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WATCH: Peoria students provide thousands of books to children in KenyaWASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday voiced his support for the dockworkers union before their contract expires next month at Eastern and Gulf Coast ports, saying that any further “automation” of the ports would harm workers. The incoming president posted on social media that he met Harold Daggett, the president of the International Longshoreman's Association, and Dennis Daggett, the union's executive vice president. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.Here's What a Paid Bluesky Subscription Might Look Like - Lifehacker
Toronto, Dec 13 (AP) Canada's most populous province may bar American-made alcohol in addition to restricting electricity exports to Michigan, New York and Minnesota if US President-elect Donald Trump imposes sweeping tariffs on all Canadian products, a senior official has said. The official in Ontario Premier Doug Ford's government said on Thursday that it's contemplating restricting Ontario's liquor control board from buying American-made alcohol. Also Read | 'Maverick Diplomacy': Donald Trump Invites China's President Xi Jinping to Inauguration for 'Open Dialogue' Despite Tariff Threats. Ontario is also considering restricting exports of critical minerals required for electric vehicle batteries and preventing US-based companies from the government's procurement process, the official said on condition of anonymity because the functionary wasn't authorized to speak publicly about the potential measures. Ford confirmed on Wednesday evening that Ontario is contemplating restricting electricity exports to the three states. He reiterated that on Thursday and said it would make electricity unaffordable for Americans. Also Read | Donald Trump Named Time Magazine’s Person of Year, Rings New York Stock Exchange’s Opening Bell. “It's a last resort,” Ford said. “I don't think President-elect Trump wants that to happen. We're sending a message to the US If you come and attack Ontario, you attack the livelihoods of people in Ontario and Canadians, we are going to use every tool in our tool box to defend Ontarians and Canadians. Let's hope it never comes to that." Trump has threatened to impose a 25 per cent tax on all products entering the United States from Canada and Mexico unless they stem the flow of migrants and drugs. Ontario powered 1.5 million homes in the US in 2023. "That's OK if he does that. That's fine,” Trump told CNBC when asked about Ford's remarks on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. “The United States is subsidizing Canada and we shouldn't have to do that," Trump said. “And we have a great relationship. I have so many friends in Canada, but we shouldn't have to subsidize a country." The CNBC reporter said Trump told him off camera that they hope they can work something out with Canada. The premier of the oil rich Canadian province of Alberta ruled out cutting off oil exports. “Under no circumstances will Alberta agree to cut off oil and gas exports,” Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said. “Instead, we're taking a diplomatic approach and we're meeting with our allies in the US We're making the case for Alberta oil and gas to be part of the solution to energy affordability and energy security.” Canada supplies more oil to the US than any other country, nearly 4.5 million barrels a day. About 60 per cent of US crude oil imports are from Canada and a fifth of the crude refined in the US comes from Canada. “If you put a 25 per cent tariff on oil from Alberta that increases every gallon of gasoline by one dollar,” Ford said. About 85 per cent of US electricity imports come from Canada as well. Canada also has 34 critical minerals and metals the Pentagon is eager for. Nearly 3.6 billion Canadian dollars (USD2.7 billion) worth of goods and services cross the border each day. Canada is the top export destination for 36 US states. Canada has promised more border security spending to address Trump's border concerns. Ford said that will include more border and police officers, as well as drones and sniffer dogs. Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc, who along with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently had dinner with Trump at Mar-a-Lago, his private club in Florida, said they plan to share details of those border plans with the incoming Trump administration soon. Alberta's government is creating a new sheriff patrol unit that will include about 50 sheriffs, 10 cold weather surveillance drones and four drug detection dogs. Alberta officials said a two-kilometre deep zone along the border with Montana will be deemed critical infrastructure, so sheriffs can arrest without a warrant anyone found attempting to cross illegally or trafficking illegal drugs or weapons. At the Mar-a-Lago dinner, Kristen Hillman, Canada's ambassador to the US, said that Washington's trade deficit with Canada was also raised. Hillman said the US had a USD75 billion trade deficit with Canada last year but noted a third of what Canada sells into the US is energy exports and prices have been high. Trudeau said this week that US-imposed tariffs would be “absolutely devastating” for the Canadian economy, but it would also mean real hardship for Americans. Canada imposed duties in 2018 against the US in a tit-for-tat response to new taxes on Canadian steel and aluminum. Canadian officials have said that it's unfair to lump Canada in with Mexico. LeBlanc said that illegal migration from Canada to the US is only 0.6 per cent of the total, and fentanyl from Canada is 0.2 per cent of the total of US seizures. Canada Border Services Agency President Erin O'Gorman said the US Drug Enforcement Administration has characterized the amount of fentanyl coming from Canada as small amounts sent over for personal use, mostly by mail. Quebec Premier Françoise Legault said Trump told him in Paris last week that he doesn't want to see anymore illegal immigration coming from Canada. Legault noted Trudeau's plan to strengthen border security. “I prefer that than starting a war and stopping sending energy to the United States,” Legault said. Newfoundland Premier Andrew Furey said he had a call with New England governors this week and said there is a significant concern on both sides of the border. “We hope it is just bluster,” Furey said. “We are preparing as if it is not. There will be no winner in a trade war." (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Did Donald Trump Jr. & Kimberly Guilfoyle Break Up?Giants release quarterback Daniel Jones just days after benching him EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — The Daniel Jones era in New York is over. The Giants quarterback was granted his release by the team just days after the franchise said it was benching him in favor of third-stringer Tommy DeVito. New York president John Mara said Jones approached the team about releasing him and the club obliged. Mara added he was “disappointed” at the quick dissolution of a once-promising relationship between Jones and the team. Giants coach Brian Daboll benched Jones in favor of DeVito following a loss to the Panthers in Germany that dropped New York's record to 2-8. Conor McGregor must pay $250K to woman who says he raped her, civil jury rules LONDON (AP) — A civil jury in Ireland has awarded more than $250,000 to a woman who says she was raped by mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor in a Dublin hotel penthouse after a night of heavy partying. The jury on Friday awarded Nikita Hand in her lawsuit that claimed McGregor “brutally raped and battered” her in 2018. The lawsuit says the assault left her heavily bruised and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. McGregor testified that he never forced her to do anything and that Hand fabricated her allegations after the two had consensual sex. McGregor says he will appeal the verdict. Week 16 game between Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers flexed to Thursday night spot The Los Angeles Chargers have played their way into another prime time appearance. Justin Herbert and company have had their Dec. 22 game against the Denver Broncos flexed to Thursday night, Dec. 19. Friday’s announcement makes this the first time a game has been flexed to the Thursday night spot. The league amended its policy last season where Thursday night games in Weeks 13 through 17 could be flexed with at least 28 days notice prior to the game. The matchup of AFC West division rivals bumps the game between the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals to Sunday afternoon. NBA memo to players urges increased vigilance regarding home security following break-ins MIAMI (AP) — The NBA is urging its players to take additional precautions to secure their homes following reports of recent high-profile burglaries of dwellings owned by Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis and Kansas City Chiefs teammates Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. In a memo sent to team officials, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, the NBA revealed that the FBI has connected some burglaries to “transnational South American Theft Groups” that are “reportedly well-organized, sophisticated rings that incorporate advanced techniques and technologies, including pre-surveillance, drones, and signal jamming devices.” Brock Purdy will miss Sunday's game for the 49ers with a shoulder injury SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy will miss Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers with a sore throwing shoulder. Purdy injured his right shoulder in last Sunday’s loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Purdy underwent an MRI that showed no structural damage but the shoulder didn’t improve during the week and Purdy was ruled out for the game. Coach Kyle Shanahan said star defensive end Nick Bosa also will miss the game with injuries to his left hip and oblique. Left tackle Trent Williams is questionable with an ankle injury and will be a game-time decision. Red Bull brings wrong rear wing to Las Vegas in mistake that could stall Verstappen's title chances LAS VEGAS (AP) — Max Verstappen is suddenly in jeopardy of being denied a fourth consecutive Formula 1 title Saturday night. Red Bull apparently brought the wrong rear wing to Las Vegas and GPS data showed its two cars to be significantly slower on the straights than both McLaren and Mercedes, which led both practice sessions. Red Bull says it doesn’t have a replacement rear wing in Las Vegas to fix the issue and little chance of getting two flown in from England ahead of the race. Lawyer says ex-Temple basketball standout Hysier Miller met with NCAA for hours amid gambling probe PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A lawyer for former Temple basketball standout Hysier Miller says the 22-year-old sat for a long interview with the NCAA amid an investigation into unusual gambling activity. But neither the lawyer nor federal law enforcement officials on Friday would confirm reports that a federal probe is now under way. Lawyer Jason Bologna says Miller cooperated because he hopes to play again. Miller was released last month after transferring to Virginia Tech. Temple President John Fry says the Philadelphia school has not been asked for any information from federal law enforcement officials. Caitlin Clark to join Cincinnati bid for 16th National Women's Soccer League team WNBA star Caitlin Clark has joined Cincinnati’s bid for an expansion National Women’s Soccer League team. Major League Soccer franchise FC Cincinnati is heading the group vying to bring a women’s pro team to the city. The club issued a statement confirming Clark had joined the bid group. NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman has said the league plans to announce the league’s 16th team by the end of the year. The league's 15th team will begin play in 2026 in Boston. Alyssa Nakken, first full-time female coach in MLB history, leaving Giants to join Guardians CLEVELAND (AP) — Alyssa Nakken, the first woman to coach in an MLB game, is leaving the San Francisco Giants to join the Cleveland Guardians. Nakken made history in 2022 when she took over as first-base coach following an ejection. A former college softball star at Sacramento State, Nakken joined the Giants in 2014 and was promoted to a spot on manager Gabe Kapler’s staff in 2020, becoming the majors’ first full-time female coach. Nakken has been hired as an assistant director within player development for the Guardians, who won the AL Central last season under first-year manager Stephen Vogt. Nakken, 34, will work with former Giants coaches Craig Albernaz and Kai Correa. Aaron Judge won't be bothered if Juan Soto gets bigger contract from Yankees than his $360M deal NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge won’t be bothered if Juan Soto gets a bigger deal from the New York Yankees than the captain’s $360 million, nine-year contract. Speaking a day after he was a unanimous winner of his second MVP, Judge says “It ain’t my money” and adds "that’s never been something on my mind about who gets paid the most.” Judge led the major leagues with 58 homers, 144 RBIs and 133 walks while hitting .322. Soto batted .288 with 41 homers, 109 RBIs and 129 walks in his first season with the Yankees, then became a free agent at age 26.
Web4 will be launched soon, smart technology will lead a better lifeBillionaire hedge fund manager Israel Englander co-founded Millennium Management in 1989 with $35 million. Today, Millennium has over $70 billion in assets under management and is one of the world's largest hedge funds. Englander has done well and has one of the best investing minds in the game. That's why investors anxiously await Millennium's quarterly 13F filing , a form required by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) disclosing a fund's holdings. Investors should understand that Millennium is a "pod shop," which means it allocates capital to different teams (or "pods") that all have their own strategies and a lot of autonomy. So, an investment at Millennium may not have come directly at Englander's order. However, as the CEO, Englander likely still has a certain amount of control and a hand in big hiring decisions, so he certainly has faith in his portfolio managers. So don't follow these managers blindly -- but they can serve as sources for picking up new ideas and checking investment theses. In the third quarter, Millennium sold large portions of its stakes in artificial intelligence (AI) companies Nvidia ( NVDA -3.22% ) and Palantir ( PLTR 4.87% ) and bought a new stock that Wall Street thinks can soar. Selling the AI darlings Millennium is not the only big fund selling the chipmaker Nvidia and analytics platform Palantir -- it's definitely been a trend in the third quarter. Millennium sold 13% of its stake in Nvidia in the third quarter, although it still owns 11.15 million shares and put and call options. Millennium sold 90% of its shares in Palantir but increased the company's call and put options on the stock, which could be a straddle options strategy. The sales appear to be more of a valuation call in a market many view as overbought and frothy. The market has ripped higher for the last two-plus years, spurred mainly by themes like tech, growth, and AI. NVDA PE Ratio data by YCharts As you can see above, these are astronomical valuations, despite AI's ability to disrupt life as we know it. I don't think institutional fund managers doubt the potential of AI, but an important yet difficult lesson for investors is that valuation does matter. The best businesses with unlimited potential can be bad purchases if bought at extremely high valuations. On the other hand, bad businesses with high debt loads can make great investments if bought at low enough valuations. It's difficult to abandon businesses that you have conviction in, but it may be the right call sometimes. When stocks trade at high values, even if the business performs well, there is a smaller margin for error. For instance, Nvidia's third-quarter earnings report saw sales nearly double year over year but the stock fell the next day after guidance didn't impress. A new exciting EV play During the third quarter, Millennium purchased more than 3.2 million shares in electric aircraft maker Archer Aviation ( ACHR 4.50% ) for a total value of about $9.8 million, making Millennium the 11th-largest holder of the stock. Archer is one of two companies trying to launch air taxis for commercial use in select U.S. cities to help ease traffic congestion. The company's Midnight electric aircraft can carry out consecutive 20- to 50-mile flights with minimal charge time and transport up to four passengers in addition to the pilot. They also supposedly make minimal noise. Archer has already achieved some key regulatory milestones including receiving the final airworthiness criteria from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and conducting 400 test flights ahead of schedule. In August, Archer also announced a planned air taxi network in Los Angeles that could replace one- or two- hour drives with 10- and 20-minute flights. The company has also forged deals to develop a network with Southwest Airlines . Timing is going to be uncertain, but the launch of commercial flights and networks in select cities is not out of the question in 2025. Wall Street seems to like the company's plan, with an average price target of $9.38 among four analysts covering the stock, which implies 88% upside from current levels. The most bullish analyst has a $12.50 price target, implying upside of 151%. Understand that investing in a stock like Archer Aviation is equivalent to investing in a late-stage start-up. The company is not profitable yet. However, the risk-reward proposition is favorable, so investors could see substantial gains if things go well. If Archer can get off the ground, it could gain significant share in a potentially lucrative market.
CHARLESTON, S.C. , Dec. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Blackbaud (NASDAQ: BLKB), the leading provider of software for powering social impact, today filed a Form 8-K with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) stating that the Company concluded a material pre-tax noncash impairment charge, which may be up to approximately $415 million , is required for its EVERFI asset group and will be recorded during the fourth quarter of 2024. As previously disclosed, due to EVERFI performing below expectations, Blackbaud is considering a range of alternatives for EVERFI, one of which includes a potential divestiture of the business. The impairment charge was determined to be necessary as part of this process. "To comply with generally accepted accounting principles, we're planning to record this noncash charge in the fourth quarter," said Mike Gianoni , president, CEO and vice chairman of the board of directors. "We want to emphasize that EVERFI remains well positioned to support its customers and continue helping companies dedicated to social impact reach communities through custom education and workplace solutions for today's key issues. In addition, Blackbaud's core business remains strong, and we are committed to helping customers around the world use technology to drive meaningful social impact. As we determine our long-term strategic approach to the EVERFI business, we will continue to provide updates." Additional details can be found in Blackbaud's Form 8-K filed today with the SEC. About Blackbaud Blackbaud (NASDAQ: BLKB) is the leading software provider exclusively dedicated to powering social impact. Serving the nonprofit and education sectors, companies committed to social responsibility and individual change makers, Blackbaud's essential software is built to accelerate impact in fundraising, nonprofit financial management, digital giving, grantmaking, corporate social responsibility and education management. With millions of users and over $100 billion raised, granted or managed through Blackbaud platforms every year, Blackbaud's solutions are unleashing the potential of the people and organizations who change the world. Blackbaud has been named to Newsweek's list of America's Most Responsible Companies, Quartz's list of Best Companies for Remote Workers, and Forbes' list of America's Best Employers. A remote-first company, Blackbaud has operations in the United States , Australia , Canada , Costa Rica , India and the United Kingdom , supporting users in 100+ countries. Learn more at www.blackbaud.com or follow us on X/Twitter , LinkedIn , Instagram and Facebook . Media Inquiries media@blackbaud.com Forward-looking Statements Except for historical information, all of the statements, expectations and assumptions contained in this Current Report on Form 8-K are forward- looking statements that are subject to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, but not limited to, statements regarding the Company's estimates regarding the impairment charge related to the EVERFI assets. These statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Although we attempt to be accurate in making these forward-looking statements, it is possible that future circumstances might differ from the assumptions on which such statements are based. In addition, other important factors that could cause results to differ materially include the risk factors set forth from time to time in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), copies of which are available free of charge at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov or upon request from our investor relations department. We assume no obligation and do not intend to update these forward- looking statements, except as required by law. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/blackbaud-announces-impairment-charge-related-to-everfi-assets-302330791.html SOURCE BlackbaudDanica Patrick Had Everyone Drooling Over Her Outfit Saturday Night
Stressing the need for elections as soon as possible, BNP's acting chairman, Tarique Rahman, has said that the country cannot move forward with the "broken system" put in place by the Awami League regime. "The more we delay democratic elections taking place in Bangladesh, the more the broken systems instilled by the Awami League for their own gains will be exacerbated," Tarique wrote on his verified Facebook page last night. "We cannot move forward in building a better Bangladesh when society-wide issues in public healthcare, education, difficulties faced by farmers, challenges for businesses, political biases in the judiciary and civil service exist." Tarique said that only an elected government, chosen by the people through free and fair voting, can begin rebuilding the nation. "The public's choice of representatives will be respected, and the representatives in turn must serve the public. Both sides must be involved actively in governance so that Bangladesh can ensure equality, inclusivity, and development for all," he wrote.
NexPoint Comments on Cancellation of United Development Funding IV (UDF IV) 2024 Annual MeetingST. PAUL, Minn. — Five weeks after losing a national election, Gov. Tim Walz is keeping his options open both in Minnesota and nationally, gearing up for the 2025 legislative session and trying to understand why the ticket he joined with Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris didn’t win over enough voters. “Somehow we decided that electing a billionaire who screwed the middle class his entire life was better for the middle class,” Walz said in an interview, referring to the Harris-Walz ticket’s loss to President-elect Donald Trump. “Who knew making housing affordable was not as strong a message as: ‘They’re eating dogs and they’re eating cats.’ ” Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
NoneDexter: Original Sin will take audiences back in time to find out how the man became the monster — er, the monster-slayer — in the Showtime thriller. The prequel series, which premieres on Paramount+ with Showtime on Friday, December 13, takes place 15 years before we first met Dexter (then played by Michael C. Hall , who still narrates the new series) in the original Dexter . Taking over the title role in this iteration is Patrick Gibson , who has the character’s steely-eyed stares and smug sauntering style down to a science. With new characters being introduced in some familiar settings, the new series will bring some new details about Dexter’s past to light, but it will also inevitably retread some familiar territory from the first show, which had ample flashbacks. Here’s what to remember about Dexter ‘s past before Dexter: Original Sin . Dexter didn’t find out until he was a fully grown serial murderer that he had a big brother who was also running around slaughtering people. The Ice Truck Killer who stalked Dexter was actually Brian Moser, his slightly older brother who was not adopted (or even mentioned) by Harry. Dexter only found out about Brian because the Ice Truck Killer left clues that were tailored to catch his attention — reminding him of scenes from his past as part of the Morgan family. Laura Moser was the single mother to Brian and Dexter and worked as a confidential informant for Harry and the Miami-Metro Police Department against the Colombian cartel. She was brutally dismembered right in front of Brian and Dexter, who were left wading in her blood inside a shipping container. Harry adopted Dexter as his own upon finding him in the container, but Brian was sent into the foster system. In flashbacks in Dexter , it became clear that he was not a normal teenager with typical feelings or tendencies. In fact, he had an innate bloodlust that his father recognized and tried to quell with hunting trips, to the exclusion of his daughter Debra. Harry wanted to protect Dexter from himself — particularly his self-destructive impulses. Though Harry tried to find other ways for Dexter to quench his thirst for blood, so to speak, he soon gave in and encouraged him to kill someone when he discovered Nurse Mary was poisoning Harry and other patients in the hospital after his heart attack. Once Dexter began to kill, Harry worked hard to create a framework for his adoptive son to work within that, if he followed it to the letter, would keep his morality and freedom intact. The rules included being certain that the mark was worthy of being murdered and leaving no trace of evidence behind. Even after Harry’s death, Dexter worked to strictly adhere to this code in every kill. Randy Tepper/Showtime Dexter repeatedly revealed that he felt empty on the inside, and it was Harry who taught him to feign normal human feelings and social interactions around others — even if it meant faking a smile in his own family photos. Little by little throughout Dexter , we learn that Harry Morgan had several affairs while married to Doris, including with Laura Morgan and another confidential informant. Though Harry is definitely the most common star of Dexter’s flashback memories, his adoptive mother Doris is also a fixture of his past. She died when Deb was 16 and didn’t know about Dexter’s violent tendencies, even if she didn’t totally understand him at times. Dexter: Original Sin , Series Premiere, Streaming, Friday, December 13, Paramount+ with Showtime, Sunday, December 15, 10/9c, Paramount+ with Showtime More Headlines:None
Ashlon Jackson scores career-best 30 points to lead No. 13 Duke past No. 9 Kansas 73-62In the highly anticipated second season of Squid Game, South Korean actor Park Sung-hoon will take on the role of a transgender woman in a casting that has received mixed reactions online. The sequel will premiere on Netflix on Dec 26. It comes three years after the K-drama, about a high-stakes game where players put their lives on the line, became the most-watched series on the streaming platform. The first season in 2021 garnered more than 330 million views. Park, 39, is known for playing villains in series like The Glory (2022 to 2023) and Queen Of Tears (2024). In Squid Game 2, he will portray Hyun-ju, a former special forces soldier who joins the brutal game to win money for gender reassignment surgery. In a clip introducing the cast, Park said of Hyun-ju: “Even though she faces prejudice and tough situations, she shows incredible strength, decisiveness and natural leadership. Through her resilience, she breaks down stereotypes and shines as an inspiring character.” A transgender character in films or TV is rare in conservative South Korea, where there are no laws to protect against discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. And while it seems the character was designed with good intentions, the casting of Park – a cisgender male – in the role of a transgender woman has divided opinions. While some praised the diversity of the characters in the series and the representation of a minority group, others on social media platforms such as X wondered why the role could not be given to a transgender actress, who might also be raising money for surgery like Hyun-ju. One netizen wrote: “A (cisgender) man pretending to be part of a minority group just doesn’t sit right with me.” But others backed the decision. Some felt that given South Korea’s fairly conservative society, where there are few openly queer public figures, a transgender actress would be exposed to intense vitriol if she were cast. One netizen said: “How do you expect (the production of Squid Game) to find a (transgender) actress who is willing to out herself to get the role, who hasn’t done any gender-affirming surgery, who can act and who is willing to withstand transphobic comments from people from (South Korea) and all over the world?” Series with LGBTQ characters have come under fire before from conservative groups in South Korea. In October, the series Love In The Big City (2024) – about a gay man and a straight woman navigating their romantic lives while living together – had to remove its trailer, which featured romantic scenes between men, from YouTube. Conservative groups criticised the show for “glorifying and promoting homosexuality”.How Crypto Won The 2024 Election
Man United coach Amorim says argument between Hojlund and Diallo a 'very good sign'As Nigeria grapples with perennial security challenges amidst rising hunger, leadership experts and stakeholders from different backgrounds have called on government at all levels, as well as privileged individuals , to give urgent attention to economic empowerment of youths in order to build lasting peace and security across the country. The stakeholders made the call at the 14th edition of the annual Peace Achievers International Conference and Awards Night held on Saturday with the theme, “Building Bridges for Sustainable Peace and Security: Integrating Sectors for Harmonious Future”, at the Abuja Continental Hotel in the FCT. The 2024 conference brought together heads of organisations, seasoned entrepreneurs, members of the diplomatic community, traditional rulers and the academia from across Nigeria and beyond to deliberate and chart a common front towards building sustainable peace for a prosperous nation. According to the stakeholders, for the country to effectively curb the challenges of insecurity,sectional conflicts and youths restiveness, there is need to productively engage young Nigerians who constitute a chunk of its workforce. Amb. Kingsley Amafibe, Project Coordinator of Peace Ambassador Agency, organisers of the conference, said there was urgent need to create economic opportunities for Nigerian youth to get them productively occupied. “In fact, we are sitting on a time bomb and our leaders should take this very seriously, because our major problem is youth unemployment, as our youths are graduating from school every day without job, and even those who want to create the jobs as private individuals do not have access to finance. “I think everyone of our leaders knows what to do, because they all have a blueprint before they come into power, but very often when they get into power they forget these things. “They travel abroad and see how these things are done, but they come back to Nigeria and still subject people to poverty. “For the past 14 years, we have been able to impact and reach out to communities with our peace campaign and have over 1,000 children under our scholarship,” he said. Amafibe however urged Nigerian youths to take responsibility for themselves to build that future of their dreams through hard work and discipline, adding that the failure of successive governments to build a better society should not be an excuse for youths to remain unproductive. He said, “I take myself as an example and I like to share my story because I came to Abuja without nothing, but today I have been able to put things together. “The problem with many young people is that they tend to divert their attention to any trending opportunity without focusing their energy in one craft and say this is what I want to pursue,” he said. Mr Felix Achibiri, Executive Chairman, DFC Holdings Ltd,who spoke on Peace Building and through Sectoral Partnership, said youth economic empowerment was a catalyst for sustainable peace. He, however, noted that government alone cannot create jobs, adding that there was need for private organisations to take youth empowerment as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility “There is a clear nexus between job security and building a harmonious and peaceful environment or society, and there is also a need for the corporate sector to invest in community social responsibility. According to him, the government on this part has a greater role to play by making sure that an enabling environment is created for the private sector to thrive. “There is urgent need to embrace technology to unlock value because today, African digital economy is projected to hit about 185 billion dollars,so what are we doing as a nation to take advantage of this? “There is need to develop the ICT sector and set up incubation and acceleration centers in our primary schools and secondary schools, to unlock value and prepare our youth for the great ahead,” he said. Mr Michael Bartlett-Vanderpuye, President and Group Chairman M&C Group Global, said there was need for African youths to challenge themselves and take their future in their hands. “We have a dependent culture and it is across Africa where somebody is a university graduate but he is waiting for his father’s uncle’s friend who is in government to connect him to work. “In Europe and in the U.S., most of the time, by 16 years they are already selling, working at Walmart, and they are teaching them to be independent, not to be dependent. “In Africa, some of 40-year old men are still living in their father’s houses, and the father inherited it from the grandfather,so we have to cut that dependent culture to create avenues for wealth creation,” he said. Dr Victor Enebeli, Director of Studies, Justice Mary Odili Judicial Institute, said Nigeria’s leadership challenges were local and therefore need workable solutions that are unique to them. According to him, What Nigeria needs is a peace summit that involves the grassroots by involving the 774 local governments. “They will tell us what their problems are and what the solutions are , and at this point, we are not importing solutions anymore as we have the solutions here in Nigeria with us.” Highpoint of the day was the presentation of the Peace Achievers Awards to charitable individuals and organisations who have used their resources to positively affect society and the presentation of the ‘100 Most Notable Business Executive & Leadership Magazine and ‘The Rise of African Fashion Designers & Lifestyle’ by Amb.Kingsley Amafibe.
WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect on Thursday voiced his support for the dockworkers union before their contract expires next month at Eastern and Gulf Coast ports, saying that any further “automation” of the ports would harm workers. The incoming president posted on social media that he met Harold Daggett, the president of the International Longshoreman’s Association, and Dennis Daggett, the union’s executive vice president. “I’ve studied automation, and know just about everything there is to know about it,” Trump posted. “The amount of money saved is nowhere near the distress, hurt, and harm it causes for American Workers, in this case, our Longshoremen. Foreign companies have made a fortune in the U.S. by giving them access to our markets. They shouldn’t be looking for every last penny knowing how many families are hurt.” The International Longshoremen’s Association has until Jan. 15 to negotiate a new contract with the U.S. Maritime Alliance, which represents ports and shipping companies. At the heart of the dispute is whether ports can install automated gates, cranes and container-moving trucks that could make it faster to unload and load ships. The union argues that automation would lead to fewer jobs, even though higher levels of productivity could do more to boost the salaries of remaining workers. The Maritime Alliance said in a statement that the contract goes beyond ports to “supporting American consumers and giving American businesses access to the global marketplace – from farmers, to manufacturers, to small businesses, and innovative start-ups looking for new markets to sell their products.” “To achieve this, we need modern technology that is proven to improve worker safety, boost port efficiency, increase port capacity, and strengthen our supply chains,” said the alliance, adding that it looks forward to working with Trump. In October, the union representing 45,000 dockworkers went on strike for three days, raising the risk that a prolonged shutdown could push up inflation by making it difficult to unload container ships and export American products overseas. The issue pits an incoming president who on the promise of bringing down prices against commitments to support blue-collar workers along with the kinds of advanced technology that drew him support from Silicon Valley elite such as billionaire Elon Musk. Trump sought to portray the dispute as being between U.S. workers and foreign companies, but advanced ports are also key for staying globally competitive. China is opening a that could accommodate ships too large for the Panama Canal. There is a risk that shippers could move to other ports, which could also lead to job losses. Mexico is constructing a port that is highly automated, while Dubai, Singapore and Rotterdam already have more advanced ports. Instead, Trump said that ports and shipping companies should eschew “machinery, which is expensive, and which will constantly have to be replaced.” “For the great privilege of accessing our markets, these foreign companies should hire our incredible American Workers, instead of laying them off, and sending those profits back to foreign countries,” Trump posted. “It is time to put AMERICA FIRST!” ___ Josh Boak, The Associated Press