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The search for a new director for the Bowlus Fine Arts Center will continue into January. A committee tasked with hiring a director plans to reach out to other applicants after the person they selected was unable to take the job for medical reasons. The committee plans to reach out to some of those who applied for the job in October, when previous director Daniel Kays resigned to take a position in Topeka, said Jennifer Taylor, USD 257 board president and leader of the search committee. At that time, the committee identified five top candidates but invited only the top two for in-person interviews. They selected Andrew Giza, who was expected to start Dec. 2 but faced sudden and unexpected health challenges that prevented him from taking the job. The committee will schedule a new round of in-person interviews in late January, Taylor said. The board officially accepted Giza’s resignation at Monday’s meeting. Meanwhile, the Bowlus continues a full slate of entertainment and activities. In addition to recent school concerts and a play, staff continue with performances during the 60th season. A Christmas show, “Who Brought the Humbug?” is at 7 p.m. Saturday. The high-energy, interactive show takes place at an ugly sweater party, where singers, tap dancers and musicians offer a slew of holiday mash-ups. Santa raps to Rudolph over horn-band funk, Frosty tap dances to a groove, and the reindeer bust out hip-hop choreography, according to a press release about the show. Two singers-turned-investigators beatbox to “The Grinch.” Guests are encouraged to wear an ugly Christmas sweater. Tickets are available online at bowluscenter.org or at the door. Four Iola Elementary School kindergarteners attended Monday’s meeting to show off their holiday project, snowmen painted on boards that are roughly their same height. Don Settlemeyer, building trades teacher at the Regional Rural Technology Center at LaHarpe, cut boards the same height as each student. Students then decorated them, painting a face and buttons, with festive holiday socks used as a stocking cap and ribbons for a scarf. Each snowman includes a poem that says: “Lean the snowman against a wall to remind you when I was this small. Fingerprints make the mouth and eyes. This snowman is just my size. So take them out each Christmas and see I’m not as little as I used to be. Merry Christmas. “ IN OTHER news, Curriculum Director Jenna Higginbotham offered an update on the Kansas Education System Accreditation (KESA) plan. The current focus is on quality instruction. Higginbotham outlined how the district uses professional collaboration to create a culture of high expectations. The school board won’t meet again until Jan. 13 because of the holidays. Superintendent Stacey Fager said he expects representatives from BNIM will give a report about their application for state tax credits. BNIM is the development firm working with the district with hopes to convert three former elementary schools into housing. The group has been unsuccessful in obtaining the tax credits considered essential for the project’s success. This will be their third yearly attempt.The King and the Prime Minister have paid tribute to Jimmy Carter following the former US president’s death on Sunday aged 100. In a message to the American people, the King expressed “great sadness” at the news of Mr Carter’s death, describing him as “a committed public servant” who “devoted his life to promoting peace and human rights”. He added: “His dedication and humility served as an inspiration to many, and I remember with great fondness his visit to the United Kingdom in 1977. “My thoughts and prayers are with President Carter’s family and the American people at this time.” Mr Carter, a former peanut farmer, served one term in the White House between 1977 and 1981 and spent his post-presidency years as a global humanitarian, winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. Sir Keir Starmer said Mr Carter had “lived his values in the service of others to the very end” through “decades of selfless public service”. Praising a “lifelong dedication to peace” that saw him win the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, Sir Keir added: “Motivated by his strong faith and values, President Carter redefined the post-presidency with a remarkable commitment to social justice and human rights at home and abroad.” Tributes to Mr Carter followed the announcement of his death by his family on Sunday, more than a year after he decided to enter hospice care. His son, Chip Carter, said: “My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love.” US President Joe Biden, one of the first elected politicians to endorse Mr Carter’s bid for the presidency in 1976, said the world had “lost an extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian”. He said: “Over six decades, we had the honour of calling Jimmy Carter a dear friend. But, what’s extraordinary about Jimmy Carter, though, is that millions of people throughout America and the world who never met him thought of him as a dear friend as well. “With his compassion and moral clarity, he worked to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil rights and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless, and always advocate for the least among us.” Other UK politicians also paid tribute to Mr Carter. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said he was “an inspiration” who “led a truly remarkable life dedicated to public service with a genuine care for people”. Scottish First Minister John Swinney described the former president as “a good, decent, honest man who strove for peace in all that he did”, while Welsh First Minister said he was “a remarkable man” and “a humanitarian and scholar”. Former prime minister Sir Tony Blair said Mr Carter’s “life was a testament to public service”. He added: “I always had the greatest respect for him, his spirit and his dedication. He fundamentally cared and consistently toiled to help those in need.” Mr Carter is expected to receive a state funeral featuring public observances in Atlanta, Georgia, and Washington DC before being buried in his hometown of Plains, Georgia. A moderate democrat born in Plains in October 1924, Mr Carter’s political career took him from the Georgia state senate to the state governorship and, finally, the White House, where he took office as 39th president in the wake of the Watergate scandal and the Vietnam War. His presidency saw economic disruption amid volatile oil prices, along with social tensions at home and challenges abroad including the Iranian revolution that sparked a 444-day hostage crisis at the US embassy in Tehran. But he also brokered the Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel, which led to a peace treaty between the two countries in 1979. After his defeat in the 1980 presidential election, he worked more than four decades leading The Carter Centre, which he and his late wife Rosalynn co-founded in 1982 to “wage peace, fight disease, and build hope”. Under his leadership, the Carter Center virtually eliminated Guinea Worm disease, which has gone from affecting 3.5 million people in Africa and Asia in 1986 to just 14 in 2023. Mrs Carter, who died last year aged 96, had played a more active role in her husband’s presidency than previous first ladies, with Mr Carter saying she had been “my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished”. Earlier this year, on his 100th birthday, Mr Carter received a private congratulatory message from the King, expressing admiration for his life of public serviceHezbollah fires about 250 rockets and other projectiles into Israel in heaviest barrage in weeksPUNE After the assembly election results on Saturday, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Devendra Fadnavis, credited the Mahayuti’s resounding success to government introduced welfare schemes that benefited women and farmers. Among these, a critical factor was the strong backing of Maharashtra’s onion farmers. The shift in loyalty has been striking. During the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year, resentment among onion farmers in Shirur, Nashik, Dindori, Ahmednagar, Shirdi, and Solapur dealt a severe blow to the Mahayuti, with losses across all these constituencies. However, just six months later, the same region overwhelmingly supported the alliance, securing victories in around 45 assembly constituencies. Relaxation on onion export norms The turnaround was driven largely by the central government’s relaxation of onion export norms, which helped farmers earn better prices. Reacting to the poll result outcome, NCP leader Ajit Pawar on Saturday said he had expected 175 seats but was surprised by the alliance’s stellar performance, which nearly doubled its tally from the 2019 assembly elections. “Farmers and women solidly backed us,” Pawar said. The Mahayuti’s effort to address farmers’ grievances appears to have played a decisive role. During his state tour in August, Pawar began by acknowledging the government’s earlier misstep of banning onion exports. “I admit the ban was a mistake and apologise for it. I have assured the central government that onion exports will not be banned again,” he had told farmers. His apology, coupled with the government’s subsequent action, seems to have rebuilt trust among the state’s onion growers. Around two weeks before the elections, onion prices in Nashik’s wholesale markets surged from ₹ 40 to ₹ 60 per kg, providing a much-needed boost for farmers. Nashik, India’s largest onion-producing district, is home to the Lasalgaon wholesale market, the country’s biggest hub for onions. Farmers earned over ₹ 6,000 per quintal for their summer crop, with prices expected to remain high until the arrival of fresh stock. Ladki Bahin and other welfare schemes In Marathwada and Vidarbha, where low market rates for soya beans and cotton had triggered discontent, schemes like free electricity and Majhi Ladki Bahin helped offset the damage. The scheme is for women aged between 21 and 60 years whose families have an annual income of less than ₹ 2.5 lakh. The Mahayuti alliance announced that the amount of the scheme will be hiked to ₹ 2,100 per month from the existing ₹ 1,500 per month if the alliance comes back to power. This economic upswing translated into electoral gains for the Mahayuti. In Nashik district, the alliance won 14 out of 15 seats, while the remaining seats went to All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM). Neighbouring Ahmednagar district delivered 10 of its 12 seats to the Mahayuti. In Pune, parts of which are also known for onion farming, the alliance won 18 out of 21 constituencies. Sambhajinagar district saw a clean sweep with Mahayuti winning all nine seats, while in Solapur district, the BJP secured five of the 11 seats, with the Sharad Pawar-led NCP taking four and one seat each going to Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Peasants and Workers Party (PWP). Special Onion Express trains The continuation of the Onion Express, a government-backed train transporting onions from Nashik to other states, also played a key role. The government purchased onions at high rates from farmers and sold them at lower prices to consumers, ensuring a win-win for all. This initiative significantly boosted the morale and trust of onion farmers, further consolidating their support for the Mahayuti. The 2024 assembly elections highlight how swiftly political fortunes can change when pressing grievances are addressed effectively. For Maharashtra’s onion farmers, the promise of better prices and decisive policy interventions proved instrumental in transforming discontent into unwavering support for the Mahayuti alliance.
Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero is dialing up its anti-rage-quit measures, but players seem pretty unified in wanting an additional penalty: you rage-quit, you lose that match. Right now, there really isn't any meaningful punishment for rage-quitting aside from increased matchmaking time, but in a tweet, Bandai Namco says it's "strengthening timeout penalties against players with excessive disconnection or quitting rates during online matches." Essentially, it sounds like it'll put rage-quitters in timeout for longer than before but isn't adding any additional penalties for now. And apparently, that simply isn't enough for most players. The overwhelming response to the above tweet is a very specific request for Bandai Namco to simply automatically name the rage-quitters the losers of the matches they quit, and the remaining fighters the winners. "Please make it so that the person who disconnects will get a loss while the person who didn't will get the win," reads a tweet with almost 2,000 likes at the time of writing. The vast majority of other responses are asking for roughly the same thing. I'm no game developer, but my immediate concern with automatically declaring rage-quitters the losers is that it would also apply to players who actually lose connection, and that disadvantage would disproportionately impact lower income players and people from underprivileged communities. Some players have floated an idea to simply give the fighters who remain in a match the win without dishing out losses to disconnected players, but frankly, I don't know what ripple effects that might have on the overall scoring/ranking system. For now, one can only hope the increased timeout penalty will dissuade a meaningful amount of players from rage-quitting. Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero "saw outstanding sales," and Bandai Namco says roughly 90% of that was from European and North American fans.
Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal expressed confidence in India’s economic resilience, attributing the Q2 GDP slowdown to election-related lag effects while reaffirming the strength of the country’s macroeconomic fundamentals. Share Market View All Nifty Gainers View All Company Value Change %Change Speaking at CNBC TV18’s Indian Business Leader Awards (IBLA) 2024, he stated, “The Indian economy doesn’t operate from quarter to quarter like stock markets. All macro data suggests the economy’s basic strength remains intact.” Addressing the slower 5.4% GDP growth in Q2, Goyal explained that temporary factors, such as election spending disruptions, influenced the numbers. However, he assured that the economy remains on track for robust growth, “By the end of the year, we expect to grow quite decently and continue to be the world’s fastest-growing economy.” Goyal pointed to promising signs of capex recovery in the third quarter. “Green shoots of greater capex spending are already visible in Q3. The Prime Minister himself is monitoring large projects through the Pragati initiative, ensuring that any obstructions to investments are addressed promptly,” he noted. He emphasised the government’s focus on maintaining ease of doing business and strengthening economic fundamentals to sustain growth. Union Minister Piyush Goyal expressed scepticism about the connection between interest rates and food inflation, stating that he finds it difficult to understand how changes in interest rates affect the demand for essentials like onions, tomatoes, and pulses. He suggested that economists should evaluate the impact of high interest rates on food inflation and consider whether this traditional approach to inflation management remains effective in today’s context. Goyal also credited the government’s focus on long-term investments in infrastructure and public welfare as key drivers of economic stability. “In the past 10 years, we have set India’s macroeconomic fundamentals right, made massive infrastructure investments, and ensured public welfare initiatives like free food grains and healthcare reach the most vulnerable.” Reiterating India’s global leadership in growth, Goyal said, “The world recognises India as the growth engine of the global economy. We will stay the course, focusing on strong fundamentals while addressing emerging challenges.”
Emirates Team New Zealand Ranked #5 In Global Sports Technology Power ListPakistan's capital has been put under a security lockdown ahead of protests by supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan calling for his release. Highways leading to Islamabad through which supporters of Khan, led by members of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, are expected to approach the city and gather near the parliament on Sunday (local time), have been blocked. Most major roads of the city have also been blocked by the government with shipping containers and large contingents of police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed in riot gear, while mobile phone services have been suspended. Gatherings of any sort have been banned under legal provisions, the Islamabad police said in a statement. Global internet watchdog NetBlocks said on X, formerly known as Twitter, that live metrics showed WhatsApp messaging services had been restricted ahead of the protests. A key Khan aid, Ali Amin Gandapur, who is the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and is expected to lead the largest convoy into Islamabad, called on people to gather near the entrance of the city's red zone, known as "D Chowk". Islamabad's red zone houses the country's parliament building, important government installations, as well as embassies and foreign institutions' offices. "Khan has called on us to remain there till all our demands are met," he said in a video message on Saturday. The PTI's demands include the release of all its leaders, including Khan, as well as the resignation of the current government due to what it says was a rigged election this year. Khan has been in jail since August last year and, since being voted out of power by parliament in 2022, faces a number of charges ranging from corruption to instigation of violence. He and his party deny all the charges. "These constant protests are destroying the economy and creating instability ... we want the political leadership to sit together and resolve these matters," Muhammad Asif, 35, a resident of Islamabad said in front of a closed market. The last protest in Islamabad by PTI in early October turned violent with one policeman killed, dozens of security personnel injured and protesters arrested. Both sides accused the other of instigating the clashes. - Reuters