Final 2024 House race decided with Democrats scoring net gain CBS News has projected a winner for the last race in the U.S. House of Representatives. Democrats scored a net gain from their last term to create a narrow GOP majority in the chamber. CBS News political reporter Hunter Woodall joins "America Decides" to examine the state of the 119th Congress.
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Former Brazlian president charged with plotting an attempted coupAP News in Brief at 6:04 p.m. EST
If you have room in your portfolio for some new ASX 200 shares, then it could be worth checking out the two listed below. That's because they have recently been named as buys by analysts and tipped to have very bright futures. Here's what they are saying: ( ) The first ASX 200 growth share that analysts are tipping as a buy is Megaport. It offers scalable bandwidth for public and private cloud connections, metro ethernet, data centre backhaul, and internet exchange services. The company's software layer provides users with a clever and easy way to create and manage network connections. Through the Megaport network, businesses can deploy private point-to-point connectivity between any of the locations on Megaport's global network infrastructure. This leaves the company extremely well-positioned to benefit from the structural shift to the cloud and the artificial intelligence (AI). In fact, Goldman Sachs believes Megaport has an enormous growth potential. It has previously stated that it estimates that the company's "opportunity for further growth is immense [with] GSe A$129bn p.a. spent on fixed enterprise networking across MP1 geographies." It adds: While acknowledging mixed near-term execution around the partner channel and the new MVE product, we are Buy rated on the name as we remain confident MP1 has a clear product advantage vs. peers and a decade-long runway for robust growth. Despite the soft operational trends in recent periods, we expect still robust top-line growth, with the increased focus on profitable growth supporting an attractive earnings profile over FY25-26. The broker has a buy rating and $10.40 price target on its shares. ( ) Another ASX 200 growth share that has been named as a buy is WiseTech Global. It is the logistics solutions company behind the popular CargoWise One platform. The company notes that CargoWise One is regarded as the logistics industry's most advanced enterprise-class management system, with a deeply feature-rich set of vertical and horizontal, whole-of-enterprise capabilities that provide comprehensive functionality for logistics execution needs across the supply chain. Given the quality of its platform, the company boasts incredible industry adoption rates, high recurring revenue, and ultra low churn rates. This has been underpinning strong earnings and revenue growth for some time and Bell Potter believes more of the same is coming. It said: At its recent AGM, WTC downgraded its FY25 guidance by up to around 10% at revenue and 15% at EBITDA, principally due to the delay in the release of one of the company's new products – Container Transport Optimisation – due to "distractions flowing from the recent media attention and the organisational changes that have subsequently been implemented." The release is now expected to occur in 2HFY25 rather than 1HFY25, and we note that the releases of the company's other new products – ComplianceWise and CargoWise Next – are on track. In our view, WTC appears oversold at current levels and as one of the best growth names on the market, the recent downgrade presents a buying opportunity. Bell Potter has a buy rating and $140.00 price target on its shares.The Reform UK leader pushed back against reports suggesting that legal action would be the next step, saying he would make a decision in the next couple of days about his response if there is no apology for the “crazy conspiracy theory”. Mr Farage also said the party has “opened up our systems” to media outlets, including The Daily Telegraph and The Financial Times, in the interests of “full transparency to verify that our numbers are correct”. His remarks came after Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch accused Mr Farage of “fakery” in response to Reform claiming they had surpassed the Tories in signed-up members. Mrs Badenoch said Reform’s counter was “coded to tick up automatically”. A digital counter on the Reform website showed a membership tally before lunchtime on Boxing Day ticking past the 131,680 figure declared by the Conservative Party during its leadership election earlier this year. Mr Farage, on whether he was threatening legal action or not, told the PA news agency: “I haven’t threatened anything. I’ve just said that unless I get an apology, I will take some action. “I haven’t said whether it’s legal or anything.” He added: “All I’ve said is I want an apology. If I don’t get an apology, I will take action. “I will decide in the next couple of days what that is. So I’ve not specified what it is.” Mr Farage, on the move to make membership data available to media organisations, said: “We feel our arguments are fully validated. “She (Mrs Badenoch) has put out this crazy conspiracy theory and she needs to apologise.” The accusations of fraud and dishonesty made against me yesterday were disgraceful. Today we opened up our systems to The Telegraph, Spectator, Sky News & FT in the interests of full transparency to verify that our data is correct. I am now demanding @KemiBadenoch apologises. — Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) December 27, 2024 On why Mrs Badenoch had reacted as she did, Mr Farage said: “I would imagine she was at home without anybody advising her and was just angry.” Mr Farage, in a statement issued on social media site X, also said: “The accusations of fraud and dishonesty made against me yesterday were disgraceful. “Today we opened up our systems to The Telegraph, Spectator, Sky News and FT in the interests of full transparency to verify that our data is correct. “I am now demanding Kemi Badenoch apologises.” A Conservative Party source claimed Mr Farage was “rattled” that his Boxing Day “publicity stunt is facing serious questions”. They added: “Like most normal people around the UK, Kemi is enjoying Christmas with her family and looking forward to taking on the challenges of renewing the Conservative Party in the New Year.” Mrs Badenoch, in a series of messages posted on X on Thursday, said: “Farage doesn’t understand the digital age. This kind of fakery gets found out pretty quickly, although not before many are fooled.” There were 131,680 Conservative members eligible to vote during the party’s leadership election to replace Rishi Sunak in the autumn. Mrs Badenoch claimed in her thread that “the Conservative Party has gained thousands of new members since the leadership election”. Elsewhere, Mr Farage described Elon Musk as a “bloody hero” and said he believes the US billionaire can help attract younger voters to Reform. Tech entrepreneur Mr Musk met Mr Farage earlier this month at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, amid rumours of a possible donation to either Mr Farage or Reform. Mr Farage told The Daily Telegraph newspaper: “The shades, the bomber jacket, the whole vibe. Elon makes us cool – Elon is a huge help to us with the young generation, and that will be the case going on and, frankly, that’s only just starting. “Reform only wins the next election if it gets the youth vote. The youth vote is the key. Of course, you need voters of all ages, but if you get a wave of youth enthusiasm you can change everything. “And I think we’re beginning to get into that zone – we were anyway, but Elon makes the whole task much, much easier. And the idea that politics can be cool, politics can be fun, politics can be real – Elon helps us with that mission enormously.”
VICTORIA — British Columbia Premier David Eby says 25-per-cent U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods would be "devastating" for the province's lumber and forestry industries. He made the comment ahead of a meeting with fellow first ministers and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Eby was scheduled to participate in the virtual meeting on Wednesday to discuss U.S. president-elect Donald Trump's threat to impose the tariffs unless Canada and Mexico stop illegal border crossings and prevent illicit drugs from entering the United States. Eby said the lumber and forestry sectors are already strained by a recent increase in duties amid the ongoing U.S.-Canada dispute over softwood lumber. He said after the first meeting of his new cabinet in Victoria that the tariffs are "unjustified," and they would hurt Americans as much as they would Canadians. The premier said B.C. is a source of natural gas, wood products, minerals and other products that U.S. businesses depend on, and the tariff would hinder jobs and opportunities in the province while making "life more expensive for Americans." Eby and Ottawa have called for a united front dealing with Trump's tariff plan, which he announced on social media on Monday. Eby said B.C. officials had repeatedly raised concerns with Ottawa over organized crime and illicit drugs, such as fentanyl, in relation to border security. "It's a priority for us. It has been for a while, we've written to Ottawa about it. Doesn't justify the tariffs, but it does mean that we can talk about those issues as well." Eby said Trump's proposed tariff "doesn't make economic sense," and the measure is not necessary to address issues at the border. The premier said he believes B.C. has a strong case to make for the tariff being "badly placed" if Trump's priority is to reduce costs for Americans. "I think the premiers are unified," Eby said. "There are 13 of us plus the prime minister. It's a big group of people with different political perspectives, but on this issue of ensuring that we're protecting the people in our country from these unjustified tariffs, I believe we're completely in line on that question." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 27, 2024. The Canadian PressPolice hunt for UnitedHealthcare CEO's masked killer after 'brazen, targeted' attack on NYC street NEW YORK (AP) — A gunman killed UnitedHealthcare’s CEO on Wednesday in a “brazen, targeted attack” outside a Manhattan hotel where the health insurer was holding its investor conference, police said, setting off a massive search for the fleeing assailant hours before the annual Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting nearby. Brian Thompson, 50, was shot around 6:45 a.m. as he walked alone to the New York Hilton Midtown from a nearby hotel, police said. The shooter appeared to be “lying in wait for several minutes” before approaching Thompson from behind and opening fire, New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. Police had not yet established a motive. “Many people passed the suspect, but he appeared to wait for his intended target,” Tisch said, adding that the shooting "does not appear to be a random act of violence.” Surveillance video reviewed by investigators shows someone emerging from behind a parked car, pointing a gun at Thompson’s back, then firing multiple times from several feet away. The gunman continues firing, interrupted by a brief gun jam, as Thompson stumbles forward and falls to the sidewalk. He then walks past Thompson and out of the frame. “From watching the video, it does seem that he’s proficient in the use of firearms as he was able to clear the malfunctions pretty quickly,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said. UnitedHealthcare CEO kept a low public profile. Then he was shot to death in New York NEW YORK (AP) — Brian Thompson led one of the biggest health insurers in the U.S. but was unknown to millions of people his decisions affected. Then Wednesday's targeted fatal shooting of the UnitedHealthcare CEO on a midtown Manhattan sidewalk thrust the executive and his business into the national spotlight. Thompson, who was 50, had worked at the giant UnitedHealth Group Inc for 20 years and run the insurance arm since 2021 after running its Medicare and retirement business. As CEO, Thompson led a firm that provides health coverage to more than 49 million Americans — more than the population of Spain. United is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans, the privately run versions of the U.S. government’s Medicare program for people age 65 and older. The company also sells individual insurance and administers health-insurance coverage for thousands of employers and state-and federally funded Medicaid programs. The business run by Thompson brought in $281 billion in revenue last year, making it the largest subsidiary of the Minnetonka, Minnesota-based UnitedHealth Group. His $10.2 million annual pay package, including salary, bonus and stock options awards, made him one of the company's highest-paid executives. Hegseth fights to save Pentagon nomination as sources say Trump considers DeSantis WASHINGTON (AP) — A defiant Pete Hegseth fought to save his nomination to be Donald Trump's defense secretary Wednesday as the president-elect considered possible replacements in the face of growing questions about the former Fox News host's personal conduct and ability to win Senate confirmation. Hegseth met with legislators on Capitol Hill, conducted a radio interview and released an opinion article denying allegations of sexual assault and excessive drinking. He insisted he was “not backing down one bit," that Trump was still supporting him and he planned to return Thursday for more meetings with lawmakers. But the president-elect's team was looking at alternatives including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Trump himself remained quiet about Hegseth while issuing a flurry of statements on social media Wednesday about other nominees and his news coverage. Hegeth, asked if he'd meet with Trump on Thursday, said he'd meet with him “anytime he'd like." Hegseth is the latest nominee-designate to be imperiled by personal baggage after the recent withdrawal of Trump’s initial pick for attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, whose vulnerabilities were well-documented. But Hegseth’s past, including the revelation that he made a settlement payment after being accused of a sexual assault that he denies, was not widely known. Supreme Court seems likely to uphold Tennessee's ban on medical treatments for transgender minors WASHINGTON (AP) — Hearing a high-profile culture-war clash, the Supreme Court on Wednesday seemed likely to uphold Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming care for minors. The justices’ decision, not expected for several months, could affect similar laws enacted by another 25 states and a range of other efforts to regulate the lives of transgender people, including which sports competitions they can join and which bathrooms they can use. The case is being weighed by a conservative-dominated court after a presidential election in which Donald Trump and his allies promised to roll back protections for transgender people, showcasing the uneasy intersection between law, politics and individual rights. The Biden administration's top Supreme Court lawyer warned a decision favorable to Tennessee also could be used to justify nationwide restrictions on transgender healthcare for minors. In arguments that lasted more than two hours, five of the six conservative justices voiced varying degrees of skepticism of arguments made by the administration and Chase Strangio, the ACLU lawyer for Tennessee families challenging the ban. Peter Navarro served prison time related to Jan. 6. Now Trump is bringing him back as an adviser WASHINGTON (AP) — Former White House adviser Peter Navarro, who served prison time related to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, will return to serve in Donald Trump’s second administration, the president-elect announced Wednesday. Navarro, a trade adviser during Trump’s first term, will be a senior counselor for trade and manufacturing, Trump said on Truth Social. The position, Trump wrote, “leverages Peter’s broad range of White House experience, while harnessing his extensive Policy analytic and Media skills.” The appointment was only the first in a flurry of announcements that Trump made on Wednesday as his presidential transition faced controversy over Pete Hegseth, Trump’s choice for Pentagon chief. Hegseth faces allegations of sexual misconduct, excessive drinking and financial mismanagement, and Trump has considered replacing him with another potential nominee. As he works to fill out his team, Trump said he wanted Paul Atkins, a financial industry veteran and an advocate for cryptocurrency, to serve as the next chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission. He wrote on Truth Social that Atkins “recognizes that digital assets & other innovations are crucial to Making America Greater than Ever Before.” Trump also said he was changing course on his choice for White House counsel. He said his original pick, William McGinley, will work with the Department of Government Efficiency, which will be run by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy with the goal of cutting federal spending. Now David Warrington, who has worked as Trump’s personal lawyer and a lawyer for his campaign, will serve as White House counsel. Israeli strikes on a Gaza tent camp kill at least 21 people, hospital says KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli airstrikes tore through a tent camp for displaced Palestinians in southern Gaza on Wednesday, sparking fires and killing at least 21 people, according to the head of a nearby hospital, in the latest assault on a sprawling tent city that Israel designated a humanitarian safe zone but has repeatedly targeted. The Israeli military said it struck senior Hamas militants “involved in terrorist activities” in the area, without providing additional details, and said it took precautions to minimize harm to civilians. The strike on the Muwasi tent camp was one of several deadly assaults across the Gaza Strip on Wednesday. An Israeli attack in central Gaza killed at least 10 more people, including four children, according to Palestinian medics. Israel’s devastating war in Gaza, launched after Hamas’ October 2023 attack, shows no signs of ending after nearly 14 months. Hamas is still holding dozens of Israeli hostages, and most of Gaza’s population has been displaced and is reliant on international food aid to survive. Israel is also pressing a major offensive in the isolated north, where experts say Palestinians might be experiencing famine. The Biden administration has pledged to make a new push for a Gaza ceasefire now that there's a truce in Lebanon between Israel and the militant group Hezbollah, ending more than a year of cross-border fighting. Meanwhile, President-elect Donald Trump demanded this week the release of hostages held by Hamas before he is sworn into office in January. South Korean President Yoon's martial law declaration raises questions over his political future SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — President Yoon Suk Yeol’s stunning martial law declaration lasted just hours, but experts say it raised serious questions about his ability to govern for the remaining 2 1/2 years of his term and whether he will abide by democratic principles. The opposition-controlled parliament overturned the edict, and his rivals on Wednesday took steps to impeach him. One analyst called his action “political suicide.” Yoon’s political fate may depend on whether a large number of people in coming days take to the streets to push for his ouster. Here's a look at the political firestorm caused by the martial law declaration, the first of its kind in more than 40 years. Yoon's declaration of emergency martial law on Tuesday night was accompanied by a pledge to eliminate “shameless North Korea followers and anti-state forces at a single stroke.” He vowed to protect the country from “falling into the depths of national ruin.” Yoon, a conservative, cited repeated attempts by his liberal rivals in control of parliament to impeach his top officials and curtail key parts of his budget bill for next year. French lawmakers vote to oust prime minister in the first successful no-confidence vote since 1962 PARIS (AP) — France’s far-right and left-wing lawmakers joined together Wednesday in a historic no-confidence vote prompted by budget disputes that forces Prime Minister Michel Barnier and his Cabinet members to resign, a first since 1962. The National Assembly approved the motion by 331 votes. A minimum of 288 were needed. President Emmanuel Macron insisted he will serve the rest of his term until 2027. However, he will need to appoint a new prime minister for the second time after July’s legislative elections led to a deeply divided parliament. Macron will address the French on Thursday evening, his office said, without providing details. Barnier is expected to formally resign by then. A conservative appointed in September, Barnier becomes the shortest-serving prime minister in France’s modern Republic. White House says at least 8 US telecom firms, dozens of nations impacted by China hacking campaign WASHINGTON (AP) — A top White House official on Wednesday said at least eight U.S. telecom firms and dozens of nations have been impacted by a Chinese hacking campaign. Deputy national security adviser Anne Neuberger offered new details about the breadth of the sprawling Chinese hacking campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans. Neuberger divulged the scope of the hack a day after the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued guidance intended to help root out the hackers and prevent similar cyberespionage in the future. White House officials cautioned that the number of telecommunication firms and countries impacted could still grow. The U.S. believes that the hackers were able to gain access to communications of senior U.S. government officials and prominent political figures through the hack, Neuberger said. “We don’t believe any classified communications has been compromised,” Neuberger added during a call with reporters. Harris found success with women who have cats, but Trump got the dog owner vote: AP VoteCast WASHINGTON (AP) — The lead-up to the 2024 election was all about cat owners. But in the end, the dogs had their day. President-elect Donald Trump won slightly more than half of voters who own either cats or dogs, with a big assist from dog owners, according to AP VoteCast, a survey of more than 120,000 voters. Dog owners were much more likely to support the Republican over Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris. Cat owners were split between the two candidates. About two-thirds of voters said they own a dog or cat, but pet owners don't usually get much attention from politicians. This year, however, past comments by Trump's running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, about “childless cat ladies” briefly became a campaign issue — and Taylor Swift signed her Instagram endorsement of Harris in September as “Taylor Swift Childless Cat Lady.” Harris did end up decisively winning support from women who owned a cat but not a dog. Still, those voters were a relatively small slice of the electorate, and pet owners as a whole did not seem to hold Vance's remarks against the GOP ticket. Childless or not, women who only owned a cat were more likely to support Harris than were dog owners, or voters who had a cat and a dog. About 6 in 10 women who owned a cat but not a dog supported Harris, according to AP VoteCast. She did similarly well among women who did not own either kind of pet.
The Reform UK leader pushed back against reports suggesting that legal action would be the next step, saying he would make a decision in the next couple of days about his response if there is no apology for the “crazy conspiracy theory”. Mr Farage also said the party has “opened up our systems” to media outlets, including The Daily Telegraph and The Financial Times, in the interests of “full transparency to verify that our numbers are correct”. His remarks came after Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch accused Mr Farage of “fakery” in response to Reform claiming they had surpassed the Tories in signed-up members. Mrs Badenoch said Reform’s counter was “coded to tick up automatically”. A digital counter on the Reform website showed a membership tally before lunchtime on Boxing Day ticking past the 131,680 figure declared by the Conservative Party during its leadership election earlier this year. Mr Farage, on whether he was threatening legal action or not, told the PA news agency: “I haven’t threatened anything. I’ve just said that unless I get an apology, I will take some action. “I haven’t said whether it’s legal or anything.” He added: “All I’ve said is I want an apology. If I don’t get an apology, I will take action. “I will decide in the next couple of days what that is. So I’ve not specified what it is.” Mr Farage, on the move to make membership data available to media organisations, said: “We feel our arguments are fully validated. “She (Mrs Badenoch) has put out this crazy conspiracy theory and she needs to apologise.” The accusations of fraud and dishonesty made against me yesterday were disgraceful. Today we opened up our systems to The Telegraph, Spectator, Sky News & FT in the interests of full transparency to verify that our data is correct. I am now demanding apologises. — Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) On why Mrs Badenoch had reacted as she did, Mr Farage said: “I would imagine she was at home without anybody advising her and was just angry.” Mr Farage, in a statement issued on social media site X, also said: “The accusations of fraud and dishonesty made against me yesterday were disgraceful. “Today we opened up our systems to The Telegraph, Spectator, Sky News and FT in the interests of full transparency to verify that our data is correct. “I am now demanding Kemi Badenoch apologises.” A Conservative Party source claimed Mr Farage was “rattled” that his Boxing Day “publicity stunt is facing serious questions”. They added: “Like most normal people around the UK, Kemi is enjoying Christmas with her family and looking forward to taking on the challenges of renewing the Conservative Party in the New Year.” Mrs Badenoch, in a series of messages posted on X on Thursday, said: “Farage doesn’t understand the digital age. This kind of fakery gets found out pretty quickly, although not before many are fooled.” There were 131,680 Conservative members eligible to vote during the party’s leadership election to replace Rishi Sunak in the autumn. Mrs Badenoch claimed in her thread that “the Conservative Party has gained thousands of new members since the leadership election”. Elsewhere, Mr Farage described Elon Musk as a “bloody hero” and said he believes the US billionaire can help attract younger voters to Reform. Tech entrepreneur Mr Musk met Mr Farage earlier this month at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, amid rumours of a possible donation to either Mr Farage or Reform. Mr Farage told The Daily Telegraph newspaper: “The shades, the bomber jacket, the whole vibe. Elon makes us cool – Elon is a huge help to us with the young generation, and that will be the case going on and, frankly, that’s only just starting. “Reform only wins the next election if it gets the youth vote. The youth vote is the key. Of course, you need voters of all ages, but if you get a wave of youth enthusiasm you can change everything. “And I think we’re beginning to get into that zone – we were anyway, but Elon makes the whole task much, much easier. And the idea that politics can be cool, politics can be fun, politics can be real – Elon helps us with that mission enormously.”OpenAI to partner with military defense tech companySir Alex Ferguson reportedly had to step in to ensure that the family of Manchester United legend Sir Matt Busby kept seats in Old Trafford amid unpopular changes under the INEOS hierarchy. Busby is a legendary figure at United, having managed the club between 1945 and 1969, winning 13 major trophies. He passed away in 1994, but his family have had complimentary season tickets at Old Trafford ever since. The family have sat in the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand and had access to a lounge, with the club trying to maintain a connection to their past. However, the change of ownership to INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe in February led to a breakdown in communication over the summer over their tickets. The Daily Mail reports that Ferguson felt he needed to reach out to the new chief executive Omar Berrada to ensure that the Busby family retained season tickets. He was successful, with United finding them different seats in the same stand. The move ensured that INEOS did not score a PR own goal, although they have done so on several other occasions this year. Ferguson himself is no stranger to the ruthless edge of the new hierarchy, having lost his lucrative club ambassador role in the restructure implemented by Ratcliffe. The petrochemicals billionaire personally met with Ferguson in October to inform him of the decision to cut his £2million-a-year gig. Ratcliffe has been very open in his desire to cut costs at the club since taking sporting control by buying 27.7 per cent of the club for £1.3bn in February. He has slashed 250 jobs and cancelled the Christmas party as well as other freebies for staff, including tickets for the FA Cup final in May. "Manchester United has become mediocre," he told the United We Stand fanzine last week. "It is supposed to be one of the best football clubs in the world . We have to make some difficult and unpopular decisions. If you shy away from the difficult decisions, then nothing much is going to change.” The Daily Mail reports that former United chairman Martin Edwards, ex-chief executive David Gill and long-serving director Mike Edelson have now been told they can’t visit the dressing room after games. Meanwhile, former players Norman Whiteside and Gordon Hill have been left unhappy after having their season tickets seats moved. Denise Whiteside took to social media in February to brand United a “disgrace” for their treatment of her husband, claiming they had been moved in order to accommodate more executive seating inside the stadium – something the club denied. Ratcliffe has also been criticised after raising the price of tickets to £66. "We need to find a balance – and you can't be popular all the time either,” he said in response. “Here, we are talking about 3 per cent of the tickets. I don't think it makes sense for a Manchester United ticket to cost less than a ticket to see Fulham ." Join our new MAN UTD WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Manchester United content from Mirror Football. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Sky has slashed the price of its Sky Sports, Sky Stream, Sky TV and Netflix bundle in an unbeatable new deal that saves £240 and includes 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
The Reform UK leader pushed back against reports suggesting that legal action would be the next step, saying he would make a decision in the next couple of days about his response if there is no apology for the “crazy conspiracy theory”. Mr Farage also said the party has “opened up our systems” to media outlets, including The Daily Telegraph and The Financial Times, in the interests of “full transparency to verify that our numbers are correct”. His remarks came after Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch accused Mr Farage of “fakery” in response to Reform claiming they had surpassed the Tories in signed-up members. Mrs Badenoch said Reform’s counter was “coded to tick up automatically”. A digital counter on the Reform website showed a membership tally before lunchtime on Boxing Day ticking past the 131,680 figure declared by the Conservative Party during its leadership election earlier this year. Mr Farage, on whether he was threatening legal action or not, told the PA news agency: “I haven’t threatened anything. I’ve just said that unless I get an apology, I will take some action. “I haven’t said whether it’s legal or anything.” He added: “All I’ve said is I want an apology. If I don’t get an apology, I will take action. “I will decide in the next couple of days what that is. So I’ve not specified what it is.” Mr Farage, on the move to make membership data available to media organisations, said: “We feel our arguments are fully validated. “She (Mrs Badenoch) has put out this crazy conspiracy theory and she needs to apologise.” The accusations of fraud and dishonesty made against me yesterday were disgraceful. Today we opened up our systems to The Telegraph, Spectator, Sky News & FT in the interests of full transparency to verify that our data is correct. I am now demanding @KemiBadenoch apologises. — Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) December 27, 2024 On why Mrs Badenoch had reacted as she did, Mr Farage said: “I would imagine she was at home without anybody advising her and was just angry.” Mr Farage, in a statement issued on social media site X, also said: “The accusations of fraud and dishonesty made against me yesterday were disgraceful. “Today we opened up our systems to The Telegraph, Spectator, Sky News and FT in the interests of full transparency to verify that our data is correct. “I am now demanding Kemi Badenoch apologises.” A Conservative Party source claimed Mr Farage was “rattled” that his Boxing Day “publicity stunt is facing serious questions”. They added: “Like most normal people around the UK, Kemi is enjoying Christmas with her family and looking forward to taking on the challenges of renewing the Conservative Party in the New Year.” Mrs Badenoch, in a series of messages posted on X on Thursday, said: “Farage doesn’t understand the digital age. This kind of fakery gets found out pretty quickly, although not before many are fooled.” There were 131,680 Conservative members eligible to vote during the party’s leadership election to replace Rishi Sunak in the autumn. Mrs Badenoch claimed in her thread that “the Conservative Party has gained thousands of new members since the leadership election”. Elsewhere, Mr Farage described Elon Musk as a “bloody hero” and said he believes the US billionaire can help attract younger voters to Reform. Tech entrepreneur Mr Musk met Mr Farage earlier this month at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, amid rumours of a possible donation to either Mr Farage or Reform. Mr Farage told The Daily Telegraph newspaper: “The shades, the bomber jacket, the whole vibe. Elon makes us cool – Elon is a huge help to us with the young generation, and that will be the case going on and, frankly, that’s only just starting. “Reform only wins the next election if it gets the youth vote. The youth vote is the key. Of course, you need voters of all ages, but if you get a wave of youth enthusiasm you can change everything. “And I think we’re beginning to get into that zone – we were anyway, but Elon makes the whole task much, much easier. And the idea that politics can be cool, politics can be fun, politics can be real – Elon helps us with that mission enormously.”Liverpool host Manchester City in a huge Premier League game on Sunday. The Reds, who were once again impressive in beating Real Madrid on Wednesday night, opened up an eight-point gap on the champions after beating Southampton 3-2 in dramatic fashion last weekend. As such, Arne Slot’s side could go 11 points clear of the champions , who are in an unusual state of crisis. Thrashed 4-0 by Tottenham on Saturday , Pep Guardiola ’s side then collapsed when leading by three goals to draw 3-3 with Feyenoord in the Champions League on Tuesday night. For the first time in his career, Guardiola is on a run of six games without a victory. Fragile defensively and lacking ideas in attack, the City boss has already conceded that losing at Anfield would spell an end to his side’s hopes for a fifth consecutive title. With Liverpool in such strong form, the odds look stacked against the champions. Here’s everything you need to know about the game... Liverpool vs Manchester City is scheduled for a 4pm GMT kick-off time on Sunday December 1 2024. Anfield in Liverpool will host. TV channel : The game will be broadcast on Sky Sports Main Event , Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Ultra HDR . Live stream : Subscribers will be able to watch on a live stream via the Sky Go app . LIVE coverage: Follow all the action with Standard Sport’ s dedicated match blog! Liverpool have been handed a double scare, after Conor Bradley was forced off with what appeared to be a hamstring problem against Real Madrid and Ibrahima Konate needed treatment after the match. The pair will be assessed in the coming days, but Trent Alexander-Arnold could come back into the starting lineup against City after making the bench on Wednesday night. City had Ruben Dias back on the bench for Tuesday’s game in a major boost for Guardiola, who needs all the defensive help he can get right now. John Stones, however, missed the game and none of Mateo Kovacic, Rodri or Oscar Bobb will play. While City’s slump surely cannot continue for much longer given the quality available, Liverpool will be licking their lips. Boasting a good record against their rivals at Anfield anyway, a home win looks the most likely outcome. Liverpool to win, 3-1 . Liverpool wins: 108 Draws: 58 Man City wins: 60 Liverpool FC to win: 10/11 Draw: 15/8 Man City to win: 2/1 Odds via Betfair and subject to change .
Israeli troops stormed one of the last hospitals operating in northern Gaza on Friday, igniting fires and forcing many staff and patients outside to strip in winter weather, the territory’s health ministry said. Kamal Adwan Hospital has been hit multiple times over the past three months by Israeli troops waging an offensive against Hamas fighters in surrounding neighborhoods, according to staff. The ministry said a strike on the hospital a day earlier killed five medical staff. Israel’s military said it was conducting operations against Hamas infrastructure and militants in the area of the hospital, without details. It repeated claims that Hamas fighters operate inside Kamal Adwan but provided no evidence. Hospital officials have denied that. The Health Ministry said troops forced medical personnel and patients to assemble in the yard and remove their clothes. Some were led to an unknown location, while some patients were sent to the nearby Indonesian Hospital, which was knocked out of operation after an Israel raid this week. Israeli troops during raids frequently carry out mass detentions, stripping men to their underwear for questioning in what the military says is a security measure as they search for Hamas fighters. The Associated Press doesn’t have access to Kamal Adwan, but armed plainclothes members of the Hamas-led police forces — tasked with keeping security and officially separate from the group’s armed wing — have been seen in other hospitals. The Health Ministry said Israeli troops also set fires in several parts of Kamal Adwan, including the lab and surgery department. It said 25 patients and 60 health workers remained in the hospital out of 75 patients and 180 staff who had been there. The account could not be independently confirmed, and attempts to reach hospital staff were unsuccessful. “Fire is ablaze everywhere in the hospital,” an unidentified member of the staff said in an audio message posted on the social media accounts of hospital director Hossam Abu Safiya. The staffer said some evacuated patients had been unhooked from oxygen. “There are currently patients who could die at any moment,” she said. A largely isolated north Since October, Israel’s offensive has virtually sealed off the northern Gaza areas of Jabaliya, Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahiya and leveled large parts of them. Tens of thousands of Palestinians were forced out but thousands are believed to remain in the area, where Kamal Adwan and two other hospitals are located. Troops raided Kamal Adwan in October, and on Tuesday troops stormed and evacuated the Indonesian Hospital. The area has been cut off from food and other aid for months , raising fears of famine. The U.N. says Israeli troops allowed just four humanitarian deliveries to the area from Dec. 1 to Dec. 23. The Israeli rights group Physicians for Human Rights-Israel this week petitioned Israel’s High Court of Justice seeking a halt to military attacks on Kamal Adwan. It warned that forcibly evacuating the hospital would “abandon thousands of residents in northern Gaza.” Before the latest deaths Thursday, the group documented five other staffers killed by Israeli fire since October. Israel launched its campaign in Gaza vowing to destroy Hamas after the group’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel in which militants killed around 1,200 people and abducted some 250 others. Around 100 Israelis remain captive in Gaza, around a third believed to be dead. Israel’s nearly 15-month-old campaign of bombardment and offensives has devastated the territory’s health sector. A year ago, it carried out raids on hospitals in northern Gaza, including Kamal Adwan, Indonesian and al-Awda Hospital, saying they served as bases for Hamas, though it presented little evidence. Israel’s campaign has killed more than 45,400 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, and wounded more than 108,000 others, according to the Health Ministry. Its count does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. Deaths from the cold in Gaza More than 90% of Gaza’s 2.3 million Palestinians have been driven from their homes, most of them now sheltering in sprawling, squalid tent camps in south and central Gaza. Children and adults, many barefoot, huddled Friday on the cold sand in tents whose plastic and cloth sheets whipped in the wind. Overnight temperatures can dip into the 40s Fahrenheit (below 10 Celsius), and sea spray from the Mediterranean can dampen tents just steps away. “I swear to God, their mother and I cover ourselves with one blanket and we cover (their five children) with three blankets that we got from neighbors. Sea waters drowned everything that was ours,” said Muhammad al-Sous, displaced from Beit Lahiya in the north. The children collect plastic bottles to make fires, and pile under the blankets when their only set of clothes is washed and dried in the wind. At least three babies in Gaza have died from exposure to cold in recent days, doctors there have said.
Several users of X (formerly Twitter) have raised concerns about potential censorship after criticizing Elon Musk’s support for H-1B visas, a controversial immigration policy for skilled foreign workers. Allegations have surfaced claiming that prominent voices, particularly those on the conservative side of the political spectrum, have had their verification badges removed or their content suppressed after voicing objections to Musk’s stance on the matter. There is Donald Trump supporter Laura Loomer, New York Young Republican Club president Gavin Wax, and InfoWars host Owen Shroyer who claim their accounts were being targeted because they had recently condemned Musk’s stance on H-1B visas and spoke out against the role Indian culture was playing in American business as well as condemned Musk’s association with entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who promotes the policy. The Censorship Claims: Who’s Affected? Wax, another vocal critic of the H-1B program, posted a response, labeling the removal of his verification badge “insane.” He claimed that his badge was taken away after he labeled the H-1B program a “racket.” Shroyer, too, reported that his verification had vanished, with his account placed “under review” by X’s administration. What Has Musk Said? No Official Statement Yet As of now, Elon Musk has not released any statements about the claim of censorship. However, in a previous post, Musk explained that X’s algorithm was aimed at maximizing “unregretted user-seconds.” In other words, its algorithm favors content that tends to encourage engagement without inducing negative feedback or regret by users. Musk said accounts that are blocked or muted by verified users most may experience a drastic drop in reach. He also added that coordinated spam attacks using blocks and mutes might flag accounts as spam. Musk further commented on the algorithm saying that these actions might silence individuals who present opposition against specific topics or policies. One such heated debate is regarding the H-1B visa. H-1B Visa Debate Heats Up The controversy over H-1B visas has resurfaced with a vengeance, especially among supporters of former President Donald Trump. The H-1B program allows U.S. companies to employ skilled foreign workers in specialized fields, such as technology and engineering. Critics argue that it contributes to job displacement for American workers, a sentiment voiced by many within Trump’s MAGA base. The debate over H-1B visas has gained further prominence following the appointment of Indian-American Sriram Krishnan as Senior Policy Advisor for Artificial Intelligence under Trump’s government. Far-right figures have expressed concern, claiming that this move dilutes Trump’s “America First” policy, which prioritizes U.S. workers over foreign talent. Despite the disagreement, the H-1B visa debate has now turned into a divisive battleground and more so in the US political arena. The MAGA proponents maintain that the government needs stricter immigration policies as these foreigners take away jobs from American natives and strain the economy beyond what it can handle. ALSO READ | Who Was David Rivkin? Trump Pays Homage To Constitution’s Stalwart DefenderFrom wealth and success to murder suspect, the life of Luigi Mangione took a hard turn
President-elect Donald Trump has stirred controversy this week with his pledge to impose new tariffs on imports from the United States' top trading partners: Canada, China, and Mexico. Earlier this week, Trump announced plans to implement a 25% tariff on all goods from Mexico and Canada, alongside a 10% tariff on Chinese products. This marks Trump's first major tariff promise since his election, signaling a tough approach to trade with these countries. He stated that, upon taking office, he would sign executive orders to impose a 25% tariff on all imports from Mexico and Canada, maintaining that the tariffs would remain in place until the flow of illegal immigration and fentanyl into the U.S. was stopped. "This Tariff will remain in effect until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!" Trump wrote. Canada: The biggest surprise Trump’s hard-line stance on China, which conservatives view as a threat to U.S. economic and national security, comes as no surprise. Similarly, his criticism of Mexico is rooted in long-standing concerns over immigration and border security. But what’s less expected is the inclusion of Canada, the U.S.'s northern neighbor, in this tariff plan. While it’s possible that these tariff threats are part of a broader negotiation strategy, there has been a notable uptick in border apprehensions in recent months. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data, arrests at the U.S.-Canada border surged from 10,021in the 12-month period ending September 2023, to 23,721 in the following year. Immigration has been one of Trump’s signature issues since his 2016 campaign, and his tough stance on border security continues to resonate with his political base. In response to Trump's remarks, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addressed the concerns within his own country, emphasizing the ongoing strong ties between the U.S. and Canada. “We talked about how the intense and effective connections between our two countries flow back and forth,” Trudeau said, noting that both nations could collaborate on addressing shared challenges. If these tariffs are enacted, the impact could be significant. Canada exports about 77% of its goods to the U.S., according to the Toronto Region Board of Trade, meaning that such measures could have far-reaching economic consequences for both countries. Elon Musk on Trump’s tariff crackdown Reacting to a post that discusses Trump's latest tariff plan, Tesla CEO Elon Musk took to X and said, “Price of Fentanyl will rise sharply.”Weeks before President-elect Donald Trump is to take office, a major rift has emerged among his supporters over immigration and the place of foreign workers in the U.S. labor market. The debate hinges on how much tolerance, if any, the incoming administration should have for skilled immigrants brought into the country on work visas. The schism pits immigration hard-liners against many of the president-elect’s most prominent backers from the technology industry — among them Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, who helped back Trump’s election efforts with more than a quarter-billion dollars, and David Sacks, a venture capitalist picked to be czar for artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency policy. The tech industry has long relied on foreign skilled workers to help run its companies, a labor supply that critics say undercuts wages for American citizens. The dispute, which late Thursday exploded online into acrimony, finger-pointing and accusations of censorship, frames a policy quandary for Trump. The president-elect has in the past expressed a willingness to provide more work visas to skilled workers, but has also promised to close the border, deploy tariffs to create more jobs for American citizens and severely restrict immigration. Laura Loomer, a far-right activist and fervent Trump loyalist, helped set off the altercation this week by criticizing Trump’s selection of Sriram Krishnan, an Indian American venture capitalist, to be an adviser on artificial intelligence policy. In a post, she said she was concerned that Krishnan, a naturalized U.S. citizen who was born in India, would have influence on the Trump administration’s immigration policies, and mentioned “third-world invaders.” “It’s alarming to see the number of career leftists who are now being appointed to serve in Trump’s admin when they share views that are in direct opposition to Trump’s America First agenda,” Loomer wrote on the social platform X, which is owned by Musk. Loomer’s comments surfaced a simmering tension between longtime Trump supporters, who embrace his virulent anti-immigrant rhetoric, and his more recently acquired backers from the tech industry, many of whom have built or financed businesses that rely on the government’s H-1B visa program to hire skilled workers from abroad. In response, Sacks called Loomer’s critiques “crude,” while Musk posted regularly this week about the lack of homegrown talent to fill all the needed positions within American technology companies. The expertise U.S. companies need “simply does not exist in America in sufficient quantity,” Musk posted Thursday, drawing a line between what he views as legal immigration and illegal immigration. Throughout the election cycle, Musk helped amplify the debunked theory that the Democratic Party was encouraging immigrants to illegally cross the border to vote, thus replacing American voters. A naturalized citizen born in South Africa, Musk has spoken out frequently against immigration, characterizing it as a threat to national sovereignty and endorsing messages calling noncitizens “invaders.” This week, however, he came out strongly in favor of H-1B visas, which are given to specialized foreign workers. Musk has said he held an H-1B before becoming a citizen, and his electric-car company, Tesla, obtained 724 of the visas this year. H-1B visas are typically for three-year periods, although holders can extend them or apply for green cards. Krishnan, Sacks and Musk did not respond to requests for comment. Loomer, reached by telephone, said she took on the visa issue because she didn’t trust the motivations of Musk and other tech magnates who helped elect Trump. She is worried, she said, that Musk, in particular, would try to use his sway to persuade the incoming president to allow more immigration rather than close the border as she and others on the right would prefer. “He’s not MAGA and he’s a drag on the Trump transition,” said Loomer, who said she believed that Musk was using his relationship with Trump to further enrich himself. “Elon wants everyone to think he’s a hero because he gave $250 million to the Trump campaign. But that’s not much of an investment if it allows him to become a trillionaire.” A spokesperson for Trump did not respond to a request for comment. Trump said on a podcast co-hosted by Sacks in June that any international student who graduates from an American university “should be able to stay in this country.” The taping followed a San Francisco fundraiser for Trump’s campaign hosted by Sacks. Since then, the leaders of tech companies who rely on skilled foreign labor, including Mark Zuckerberg of Meta, Jeff Bezos of Amazon and Sundar Pichai of Google, have wooed Trump with calls, visits to Mar-a-Lago — Trump’s resort in Palm Beach, Florida — and donations for his inauguration. That’s a different dynamic from Trump’s first term, which began with the industry’s sweeping condemnation of the first Trump administration’s travel ban suspending the issuance of visas to applicants from seven countries, all of which had Muslim-majority populations. Tech leaders have also been taking an important role in the presidential transition, proposing associates for high-ranking administration positions and advising the president-elect on potential policies and foreign relations. Trump also tapped Musk to serve as co-leader of a new “government efficiency” commission. The rising importance of tech leaders in Trump’s circle is now drawing scrutiny from his base — and even some past rivals. Nikki Haley, the former governor of South Carolina who ran for president against Trump and who in the past has called herself the “proud daughter of Indian immigrants,” slammed the tech industry and its leaders as “lazy” for automatically seeking out foreign workers to fulfill their needs. “If the tech industry needs workers, invest in our education system,” she wrote on X on Friday morning. “Invest in our American workforce. We must invest in Americans first before looking elsewhere.” On Friday, Steve Bannon, a longtime Trump confidant, hosted a series of influencers and researchers on his popular “War Room” podcast who critiqued “big tech oligarchs” for supporting the H-1B program and cast immigration as a threat to Western civilization. Others took a more sympathetic stance toward Silicon Valley’s desire to continue bringing in engineers and other skilled workers from abroad. Vivek Ramaswamy, the former Republican presidential candidate who last month was tapped to lead the government efficiency initiative alongside Musk, blamed American culture for creating people ill-suited for skilled tech positions. “The H-1B system is badly broken & should be replaced with one that focuses on selecting the very best of the best,” Ramaswamy said on X on Friday. The rancorous exchange over immigration soon grew to encompass another flashpoint on the right: online speech. Since acquiring what was then called Twitter in 2022 for $44 billion, Musk has characterized himself as a “free speech absolutist.” Among his first acts atop the company was reinstating accounts banned by the previous management, including Loomer’s, which had been taken down in 2018 after sharing anti-Muslim posts. But on Thursday, X temporarily blocked Loomer from posting on the site and removed her verified status, cutting her off from income from paid subscribers. Numerous other accounts reported losing their verified status as well, although only Loomer seems to have been blocked from posting or monetizing her account. Loomer said that starting Friday morning, she was able to post again but still had not regained her verified status. An X spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment. Loomer, whose account has 1.4 million followers, called it retaliation, pointing out that Musk on Thursday night endorsed a post from a popular pro-tech influencer stating “play stupid games, win stupid prizes,” in reference to Loomer. Loomer called the restriction “censorship.”
B.C. Premier Eby says U.S. tariffs would be 'devastating' for forest industryPolitical will ‘all that is needed’ for new crossing points, UN’s Stewart says
Phoenix, AZ, Dec. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The American College of Medical Toxicology (ACMT) is pleased to announce its 2025 Annual Scientific Meeting (#ACMT2025) and Symposia on April 2 - 6 at the Fairmont Hotel in Vancouver, Canada. This five-day program featuring three pre-meeting activities in addition to the main conference, will expose attendees to the latest advancements in medical toxicology research, and offer numerous opportunities for networking and engagement throughout. Registration is open for all activities, with early bird savings rates active until Fri day, February 21st . Continuing medical, nursing, and pharmacy education credits are available. The program will commence on Wednesday, April 2nd, with a half-day symposium titled "Thalli--Ummmm, Was This a Murder? " organized by the American Academy of Clinical Toxicology (AACT). This symposium will explore the clinical and forensic complexities of thallium poisoning, emphasizing timely access to antidotes and the nuances of patient care while also examining analytical testing, effective media communication, and expert witness testimony. On Thursday, April 3rd, ACMT will host two, innovative, full-day activities concurrently : The ACMT Symposium “Harm Reduction and the Management of Substance Use Disorder (SUD)” will bring together medical experts, researchers, and advocates to explore harm reduction strategies across diverse settings and recovery stages. Vancouver’s pioneering role in harm reduction makes it an ideal location for this symposium, which will explore the latest evidence, ethical considerations, and practical applications of harm reduction strategies. This program will feature keynote lectures from three renowned experts in harm reduction. The program will open with the Medical Toxicology Foundation’s Donovan Keynote lecture with Daniel Ciccarone, MD MPH, an addiction medicine researcher from the University of California, San Francisco. The lecture will cover the evolving challenges of polysubstance use, the rise of fentanyl and its analogs, and its impact on mortality, morbidity, and harm reduction. Drawing on the expertise of local professionals on the frontlines of Vancouver’s public health policies and programs, ACMT is pleased to welcome Patricia Daly, MD, Chief Medical Health Officer for Vancouver Coastal Health. Dr. Daly’s keynote will address the politics and history of harm reduction in Vancouver, including successes and challenges. The third keynote lecture will feature Guy Felicella , a native of the Vancouver area, and a passionate advocate and speaker who overcame addiction and homelessness to inspire recovery and reduce stigma. Drawing on his lived experience, he will provide insights into harm reduction and recovery in Vancouver’s downtown eastside. ACMT will also offer an “Occupational & Environmental Toxicology Boot Camp” on Thursday, April 3rd. This full-day symposium aims to address a crucial gap in toxicology education by focusing on occupational and environmental toxicology. Led by expert medical toxicologists who are also certified in Occupational and Environmental Medicine (OEM), the boot camp targets practicing toxicologists, recent grads, fellows in training, and others interested in occupational and environmental toxicology seeking to enhance their knowledge in this field. Through a comprehensive curriculum, attendees will dive into a variety of topics with emphasis on regulatory toxicology, risk assessment, pulmonary toxicology, reproductive toxicology, as well as irritant gasses, organic pollutants, and heavy metals. The 2025 ACMT Annual Scientific Meeting will run from Friday, April 4th through Sunday, April 6th. Attendees will be exposed to cutting-edge research through a variety of educational engaging plenary sessions. Lectures will cover topics in Environmental & Public Health, Research, Addiction Toxicology, Professional Development, and New Insights in Toxicology. Topics include: The Toxicologic Impact of War on the Environment: Lessons from the Field in Ukraine The Wild West of Ketamine: Safety & Health Equity Concerns Surrounding the Use of Ketamine for Psychiatric Conditions Planetary Toxicology and Climate Change Microplastic Pollution: An Emerging Toxicologic Exposure of Public Health Concern Late Breaking Topic: The End of Fluoridation? Emerging Treatments for Snake Envenomation MOUD in Corrections: Lessons from a Mega-Jail Strategies to Increase Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in Medical Toxicology There will be several collaborative panel sessions featuring the latest developments in toxicology from around the world. These sessions will feature representatives of The American Academy of Clinical Toxicology (AACT), the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Middle East & North Africa Clinical Toxicology Association (MENATOX), Asia Pacific Association of Medical Toxicology (APAMT), the European Association of Poisons Centres and Clinical Toxicologists (EAPCCT), and Red de Toxicología Mexicana (RETOMEX). These events will be of interest to a broad range of medical and public health professionals, researchers, government professionals, and others. Register now for the 2025 ACMT Annual Scientific Meeting and Symposia. The American College of Medical Toxicology (ACMT) is a professional, nonprofit association of physicians with recognized expertise and board certification in medical toxicology. Our members specialize in the prevention, evaluation, treatment, and monitoring of injury and illness from exposures to drugs and chemicals, as well as biological and radiological agents. ACMT members work in clinical, academic, governmental, and public health settings, and provide poison control center leadership. Attachments 2025 ACMT Annual Scientific Meeting 2025 ACMT Annual Scientific Meeting and Symposia #ACMT2025US officials are urging Americans to make calls and send text messages over encrypted apps to minimize the risk of private information falling into the hands of foreign adversaries who might still be lurking in America’s telecommunications networks, . Two officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) spoke with news outlets, including Tuesday on the lasting effects of a . The attack, which was tied to Chinese hacking group Salt Typhoon, impacted companies including AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and Lumen Technologies, first reported in October. later reported that included phone numbers for people in the Donald Trump and Kamala Harris campaigns. Two months after the initial report of the hack, malicious actors to sensitive information about Americans’ communications from the telecom networks. An FBI official on the call, who was not identified in press reports, reportedly said hackers accessed information including call records showing phone numbers called and the times of the call, and in some cases actual live phone calls of certain targets. that hackers could have gained access to unencrypted texts as well. Jeff Greene, executive assistant director for cybersecurity at CISA, told reporters on the call that the scale of the hack was so great that agencies could not possibly predict when there would be a “full eviction” of malicious material, writes. “Encryption is your friend, whether it’s on text messaging or if you have the capacity to use encrypted voice communication,” Greene said, according to . “Even if the adversary is able to intercept the data, if it is encrypted, it will make it impossible.” Services like and WhatsApp offer end-to-end encrypted messaging that can obscure communications outside of the users involved in the call or text. Law enforcement’s embrace of encrypted apps is particularly notable given that the FBI has previously railed against tech companies’ protectiveness over the technology. Though the FBI it does not oppose encryption, it has strict parameters on its support. The agency’s website states that it “does not want encryption to be weakened or compromised so that it can be defeated by malicious actors,” but wants companies that “manage encrypted data to be able to decrypt that data and provide it to law enforcement only in response to U.S. legal process.” That’s something tech companies say could undermine the whole system. The bureau engaged in following a shooting in San Bernadino, California in 2015, because the company refused to break the encryption on the shooter’s iPhone to give investigators access, warning that to do so would endanger users’ privacy across its products. The FBI eventually .