opening times betfred
Nvidia Just Reached a $30 Billion Milestone. Is the Stock a Buy for 2025?
Avior Wealth Management LLC lowered its holdings in AllianceBernstein National Municipal Income Fund, Inc. ( NYSE:AFB – Free Report ) by 5.4% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 30,093 shares of the investment management company’s stock after selling 1,713 shares during the quarter. Avior Wealth Management LLC’s holdings in AllianceBernstein National Municipal Income Fund were worth $355,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. Other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Private Advisor Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of AllianceBernstein National Municipal Income Fund in the third quarter valued at approximately $139,000. Choreo LLC acquired a new stake in shares of AllianceBernstein National Municipal Income Fund in the 2nd quarter valued at $252,000. Wolverine Asset Management LLC raised its position in shares of AllianceBernstein National Municipal Income Fund by 39.6% during the third quarter. Wolverine Asset Management LLC now owns 26,782 shares of the investment management company’s stock worth $316,000 after acquiring an additional 7,600 shares during the last quarter. Blue Bell Private Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of AllianceBernstein National Municipal Income Fund by 84.8% during the second quarter. Blue Bell Private Wealth Management LLC now owns 32,902 shares of the investment management company’s stock valued at $366,000 after acquiring an additional 15,102 shares during the period. Finally, Rothschild Investment LLC bought a new position in AllianceBernstein National Municipal Income Fund in the second quarter valued at about $891,000. AllianceBernstein National Municipal Income Fund Price Performance Shares of NYSE:AFB opened at $11.22 on Friday. AllianceBernstein National Municipal Income Fund, Inc. has a 1-year low of $10.13 and a 1-year high of $11.95. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $11.50 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $11.27. AllianceBernstein National Municipal Income Fund Announces Dividend The business also recently declared a monthly dividend, which was paid on Friday, November 22nd. Stockholders of record on Thursday, November 7th were paid a $0.0396 dividend. This represents a $0.48 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.24%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, November 7th. AllianceBernstein National Municipal Income Fund Profile ( Free Report ) AllianceBernstein National Municipal Income Fund, Inc is a closed-ended fixed income mutual fund launched and managed by AllianceBernstein L.P. The fund invests in the fixed income markets of the United States. It primarily invests in investment-grade municipal securities which pay interest that is exempt from federal income tax. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for AllianceBernstein National Municipal Income Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for AllianceBernstein National Municipal Income Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .ASU HC Makes Case for Bye in CFP Bracket: 'We Should Be Treated Like an 11-1 Team'
F.N.B. Co. (NYSE:FNB) Shares Sold by Sanctuary Advisors LLCUS News Today Live Updates on December 8, 2024 : Donald Trump says US should avoid Syria: ‘This is a mess, but not our fight, let it play out’
DELMONT, S.D. — A historic building on Delmont's Main Street, once home to a bank, a kindergarten, and even a police station, is now serving a new purpose: as a cozy coffee shop. This latest chapter in the building's history began over a decade ago, when Anita and David Mathews saw potential in the long-empty structure. It’s a project they’ve poured their hearts into through years of trial, loss, and recovery. ADVERTISEMENT After David retired from his position as a professor at South Dakota State University in 2010, the couple was looking for a new project to occupy their time. Initially eyeing another building in town, they ended up acquiring the old bank building on Main Street. They transformed it into the Old Bank Mini Mart, breathing new life into the historic structure. "We saw it as an opportunity to bring something new to town," Anita said. "It was a great building with a lot of history, and we thought it could be a perfect spot for a business." The couple were no strangers to running businesses. They had owned and operated convenience stores and restaurants in New Hampshire and Missouri before settling in Delmont, and they were excited to get started. But just five years after opening the Old Bank Mini Mart, disaster struck. A devastating tornado tore through Delmont in 2015, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. The storm significantly impacted the town, and the Mathews’ business never recovered. "The tornado took out so much of the town, and half the people left. It was hard to keep things going after that," Mathews said. With the mini mart no longer viable, the Mathews tried their hand at a liquidation store, but their hearts just weren’t in it. "It wasn’t the right fit for us," Mathews said. "We didn’t have the same passion for it as we did with the mini mart. We needed to do something that felt meaningful." After a few years of uncertainty, the couple decided earlier this fall to revitalize the building once more and give residents of Delmont something they've been missing - a place to gather over a good cup of coffee. ADVERTISEMENT "We wanted to offer people a place where they could come together, enjoy a good cup of coffee, and feel like they’re part of something," Mathews said. "The town needs it." The Mathews have kept things simple yet inviting, catering to early risers and those looking for a quick breakfast stop before work. The menu is small, but satisfying, offering coffee, cappuccino, hot chocolate and soda, as well as donuts, muffins and apple fritters. Breakfast and lunch sandwiches, burritos and snacks are available as well. Items are delivered weekly from Farner-Bocken, a midwest distributor. They plan to introduce the South Dakota lottery soon—a move that could attract more foot traffic. “We’re not trying to do anything fancy,” Mathews said. “Just good, strong coffee, the kind that people want when they’re on their way to work or starting their day. Delmont doesn’t need a fancy cafe—it just needs a good, dependable spot for people to gather.” The coffee shop is more than just a place to grab a cup of joe; it serves as a tribute to Delmont's history and resilience. The building’s walls are adorned with photographs showcasing its evolution from its time as a bank through its survival of the 2015 tornado. A unique feature is its original vault—a striking reminder of its storied past—once robbed in 1966 by thieves who cut through it to steal silver dollars. "This building has seen so much. It's part of Delmont's soul," Anita Mathews said. Since opening last week, the coffee shop has quickly become a local gathering spot, especially the regular group of people who stop by each morning for their coffee. "This is a forward-thinking venture and it's great for them to provide for the community," said Delmont resident Sam Grosz. ADVERTISEMENT Coffee shops have long been catalysts for community revitalization. They provide an accessible and welcoming environment that encourages social interaction and economic activity. In small towns like Delmont, such establishments can be pivotal in fostering a sense of belonging and encouraging local engagement. In addition to serving coffee, the Mathews hope the shop will provide a space for social connection. They are planning to host game nights and gatherings for Delmont’s over-50 crowd, many of whom seek social connections. "There’s a real need for places where people can come together," Mathews said. "Some of the older folks are homebound or empty nesters. We want to give them a space where they can socialize and have fun." For the Mathews, this venture is more than just a business—it’s about helping Delmont recover and rebuild after hardship. They hope their coffee shop will inspire further development in town. "Hopefully this is the push others need to follow suit and open a business in town too," Mathews said. "If you put the right thing here and do it right, people will come."
Nominations Open for 2025 Defense IT Summit Flywheel AwardsAscom Holding AG ( OTCMKTS:ACMLF – Get Free Report ) saw a significant increase in short interest in the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totalling 900 shares, an increase of 50.0% from the November 30th total of 600 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 0 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently ∞ days. Ascom Stock Performance Shares of OTCMKTS ACMLF opened at $6.50 on Friday. Ascom has a one year low of $6.34 and a one year high of $6.50. The company’s fifty day moving average is $6.50 and its two-hundred day moving average is $6.95. Ascom Company Profile ( Get Free Report ) Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Ascom Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Ascom and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .Swiss National Bank cut its holdings in Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. ( NYSE:AIT – Free Report ) by 0.9% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 75,400 shares of the industrial products company’s stock after selling 700 shares during the quarter. Swiss National Bank owned approximately 0.20% of Applied Industrial Technologies worth $16,824,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in AIT. Dundas Partners LLP purchased a new stake in Applied Industrial Technologies in the second quarter worth about $46,805,000. Fiera Capital Corp lifted its position in shares of Applied Industrial Technologies by 456.3% during the third quarter. Fiera Capital Corp now owns 130,895 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $29,207,000 after buying an additional 107,365 shares during the last quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Applied Industrial Technologies during the third quarter valued at about $213,590,000. F M Investments LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Applied Industrial Technologies during the second quarter valued at about $15,690,000. Finally, New York State Common Retirement Fund lifted its position in shares of Applied Industrial Technologies by 65.6% during the third quarter. New York State Common Retirement Fund now owns 144,621 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $32,269,000 after buying an additional 57,283 shares during the last quarter. 93.52% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several analysts have commented on AIT shares. Loop Capital increased their price target on shares of Applied Industrial Technologies from $230.00 to $270.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, October 28th. Bank of America increased their price target on shares of Applied Industrial Technologies from $232.00 to $240.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, October 25th. Mizuho initiated coverage on shares of Applied Industrial Technologies in a research report on Tuesday, October 22nd. They set an “outperform” rating and a $285.00 price target for the company. Robert W. Baird upped their price objective on shares of Applied Industrial Technologies from $210.00 to $250.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 16th. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded shares of Applied Industrial Technologies from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, October 22nd. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $267.86. Insider Buying and Selling In other news, VP Kurt W. Loring sold 4,858 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $203.10, for a total transaction of $986,659.80. Following the sale, the vice president now owns 19,315 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,922,876.50. This trade represents a 20.10 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link . 1.67% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Applied Industrial Technologies Price Performance Shares of NYSE:AIT opened at $277.10 on Friday. Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. has a twelve month low of $155.47 and a twelve month high of $277.63. The company’s 50 day moving average is $235.64 and its 200 day moving average is $210.38. The company has a current ratio of 3.78, a quick ratio of 2.74 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33. The company has a market cap of $10.65 billion, a PE ratio of 28.28, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.65 and a beta of 1.03. Applied Industrial Technologies ( NYSE:AIT – Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 24th. The industrial products company reported $2.36 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.25 by $0.11. Applied Industrial Technologies had a net margin of 8.57% and a return on equity of 22.68%. The company had revenue of $1.10 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.08 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $2.39 EPS. Applied Industrial Technologies’s quarterly revenue was up .3% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. will post 9.76 EPS for the current year. Applied Industrial Technologies Dividend Announcement The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 29th. Investors of record on Friday, November 15th will be issued a $0.37 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, November 15th. This represents a $1.48 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.53%. Applied Industrial Technologies’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 15.10%. Applied Industrial Technologies Company Profile ( Free Report ) Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc distributes industrial motion, power, control, and automation technology solutions in North America, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore. It operates in two segments, Service Center Based Distribution, and Engineered Solutions. The company distributes bearings, power transmission products, engineered fluid power components and systems, specialty flow control solutions, advanced automation products, industrial rubber products, linear motion components, automation solutions, tools, safety products, oilfield supplies, and other industrial and maintenance supplies; and motors, belting, drives, couplings, pumps, hydraulic and pneumatic components, filtration supplies, valves, fittings, process instrumentation, actuators, and hoses, filtration supplies, as well as other related supplies for general operational needs of customers' machinery and equipment. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Applied Industrial Technologies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Applied Industrial Technologies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
Mediawatch - TVNZ's Q+A show finally got Christopher Luxon in last weekend for the first time since he became PM. Host Jack Tame made the most of a long interview, but there was not much time for other stuff in the show. Tame told viewers to head to YouTube to see the full version of his chat with outgoing Climate Change Commission chair Rod Carr. The global free-to-use tech platforms do have their uses for local media. Likewise, the government broadcasting funding agency NZ On Air. NZ on Air declared itself 'platform agnostic' almost a decade ago, so it now funds programmes that can be seen online, as long as it is available for free. Last week, it announced it is funding weekly current affairs show Paddy Gower Has Issues to screen on Three next year - but also on the Stuff website, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook and Instagram. In 2025, current affairs The Hui will be available on stuff.co.nz, rnz.co.nz, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, as well as on TV. Some of NZ on Air's latest funding for tamariki is for the online platforms only - including new children's music and lullabies on YouTube and Spotify. But not everyone thinks young people should be on some of those offshore online platforms - including the government across the ditch. It has just rushed through legislation outlawing accounts for under-16s on some social media platforms . Media Watch on the ABC said most experts seemed to think the ban would not work, but they had not been seen much in the Australian media - especially those owned by Rupert Murdoch. News Corp ran an intense 'Let Them Be Kids' campaign for the law change, urging people of all ages to unplug from social media. Media Watch 's Paul Barry pointed out Australian media hostility to online platforms intensified this year after Meta pulled out of the bargaining code which returned big payments from Google and Facebook to news media. Casting an eye across the Tasman 'TIK TOK HORROR' screamed the front page of the Herald on Sunday two weekends ago. "Adding to young people's fears and potential dangers through phones and devices is highly irresponsible and unnecessary," a subsequent editorial in The New Zealand Herald said. "It's high time New Zealand takes the plunge - and seriously considers whether it should follow Australia's lead." Last weekend, the Herald on Sunday declared: "Kiwis want kids off social media." Three-quarters of people surveyed by Horizon Research and the University of Auckland backed Australia's age restrictions, the paper said. But Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden told the Herald on Sunday she was not considering an age limit for social media. It did not mention she had earlier this year scratched a 'Safer Online Platforms' proposal to extending regulation to social media because it could have been a backdoor to unwelcome hate speech laws. This week, the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research - in partnership with BusinessDesk - put Jonathan Haidt's book The Anxious Generation at the top of its annual Summer Reading List for the PM. "The evidence is becoming overwhelming that social media and telecommunications device addictions are causing society-wide harm, particularly in children and young people," it claimed. The book carried evidence-based solutions that have been successfully implemented, the institute said. But New Zealand Initiative chief economist Dr Eric Crampton does not agree. "Each of us can use Google Family Link to control which apps can be used on our kids' Android phones, and to set time limits on them. The government could encourage public service announcements explaining how to use them," he wrote in the Herald in October. What have the tech platforms here had to say in the debate in the media? Next to nothing - either because they were not asked for comment or did not respond to any requests. Experts are also sceptical. Confronting big tech "We shouldn't touch this style of social media ban with a bargepole," tech commentator Peter Griffin wrote for BusinessDesk last week. "It was bad policy-making and badly written policy," Griffin told Mediawatch . "In the last week of Parliament in Australia, and on the last day, they pushed this thing through with 24 hours of consultation. They didn't really even consider any of the 15,000 submissions. They had already made up their mind." "We haven't seen anywhere in the world a reliable, private, secure age verification system ... because it's inherently flawed." But he said our government should mirror their Australian counterparts' willingness to confront Big Tech. "The Liberals as well as Labor have [encouraged] the competition watchdog, the ACCC over there. It did a huge investigation into the market power of big tech, and that is now starting to turn into policy. "Our track record has been woeful. We had an opportunity to partner with Australia on the competition stuff and the digital economy - but we've done nothing. "There's brinksmanship going on at the moment where Google is saying here in New Zealand it might take news off Google Search and Google News. Well, how about you do that? Let's see what happens," he said. Is the news media here compromised when covering these issues? It is an area of genuine public interest, but local media are rivals with big tech platforms in the attention economy. Also, our news media makers are trying to get Google and Facebook to pay them for news - and backing more regulation online as well. "There's a conflict of interest but ... it is an existential crisis that the media is going through. I think it's reasonable to be saying: 'Look at the balance sheets of these big tech companies. Look at how little tax they pay here. Bottom line - do you want a healthy democracy?'" Griffin said. "If you believe that a healthy media underpins that, what are you willing to do to preserve it and to be fair? "If you still want that public interest journalism elements in your media - and not just social media influence - someone's got to pay for it. And it's either going to be taxpayers or it's going to be a more equitable share of the advertising revenue that goes around news. "If they can't make it work, what are we left with? Facebook groups or Facebook pages mediated by Big Tech with all the algorithmic stuff that they're doing ... and making you pay for it if you do want to get that reach. "If you're 12 years old, or 22 or 82 - we're all faced with this manipulation. I think they've lost an opportunity to address those real issues that affect everyone who uses social media. "We've never had a nuanced, balanced discussion about these tech-related issues and the dominance of big tech in our digital economy ... for consumers, for media outlets, for how we nurture our democracy." TV all-in on TikTok In countries with heavy social media habits, media companies have already decided to join what they cannot beat. In the Philippines, broadcaster GMA streams its news bulletin live on TikTok and urges its top journalists and presenters to create content for it. "Many journalists still don't know how to relate to ... the mostly young content creators with huge followings who do not identify as journalists - but greatly influence public opinion," Howie Severino said. Severino, a household name as host of GMA network's current affairs show i-Witness , helped found GMA's Integrated News. He fronted a social media responsibility campaign - Think Before You Click - and partnered with TikTok and the National Commission on Elections to guide people to credible election information on the 2022 Philippines elections. That collaboration won international recognition and Severino told a recent international media conference journalists needed to understand they did not have a monopoly on the facts anymore - and should not keep online influencers at arm's length. "Would a carefully curated selection of these 'influencers' benefit from exposure to journalists and conversations on the value of verification? We must hope so, but first they need to be invited. "Journalists must now serve as models and guides for everyone else on the best practices. With our audiences shrinking and scattering to millions of niches around the internet, we better hope the multitude of new voices grabbing all the attention value the truth and know how to find it." Embracing social media seems to have paid off for GMA. This year's Reuters Institute Digital News Report found GMA's online news remains the most used in the Philippines. Analytics company Tubular rated GMA the highest-ranking media and entertainment company in Southeast Asia, with almost 28 billion video views across Facebook, TikTok and YouTube in the year to August. And it is not all entertainment and clickbait. The GMA News channel on YouTube garnered 1.1 billion views - and the GMA Public Affairs channel 1.6 billion in August this year alone. Embracing TikTok does not appear to have dented its reputation. GMA Network was rated the most trustworthy news outlet in the Philippines in a national survey earlier this year . And on-air ratings for its live TV channels are also going up as well. How did GMA do it? "What felt like a gamble was using our news personalities to populate the platform and to really try out what works. They were sceptical at first," Theodore Jason Patrick Ortiz, senior social media producer at GMA, told Mediawatch at The Future of Facts, an international media conference in Manila in July. Mediawatch was part of a New Zealand delegation there with the support of the Asia New Zealand Foundation Te Whītau Tūhono. "A lot of people in the media would say that we're not supposed to be doing this for the numbers. We should be addressing the problems in the world. But in the world of social media, maybe it's the kind of content that you're creating or the way that you're presenting it that needs fixing," he said. "During the pandemic, people had this tendency to not watch or consume news content. We knew Tiktok was rising. That's why we needed to look for something like the 24 Oras challenge - our version of the teleprompter challenge. "It was a duet with the reporters, encouraging people to be a newscaster and reading a report. "And the numbers spoke for themselves. We saw new people who were rediscovering the programmes, and then there were people who were already fans in the past, who saw it again. "We reached influencers that were not necessarily engaged with our news content. One is a pageant queen who built her platform on Tiktok teaching English grammar and all that stuff. She tried this challenge that we launched, and her followers dived in. So what you're building here is actually a community." Many countries have a problem engaging young people with politics. During the 2022 Election in the Philippines, GMA used online influencers to spread the message. That sounds like a big risk for a news company. "You are taking a gamble, but you choose someone who will agree that they will not be promoting a candidate because that will really jeopardise your credibility. "We just started slowly releasing information or updates, releasing more newscast reports on this platform, in our accounts, and then that's when we started rolling out the journalists. "We don't just create the content and then be done with it. We have to maintain that kind of effort. "Basically you're exposing your news personalities to people that need to hear your message." Should networks here do the same? "Be on those platforms, sure - but be prepared for the 'rug pull' that will inevitably come when the surplus of value disappears," Griffin warned. "That will happen with TikTok. And there's concerns about the ownership (in China) of it as well and we could see Tiktok essentially banned in some countries. "Experts in how to build an audience sustainably say you need to own that audience yourself. You cannot rely on X or Facebook to look after your audience, because those algorithms will change - and their business models will be tweaked to maximize the value they can extract from you. "Suddenly you're paying thousands of dollars for advertising on Tiktok now - and it'll be millions of dollars you'll be expected to pay in future." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.No. 2 Ohio State takes control in the 2nd half and runs over No. 5 Indiana 38-15
Ashlon Jackson scores career-best 30 points to lead No. 13 Duke past No. 9 Kansas 73-62The confidential briefing note is part of the tranche of documents made public in the annual release of State papers from the Irish National Archives. An Irish Department of Foreign Affairs official focusing on justice and security created the list in October 2002. The document starts by referencing a 1999 interview given by George Mitchell, the chairman of the Good Friday Agreement negotiations, in which he claimed the British and Irish governments, as well as Northern Ireland’s political parties, had leaked information to manipulate public opinion. However, he further accused the NIO of attempting to sabotage the process by leaking information on British Government policy to the media. Mr Mitchell, a former US senator, is said to have expressed alarm and anger over the frequency of leaks from the NIO – saying they were uniquely “designed to undermine the policy of the British Government of which they were a part”. The Irish civil servant notes Mr Mitchell himself was subjected to an attempted “smear” when he first arrived in Northern Ireland, as newspaper articles falsely claimed his chief of staff Martha Pope had had a liaison with Sinn Fein representative Gerry Kelly with ulterior motives. The Irish civil servant goes on to list several “leaks”, starting with the publication of a proposed deal in a newspaper while “intense negotiations” for the Downing Street Declaration were under way. Next, the Department lists two “high-profile and damaging leaks issued from the NIO”. A so-called “gameplan” document was leaked in February 1998, showing papers had been prepared weeks before the Drumcree march on July 6, 1997. In the preceding years, there had been standoffs and clashes as nationalists opposed the procession of an Orange parade down Garvaghy Road in Portadown. The gameplan document showed then secretary of state for Northern Ireland Mo Mowlam, who was publicly expressing a desire for a negotiated solution to the 1997 parade, advocated “finding the lowest common denominator for getting some Orange feet on the Garvaghy Road”. In 1997, a large number of security forces were deployed to the area to allow the march to proceed. The incident sparked heightened tension and a wave of rioting. The document further describes the release of a document submitted by the NIO’s director of communications to the secretary of state as a “second major leak”. It claims a publicity strategy was released to the DUP in the aftermath of the Good Friday Agreement and showed how the UK Government would support a yes vote in a referendum following any talks agreement. In addition, it is claimed unionists used leaked sections of the Patten report on policing to invalidate its findings ahead of its publication in 1999. The report recommended the replacement of the Royal Ulster Constabulary with the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the changing of symbols, and a 50-50 recruitment policy for Catholics and Protestants. At the time, UUP leader David Trimble said the recommendations would lead to a corruption of policing in Northern Ireland. Chris Patten, chairman of the independent commission on policing, said some of the assertions were a “total fabrication” and designed to “muddy the waters” to create a difficult political atmosphere. Elsewhere, the author notes it was leaked to the media there was serious disagreement between the governments of the UK and Ireland on the composition of that commission – with not a single name submitted by the Irish side being accepted by the other. The author notes this incident, still under the heading “NIO leaks”, was believed by British officials to have emanated from the Irish side. The report turns to leaks of other origin, claiming “disgruntled Special Branch officers in Northern Ireland” were blamed by the British Government for a series of releases about the IRA which were designed to damage Sinn Fein in the 2001 general election in Northern Ireland. One senior Whitehall source was quoted in the Guardian as complaining that Special Branch was “leaking like a sieve” after details of an IRA intelligence database containing the names of leading Tories – described at the time as a “hit list” – was passed to the BBC in April 2002. The briefing note adds: “This was followed days later by a leak to The Sunday Telegraph which alleged that senior IRA commanders bought Russian special forces rifles in Moscow last year. “The newspaper said it was passed details by military intelligence in London.” The briefing note adds that other Special Branch leaks were associated with the Castlereagh break-in. The final incident in the document notes the Police Ombudsman’s Report on the Omagh bombing was also leaked to the press in December 2001. Then Northern Ireland secretary John Reid said at the time: “Leaks are never helpful and usually malicious – I will not be commenting on this report until I have seen the final version.” The reason for creating the list of leaks, which the Irish National Archives holds in a folder alongside briefing notes for ministers ahead of meetings with officials from the UK Government and NIO, is not outlined in the document itself. – This document is based on material in 2024/130/6.
From bank vaults to coffee cups, historic Delmont building reopens as cozy coffee shopBarry Keoghan reveals reason for Instagram deactivation as he slams inhumane abuse
Ashlon Jackson scores career-best 30 points to lead No. 13 Duke past No. 9 Kansas 73-62After recount, Newark council candidate ahead by just 4 votes
Jimmy Carter had the longest post-presidency of anyone to hold the office, and one of the most active. Here is a look back at his life. 1924 — Jimmy Carter was born on Oct. 1 to Earl and Lillian Carter in the small town of Plains, Georgia. 1928 — Earl Carter bought a 350-acre farm 3 miles from Plains in the tiny community of Archery. The Carter family lived in a house on the farm without running water or electricity. 1941 — He graduated from Plains High School and enrolled at Georgia Southwestern College in Americus. 1942 — He transferred to Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. 1943 — Carter’s boyhood dream of being in the Navy becomes a reality as he is appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. 1946 — He received his naval commission and on July 7 married Rosalynn Smith of Plains. They moved to Norfolk, Virginia. 1946-1952 — Carter’s three sons are born, Jack in 1947, Chip in 1950 and Jeff in 1952. 1962-66 — Carter is elected to the Georgia State Senate and serves two terms. 1953 — Carter’s father died and he cut his naval career short to save the family farm. Due to a limited income, Jimmy, Rosalynn and their three sons moved into Public Housing Apartment 9A in Plains. 1966 — He ran for governor, but lost. 1967 — Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter’s fourth child, Amy, is born. 1971 — He ran for governor again and won the election, becoming Georgia’s 76th governor on Jan. 12. 1974 — Carter announced his candidacy for president. 1976 — Carter was elected 39th president on Nov. 2, narrowly defeating incumbent Gerald Ford. 1978 — U.S. and the Peoples’ Republic of China establish full diplomatic relations. President Carter negotiates and mediates an accord between Egypt and Israel at Camp David. 1979 — The Department of Education is formed. Iranian radicals overrun the U.S. Embassy and seize American hostages. The Strategic Arms Limitations Treaty is signed. 1980 — On March 21, Carter announces that the U.S. will boycott the Olympic Games scheduled in Moscow. A rescue attempt to get American hostages out of Iran is unsuccessful. Carter was defeated in his bid for a second term as president by Ronald Reagan in November. 1981 — President Carter continues to negotiate the release of the American hostages in Iran. Minutes before his term as president is over, the hostages are released. 1982 — Carter became a distinguished professor at Emory University in Atlanta, and founded The Carter Center. The nonpartisan and nonprofit center addresses national and international issues of public policy. 1984 — Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter volunteer one week a year for Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit organization that helps needy people in the United States and in other countries renovate and build homes, until 2020. He also taught Sunday school in the Maranatha Baptist Church of Plains from the mid-’80s until 2020. 2002 — Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. 2015 — Carter announced in August he had been diagnosed with melanoma that spread to his brain. 2016 — He said in March that he no longer needed cancer treatment. 2024 — Carter dies at 100 years old. Sources: Cartercenter.org, Plains Historical Preservation Trust, The Associated Press; The Brookings Institution; U.S. Navy; WhiteHouse.gov, Gallup
Zilinskas scores 32 as IU Indianapolis downs Alabama A&M 88-83JUST SPAMMING | A year that made politics more farcical than everSweden released a new pamphlet for citizens this week with survival tips in case the country ever goes to war. The government-issued publication covers topics like how to stop bleeding, the difference between various emergency sirens, and what food should be stockpiled. Given the fact that Sweden just joined NATO this year, the advice is more relevant than ever as Russia’s war against Ukraine continues and Vladimir Putin continues to threaten nuclear strikes against Western countries. But this isn’t the first time Sweden has put out this kind of literature. The country actually has a long history of trying to prepare its population for war with Russia, from pamphlets and educational films to community nuclear shelters much fancier than anything the Americans produced at the height of the Cold War. At one point, it even printed the guides in its phone book. The new pamphlet is available online and titled “In Case of War or Crisis.” It’s distributed by the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency and opens with an explanation of its necessity. That all seems pretty straightforward and reasonable here in 2024. But it’s easy to forget there was a period before our current geopolitical hostilities when that kind of language may have seemed unnecessarily alarmist. Because Sweden has a similar pamphlet that was distributed from the middle of World War II until the fall of the Soviet Union. And then it didn’t start producing this kind of pamphlet again until 2018. Launched in 1943, Sweden’s original pamphlet was called “If the War Comes,” published at a time when the country was officially neutral. But the booklet received revisions during the Cold War, when the concern involved both the potential of a Soviet Union invasion of Sweden and the possibility of nuclear war. One of the big messages throughout was the idea that if a foreign army attacked and occupied, the average citizen wasn’t just supposed to give up. There was supposed to be a resistance and that resistance would take the form of whatever small way you could contribute. Sweden approached the idea of civil defense somewhat differently from the U.S. during the height of the Cold War. America had a fierce debate in the early 1960s about whether it was the responsibility of the government to build community fallout shelters and help their citizens prepare. Ultimately, the debate was won by those who believed Americans should be independent and not look to the government. Sweden went the other direction, building extremely nice nuclear bunkers for entire communities . One bunker in Stockholm featured classrooms for students, a theater, and an enormous gymnasium. The bunker was featured in a 1958 film titled “Vi går under jorden,” translated in English as We Go Underground. The Cold War pamphlet wasn’t distributed anymore after the official collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, and there really did appear to be a receding threat to Western-aligned countries after the Communist government fell. The political fight between communist and capitalist superpowers was largely over but the first two decades of the 21st century would see the old divisions reemerge. Australia’s SBS TV news channel produced a documentary in 2019 about the ways that Sweden was preparing its citizens for the possibility of war as what might be called the Second Cold War or New Cold War was knocking on the door. Sweden isn’t the only country trying to prepare its citizens for the possibility of a Russian invasion. Finland shares a border with Russia and has always been more alert to the possibility than their Swedish neighbors. And Finland has its own government pamphlets with information about resisting an occupation and reminding people to stock enough food for 20 days. The 2022 invasion of Ukraine changed the perspective of a lot of people, according to a new report from the BBC . Because the idea of Russia invading a foreign country seemed largely theoretical to so many younger people until very recently. “From the Finnish perspective, this is a bit strange,” Ilmari Kaihko, associate professor of war studies at the Swedish Defense University who’s originally from Finland told the BBC . “[Finland] never forgot that war is a possibility, whereas in Sweden, people had to be shaken up a bit to understand that this can actually happen.” The New Cold War is here and people are trying to stay prepared for the worst as best they can. But nobody knows what the future holds, especially as traditional geopolitical allies seem ripe for disruption in the second presidency of Donald Trump. The president-elect has shown himself to be devoid of any real ideology beyond whatever helps him personally. The U.S. could just as easily be exiting NATO or building up new support for NATO allies, depending on who offers Trump the best deal in the coming months and years. And that kind of instability is not great for Americans, to say the least.