IOC needs to take a binary position on transgender participation in women’s sport
ATHENS, Ga. — This one’s going to hurt for a while. Ahead by 17 points at the half, by 14 with four minutes left in regulation, Georgia Tech tasted the most bitter of defeats. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
Dallas (7-8) at Philadelphia (12-3) Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, Fox BetMGM NFL Odds: Eagles by 7 1/2 Against the spread: Dallas 6-9; Philadelphia 9-6 Series record: Cowboys lead 74-58. Last meeting: Jalen Hurts threw two touchdowns and ran for two more in the Eagles’ 34-6 rout of the Cowboys at Dallas on Nov. 10. Last week: Cowboys defeated the Buccaneers 26-24; Eagles lost 36-33 at Washington. Cowboys offense: overall (16), rush (28), pass (10), scoring (20) Cowboys defense: overall (27), rush (27), pass (21), scoring (30) Eagles offense: overall (6), rush (1), pass (31), scoring (8) Eagles defense: overall (1), rush (9), pass (2), scoring (5) Turnover differential: Cowboys minus-3; Eagles plus-6 RB Saquon Barkley is 162 yards shy of becoming the ninth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season and needs 268 yards to break Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record of 2,105 yards, set in 1984. In his past five games, QB Cooper Rush has passed for nine touchdowns and one interception, looking more comfortable of late after taking over for Dak Prescott in November. Rush is 9-2 as a starter against teams that are not the Eagles. Dallas’s rushing defense vs. Barkley. Can anyone stop him? The Cowboys will be the latest to try to corral Barkley, who has 1,838 rushing yards and 2,114 scrimmage yards, both of which lead the NFL. Dallas ranks 28th in the NFL in rushing defense, allowing an average of 135.9 yards a game. Philadelphia, behind Barkley’s stellar play, tops the league at 187.9 yards a game on the ground. Cowboys: WR CeeDee Lamb will miss the final two games after getting shut down over the sprained right shoulder he's been dealing with the second half of the season. ... LB Eric Kendricks (calf) warmed up but wasn’t able to play against Tampa Bay last week. Eagles: Hurts is in concussion protocol after leaving the game following a 13-yard scramble with 9:52 left in the first quarter last week. ... DE Josh Sweat (ankle) and Jordan Davis also left the game at Washington early. ... QB Ian Book was signed to the practice squad Thursday. The Cowboys made the playoffs in each of the previous three seasons, but were eliminated prior to their game against Tampa Bay last week when the Commanders came back from a 13-point, fourth-quarter deficit to beat Philadelphia. ... Dallas is 5-2 on the road. ... The Eagles can clinch the NFC East and one of the conference's top two seeds with a victory. ... On Jan. 11, 1981, the Eagles defeated the Cowboys 20-7 at their former home, Veterans Stadium. Wilbert Montgomery rushed for a 42-yard touchdown to give Philadelphia an early lead that propelled the Eagles to their first Super Bowl appearance. LB Micah Parsons needs half a sack to reach double digits in sacks for the fourth straight season to begin his career and would become just the fifth player to accomplish the feat in NFL history. ... K Brandon Aubrey made a 53-yard and two 58-yard field goals against the Buccaneers, upping his league-leading total to 14 made of 50-plus yards. ... Kenny Pickett went 14 of 24 for 143 yards and a TD in relief of Hurts last week. If he can’t go because of the rib injury and Hurts remains unavailable, Philadelphia could turn to third-stringer Tanner McKee, a 2023 sixth-round pick. Pickett, a 2022 first-round pick, is no stranger to starting, going 14-10 as Pittsburgh’s QB earlier in his career. ... Defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson was ejected against Washington for committing two unsportsmanlike penalties. ... The Eagles already set a team record for rushing yards in a season with 2,818, and they are within four rushing touchdowns of tying the club’s best single-season mark of 32, set in 2022. ... Barkley needs just 33 yards from scrimmage to break McCoy’s mark of 2,146 scrimmage yards, set in 2013. ... WR A.J. Brown leads the NFL with 16.3 yards a catch and ranks ninth in the league with 1,043 receiving yards, joining Mike Quick (1983–85) as the only Philadelphia players to have three consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons. Philadelphia’s defense is tied for ninth in the NFL with a plus-6 turnover margin. With Hurts possibly sidelined, Philadelphia giving up an uncharacteristic 36 points last week and the chance to clinch the division, the Eagles defense likely will be extra motivated to have a good performance against a Dallas offense that ranks 21st in the league in points. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
‘Great son of India’: Left, Right, Centre together in tributeTo the editor: To the person who disparaged me in the recent Tele-Talk, why are you so mad at me? Is it because you think I have TDS? Definitely. Are you mad because of what I have to say? Or because the truth hurts? Ninety percent of what I submitted to the Conway Daily Sun are direct quotes from your fearless (again) leader, either from his comments on Truth Social or from what he said at his rallies. My recent letter pointed out that in a Time magazine interview, he claimed he could do nothing about the rising cost of groceries, a direct opposite of what he was spouting at his rallies. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.IBADAN – Oyo State Police Command on Friday during its end of the year press briefing stated achievements recorded so far in six months under the leadership of CP Ayodele Sonubi who assumed duty as the state’s 46th Commissioner of Police for the Command on June 16th, 2024. While addressing journalists at the Command Headquarters, Eleyele Ibadan, CP Sonubi noted that within June 16th to this day, 153 armed robbery suspects were arrested, 12 Stolen vehicles and 12 motorcycles/tricycles were recovered while 48 firearms and 1,396 rounds of various calibre of ammunition were retrieved from the possession of criminals. Sonubi further said, “In furtherance of the above, the Oyo State Police Command is pleased to inform residents that within the past (6) Six Months and (11) days, it has recorded significant successes in reducing crime rates across the state. This was attained through a combination of intelligence-led operations, community engagements and proactive policing. “Precisely, One hundred and ninety-four (194) days ago, I took over the mantle of leadership as the 46th Commissioner of the Command, anchoring on the dynamic policies of the 22nd indigenous Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olukayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D, NPM to have a professionally competent, service-driven, rule of law compliant and people-friendly Police Force. “In furtherance of these, the Command has continued to make laudable strides at upholding its statutory responsibilities as enshrined under the constitution and other relevant professional instruments without prejudice to background, orientation, philosophy or association. “In the same vein, the Command’s security architecture was enhanced to accommodate veritable tools for clampdown on criminal elements through the adoption of robust Inter-agency collaborations, capacity-building for police officers through training and retraining, amplified community policing engagements, advanced Intelligence & Technology-Driven Policy, increasing the layers of Supervision of our Officers & Men “Interestingly, Oyo State’s gigantic land mass, exponential industrialization pace and geometric population increase (as a result of rural-urban migration) has come with its own peculiar security challenges. “Nonetheless, Officers and Men of the Command have stamped their feet on the ground to assert professionalism, strength, and courage in the fight against crime across the length and breadth of Oyo State.” CP Sonubi however assured residents of the state of hitch free Christmas and new year celebrations. He said, “As we gradually bid 2024 farewell, I have ordered that all Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers, Heads of Department/formations and Tactical Commanders deploy adequate personnel and resources throughout the length and breadth of Oyo State particularly at all Critical infrastructures, Recreational facilities, Media houses, Banks, Correctional centers, Public spaces, Places of Worship and all adjoining highways and routes within and outside Oyo State.” Suspects paraded at the end of the press briefing include trans-border armed robbers, kidnappers, truck hijackers among others, while Iveco truck fully loaded with tomatoes paste, car, motorcycles and guns were paraded alongside with the suspects as exhibits.
A heartbroken Sir Rod Stewart has paid a touching tribute to his friend Richard Perry, who passed away at the age of 82. The music producer, who had worked with both Rod and The Beatles, died in a Los Angeles hospital on Tuesday following a cardiac arrest . His friend Daphna Kastner confirmed that Richard "maximized his time here." Upon hearing the tragic news, Sir Rod took to social media to express his grief. "Dearest Richard, farewell, my dear buddy. They say in life a man is lucky if he can count his true friends on one hand, and you were certainly one of them," he penned on his Instagram page. "Now I've lost you, and I'm devastated. We played and worked so closely together for so many years, creating some of the most memorable music together." Sir Rod Stewart no longer embarrassed as he shares passion over new hobby Inside Sir Rod Stewart's lavish mansion with 10 bedrooms and a football field Sir Rod continued: "You were there when Penny and I first started dating, encouraging our relationship. We are both in tears as I post this farewell." Fans also expressed their condolences in the comment section, reports the Mirror . One user wrote: "He was a Prince of a man, as are you, dear Rod... my condolences to you and Penny. With love, Bebe." Another added: "So sorry to read this rod thinking of u all and hes family," while another posted: "Sorry to hear of this loss. Richard Perry had innumerable successes with you, Rod Stewart, and especially, @carlysimonhq His contributions will live and play on for many years to come." Richard's close friend announced the news of his death in a heartbreaking statement. "He was generous, fun, sweet, and made the world a better place," she reminisced. "The world is a little less sweet without him here, but it's a little sweeter in heaven." Richard, who rubbed shoulders with music royalty like Carly Simon, Ringo Starr, and Rod Stewart, was celebrated as a "musician's producer." With a romantic history that includes Hollywood icons Jane Fonda and Elizabeth Taylor, Richard left an indelible mark on the music scene, often being the go-to guru for artists looking to refresh their sound or jumpstart their careers. His illustrious production resume boasts of hits like Rod Stewart's The Great American Songbook series, Carly Simon's iconic track You're So Vain, and Ringo Starr's 1973 hit album Ringo, which soared to No. 2 on the charts. His genius also touched the works of Barbra Streisand, Harry Nilsson, Martha Reeves, Fats Domino, and The Band. Barbra Streisand herself gave Richard his due in her memoir, My Name is Barbra, noting: "Richard had a knack for matching the right song to the right artist." DAILY NEWSLETTER: Sign up here to get the latest news and updates from the Mirror US straight to your inbox with our FREE newsletter.Unassuming, erudite, soft-spoken and a consensus builder, Manmohan Singh died on Thursday night at Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). He was 92. New Delhi: He drew the roadmap of India’s economic reform, unshackled it from the licence raj and pulled it back from the brink when even all its gold reserve was pledged. Former prime minister Manmohan Singh was the scholar and architect of the India of today who evolved into a stubbornly resolute politician. Unassuming, erudite, soft-spoken and a consensus builder, Manmohan Singh died on Thursday night at Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). He was 92. The Congress leader, who steered the country for 10 years from 2004-2014 and helped set up the country’s economic framework as finance minister before that, was a renowned name in the global financial and economic sectors. The man who famously spoke of studying under the dim light of kerosene lamps in his village without electricity and went on to become a storied academic was the copybook reluctant politician, almost stumbling into the rough and tumble of mainstream politics. He was the proverbial dark horse when Sonia Gandhi stepped back from taking the prime minister’s post, ignoring the clamour from her party, and chose him instead. And so Manmohan Singh the academic bureaucrat became the 14th prime minister of India in 2004. Theirs was a partnership that lasted 10 years, the equation between Sonia Gandhi and Singh often cited for its equanimity and an example of how a working relationship should really be. Notwithstanding the inevitable tensions. Singh also had to balance the interests of the United Progressive Alliance’s coalition partners. N N Vohra, a former Jammu and Kashmir governor, said Singh always “stood firm as a rock in pursuing the ethical path even if he got into trouble with the political party he represented”. In 2014, the UPA was voted out in a cloud of corruption scams, establishing BJP's unbroken rule since then. Hailed for putting India on the road to liberalisation and privatisation in the early 1990s, Singh was criticised for turning a blind eye to charges of corruption. The going often got tough. During his first tenure as prime minister, the coalition began to unravel when India signed a civil nuclear deal with the US. It almost cost his government with the Left parties pulling out of the UPA coalition. However, his government survived. On July 22, 2008, the UPA faced its first confidence vote in the Lok Sabha after the Communist Party of India (Marxist) led Left Front withdrew support over India approaching the IAEA for Indo-US nuclear deal. The UPA won the confidence vote with 275 votes to the opposition's 256, with a record thin 19-vote victory after 10 MPs abstained. During the fag end of his tenure as prime minister, when he was seen defending his government’s record and the Congress’ positions on controversial issues such as the 2G scam, Singh spoke up and declared he was not weak. "I honestly hope history would be kinder to me than the contemporary media, or for that matter, the opposition parties in Parliament," he had said famously in January 2004. More than two decades later, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge reacted to Singh's death with a poignant post on X: "Undoubtedly, history shall judge you kindly, Dr. Manmohan Singh ji!" The decade with Singh at the helm of affairs is widely believed to be an era unprecedented growth and prosperity. His journey to the acme of India’s governance and political power is unique in the annals of India’s politics. Singh, always seen in a powder blue turban, was appointed India's finance minister in 1991 in the Narasimha Rao government. His role in ushering in a comprehensive policy of economic reforms is now recognised worldwide. In January 1991, India struggled to finance its essential imports, especially of oil and fertilisers, and to repay official debt. In July 1991, the RBI pledged 46.91 tonnes of gold with the Bank of England and the Bank of Japan to raise $400 million. Manmohan Singh soon steered the economy well and was quick to repurchase it months later. Vohra, who at the time served successively as defence and home secretary said he had to be at then finance minister Singh's door daily, “literally begging for some financial relief for the department I was serving”. Born to Gurmukh Singh and Amrit Kaur on September 26, 1932, in village Gah in the Punjab province of undivided India (now Pakistan), Singh completed his matriculation examinations from the Punjab University in 1948. His academic career took him from Punjab to the University of Cambridge, UK, where he earned a First Class Honours degree in Economics in 1957. Singh followed this with a D.Phil in Economics from Nuffield College at Oxford University in 1962. He started his career by teaching in the faculty of Punjab University and the prestigious Delhi School of Economics. He also had a brief stint at the UNCTAD Secretariat and later became secretary general of the South Commission in Geneva between 1987 and 1990. In 1971, Singh joined the government of India as economic advisor in the Commerce ministry. This was soon followed by his appointment as chief economic advisor in the Ministry of Finance in 1972. Among the many governmental positions that he occupied were secretary in the Finance ministry, deputy chairperson of the Planning Commission, governor of the Reserve Bank of India, advisor of the prime minister, and chairperson of the University Grants Commission. His political career started as a member of the Rajya Sabha in 1991, where he was leader of the opposition between 1998 and 2004. Interestingly, the two time prime minister had a 33-year parliamentary innings but only as a Rajya Sabha member. He never contested a Lok Sabha election. Singh was often accused by the BJP of running a government that was marred by corruption. The party called him "MaunMohan Singh" alleging that he did not speak out against corrupt leaders in his cabinet. Notwithstanding the many epithets, Singh always maintained his dignity. He is survived by his wife Gursharan Kaur and has three daughters. It is a measure of Singh’s understated personality that the country knew little of his family who also went about their lives as low key as they could during his 10 years as prime minister. Singh was quiet but also firm. Sources close to him said Singh had almost made up his mind to quit as prime minister in September 2013 after Rahul Gandhi dubbed the Union Cabinet's decision to bring an ordinance to allow convicted politicians to contest elections “complete nonsense” and recommended it be torn. Singh was abroad at the time. Singh was highly critical of demonetisation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2016 and termed it "organised loot and legalised plunder". In reply to the no-confidence motion against his government in 2008, Singh said almost prophetically, "The greatness of democracy is that we are all birds of passage! We are here today, gone tomorrow! But in the brief time that the people of India entrust us with this responsibility, it is our duty to be honest and sincere in the discharge of these responsibilities." Stay informed on all the latest news , real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in india news and world News on Zee News.
College Football: 8 Coaching Candidates to Replace Gus Malzahn at UCF
Aidan O'Connell shows in loss to Chiefs that he is the Raiders' QB for the rest of season HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Aidan O'Connell might not be Mr. Right for the Raiders, but he is Mr. Right Now. Mark Anderson, The Associated Press Nov 30, 2024 2:37 PM Nov 30, 2024 3:05 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell (12) calls a play at the line of scrimmage against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first half of an NFL football game in Kansas City, Mo., Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Aidan O'Connell might not be Mr. Right for the Raiders, but he is Mr. Right Now. He did enough in Friday's 19-17 loss at Kansas City to show that Las Vegas' quarterback job will be his for the rest of the season — barring, that is, another injury. O'Connell didn't look like a quarterback who hadn't played in nearly six weeks because of a broken thumb . Plus, the Raiders had a short week to prepare for the Chiefs, meaning O'Connell only went through a series of walk-through practices. Even so, he completed 23 of 35 passes for 340 yards, including touchdown passes of 33 yards to tight end Brock Bowers and 58 yards to wide receiver Tre Tucker. He didn't throw any interceptions. “Thought he competed,” coach Antonio Pierce said Saturday morning. “I thought for what we knew we were getting with Spags (Kansas City defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo) and that defense, that he stood in the pocket, made some tough throws, took some hits, took the shots down the field like we wanted. We had some opportunities to take shots down the field, he threw them. And I thought our skill guys did a hell of a job competing and making some really good plays for us.” O'Connell's performance would've shined even more if not for the Raiders' final offensive play. He led the Raiders from their 8-yard line to the Chiefs 32 with 15 seconds left. The plan was for O'Connell to take the snap and throw the ball away to run off a few more seconds, then send Daniel Carlson out for the potential winning field goal without giving Patrick Mahomes enough time to mount one of his signature comebacks. But rookie center Jackson Powers-Johnson snapped the ball before O'Connell was expecting it, and the Chiefs recovered to secure another close, last-minute victory. The Raiders were called for illegal shift, which Kansas City declined. But there was some question about whether officials intended to call a false start instead. Though that infraction would have cost Las Vegas 5 yards, the pre-snap penalty still would've given Carlson a shot at the field goal. Pierce said his team heard an official's whistle before the snap, and that will be included in the Raiders' report to the NFL. “We do that every game,” Pierce said. “Typically, anywhere from three to five questions, and then we’ll get a letter within 24 to 36 hours, and we’ll read it and learn from it.” What’s working Bowers had another sensational game. He was targeted 14 times, catching 10 passes for 140 yards. For the season, he has 84 receptions for 884 yards and four TDs, making him a strong contender for Offensive Rookie of the Year. “We’re seeing double-teams and them really shifting their zone to him, and I don’t really think it matters,” Pierce said. “I think we've got a really special player on our hand.” What needs help The Raiders need to do better on first and second downs to set up more favorable third-down conversions. They have faced 47 third downs from 7 to 10 yards, tied with the Dallas Cowboys for fifth most. Las Vegas' conversion rate on those plays is 36.2%, which actually is favorable compared to the rest of the league, but the Raiders are still creating too many of those situations. Stock up Las Vegas made life difficult for Mahomes, sacking him five times. And it wasn't just Maxx Crosby bringing the heat. Four players had at least one-half sack, including K’Lavon Chaisson, who had 1 1/2. It was a season-high total for the Raiders, and they have taken down the opposing quarterback in 30 consecutive games, the third-longest active streak. Stock down Carlson is usually money, but he missed field goals from 56, 55 and 58 yards. Hardly chip shots, but he is capable of converting from those distances. He had made 30 of 38 field goals from 50-plus yards entering the game, with a career long of 57 yards. Injuries WR DJ Turner injured his knee in the second half. Key number 12 — The Raiders are one of three teams to fall behind double digits in each of their first 12 games of a season. The others were the 1986 Indianapolis Colts and 1972 New England Patriots. Next steps The Raiders visit Tampa Bay on Dec. 8. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl Mark Anderson, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Football (NFL) Chargers will be without top RB Dobbins and could lean on QB Herbert against Falcons Nov 30, 2024 1:44 PM Washington Commanders release 2023 first-round pick Emmanuel Forbes Nov 30, 2024 1:40 PM J.K. Dobbins and Alohi Gilman are placed on injured reserve by Chargers Nov 30, 2024 1:32 PMHow the stock market defied expectations again this year, by the numbers NEW YORK (AP) — What a wonderful year 2024 has been for investors. U.S. stocks ripped higher and carried the S&P 500 to records as the economy kept growing and the Federal Reserve began cutting interest rates. The benchmark index posted its first back-to-back annual gains of more than 20% since 1998. The year featured many familiar winners, such as Big Tech, which got even bigger as their stock prices kept growing. But it wasn’t just Apple, Nvidia and the like. Bitcoin and gold surged and “Roaring Kitty” reappeared to briefly reignite the meme stock craze. Stock market today: Wall Street drifts to a mixed close in thin trading following a holiday pause Stock indexes drifted to a mixed finish on Wall Street as some heavyweight technology and communications sector stocks offset gains elsewhere in the market. The S&P 500 slipped less than 0.1% Thursday, its first loss after three straight gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.1%. Gains by retailers and health care stocks helped temper the losses. Trading volume was lighter than usual as U.S. markets reopened following the Christmas holiday. The Labor Department reported that U.S. applications for unemployment benefits held steady last week, though continuing claims rose to the highest level in three years. Treasury yields fell in the bond market. Israel strikes Houthi rebels in Yemen's capital while the WHO chief says he was meters away JERUSALEM (AP) — A new round of Israeli airstrikes in Yemen have targeted the Houthi rebel-held capital of Sanaa and multiple ports. The World Health Organization’s director-general said the bombardment on Thursday took place just “meters away” as he was about to board a flight in Sanaa. He says a crew member was hurt. The strikes followed several days of Houthi attacks and launches setting off sirens in Israel. Israel's military says it attacked infrastructure used by the Houthis at the international airport in Sanaa, power stations and ports. The Israeli military later said it wasn’t aware that the WHO chief was at the location in Yemen. Holiday shoppers increased spending by 3.8% despite higher prices New data shows holiday sales rose this year even as Americans wrestled with still high prices in many grocery necessities and other financial worries. According to Mastercard SpendingPulse, holiday sales from the beginning of November through Christmas Eve climbed 3.8%, a faster pace than the 3.1% increase from a year earlier. The measure tracks all kinds of payments including cash and debit cards. This year, retailers were even more under the gun to get shoppers in to buy early and in bulk since there were five fewer days between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Mastercard SpendingPulse says the last five days of the season accounted for 10% of the spending. Sales of clothing, electronics and Jewelry rose. Finland stops Russia-linked vessel over damaged undersea power cable in Baltic Sea FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Finnish police say authorities detained a ship linked to neighboring Russia as they investigate whether it damaged a Baltic Sea power cable and several data cables. It was the latest incident involving disruption of key infrastructure. Police and border guards boarded the Eagle S and took control as they investigate damage to the Estlink-2 undersea power cable. The cable brings electricity from Finland to Estonia across the Baltic Sea. The cable went down on Wednesday. The incident follows damage to two data cables and the Nord Stream gas pipelines. Both have been termed sabotage. Russian ship that sank in the Mediterranean was attacked, owner says MOSCOW (AP) — The Russian operator of a cargo ship that sank in the Mediterranean Sea between Spain and Algeria says it has been hit by a series of explosions in an act of sabotage. Oboronlogistica is a state-controlled company that operated the Ursa Major freighter. The company said the vessel was wrecked by three powerful explosions just above the water line in what it described as a “terrorist attack” that caused it to sink on Monday. The company said in a statement carried by Russia’s state RIA Novosti news agency on Thursday that the explosions left a hole in the ship’s starboard and filled the engine room with acrid smoke. That hampered the crew’s attempts to access it. Undersea power cable linking Finland and Estonia hit by outage, prompting investigation FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Finland’s prime minister says authorities are investigating an interruption in a power cable under the Baltic Sea between his country and Estonia. Petteri Orpo said on X that power transmission through the Estlink-2 cable suffered an outage Wednesday. Authorities have been on edge about undersea infrastructure in the Baltic after two international data cables were severed in November and the Nord Stream gas pipelines between Russia and Germany were blown up in September 2022. Japan to maximize nuclear power in clean-energy push as electricity demand grows TOKYO (AP) — A Japanese government panel has largely supported a draft energy policy calling for bolstering renewables up to half of Japanese electricity needs by 2040. It also recommends maximizing the use of nuclear power to accommodate the growing demand for power in the era of AI while meeting decarbonization targets. Cabinet is expected to formally approve the plan by March following a period of public consultation. The policy says nuclear energy should account for 20% of Japan’s energy supply in 2040, with renewables expanded to 40-50% and coal-fired power reduced to 30-40%. Working Well: Returning to the office can disrupt life. Here are some tips to navigate the changes NEW YORK (AP) — Thousands of workers are facing an unsettling reality heading into 2025. After years of working from the comfort of home, they're being told it’s time to return to the office full-time for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic. That can bring a host of challenges, including losing time with family. Workers at Amazon, AT&T and other companies have been called back to the office five days a week. Experts have advice to share about how to navigate the changes when an employer calls you back to the office. Workers can convey what they need, seek flexibility and if all else fails, consider other options. US applications for unemployment benefits hold steady, but continuing claims rise to 3-year high WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits held steady last week, though continuing claims rose to the highest level in three years. The US Labor Department reported Thursday that jobless claim applications ticked down by 1,000 to 219,000 for the week of Dec. 21. That’s fewer than the 223,000 analysts forecast. Continuing claims, the total number of Americans collecting jobless benefits, climbed by 46,000 to 1.91 million for the week of Dec. 14. That’s more than analysts projected and the most since the week of Nov. 13, 2021. Weekly applications for jobless benefits are considered representative of U.S. layoffs.
The S&P 500 fell less than 0.1% after spending the day wavering between small gains and losses. The tiny loss ended the benchmark index’s three-day winning streak. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.1% and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.1%. Trading volume was lighter than usual as US markets reopened following the Christmas holiday. Semiconductor giant Nvidia, whose enormous valuation gives it an outsize influence on indexes, slipped 0.2%. Meta Platforms fell 0.7%, and Amazon and Netflix each fell 0.9%. Tesla was among the biggest decliners in the S&P 500, finishing 1.8% lower. Some tech companies fared better. Chip company Broadcom rose 2.4%, Micron Technology added 0.6% and Adobe gained 0.5%. Health care stocks were a bright spot. CVS Health rose 1.5% and Walgreens Boots Alliance added 5.3% for the biggest gain among S&P 500 stocks. Several retailers also gained ground. Target rose 3%, Ross Stores added 2.3%, Best Buy rose 2.9% and Dollar Tree gained 3.8%. Traders are watching to see whether retailers have a strong holiday season. The day after Christmas traditionally ranks among the top 10 biggest shopping days of the year, as consumers go online or rush to stores to cash in gift cards and raid bargain bins. US-listed shares in Honda and Nissan rose 4.1% and 16.4% respectively. The Japanese car makers announced earlier this week that the two companies are in talks to combine. All told, the S&P 500 fell 2.45 points to 6,037.59. The Dow added 28.77 points to 43,325.80. The Nasdaq fell 10.77 points to close at 20,020.36. Wall Street also got a labour market update. US applications for unemployment benefits held steady last week, though continuing claims rose to the highest level in three years, the Labour Department reported. Treasury yields mostly fell in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury slipped to 4.58% from 4.59% late on Tuesday. Major European markets were closed, as well as Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia. Trading was expected to be subdued this week with a thin slate of economic data on the calendar.
Twice-failed presidential candidate Kamala Harris reportedly has a big book deal coming down the pike. But the vice president shouldn’t kid herself: no one cares about her, they’re only tuning in to see the dirt she has to dish on others. The book is doomed to fail unless she delivers. If she does, she stands to collect a pretty big windfall. As one “Kamala insider” told The Daily Mail, “Virtually the moment Kamala lost to Trump, the offers began pouring in from the publishing world for her to do the definitive book on what really went on between Joe and Kamala – what went right and what went wrong – inside the Oval Office walls, and all the ups and downs of her campaign.” (Stream The Daily Caller’s Latest Documentary ‘ Cleaning Up Kamala ’ HERE) “They are throwing around advance numbers in the $ 20 million range, maybe more with other publishing rights.” That might not be quite Obama figures; the former first couple reportedly raked in a $65 million advance from Penguin Random House in 2017. But it certainly trumps the $14 million Hillary Clinton took in for her own reflections on political failure. Does anyone really think Kamala has more insight, influence or star power than Hill Dawg? Of course not. Publishers aren’t fighting to tell The Kamala Story; she’s nothing more than patsy in her own autobiography. No, publishers want the truth of the Biden administration: who was really running the country and pulling the strings of critical campaign decisions? How badly was Joe Biden himself incapacitated? Who knew what, when? Democratic presidential nominee, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris greets former first lady Michelle Obama during a campaign rally at the Wings Event Center on October 26, 2024 in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Vice President Harris will be campaigning today with former U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama in the battleground swing state of Michigan. With 10 days remaining, Harris continues campaigning against Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump ahead of the November 5 election. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images) If Kamala can answer these questions, she’ll earn her advance countless times over. “More than anyone in the Biden White House, Kamala as the number two, and then as Joe Biden ‘s campaign successor after he dropped out of the race, knows all the secrets, knows where all the skeletons are buried,” one publishing executive told The Daily Mail. “She was there from the beginning of the administration and participated in all the presidential decisions, right or wrong. She’s the one who can tell the consummate story.” No doubt Harris World has been pushing this line to publishers; it’s why they’re talking about this advance in the first place. However, you’d have to be crazy to believe she’ll actually deliver. Harris might even want to air out some “skeletons” after her embarrassing defeat (which certainly carries a lot of blame to go around), but the same puppet masters who bullied Biden into bowing out of the race will be damned if they let her blow their cover in a tell-all book. (Stream The Daily Caller’s Latest Documentary ‘ Cleaning Up Kamala ’ HERE) Harris’ memoir, if it comes to fruition, will no doubt spin some contrived tale about the failures of the Biden-Harris administration and campaign. It’ll have some juicy tidbits designed to capture headlines and weave a selection of half-truths into a moderately compelling narrative. What it certainly won’t do is tell the whole truth, because that would implicate the entire Democratic Party establishment. If Harris wants to have any sort of comfortable future where she’s “taken care of,” she knows this is the one thing she can’t do. The whole purpose of such a book is to indict some expendable parties, performatively reflecting on the loss in order to give that very same establishment cover to continue doing exactly what it’s doing. No real lessons will be learned, no real costs will be paid, and the American people will continue to be treated like gullible rubes. This might have worked for Hillary ten years ago, but political consumers are a lot savvier these days. They can see through phony recriminations and the clickbait headlines they generate. Unless Harris really tells the whole truth and nothing but the truth, there’s a very good chance the book will flop. And it will be entirely delicious to watch.