As Asia braces for the great “Trump trade” adventure of 2025, the lessons from 2024 are fast piling up. The biggest lesson is how terribly the inflation-is-transitory trade worked out for investors. And for voters and world leaders who don’t relish a Donald Trump 2.0 presidency. The as many fathers — from post-Covid supply chain disruptions to excessively low interest rates to an explosion of over-the-top government stimulus. But Trump’s reelection is the mother-of-all side effects from fiscal and monetary policies run amok. And Asia has the ultimate front-row seat for what’s to come as Trump retakes the reins with very big — and controversial — plans. Most of the focus is on the Trump 2.0 trade war to come. But far more attention should be on the fireworks sure to come as Trump’s collide with a fiscal train wreck unfolding in slow motion. On January 20, Trump will inherit a national debt exceeding US$36 trillion. And, depending on which pundit you follow, Trump is either about to explode the debt in wildly disruptive ways via massive tax cuts – or, given the giant scalpel Trump has handed Elon Musk, slash it aggressively. Either outcome could pose huge risks for global markets. Door No. 1 could see the US debt zooming toward US$40 trillion and credit rating companies pouncing. Washington could quickly lose its last AAA rating, from Moody’s Investors Service. Asia is directly on the frontlines of the chaos such a downgrade would unleash in bond, stock and currency markets everywhere. Door No. 2 would see Trump’s Tesla billionaire benefactor trying to trim by firing government employees here and there. But unless Team Trump is willing to target the military and entitlements like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, Musk’s government efficiency unit won’t make a dent. Far more success would be had focusing on deregulation and over-the-top subsidies on industries like those on which Musk’s private companies rely. It was a lack of investment in productivity-enhancing sectors and technologies that left the US so susceptible to inflation. “With Trump and some likely appointees focused on reducing bilateral deficits,” says Andrew Tilton, an economist at Goldman Sachs, “there is a risk that — in a sort of ‘whack-a-mole’ manner — burgeoning bilateral deficits could eventually prompt US tariffs on other Asian economies.” Tilton adds that “Korea, Taiwan and, especially, have seen large trade gains versus the US,” something Trump 2.0 isn’t likely to let slide. As such, Asia’s top trading nations may try to narrow surpluses to “deflect” Team Trump’s attention away from them. Barclays Bank economist Brian Tan adds that “trade policy is where Mr. Trump is likely to be most consequential for emerging Asia in his second term as US president,” inflicting “greater pain” on more open economies. Suffice it to say, America’s debt excesses also will challenge — and most likely plague — the Trump 2.0 era in ways the president-elect doesn’t seem to realize. If ever there were a buckle-your-seatbelt moment for Asia, 2025 is it. The combination of runaway debt and inflation will limit the Federal Reserve’s ability to continue . And even if Fed Chairman Jerome Powell tries, fiscal realities will result in higher-than-hoped long-term rates. One of the quandaries facing the Fed is the health of the banking system. Banks have been huge buyers of Treasury securities. Will institutions run into stability troubles if medium and long-term government debt yields fall faster than expected? This could trigger supply issues, too. It’s reasonable to question whether banks can continue to buy Treasuries if interest rates move too low too fast. Part of Asia’s problem is it’s unclear which Trump will enter the White House roughly a month from now, says Yanmei Xie, economist at Gavekal Dragonomics. “The problem with interpreting trade policy in a second Trump administration is that key Trump advisors have proclaimed two very different visions, and Trump himself has offered qualified support to both,” Xie notes. The common feature is tariffs or the threat of tariffs: 60% or more on China and 10-20% on the . But to what end?” One possibility, she says, is that Trump will go with his once and possibly future trade czar, Robert Lighthizer, in pushing for a rapid, across-the-board disengagement from China. “Trump,” Xie says, “promised a four-year plan to phase out all Chinese imports of essential goods — everything from electronics to steel to pharmaceuticals – and vowed to include strong protections to ensure China can’t circumvent restrictions by passing goods through conduit countries. In this scenario, there would be a ramping-up of coercive pressure on allies to join in the agenda.” Another possibility is that Trump uses the threat of tariffs as negotiating leverage to cut a deal with China, although the content of any such deal is very unclear. “This is the approach favored by Scott Bessent” – Trump’s pick for Treasury secretary – “who claims that Trump is in fact ‘a free trader’ who will deploy tariffs to escalate to ,” Xie notes. Another major Trump wild card is a US dollar devaluation, which many Trump advisers see as the fastest way to regain broad-based manufacturing competitiveness. “China is unlikely to cooperate with this agenda,” Xie says, “but the theory of the across-the-board tariff on all trading partners seems to be that it will also be used as leverage in currency negotiations.” Trump has indeed talked about a Plaza Accord 2.0 that weakens the dollar versus the yen. In 1985, US President Ronald Reagan’s Treasury secretary, James Baker, managed to convince the most powerful industrialized nations to push the yen sharply higher and the dollar lower. It was the high-point of Reagan’s mercantilist policy mix, which inspired Trump. The deal was done at the Plaza Hotel, a New York institution that Trump once owned. Early in the Trump 1.0 years, then-Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and advisors like Peter Navarro hinted at Trump’s desire for a “new Plaza Accord” that would send the Chinese yuan soaring. Now, as gears up, Trump seems ready to give the strategy another try. Chinese leader Xi Jinping would surely refuse. Chinese officials know how the 1985 currency deal precipitated Japan’s asset bubble in the late 1980s, leading to decades of economic stagnation. Many economists also worry that a weaker dollar could send inflation into the stratosphere, while a stronger yuan would slam China’s all-important export engine. One way Trump might try to engineer a weaker dollar is by commandeering decisions. Trump and his advisors have made it clear the Fed’s independence is on the line come January. The “Project 2025” scheme that Republican operatives cooked up for Trump 2.0 includes curbing the Fed’s autonomy. Jerome Powell, Trump’s handpicked Fed chairman, had a challenging time during Trump 1.0. From 2017 to 2021, Trump cajoled Powell’s team with a verve never before seen from a White House. Trump attacked the Fed in speeches, press conferences and on social media. Trump even mulled firing Powell. That year, the Fed suddenly began cutting rates, adding liquidity to an economy that didn’t need it. In October, Trump mocked Powell’s policymaking team. “I think it’s the greatest job in government,” Trump told Bloomberg. “You show up to the office once a month and you say, ‘let’s say flip a coin’ and everybody talks about you like you’re a god.” Trump also argues that presidents have the right to pressure the central bank to do their bidding. “The Federal Reserve is a very interesting thing and it’s sort of gotten it wrong a lot,” Trump said in August. He added that “I feel the president should have at least say in there, yeah. I feel that strongly. I think that, in my case, I made a lot of money. I was very successful. And I think I have a better instinct than, in many cases, people that would be on the Federal Reserve or the chairman.” Such maneuvers are of particular concern in Asia, where central banks hold the biggest stockpiles of US Treasury securities. Japan alone holds US$1.1 trillion of US debt; US$770-plus billion. Asia’s largest holders of dollars are sitting on about US$3 trillion worth. The Trump 2.0 presidency could put at risk vast amounts of Asian state wealth. Trump’s antics here could send the dollar sharply lower. Many investors argue, of course, that continued dollar strength isn’t necessarily great news for the global financial system heading toward 2025 either. The dollar’s “wrecking ball” tendencies have been shaking up global markets in recent years. It sucked up outsized waves of global capital, disadvantaging emerging economies in particular. Tom Dunleavy, a partner at MV Capital, speaks for many when he says risks posed by this wrecking ball dynamic are “particularly acute in emerging markets” because “they rely heavily on commodities and have debt in dollars.” Oil, most trade and debt are still priced in dollars. And, he says, “The denominator of everything is going up.” The more crowded a continued-dollar-strength trade gets, regardless of the questionable logic behind it, the bigger the global fallout when disappointed punters run for the exits. The U-turn could be especially chaotic if Trump’s Treasury team works to devalue the dollar. The more inflationary such a maneuver proves to be, the more chaotic it could be. Economists including former US Treasury Secretary Larry Summers are warning that Trump would be wise to abandon his campaign promises, in order to avoid sending sharply higher. Summers was right about US inflation being of the longer-lasting variety. Now, he worries that Trump’s plans to impose giant tariffs, cut taxes, deport undocumented workers and mess with the Fed’s mandate will boost inflation. “If he carries through on what he said during his campaign, there will be an inflation shock significantly greater than the one the country suffered in 2021,” Summers told CNN recently. Summers worries that the Trump stimulus burst to come could send prices closer to the four-decade high of 9.1% recorded in June 2022. Even if this proves too pessimistic, US inflation is almost certain to dominate the global economy in 2025. Kelvin Wong, senior market analyst at broker OANDA, says that “the incoming Trump administration’s ‘America First’ policy may see a further escalation of deglobalization that can trigger headwinds to global economic growth and spurt another round of inflationary pressure resurgence.” Wong notes that the 10-year US Treasury yield may rise faster than the 2-year rate “due to higher inflationary pressures” from Trump’s mercantilist policies. Far from being transitory, US inflation may be about to get a very powerful second wind, one sure to blow Asia’s way early and often in 2025.SEATTLE , Dec. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - Wunderdogs, a brand consultancy and digital studio, announced the release of a report, Climate Compass. The report, produced in collaboration with investors and industry experts from True Ventures, Wireframe Ventures, Planeteer Capital, Activate, Prelude Ventures, Limelight Steel, SOSV, The Nature Conservancy, and The Ad Hoc Group, offers a look at the next generation of climate technology startups driving the shift to a decarbonized, resilient, and sustainable future. "This report represents a major step in understanding the evolving climate tech space," said Daria Gonzalez , Wunderdogs ' co-founder. "By bringing together insights from leading venture capital firms and industry experts, we're helping to shape a view of what lies ahead for the next generation of climate-focused startups." The report is the result of a collaborative effort between Wunderdogs and a network of forward-thinking investors and entrepreneurs across the climate tech space. Over the past several months, Wunderdogs worked closely with venture capital firms and experts to research, design, and compile insights into the most promising startups and technologies that are shaping the future of climate tech. The full report is available to view here: climatecompassreport.com . About Wunderdogs Since its inception in 2017, Wunderdogs has been at the forefront of brand and digital strategy for the technology sector, collaborating with over 140 technology firms and 30 investment companies. Wunderdogs combines strategy, design and technology to create award-winning brands and digital platforms aimed at making a lasting impression. View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/wunderdogs-unveils-report-on-the-next-generation-of-climate-tech-startups-in-collaboration-with-true-ventures-wireframe-ventures-planeteer-capital-activate-and-prelude-ventures-302335407.html SOURCE WunderdogsBeware: Clean energy’s dirty secretsATLANTA (AP) — Georgia lawmakers should consider expanding mental health services, staffing and de-escalation training to address deaths and neglect at state prisons, a panel of lawmakers said last week. The panel voted Friday for recommendations for the Georgia legislature to consider when it convenes in January. Two months ago, the Justice Department said it would sue if state prison officials didn’t act swiftly to curb the violations of prisoners’ Eighth Amendment protections against cruel punishment. And Georgia prisons are on track to set another record for homicides in 2024, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. State Rep. Matt Hatchett, a Republican from Dublin who chairs the House Appropriations Committee, confirmed he supports spending money to curb the violence and increasing single-cell facilities but he does not think that all facilities need to be single-cell, as the report suggests. Lawmakers rejected DeKalb County Democratic State Sen. Kim Jackson’s proposal to create an independent oversight committee. Republicans argued there is already oversight through legislative committees. RELATED COVERAGE No. 7 Florida staves off UNC rally for 90-84 win to remain undefeated Trump chooses Herschel Walker as US ambassador to Bahamas Family of ‘Cop City’ activist who was killed by troopers files lawsuit “Hours and hours and hours of testimony that we heard over the course of the study committee indicated there was a clear lack of oversight over the Department of Corrections,” Jackson said. “Public testimony also shows that people felt like they did not have opportunities to have access to justice. To have somebody answer their questions.” Georgia’s prisons are failing to provide basic care, advocates said at the panel’s final meeting Friday. Former prisoners and relatives of people who died in custody railed against prison officials for their lack of transparency about the deaths. “A lot of the deaths happening in the Georgia Department of Corrections are preventable,” said Nasir Jahid, who left the department’s custody almost two months ago. He told the panel that he saw two people die, including Garry Lloyd Gerald Matthews Jr. He and others had to repeatedly call for help and when officers finally arrived, they “stood by doing nothing,” Jahid told lawmakers. A corrections department spokesperson said in an email that one of the deaths Jahid saw was a suicide, and an investigation into Matthews’ death found officers provided adequate support but weren’t able to save him for medical reasons. Heather Hunt testified about what she said was a weak investigation into the death of her son at a state prison. Della Newsome said during testimony she received minimal communication about the death of her fiancée, Joshua Mark Holliday, behind bars. Authorities eventually said the men died by suicide, but the families don’t believe them. The Georgia Bureau of Investigations handles autopsies in prison deaths but does not usually look into their cases. The panel declined to recommend that the bureau investigate those deaths. Corrections Commissioner Tyrone Oliver told the panel that officers investigating deaths undergo the same training as the bureau, and they’re instructed to notify relatives or next-of-kin. The panel also recommended partnering with private prisons and that the federal government let state prisons use cell phone and drone jamming technology. Oliver testified that people in prison use phones and drones to bring contraband into the facility. But advocates say most people use their phones to communicate with family, since options for calling them are limited and expensive. ___ Kramon is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Kramon on X: @charlottekramon.
By Alexandra Alper and Karen Freifeld WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In its latest jab at Beijing, the U.S. will empower companies like Google and Microsoft to act as gatekeepers worldwide for highly sought-after access to AI chips, two people familiar with the draft plan said. Under the regime, to be released as soon as this month, these companies would have to comply with strict requirements, from reporting key information to the U.S. government to blocking Chinese access to AI chips. That would permit them to offer AI capabilities within the cloud overseas without a license, the sources said. The new rules, some of whose details are being reported for the first time, show officials are scrambling in the waning days of the Biden administration to streamline the process for approving AI chip exports while also preventing bad actors from accessing them. The U.S. fears China could harness the power of AI to supercharge its military, unleash powerful cyber attacks or even train a bioweapon. The Commerce Department declined to comment on the content and timing of the new regulations. Sources cautioned the administration's plans may change. Alphabet's Google and Microsoft did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The measure takes a page from a national security agreement Microsoft inked with the U.S. government in April allowing it to provide AI technology to Emirati firm G42, the people said, whose historic ties to China fueled worry in Washington. Under the new draft rules, other companies beyond those with gatekeeper status will compete for licenses to import a smaller number of high-end Nvidia and AMD artificial intelligence chips in each country, one of the sources said. Nvidia, which makes the world’s most powerful AI chips, said it is ready to work with the administration on the rules. AMD did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Exempted from the regime's caps would be 19 allied countries like the Netherlands and Japan plus Taiwan, which would have unlimited access to the AI chips or the capability they provide, two of the sources said. Also outside the framework would be a list of nuclear embargoed countries, including Russia, China, Iran and Venezuela, which are already blocked from acquiring U.S. AI semiconductors and would remain so. The U.S. government is conducting a final review of an "Artificial Intelligence Diffusion" rule drafted by the Commerce Department, according to a government posting this week, indicating it may be closing in on publication. Three sources said the posting referred to the AI caps. The Information Technology Industry Council, an advocacy association whose members include AMD and Google, is concerned the Biden administration is rushing the complex rule out without industry input that could head off adverse consequences. “If reports are accurate, such changes would dramatically expand the scope of export controls and have significant global implications," Naomi Wilson, the council’s senior vice president of Asia and global trade policy, said in a statement. The rules build on a program unveiled in September that gives permission to pre-approved data centers overseas to receive AI chips without a license, two sources said. To achieve that status, data centers must provide information about customers, business activities, access restrictions and cybersecurity. (Reporting by Alexandra Alper and Karen Freifeld; additional reporting by David Shepardson; editing by Chris Sanders and Chizu Nomiyama)
Palvella Therapeutics Announces Closing of Merger with Pieris Pharmaceuticals and Concurrent Private Placement of $78.9 Million
FBI investigating a rise in cryptocurrency scams as popularity risesBARCELONA – Tens of thousands of Spaniards marched in downtown Barcelona on Saturday to protest the skyrocketing cost of renting an apartment in the popular tourist destination. Protesters cut off traffic on main avenues in the city center, holding up homemade signs in Spanish reading “Fewer apartments for investing and more homes for living" and “The people without homes uphold their rights.” Recommended Videos The lack of affordable housing has become one of the leading concerns for the southern European Union country, mirroring the housing crunch across many parts of the world, including the United States . Organizers said that over 100,000 had turned out, while Barcelona’s police said they estimated some 22,000 marched. Either way, the throngs of people clogging the streets recalled the massive separatist rallies at the heigh of the previous decade’s Catalan independence movement. Now, social concerns led by housing have displaced political crusades. That is because the average rent for Spain has doubled in last 10 years. The price per square meter has risen from 7.2 euros ($7.5) in 2014 to 13 euros this year, according to the popular online real estate website Idealista. The growth is even more acute in cities like Barcelona and Madrid. Incomes meanwhile have failed to keep up, especially for younger people in a country with chronically high unemployment. Protestor Samuel Saintot said he is “frustrated and scared” after being told by the owners of the apartment he has rented for the past 15 years in Barcelona’s city center that he must vacate the premises. He suspects that the owners want him out so they can renovate it and boost the price. “Even looking in a 20- or 30-kilometer radius outside town, I can’t even find anything within the price range I can afford,” he told The Associated Press. “And I consider myself a very fortunate person, because I earn a decent salary. And even in my case, I may be forced to leave town.” A report by the Bank of Spain indicates that nearly 40% of Spaniards who rent dedicate an average of 40% of their income to paying rents and utilities, compared to the European Union average of 27% of renters who do so. “We are talking about a housing emergency. It means people having many difficulties both in accessing and staying in their homes,” said Ignasi Martí, professor for Esade business school and head of its Dignified Housing Observatory. The rise in rents is causing significant pain in Spain, where traditionally people seek to own their homes. Rental prices have also been driven up by short-term renters including tourists. Many migrants to Spain are also disproportionately hit by the high rents because they often do not have enough savings. Spain is near the bottom end of OECD countries with under 2% of all housing available being public housing for rent. The OECD average is 7%. Spain is far behind France, with 14%, Britain with 16%, and the Netherlands with 34%. Carme Arcarazo, spokesperson for Barcelona’s Tenants Union which helped organize the protest, said that renters should consider a “rent strike” and cease paying their monthly rents in a mass protest movement. “I think we the tenants have understood that this depends on us. That we can’t keep asking and making demands to the authorities and waiting for an answer. We must take the reins of the situation,” Arcarazo told the AP. “So, if they (the owners) won’t lower the rent, then we will force them to do it." The Barcelona protest came a month after tens of thousands rallied against high rents in Madrid. The rising discontent over housing is putting pressure on Spain’s governing Socialist party, which leads a coalition on the national level and is in charge of Catalonia’s regional government and Barcelona’s city hall. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez presided over what the government termed a “housing summit” including government officials and real estate developers last month. But the Barcelona’s Tenants Union boycotted the event, saying it was like calling a summit for curing cancer and inviting tobacco companies to participate. The leading government measure has been a rent cap mechanism that the central government has offered to regional authorities based on a price index established by the housing ministry. Rent controls can be applied to areas deemed to be “highly stressed” by high rental prices. Catalonia was the first region to apply those caps, which are in place in downtown Barcelona. Many locals blame the million of tourists who visit Barcelona, and the rest of Spain, each year for the high prices. Barcelona’s town hall has pledged to completely eliminate the city’s 10,000 so called “tourist apartments,” or dwellings with permits for short-term rents, by 2028.
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SPARTANBURG, S.C. (AP) — Nico Galette scored 20 points as Youngstown State beat South Carolina Upstate 72-64 on Saturday. Galette also added three steals for the Penguins (8-5). EJ Farmer scored 11 points while shooting 3 for 9 and 5 of 5 from the free-throw line and added six rebounds. Ty Harper shot 3 for 6, including 1 for 3 from beyond the arc to finish with nine points. It was the sixth straight win for the Penguins. The Spartans (4-11) were led by Mister Dean, who posted 23 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals. Breylin Garcia added 16 points and six rebounds for South Carolina Upstate. Karmani Gregory had nine points, five assists and three steals. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
For Trey Dremel, much of life is dictated by his commute. Every weekday morning, he leaves Morgan Hill before dawn, driving at 4 a.m. to try and skip the traffic flowing north so he can make it to work on the Peninsula on time. Most nights, he is in bed by 7:30 p.m. so he can wake up again for the early drive. While the commute and the schedule is demanding, Dremel said it’s his best option to make ends meet, “beat traffic,” and “have some kind of life.” Dremel — who helps prepare buildings for when companies move in to offices from Mountain View to Sunnyvale — is one of tens of thousands of commuters who head north into Silicon Valley for work. A Mercury News analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau confirmed what many commuting into Silicon Valley already know: While jobs are to the north, affordable housing is to the south. But the squeeze between housing and jobs has led to an imbalance that is hurting the bedroom communities on the southern edge of Silicon Valley — taxing their residents with long commutes, disrupting communities and stretching city services to their limits. “Who wants to travel that far to work? If there was something closer with similar pay, I think everybody would jump on board,” said Dremel, a father of two. “I wasn’t paying the bills enough. That’s when I started commuting. ... Everybody’s close to the same situation: more people living down here and going up there for the money.” Northern Silicon Valley has more than 16 times the population of the bedroom communities to the south, and over 30 times as many jobs, according to a Mercury News analysis of 2022 data from the U.S. Census Bureau. This means that, in general, someone living in northern Silicon Valley — defined here as San Mateo County and northern Santa Clara County — is roughly twice as likely to find a job near where they live compared to someone living to the south. And that job is likely to pay much better. The average annual earnings for someone working in 2023 in Gilroy were $49,928, according to the Census Bureau. In San Jose, that number was $61,675, and in Palo Alto it was $128,779. Rent is, in general, less expensive farther south. Median monthly cost for rent and utilities in Palo Alto is $3,306 and in San Jose it is $2,574. In Gilroy and Hollister, those numbers are $2,270 and $1,846, respectively. Because of this, the communities on the southern edges of Silicon Valley have long attracted those looking for cheaper housing and become exporters of workers, sending tens of thousands to workplaces away from where they live and, largely, to jobs hubs in the north. Often, driving is the only viable option, since commuters to the south have only a fraction of the options for public transit . This means that someone living south of San Jose is three times as likely to be driving an hour or more to work than someone living further north. Gilroy native Deanna Jackson commutes two hours or more round trip every weekday to her job in San Jose. While she is glad to have affordable housing and a steady job, she said the drive can be taxing on her mental state and social life. “I can’t be there for people when I spend so much time in my car,” said Jackson. “To not be able to be a part of my niece’s softball games, or nurse for people when they’re sick, or go to choir performances ... it makes it so hard to feel connected to the people who are important to you.” Her concerns were echoed during several interviews with commuters and their families, who said their time on the road takes away from their opportunity to engage with their communities and their families. “You live in this rat race,” said Jackson. “Living in a commuter town, there’s not a big community feel.” The impact goes beyond social costs, however. For more suburban cities, property tax is a far less effective source of income than sales tax or other revenue that comes from business. This means that when the population grows without business growth, the money to serve that population doesn’t keep pace. That leaves communities with a poor jobs balance in a precarious position when it comes to providing for their residents. A mix of housing growth and lack of funding has strained their infrastructure — and, when paired with planning missteps, has led to disastrous breaking points. Hollister saw unchecked housing growth in the ’90s and early 2000s, which began to overburden its sewage system. This led to leaks from sewage ponds and reports of sewage backing up into people’s homes . In May 2002, the problem came to a head when a sewage treatment pond burst, spilling 15 million gallons of wastewater into the nearby San Benito River. The disaster triggered $1.2 million in fines from the state and a moratorium on growth until the city built another treatment plant — an effort that took six years and quadrupled sewer rates. Farther north, Gilroy has well-documented issues with funding and staffing its fire department . Along with flagging response times, an analysis of the department showed that, in case of a violent earthquake, certain fire stations would be liable to collapse on fire engines, leaving the department unable to respond in a time of dire emergency. This contrasts with Palo Alto, which has more than five times as many jobs per population than Gilroy, and nearly twice as many firefighters per capita than Gilroy. The blend of social and logistical woes has led many to call for their cities to hit the brakes on housing growth. Hollister saw every single incumbent on the City Council replaced by candidates who called for “slow growth,” and San Benito County — where Hollister is located — approved a restrictive measure that would require developers to get voter approval before building on farmland. Even so, many familiar with state housing laws say there are limits to what an individual city can do to slow growth, since the state requires regions to build a certain number of housing units as part of the Regional Housing Needs Allocation, or RHNA. Others say the solution lies in building more housing closer to the job centers. “The Bay Area has not produced enough housing for its workforce or its residents,” said Michael Lane, state policy director at the San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association. “We need more housing where the jobs are and where the infrastructure is. ... Just outsourcing the housing doesn’t work and it has all kinds of negative impacts.” Several Bay Area housing experts and advocates echoed the sentiment that building more housing was the best tool to relieve the imbalance and its impacts. While all noted that the RHNA process was imperfect, they acknowledged that it was moving in the right direction by requiring job-heavy cities to pull their weight without leaving more suburban cities off the hook. For example, Palo Alto, which has the most jobs per capita in Silicon Valley, is asked to build three times as much housing as similarly sized Gilroy. Still, many local leaders throughout the region argue over how much housing should grow and where, and even if the new housing requirements fairly address the imbalance, they will take years to be put into practice. In the meantime, those farther to the south are attempting to address the jobs imbalance by focusing on bringing more jobs to their cities. In Gilroy, several candidates came into office riding a wave of pro-business sentiment , and others in Morgan Hill promised a city where residents could live and work . The candidates have proposed a series of measures ranging from improving tourism , revitalizing businesses and downtowns, and in Gilroy, trying to bring back the Garlic Festival . All the while, the housing-heavy cities and the commuters who live in them carry on making the best of their situations. That’s true at least for Miles Reese, who moved to Gilroy six years ago and now oversees security for Google’s campuses. Reese reflected what many commuters expressed: resigned acceptance of how things are. “I use it as time for myself,” said Reese of his commute. “It’s tough, but everybody’s got to make a living. ... It is what it is.”Suchir Balaji, a former OpenAI engineer and whistleblower who helped train the artificial intelligence systems behind ChatGPT and later said he believed those practices violated copyright law, has died, according to his parents and San Francisco officials. He was 26. Balaji worked at OpenAI for nearly four years before quitting in August. He was well-regarded by colleagues at the San Francisco company, where a co-founder this week called him one of OpenAI’s strongest contributors who was essential to developing some of its products. “We are devastated to learn of this incredibly sad news and our hearts go out to Suchir’s loved ones during this difficult time,” said a statement from OpenAI. This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. Balaji was found dead in his San Francisco apartment on Nov. 26 in what police said “appeared to be a suicide. No evidence of foul play was found during the initial investigation.” The city’s chief medical examiner’s office confirmed the manner of death to be suicide. His parents Poornima Ramarao and Balaji Ramamurthy said they are still seeking answers, describing their son as a “happy, smart and brave young man” who loved to hike and recently returned from a trip with friends. Balaji grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and first arrived at the fledgling AI research lab for a 2018 summer internship while studying computer science at the University of California, Berkeley. He returned a few years later to work at OpenAI, where one of his first projects, called WebGPT, helped pave the way for ChatGPT. “Suchir’s contributions to this project were essential, and it wouldn’t have succeeded without him,” said OpenAI co-founder John Schulman in a social media post memorializing Balaji. Schulman, who recruited Balaji to his team, said what made him such an exceptional engineer and scientist was his attention to detail and ability to notice subtle bugs or logical errors. “He had a knack for finding simple solutions and writing elegant code that worked,” Schulman wrote. “He’d think through the details of things carefully and rigorously.” Balaji later shifted to organizing the huge datasets of online writings and other media used to train GPT-4, the fourth generation of OpenAI’s flagship large language model and a basis for the company’s famous chatbot. It was that work that eventually caused Balaji to question the technology he helped build, especially after newspapers, novelists and others began suing OpenAI and other AI companies for copyright infringement. He first raised his concerns with The New York Times, which reported them in an October profile of Balaji. He later told The Associated Press he would “try to testify” in the strongest copyright infringement cases and considered a lawsuit brought by The New York Times last year to be the “most serious.” Times lawyers named him in a Nov. 18 court filing as someone who might have “unique and relevant documents” supporting allegations of OpenAI’s willful copyright infringement. His records were also sought by lawyers in a separate case brought by book authors including the comedian Sarah Silverman, according to a court filing. “It doesn’t feel right to be training on people’s data and then competing with them in the marketplace,” Balaji told the AP in late October. “I don’t think you should be able to do that. I don’t think you are able to do that legally.” He told the AP that he gradually grew more disillusioned with OpenAI, especially after the internal turmoil that led its board of directors to fire and then rehire CEO Sam Altman last year. Balaji said he was broadly concerned about how its commercial products were rolling out, including their propensity for spouting false information known as hallucinations. But of the “bag of issues” he was concerned about, he said he was focusing on copyright as the one it was “actually possible to do something about.” He acknowledged that it was an unpopular opinion within the AI research community, which is accustomed to pulling data from the internet, but said “they will have to change and it’s a matter of time.” He had not been deposed and it’s unclear to what extent his revelations will be admitted as evidence in any legal cases after his death. He also published a personal blog post with his opinions about the topic. Schulman, who resigned from OpenAI in August, said he and Balaji coincidentally left on the same day and celebrated with fellow colleagues that night with dinner and drinks at a San Francisco bar. Another of Balaji’s mentors, co-founder and chief scientist Ilya Sutskever, had left OpenAI several months earlier, which Balaji saw as another impetus to leave. Schulman said Balaji had told him earlier this year of his plans to leave OpenAI and that Balaji didn’t think that better-than-human AI known as artificial general intelligence “was right around the corner, like the rest of the company seemed to believe.” The younger engineer expressed interest in getting a doctorate and exploring “some more off-the-beaten path ideas about how to build intelligence,” Schulman said. Balaji’s family said a memorial is being planned for later this month at the India Community Center in Milpitas, California, not far from his hometown of Cupertino. —————-- The Associated Press and OpenAI have a licensing and technology agreement allowing OpenAI access to part of the AP’s text archives.
Texas' abortion pill lawsuit against New York doctor marks new challenge to interstate telemedicine Texas has sued a New York doctor for prescribing abortion pills to a Texas woman via telemedicine. It appears to be the first challenge in the U.S. to a state shield law that's intended to protect prescribers in Democratic-controlled states from being punished by states with abortion bans. Prescriptions like these, made online and over the phone, are a key reason that the number of abortions has increased across the U.S. even after state bans started taking effect. Most abortions in the U.S. involve pills rather than procedures. Anti-abortion groups are increasingly focusing on the rise of pills. Thousands of Syrians celebrate in central Damascus during first Friday prayers since Assad's fall DAMASCUS (AP) — Thousands of Syrians have celebrated in Umayyad Square, the largest in Damascus, after the first Muslim Friday prayers following the ouster of President Bashar Assad. The leader of the insurgency that toppled Assad, Ahmad al-Sharaa, appeared in a video message in which he congratulated “the great Syrian people for the victory of the blessed revolution.” Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in the Turkish capital of Ankara that there was “broad agreement” between Turkey and the United States on what they would like to see in Syria. The top U.S. diplomat also called for an “inclusive and non-sectarian" interim government. US military flies American released from Syrian prison to Jordan, officials say WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military has brought an American who was imprisoned in Syria for seven months out of the country. That's according to two U.S. officials, who said Friday that Travis Timmerman has been flown to Jordan on a U.S. military helicopter. The 29-year-old Timmerman told The Associated Press earlier Friday he had gone to Syria on a Christian pilgrimage and was not ill-treated while in a notorious detention facility operated by Syrian intelligence. He said he was freed by “the liberators who came into the prison and knocked the door down (of his cell) with a hammer.” Nancy Pelosi hospitalized after she 'sustained an injury' from fall on official trip to Luxembourg WASHINGTON (AP) — Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been hospitalized after she “sustained an injury” during an official engagement in Luxembourg, according to a spokesman. Pelosi is 84. She was in Europe to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge in World War II. Her spokesman, Ian Krager, did not describe the nature of her injury or give any additional details, but a person familiar with the incident said that Pelosi tripped and fell while at an event with the other members of Congress. The person requested anonymity to discuss the fall because they were not authorized to speak about it publicly. Russia targets Ukrainian infrastructure with a massive attack by cruise missiles and drones KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia has launched a massive aerial attack against Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia fired 93 cruise and ballistic missiles and almost 200 drones in Friday's bombardments. He says it is one of the heaviest bombardments of the country’s energy sector since Russia’s full-scale invasion almost three years ago. He says Ukrainian defenses shot down 81 missiles, including 11 cruise missiles that were intercepted by F-16 warplanes provided by Western allies earlier this year. Zelenskyy renewed his plea for international unity against Russian President Vladimir Putin. But uncertainty surrounds how the war might unfold next year. President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to end the war and has thrown into doubt whether vital U.S. military support for Kyiv will continue. Veteran Daniel Penny, acquitted in NYC subway chokehold, will join Trump's suite at football game FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — A military veteran who choked an agitated New York subway rider and was acquitted of homicide this week has been invited by Vice President-elect JD Vance to join Donald Trump’s suite at the Army-Navy football game on Saturday. Daniel Penny was cleared of criminally negligent homicide in Jordan Neely’s 2023 death. A more serious manslaughter charge was dismissed last week. Vance served in the Marine Corps and had commented on the acquittal earlier this week. He said that “justice was done in this case” and Penny should never have been prosecuted. Some in seafood industry see Trump as fishermen's friend, but tariffs could make for pricier fish PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump is likely to bring big changes to seafood, one of the oldest sectors of the U.S. economy. Some in the industry believe the returning president will be more responsive to its needs. Economic analysts paint a more complicated picture, as they fear Trump’s pending trade hostilities with major trading partners Canada and China could make an already pricy kind of protein more expensive. Conservationists also fear Trump’s emphasis on deregulation could jeopardize fish stocks already in peril. But many in the commercial fishing and seafood processing industries said they expect Trump to allow fishing in protected areas and crack down on offshore wind expansion. New Jersey governor wants more federal resources for probe into drone sightings TOMS RIVER, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has asked the Biden administration to put more resources into the ongoing investigation of mysterious drone sightings being reported in the state and other parts of the region. Murphy, a Democrat, made the request in a letter Thursday, noting that state and local law enforcement remain “hamstrung” by existing laws and policies in their efforts to successfully counteract any nefarious drone activity. Murphy and other officials say there is no evidence that the drones pose a national security or a public safety threat. A state lawmaker says up to 180 aircraft have been reported to authorities since Nov. 18. Paula Abdul settles lawsuit alleging sexual assault by 'American Idol' producer Nigel Lythgoe LOS ANGELES (AP) — Paula Abdul and former “American Idol” producer Nigel Lythgoe have agreed to settle a lawsuit in which she alleged he sexually assaulted her in the early 2000s when she was a judge on the show. Abdul filed a notice of settlement of the case in Los Angeles Superior Court on Thursday. The lawsuit filed nearly a year ago had also accused Lythgoe of sexually assaulting Abdul after she left “American Idol” and became a judge on Lythgoe’s other competition show “So You Think You Can Dance.” Lythgoe said at the time that he was “shocked and saddened” by the allegations, which he called “an appalling smear.” Yankees get closer Devin Williams from Brewers for Nestor Cortes, Caleb Durbin NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Yankees acquired All-Star closer Devin Williams from the Milwaukee Brewers for left-hander Nestor Cortes and infield prospect Caleb Durbin. The Yankees also will send more than $1 million to the Brewers as part of the trade. A 30-year-old right-hander, Williams and his signature “Airbender” changeup are eligible for free agency after the 2025 season. He was diagnosed during spring training with two stress fractures in his back and didn’t make his season debut until July 28. Williams was 14 for 15 in save chances with a 1.25 ERA, striking out 38 and walking 11 in 21 2/3 innings.Iowa cornerback Jermari Harris has opted out of the remainder of the 2024 season in order to prepare for the NFL draft, according to a report by 247Sports.com . The 6-foot-1 sixth-year senior from Chicago has recorded 27 tackles, three interceptions and a team-high seven pass breakups in 10 games for the Hawkeyes this season. That includes a pick-6 in a 38-21 win over Troy earlier this season. Iowa (6-4, 4-3 Big Ten) plays at Maryland on Saturday before closing out its regular season at home against Nebraska on Nov. 29. The Hawkeyes are already bowl eligible, so Harris is likely opting out of three games in total. After missing the entire 2022 season due to an ankle injury, Harris was suspended for two games of the following season for his involvement in the gambling investigation into Iowa athletics. He later emerged as the Hawkeyes' top cornerback, earning the team's comeback player of the year award after compiling 42 tackles, one interception and eight pass breakups. Harris will finish his college career with 105 tackles and eight interceptions. --Field Level Media"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum." Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" To keep reading, please log in to your account, create a free account, or simply fill out the form below.
Taylor Swift makes surprise visit to Kansas City children's hospitalATLANTA (AP) — Ahmad Robinson scored 21 points as Mercer beat Georgia State 71-68 on Saturday. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * ATLANTA (AP) — Ahmad Robinson scored 21 points as Mercer beat Georgia State 71-68 on Saturday. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? ATLANTA (AP) — Ahmad Robinson scored 21 points as Mercer beat Georgia State 71-68 on Saturday. Robinson had nine rebounds, 10 assists, and three steals for the Bears (7-6). Tyler Johnson went 7 of 15 from the field (3 for 10 from 3-point range) to add 19 points. Cam Bryant shot 4 for 7, including 3 for 6 from beyond the arc to finish with 11 points. The Bears outscored the Panthers 10-4 over the final 4 1/2 minutes. The Panthers (4-9) were led in scoring by Cesare Edwards, who finished with 20 points and two steals. Georgia State also got 14 points from Malachi Brown. Zarigue Nutter also put up 14 points and four assists. The Panthers prolonged their losing streak to six straight. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar. Advertisement
MUNCIE, Ind. (AP) — Payton Sparks scored 20 points off of the bench to lead Ball State past Evansville 80-43 on Saturday. Sparks had five rebounds for the Cardinals (5-6). Jermahri Hill added 13 points while going 5 of 14 (1 for 5 from 3-point range) while he also had eight rebounds and four steals. Jeremiah Hernandez had 12 points and shot 3 of 9 from the field, including 2 for 3 from 3-point range, and went 4 for 5 from the line. Michael Day led the Purple Aces (3-9) in scoring, finishing with 13 points. Evansville also got 11 points and seven rebounds from Tanner Cuff. Gui Tesch also recorded five points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .SOUTH EASTON, Mass. (AP) — Louie Semona's 22 points helped Stonehill defeat New Hampshire 90-83 on Sunday. Semona also added six rebounds for the Skyhawks (7-7). Chas Stinson scored 16 points while going 6 of 10 and 4 of 5 from the free-throw line and added five assists and three steals. Josh Morgan shot 4 of 8 from the field, including 0 for 3 from 3-point range, and went 4 for 4 from the line to finish with 12 points. Sami Pissis finished with 20 points for the Wildcats (2-12). Khalil Badru added 15 points for New Hampshire. Giancarlo Bastianoni also put up 14 points and 12 rebounds. The loss was the Wildcats' sixth in a row. Stonehill's next game is Sunday against Lafayette on the road, and New Hampshire visits Iowa on Monday. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
MASTERCHEF star Gregg Wallace has told friends he expects to be sacked following an investigation into his alleged sexual harassment and groping. Several women have come forward about his behaviour , prompting the review . Wallace has stopped using his pricey legal team as he resigns himself to the MasterChef sack. The under-fire presenter has also turned down crisis-publicity teams in the weeks after several women complained he groped or harassed them. The BBC1 show’s production firm Banijay UK launched a probe last month and Wallace, 60, has strongly denied any wrongdoing . But those close to him said he understood his position on MasterChef was no longer tenable . A source said: “Gregg’s conceded he has lost everything. To put it bluntly, he’s told people, ‘I’m f***ed’. “He came out swinging but he has quietly conceded that he knows his time on MasterChef is over and that he will be stepping aside. “He has contested the sexual allegations and insisted any jokes he made were just jokes. He said he never meant to cause any offence. “Gregg has been under a huge amount of pressure since the allegations came to light and tried his best to fight his corner. “The BBC and Banijay UK have now spoken to a number of different individuals and they know they must be seen to take action. “Gregg knows the time will come when he has to step aside and as much as that pains him, it seems he has come to terms with it.” The Sun understands co-host John Torode, 59, will keep his role. The Aussie has hosted alongside Wallace since 2005. Insiders say a female star is likely to take Wallace’s place , with the new partnership to be announced in the New Year. Work on the next series of Celebrity MasterChef is under way, with the BBC show’s talent booker already making calls to line up the next run of stars. A second source said: “MasterChef is a juggernaut of a show and the wheels don’t stop turning. “Not long after the probe into Gregg’s conduct, casting started for the celebrity series. “While the probe is ongoing, it has been made clear to production that John is going to be staying and that a female will step into Gregg’s role.” Cooks including Angela Hartnett and Nigella Lawson have been named as possibles. Monica Galetti , 49, who appears on MasterChef: The Professionals, has also been touted. However, those close to Wallace said she would be unlikely to take the position. This week, singer Sir Rod Stewart’s wife Penny Lancaster spoke out about working with Wallace on Celebrity Masterchef in 2021. She claimed on Thursday: “I most definitely was witness — and victim — to some of the bullying and harassment behaviour of Gregg Wallace. “And, unfortunately, a lot of those involved in the production team were also witness to that.” She added: “I really feel that he used his position of power to, I believe, intimidate and cause distress to a lot of people on set. “It’s unfortunate that someone like him is allowed to get away with that, while others sort of stand by and let it happen at the same time.” At the start of this month, The Sun revealed how the BBC received complaints about Wallace’s behaviour from as early as 2014. He was accused of making sexual remarks during his 2014 stint on Strictly Come Dancing when paired with pro Aliona Vilani. The Sun also reported how John Torode repeatedly raised concerns about Wallace’s behaviour on MasterChef but no action was taken. John publicly distanced himself from Gregg in 2017 and said in an interview they were no longer pals. Since the latest allegations came to light, Wallace unfollowed John and his wife Lisa Faulkner on Instagram . At the time, pals told us Gregg was upset John did not publicly back him amid the scandal. The Sun was the first publication to report concerns over Wallace’s conduct on MasterChef. This October we revealed a complaint was made about his conduct on BBC gameshow Impossible Celebrities in 2018. They included him “boasting about this sex life” and making “inappropriate sexual comments”. It can be hard to come forward, but we want to assure everyone who does that we will treat anything raised with us with the greatest possible care. Then last month ex-Newsnight host Kirsty Wark and 13 other people came forward to say they had raised concerns. Kirsty, 69, said she spoke to MasterChef after Wallace made “sexualised jokes” when she was on the show in 2011. Other allegations include Wallace talking openly about his sex life , taking off his top in front of a junior staffer and telling another young colleague he was not wearing any pants. One woman told The Sun Wallace was made to apologise after making a “joke” about rape in 2017. Another alleged Wallace groped he r when she appeared on MasterChef. And Emma Kenny, the 2012 MasterChef winner, said she witnessed him touching another contestant and raised a complaint. Banijay UK launched its inquiry and on November 28 confirmed to The Sun that Wallace was stepping away pending the review. GREGG Wallace has stepped down from his MasterChef hosting role after a probe into alleged inappropriate behaviour. But what's the situation? Regular MasterChef host Gregg Wallace is currently the subject of a probe after an investigation was launched into his alleged misconduct over a number of years. Gregg has been accused of making sexual remarks to 13 colleagues including Beeb anchor Kirsty Wark - accusations he denies. The 60-year-old has now stepped away from the BBC show while historical misconduct allegations against him are investigated. Yet the former greengrocer spoke out on social media to blast the "women of a certain age" who he claimed were behind the allegations. The cooking show’s production company, Banijay UK, has said law firm Lewis Silkin would lead the investigation into Wallace’s alleged misconduct. A BBC spokesperson later told The Sun: “In recent days there have been concerning allegations made about the alleged conduct of Gregg Wallace, many of which relate to shows made for the BBC. “These media stories are running alongside an independent investigation , which was instigated after formal complaints were made direct to the BBC and referred to Banijay UK for further investigation. “We’d like to thank those who have had the courage to speak out. “It can be hard to come forward, but we want to assure everyone who does that we will treat anything raised with us with the greatest possible care. "Banijay UK launched the review because they have the direct contractual relationship with Gregg Wallace. He is not employed by the BBC. “When issues have been raised with the BBC we have taken action, referring issues to the relevant production company and challenging his behaviour directly as has been widely reported. “We hope Banijay UK’s independent investigation can be concluded rigorously and as swiftly as possible. "We want the review to follow due process and ensure fairness to all involved.”Talk politics with family on holidays? Maybe don’t, psychologist says
Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Collector Asheesh Singh has told officers posted in the district that they will have to work extra hours and even on the holidays too in an endeavour to make the district no. 1 in the implementation of the schemes of the State government. Collector Singh said it while reviewing the progress of the Rajasva Maha Abhiyan (Revenue mega drive) here on Saturday. He asked the officers that the city remains no. 1 in most of the good things. This habit should be maintained. Definitely the work load is also more and expectations are also higher. Therefore instructions have been given that officers will have to work extra hours and even on holidays like Saturday and Sunday. Collector Singh directed all revenue officers to speed up the redressal of revenue cases. He said that all revenue officers should discharge their responsibilities with full seriousness and resolve revenue cases within the time limit. Negligence and indifference will not be tolerated in the campaign. The glorious tradition of the district being top in every field should be maintained. Additional collector Jyoti Sharma, Nisha Damor, Rajendra Raghuvanshi and Roshan Rai along with other officers were present in the meeting. The collector directed that the targets of the campaign should be completed soon. He also gave instructions to confiscate 15 days' salary of 3 tehsildars for showing indifference in the campaign. He said that no negligence will be tolerated in the campaign. It was told that almost all the targets of resolution of undisputed and disputed name transfer, partition and external cases at the time of demarcation under the campaign have been met. He also directed to complete the targets of map amendment, e-KYC and record correction soon.Amir honors Modi with top medal
Robo price-fixing: Why the Justice Department is suing a software company to stop landlords colluding on rents − a practice that costs renters billions
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