on growth and inflation What medical experts think of RFK Jr.’s health department nomination Suspect arrested in theft of $3,000 gold rose from 9/11 displaycasino slot bonus 。

has transformed the way we capture and share our experiences. With advanced at our fingertips, taking stunning photos has never been more accessible. However, to truly elevate your iPhone photography from good to exceptional, understanding and mastering exposure is key. Exposure is the foundation of every photograph, determining the brightness, contrast, and overall mood of your images. By learning to control exposure manually, you can create photos that are not only technically sound but also visually captivating and emotionally engaging. Exposure refers to the amount of light that reaches your iPhone’s camera sensor, which ultimately determines how bright or dark your photo appears. Closely related to exposure is the of , which represents the range of light captured in a single image, from the deepest shadows to the brightest highlights. While the human eye can effortlessly process a wide dynamic range, cameras often struggle to capture the same level of detail in both the shadows and highlights. Your is designed to automatically adjust exposure based on the scene, but there are situations where manual intervention is necessary to achieve the desired result. High-contrast scenes, such as a sunset or a brightly lit room with deep shadows, are prime examples of when understanding exposure and dynamic range becomes crucial. In these cases, you’ll need to decide whether to prioritize the highlights, shadows or strike a balance between the two to create a compelling image. One of the most effective tools for managing exposure and dynamic range on your iPhone is . When HDR is enabled, your iPhone captures multiple exposures of the same scene and merges them into a single image, mimicking how your eyes perceive light. This process allows for a more balanced exposure, preserving details in both the highlights and shadows. On most iPhones, Smart HDR is enabled by default, ensuring well-balanced photos even in challenging lighting conditions. However, there are times when HDR may not be the best choice. If you’re aiming for a more dramatic or artistic effect, disabling HDR can help you emphasize either the highlights or shadows, creating a striking contrast in your image. Experimenting with HDR settings allows you to tailor the mood and tone of your photos to suit your creative vision. While your iPhone’s automatic exposure settings are reliable in most situations, there are times when manual adjustments can make a significant difference in the quality of your photos. Your iPhone offers several tools for precise exposure control, including the and . To manually adjust exposure, simply tap on the screen to on your subject, then drag the sun icon up or down to increase or decrease the brightness. This technique is particularly useful in uneven lighting conditions, such as backlit portraits or dimly lit interiors. For consistent results, you can lock the focus and exposure by tapping and holding on a specific area of the frame. This ensures that your settings remain fixed, even if you recompose the shot or the lighting conditions change. In bright scenes with overexposed areas, lowering the exposure can recover highlight details. In dimly lit environments, increasing the exposure can reveal shadow details and brighten your subject. Experiment with different angles and available light sources to strike the right balance between brightness and clarity. Beyond its technical aspects, exposure is also a powerful creative tool that can dramatically impact the mood, atmosphere, and overall impact of your photos. By intentionally underexposing or overexposing your images, you can achieve unique and compelling effects that draw the viewer’s attention and evoke specific emotions. your photos can deepen shadows, create a moody or mysterious atmosphere, and emphasize specific elements in your composition. This technique is particularly effective for black-and-white photography, abstract shots, or images with a dramatic, cinematic feel. On the other hand, can brighten your subject, produce a high-key effect, and create a sense of lightness, airiness, or minimalism. This approach is well-suited for portraits, still-life photography, or images with a dreamy, ethereal quality. Light and shadow also play a crucial role in creative photography. By strategically positioning your subject in relation to natural light sources, such as windows or streetlamps, you can create dynamic and visually engaging compositions. Use shadows to frame your subject, add depth to your image, or create abstract patterns and textures. Experiment with different exposure settings to achieve unique and creative effects. Use underexposure to create moody, dramatic, or cinematic images. Employ overexposure to brighten your subject and produce a high-key, minimalist effect. Leverage light and shadow to add depth, frame your subject, or create abstract compositions. While manual exposure adjustments can help you capture better results in a variety of situations, some lighting conditions pose particular challenges for iPhone photographers. Bright sunlight, low light, and mixed lighting scenarios can make achieving the perfect exposure tricky, but with the right techniques, you can overcome these obstacles and create stunning images. In direct sunlight, the high contrast between bright highlights and deep shadows can easily lead to overexposed or underexposed areas in your photo. To avoid this, lock the exposure on the brightest part of the scene, ensuring that your highlights are properly exposed. This technique is especially useful for outdoor portraits or landscapes. Additionally, be mindful of lens flares caused by direct sunlight hitting your lens. Adjust your position or use your hand to shield the lens for clearer, flare-free images. Low-light conditions, such as dimly lit interiors or nighttime scenes, present a different set of challenges. In these situations, increasing the exposure can help brighten your subject and reveal details in the shadows. However, be cautious of noise, which can degrade image quality when pushing the exposure too far. Experiment with different angles and available light sources to find the right balance between brightness and clarity. Consider using a tripod or stabilizing your iPhone against a solid surface to minimize camera shake and ensure sharp, blur-free photos. In direct sunlight, lock the exposure on the brightest part of the scene to avoid overexposed highlights. Shield your iPhone’s lens from direct sunlight to reduce lens flares and improve image clarity. In low light, carefully increase exposure to brighten your subject while minimizing noise. Use a tripod or stabilize your iPhone to prevent camera shake and ensure sharp photos in low-light conditions. To consistently improve your iPhone photography and make the most of your exposure control, keep these practical tips in mind: , as shadows and highlights can shift rapidly, altering the optimal exposure settings. , such as shooting from above or below, to create unique perspectives and leverage available light sources. for abstract or artistic compositions, emphasizing patterns, textures, and shapes. —your iPhone’s automatic settings are often sufficient for most scenes. Use manual controls selectively to enhance your photos and bring your creative vision to life. By mastering exposure on your iPhone, you’ll unlock the full potential of your device’s camera and elevate your photography to new heights. Understanding dynamic range, leveraging HDR, and using manual adjustments will enable you to create images that are both technically sound and visually compelling. Whether you’re capturing a dramatic sunset, a moody portrait, or an abstract composition, these techniques will help you harness the interplay of light and shadow to tell your unique story. With practice, experimentation, and a creative eye, you’ll consistently produce stunning photos that showcase your artistic vision and leave a lasting impact on your viewers. Source & Image Credit: l

Winners, losers as Lions outlast Packers 34-31 on Thursday Night Football

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Londynn Jones scored 15 points, making all five of her 3-pointers, and fifth-ranked UCLA stunned No. 1 South Carolina 77-62 on Sunday, ending the Gamecocks’ overall 43-game winning streak and their run of 33 consecutive road victories. The Gamecocks (5-1) lost for the first time since April 2023, when Caitlin Clark and Iowa beat them in the NCAA Tournament national semifinals.

AP Business SummaryBrief at 2:22 p.m. ESTUPI provided credit access to poor, fuelled growth: StudyThe Latest: State funeral for Jimmy Carter will be Jan. 9

Targeted cash transfers to poor households could reduce Bangladesh's poverty rate by 6.13 percentage points, according to the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), as the think-tank argued that current social safety net programmes are plagued by inefficiencies such as errors in beneficiary selection. At a dialogue in Dhaka yesterday, the CPD proposed providing Tk 4,500 per month to targeted households based on their level of income. The CPD said households could be identified using a poverty scorecard and intervention approaches could be tailored to poverty-prone, climate-vulnerable and highly poverty-prone areas. The think tank contended that current social safety net programmes, despite costing crores in taxpayer money, are insufficient and inefficient in addressing poverty. According to the National Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) 2022, the poverty rate in Bangladesh was 18.7 percent, while the extreme poverty rate stood at 5.6 percent. Despite more than 140 ongoing poverty alleviation programmes, the think tank said the beneficiary selection process does not have objective metrics, meaning officials can exercise excessive discretionary power, which ultimately leads to prejudice and nepotism. "Besides, most of these programmes are rural-centric, which is ineffective in reducing overall poverty," said Towfiqul Islam Khan, a senior research fellow at the CPD. While presenting the keynote at the dialogue, titled "Assessing the Viability of Universal Basic Income (UBI) in Bangladesh" at Hotel Lakeshore in Gulshan, Khan said that the government should select its approach based on the country's limited revenue mobilisation capacity. Professor Rehman Sobhan, chairman of the CPD, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, former commerce minister, and KAS Murshid, head of the interim government's sustainable development review task force, also spoke at the event. Targeted cash transfers to cost up to 1.35% of GDP The CPD estimated that a nationwide cash grant programme could cost the government 1.35 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP). "The second approach, providing targeted cash grants to poverty-prone households, would cost around 0.84 percent of the GDP. Programmes for climate-vulnerable and highly poverty-prone areas would cost 0.67 percent and 0.27 percent of GDP, respectively," Khan said. "The people of Bangladesh have a right to a minimum income as citizens. While there may be challenges, this is the government's responsibility, not the people's," said Debapriya Bhattacharya, a distinguished fellow at the CPD who also moderated the event. In his speech, Professor Rehman Sobhan said the Universal Basic Income (UBI) could be a serious policy option for Bangladesh. He said that the UBI concept has been discussed globally since the 1980s, originating from an International Labour Organization official. Sobhan appreciated the CPD for producing a comprehensive paper, saying that it has moved beyond academic discussion and now holds the possibility for a real-world impact. "This is no longer an academic paper... it has the possibility of being taken seriously," Prof Sobhan said, calling to include the UBI in the upcoming national budget. The renowned economist also cautioned against potential implementation issues, especially the risk of UBI being used as a tool for political patronage. "Every single government in my living memory has used cash transfer programmes as an instrument of patronage," he said. Social safety net needs overhaul Taskforce head Murshid said Bangladesh has around 120 social protection programmes. "Bringing them under a single umbrella would improve their effectiveness. Now is the opportune moment to consider this approach," he said. He elaborated on the inconsistency in defining poverty and the poor, saying that targeting errors, omissions and inclusions continue to dent progress. "We haven't overcome these issues. In fact, our performance has deteriorated over the years." Besides, Murshid mentioned that social protection programmes remain largely focused on rural areas despite the shift towards urbanisation, with nearly 40 percent of the population now residing in urban areas. Given the current economic slowdown, Murshid emphasised the importance of expanding the safety net to include those just above the poverty line who are at risk of slipping into poverty. Identifying vulnerable populations is important to prevent further deterioration, he added. Former commerce minister Khasru said the mindset of people in Bangladesh has undergone a significant shift since the deposal of the "autocratic regime". "The way people's attitudes, expectations and values have changed aligns with today's presentation," he said, warning that political leaders who fail to recognise this change have no future. He stressed the need for Bangladesh to become an egalitarian society, identifying over-exploitation, wealth concentration and corruption as major issues draining the economy and depriving people of their share. Advocating good governance and efficient delivery systems, especially at the local government level, Khasru discussed the need for sustainable programmes, noting that a basic income or wage alone is not a viable solution. Prof Mustafizur Rahman, a distinguished fellow of the CPD, called for public-private partnerships to address economic challenges, stressing the importance of viewing the issue from an anti-oppression perspective. "Nothing is as strong as an idea whose time has come," he said. "Everyone should have a minimum income... this is not about means-testing," he said. Mostafa Kamal, additional secretary of the social welfare ministry, said social safety net programmes were not as successful as expected due to flaws in planning and weaknesses in implementation. "These issues have to be looked into before any new programmes are launched," he added. Rizwan Rahman, former president of Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said he had seen news of 300 people receiving incentive assistance from the same mobile number during the Covid-19 pandemic. "This should not happen under new programmes." He also suggested ensuring that social security allowances do not go above the minimum wage. "Otherwise, the tendency to remain unemployed may increase." Imran Matin, executive director of the BRAC Institute of Governance and Development, said transparency and accountability are key to the success of any government programme and must be ensured.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump on Sunday pushed Russian leader Vladimir Putin to act to reach an immediate ceasefire with Ukraine, describing it as part of his active efforts as president-elect to end the war despite being weeks from taking office. “Zelensky and Ukraine would like to make a deal and stop the madness," Trump wrote on social media, referring to Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In a television interview that aired Sunday, Trump also said he would be open to reducing military aid to Ukraine and pulling the United States out of NATO . Those are two threats that have alarmed Ukraine, NATO allies and many in the U.S. national security community. Asked on NBC's “Meet the Press” if he were actively working to end the nearly 3-year-old Ukraine war, Trump said, “I am.” He refused to say if he had spoken to Putin since winning the election in November. “I don’t want to say anything about that, because I don’t want to do anything that could impede the negotiation,” Trump said. Trump's call for an immediate ceasefire went beyond the public policy stands taken by both the Biden administration and Ukraine and drew a cautious response from Zelenskyy. It also marks Trump's wading unusually deeply into efforts before his inauguration on Jan. 20 to resolve one of the major global crises facing the lame-duck Biden administration. Trump made his proposal after a weekend meeting in Paris with French and Ukrainian leaders in Paris, where many world leaders gathered to celebrate the restoration of Notre Dame cathedral after a devastating fire. None of the advisers traveling with him appeared to have expertise on Ukraine. Kyiv would like to close a deal, Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social. “There should be an immediate ceasefire and negotiations should begin.” “I know Vladimir well. This is his time to act. China can help. The World is waiting!” Trump added. He was referring to mediation efforts by China that many in the West have seen as favoring Russia. Zelenskyy described his discussions Saturday with Trump, brought together by French President Emmanuel Macron, as “constructive" but has given no further details. In a post Sunday on the Telegram messaging app, Zelenskyy cautioned that Ukraine needs a “just and robust peace, that Russians will not destroy within a few years.” “When we talk about an effective peace with Russia, we must talk first of all about effective peace guarantees. Ukrainians want peace more than anyone else. Russia brought war to our land,” Zelenskyy said. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded to Trump's post by repeating Moscow’s longstanding message that it is open to talks with Ukraine. Peskov referenced a decree by Zelenskyy from October 2022 that formally declared the prospect of any talks “impossible” as long as Putin was Russia's leader. That decree came after Putin proclaimed four occupied regions of Ukraine to be part of Russia, in what Kyiv and the West said was a clear violation of Ukrainian sovereignty. Trump’s former national security adviser, retired Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, warned there was no such thing as a quick fix to ending Russia’s war with Ukraine. “What I’m worried about is this kind of flawed idea that Putin can be placated, right, that Putin will come to some kind of a deal,” McMaster told “Fox News Sunday." “I think it’s really important for President Trump to adhere to his instinct in this connection ... peace through strength,” McMaster said, adding, “How about give them what they need to defend themselves, and then saying to Putin, ‘You’re going to lose this war?”’ While Trump has said before that he would like to see a quick ceasefire in Ukraine, his proposal Sunday was framed as a direct appeal to Russia. The quick responses from Ukraine and Russia demonstrated the seriousness with which they regarded the idea from the incoming American president. Both Trump and Biden administration officials have pointed to Russia’s disengagement in Syria , where the Russian military largely moved out of the way in recent days as Syrian rebels overthrew the country’s Russian-allied president , as evidence of the extent to which the Ukraine war has sapped Russia’s resources. The Biden administration and other supporters of Ukraine have made a point of not being seen to press Ukraine for an immediate truce. Ukraine's allies fear a quick deal would be largely on the terms of its more powerful neighbor, potentially forcing damaging concessions on Ukraine and allowing Russia to resume the war again once it has built back up its military strength. For most of the war, Kyiv’s official position has been to call for a full withdrawal of Russian troops from internationally recognized Ukrainian territory, including Crimea, as a condition for peace talks. Moscow, too, has demanded heavy concessions from Ukraine as a condition for even beginning talks. Trump portrays himself as up to making fast deals to resolve conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East that have frustrated many of the Biden administration's own mediation efforts. There is no prohibition on incoming officials or nominees meeting with foreign officials, and it is common and fine for them to do so — unless those meetings are designed to subvert or otherwise affect current U.S. policy. The Logan Act bars private citizens from trying to intervene in “disputes or controversies” between the United States and foreign powers without government approval. But the 1799 statute has produced just two criminal cases, none since the 1850s and neither resulting in a criminal conviction. In the NBC interview that was taped Friday, Trump renewed his warning to NATO allies that he did not see continued U.S. participation in the Western military alliance as a given during his second term. Trump has long complained that European and the Canadian governments in the mutual-defense bloc are freeloading on military spending by the U.S., by far the most powerful partner in NATO. NATO and its member governments say a majority of countries in the bloc are now hitting voluntary targets for military spending, due in part to pressure from Trump in his first term. Asked whether he would consider the possibility of pulling out of NATO, Trump indicated that was an open question. “If they’re paying their bills, and if I think they’re treating us fairly, the answer is absolutely I’d stay with NATO,” he said. But if not, he was asked if he would consider pulling the U.S. out of the alliance. Trump responded, “Absolutely. Yeah, absolutely.” Trump expressed the same openness when asked if Ukraine should brace for possible cuts in U.S. aid. “Possibly,” he said. U.S. arms and other military support are vital to Ukraine's efforts to fend off invading Russian forces, and Democratic President Joe Biden has been surging assistance to Ukraine ahead of leaving office. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Saturday announced nearly $1 billion more in longer-term weapons support to Ukraine. Austin spoke to his Ukrainian counterpart, Rustem Umerov, on Sunday about the status of the war and U.S. military backing, the Pentagon said. — Koslowska reported from London. AP reporters Jill Colvin and Matthew Lee contributed from Washington.Vikings escape with 30-27 win over Bears in overtime thriller