Social Security now pays out more money than it brings in, so payments rely largely on a trust fund built up by the Social Security Administration. That fund is projected to run out of money by the mid-2030s, which has led politicians in both parties to debate how Social Security should change to avoid a shortfall. Prior to the election, the Harris campaign claimed then-candidate Donald Trump would cut Social Security, but President-elect Donald Trump has promised he will protect the program. Pam and other VERIFY readers sent us emails asking if Trump can unilaterally change or even end Social Security. THE QUESTION Can the president change Social Security? THE SOURCES Bankrate U.S. Treasury Social Security Act Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB) Society of Actuaries Social Security Administration THE ANSWER No, the president cannot change Social Security. WHAT WE FOUND The president cannot unilaterally change Social Security, including how it’s funded, how much it pays beneficiaries or how it’s taxed. Congress can, however, make changes to Social Security, and the president can make suggestions to Congress. “Social Security’s tax rate and benefits are set by law,” Bankrate says. “So to tweak them, Congress must first change the law, and the president then needs to sign it.” Social Security falls into a part of the federal budget called mandatory spending, according to the U.S. Treasury . Mandatory spending does not require an annual vote by Congress; instead, existing laws mandate the spending and determine how much should be spent each year. In this case, the Social Security Act requires the government to provide payments to beneficiaries based on the amount of money they’ve earned and other factors, the Treasury says. The law, last amended in 2019, will continue to determine how much beneficiaries are paid and therefore how much the government spends on Social Security each year until the law is amended again. Though the president can’t change Social Security on their own, they can propose changes to Congress. Since Republicans will have majorities in the Senate and House of Representatives in the next Congress, they may vote to amend the law per Trump’s proposals. Other laws and policies may also impact Social Security’s finances, even if they don’t directly pertain to Social Security. These include some executive actions the president can do without Congressional approval. For example, the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB) says mass deportations may negatively impact Social Security’s finances because it would reduce the number of immigrant workers paying into the trust fund. Trump has proposed eliminating income tax on Social Security payments, which would also require Congress to pass legislation. The CRFB, the Tax Policy Center and the Tax Foundation all project that the proposal would make Social Security run out of money sooner because those taxes fund future Social Security payments. Additionally, the president can remove the current Commissioner of Social Security and appoint a new one, the Society of Actuaries says. The Commissioner of Social Security is responsible for administering Social Security programs, but does not have the individual power to change how Social Security works.(See Langley Christmas Fun for holiday events listing) . Mary Poppins, the Musical: Theatre in the Country staging the show Wednesdays through Saturdays from Nov. 27 to Dec. 14. Dinner theatre or show-only options. Tickets and info: theatreinthecountry.com. . Historical re-enactment: Bicentennial of the James McMillan expedition that ventured north from Oregon to this area for the Hudson's Bay Company will be commemorated by the Living Arts Society with re-enactments at Portage Park, 2964 204 St., between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. followed by talks, an art workshop, an art exhibit, music, costumes, and more at the Timms Community Centre between 2:30 and 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 14. Free but must reserve tickets for Timms events. Info: https://tinyurl.com/rjxhj59j. . Weed pulls: Join the Glen Valley Watersheds Society Tuesdays until April from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. for blackberry removal. Dec. 17 at West Creek Wetlands. Blackberry pulls will be cancelled due to high winds, snow, or unfavourable driving conditions. Info: stewardship@leps.bc.ca. . Saturday paddles: Fort Langley Canoe Club invites people to join the voyageurs Saturdays at 9 a.m. to paddle the Fraser River. No previous paddling experience necessary. Teaching provided. Paddles and life jackets (PFDs) are included in the drop-in rate. Info: Judy Fawcett, voyrep@fortlangleycanoeclub.ca. . Probus Club: Langley residents able to join Maple Ridge Probus Club, a social group for semi-retired and retired people 55-plus. Group meets third Thursday of the month except in summer. Info: Dick, 604-467-1590 or www.probusclubofmapleridge.org. . Hope Meets Action: Echoes through the Black Continuum: New display about Black history in B.C. is at Fort Langley National Historic Site until Dec. 12. Created in partnership with the B.C. Black History Awareness Society and the Royal BC Museum. . Senior Pride: Group meets on the third Tuesday of the month from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Langley Senior Resources Society Centre, 20605 51B Ave. Open to all LGBTQ+ people who are 50 or older. Info: Barb, 604-888-7755. . Langley Quilters Guild: Day meeting is 10:30 a.m. while the evening gathering is 7:15 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday of the month (except December) at the George Preston Recreation Centre, 20699 42 Ave. Info: langleyquiltersguild.com. . Holding Hope: Peer facilitated support group by Moms Stop the Harm started to support families and individuals whose loves ones use or have used substances. Info: momsstoptheharm.com. . BC Farm Museum: Open for the season from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily at 9131 King St. in Fort Langley. Museum features a children’s scavenger hunt, murals, interactive storytelling tech, and more than 6,000 items on display. Admission by donation. Info: bcfma.com. . Old-time dance: Dance or just enjoy the music and company at the OAP Heritage Hall, 3015 273 St. Coffee, tea and snacks included in $10 admission. $20 annual membership. New time: 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. Info: Angie, 778-836-0270, or Mary, 604-534-4802. Dec. 14 Ukrainian Prairie Band. Resume in 2025. . Music and Friends - A Celidh Celebration: All ages live music event is at the Aldergrove OAP Hall, 3015 273rd St., from 7 to 9 p.m. on Friday. $10 for those 14 and older. Tickets at the door. Tea, coffee and treats available as well as 50/50 draw. . Bertrand Creek Enhancement Society: Monthly Zoom meetings are on the third Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m. Info: stewardship@leps.bc.ca. . Valley Bluegrass Music Society: Public invited to Friday bluegrass performances in St. Andrew’s Church, 9025 Glover Rd. $7 for members and $10 for non-members (cash only). Weekly jams happen September through June. Info: valleybluegrassmusic@gmail.com or the society Facebook page. . Aldergrove Swing Club: Open to all levels. No partner required. Friday dances are at the OAP Heritage Hall, 3015 273rd St. Free lesson at 7:30 p.m. with general dancing at 8:15. $10 admission. Info: mrthejackel@gmail.com or aldergrooveswing.com. . Valley Promenaders: No experience necessary for modern square dance sessions. Club meets Thursdays from 6:45 to 8:30 p.m. at the Aldergrove Heritage Hall, 3015 273rd St. Info and reservations: wkrueger@shaw.ca or 778-878-4244. . Langley Camera Club: Group meets regularly at the Langley Lions Society West Langley Hall at 9400 208th St. Info: contact@langleycameraclub.ca. . Steersperson wanted: FORTified, a mixed 55-plus dragonboat team paddling in Fort Langley, is looking for a steersperson. Practices are at 10 a.m. on Sundays for the months of November and January through March. Spring and summer practices are at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, April through September. Info: Terry, 604-340-9108. . Aldergrove drop-in coffee group: Langley Hospice Society adult bereavement support group meets at the Aldergrove Community Station House, 2900 272nd St. on the first and third Thursday of the month from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. To join, book an appointment with the bereavement outreach and peer support worker, 604-530-1115. . Walnut Grove drop-in coffee club: Langley Hospice Society adult bereavement support group meets at the Second Story Treasures thrift shop, 8948 202nd St., every other Tuesday from 6:30 to 8 p.m. To join, book an appointment with the bereavement outreach and peer support worker, 604-530-1115. . Walkers and manual wheelchairs: Langley Pos-Abilities Society needs donations to help make life more accessible to people. Charity has a waitlist of people in need. Info: 604-961-0117 or pos-abilities.org. . Learning Farm Garden Club: LEPS garden club meets at the Learning Farm at the Derek Doubleday Arboretum every Monday from 10 a.m. to noon. Learn new gardening skills. Info: agriculture@leps.bc.ca. . Langley Meals on Wheels: volunteers needed two to three hours per week. Roles include meal delivery, cafe support workers, and kitchen help. Training and support provided. Info: lmow.ca, info@lmow.ca, or 604-533-1679. . Langley Community Chorus: Rehearsals are Wednesdays at 7 p.m. in the United Churches of Langley (Murrayville). Group is looking for more tenors. Info: membership secretary, lccmembershipsec@gmail.com. . Timms Texas Hold ‘Em Poker Club: Afternoon games played Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Timms Community Centre. Free with City rec pass ($25 annually). Drop-in format. Info: city.langley.bc.ca. . Seniors Gardening Club: Langley Environmental Partners Society invites seniors to take part. Drop-in format Tuesdays 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Langley Learning Farm, Derek Doubleday Arboretum. Info: Amanda, agriculture@leps.bc.ca. . Monday Morning Talk Show: Langley Seniors Resource Society Centre 10 a.m. speaker series is free and open to the public at 20605 51B Ave. Info: 604-530-3020. . Municipal retirees: Municipal Pension Retirees Association Langley chapter quarterly, in-person meetings are at 1:30 p.m. in the Douglas Recreation Centre, 20550 Douglas Cres. Public is welcome. Light refreshments will be provided. Info: langleympra@gmail.com. . Swing Dance Social: Monthly dances hosted by Swing Shift, a non-profit dance group, are offered at the Murrayville Hall on the first Friday of the month. First lesson free for beginners (7:30 to 8:30 p.m.). No partner necessary. Tickets: $10 in advance through eventbrite or $15 at the door. Info: Rock Step Swing Dance on Facebook, or rockstepswing@gmail.com. Next one is Dec. 6. . Aldergrove Legion: Branch 265 supports Rolling Barrage, a national effort to help veterans and first responders with PTSD. Legion does a 50/50 on the first Saturday of the month at 4:30 p.m. Branch also fundraises with meat draws Saturdays 2 to 5 p.m. and Tuesday 5 to 7 p.m. . Men’s Shed: Langley has a chapter of the international group that allows men to get together and socialize, work on projects, or help the community by using their skills. Meetings are at 10:30 a.m. Mondays at the Ricky’s restaurant, 5978 Glover Rd. Info: info@MensShedLangley.ca or MensShedLangley.ca. . Hope after Stroke: Support group for those who have returned home after a stroke meets Fridays 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Info: Marilyn, 604-882-4672 or hopeafterstroke.ca. . Gamblers Anonymous: Non-profit can help adults with problem gambling. Call 1-855-222-5542. . Gamblers Anonymous family groups: Gam-Anon helps people impacted by someone else’s gambling. Welcome whether gambler seeks help or not. Info: vancouvergamanon@shaw.ca or 604-626-9418. . Hub meeting: Langley Seniors in Action monthly meetings allows local seniors to gather virtually, collaborate and network. Open to seniors and those in the senior-serving organizations and businesses. Meetings are third Wednesday of the month from 10 a.m. to noon. Info: langleyseniorsinaction.ca/hub/meetings. . Community Engagement: Langley Community Services Society program for senior immigrants who are permanent residents. Meet people from around the world, learn about topics such as Canadian culture, financial literacy, recipes, gardening and more. Free. In person at LCSS office, 5330 207th St. or online. Info and registration: Yoona Ahn, 604-534-7921 ext. 1204 or yahn@lcss.ca. . Assistance needed: Critter Care Wildlife Society looking for volunteers for various duties (animal capture, transport, painters, builders, gardeners, landscapers, general maintenance and labour. Charity urgently needs dog and cat food, fresh produce, and towels during baby season. Info: Michelle Binnet, crittercare9@shaw.ca. . Langley Newcomers and Friends: Women’s group meets on the first Tuesday of each month for outings and activities, including movie nights, brunch, lunch, socials, walks, and more. Info: langleynewcomers.webs.com. . Meditation: Free session Thursdays 7 to 8 p.m. at the Derek Doubleday Arboretum Rotary Interpretive Centre, 21177 Fraser Hwy. Folding chairs available on site or bring one. Hosted by Melissa Kramer, Low Entropy Foundation. Open to all skill levels and those wanting to learn more. Info: www.lowentropy.org/events. . Heartfulness meditation class: Free. Learn guided relaxation and meditation techniques. Info: Judith, 604-533-1172 or divinetraveller@gmail.com. . Queen Mum’s Jewels: Women’s group meets at various venues for socializing and activities, such as luncheons, brunch, movies, live theatre, games, bus tours, fashion shows, and more. Info: bgfleming@shaw.ca. . Prostate Cancer Support Group: Group meets monthly in the Arbor Room at Valley View Memorial Garden, 14644 72nd Ave. Open to any interested in prostate cancer. Info: 604-594-5257. . Myles of Smiles Open Mic: Thursday gatherings at Veggie Bob’s Kitchen Cafe in Fort Langley are 6 to 9 p.m. Info: creative-compass.com. . CARES: Local no-kill cat shelter needs people to foster kittens. Info: mjhaney@shaw.ca. . Aldergrove Art Club: Everyone welcome Wednesdays from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Heritage OAP hall, 3015 273rd St. to practise, socialize and help each other. Info: Faith, 604-530-2900, or Joan, 604-856-9792. . TOPS open house: Take Off Pounds Sensibly invites public to learn about the support group at 10:30 a.m. Group meets Tuesdays at St. Andrew’s Anglican Church, 20955 Old Yale Rd. Info: Marnie, 604-539-8602. . Open mic: Artful Dodger Pub, 2364 200th St., has open mic night Sundays starting at 5 p.m. All ages until 9 p.m. . Fort Langley Farmers Market: Open for the season as of Saturday, April 6, the market runs 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Saturday at 9025 Glover Rd. until Dec. 7. . LIBRARIES (programs and events are free unless specified otherwise) . A Sleuth of Bears scavenger hunt: Muriel Arnason Library, 20338 65 Ave., has a scavenger hunt for kids throughout December. Find groups of animals throughout the library. (A group of bears is called a sleuth.) . Reindeer scavenger hunt: Kids can find deer throughout the Brookswood Library, 20045 40 Ave., until Dec. 24. Prizes for finding all of them. . Monday Crafternoon: From 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 16, kids can get creative at a free craft session in the Aldergrove Library, 26770 29 Ave. Register in advance. Info: fvrl.bc.ca. . Afternoon STEAM Club: Kids ages seven to 12 can learn science, technology, engineering, art, and math through play at a session from 3 to 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 17 at the Brookswood Library, 20045 40 Ave. Sign up in advance. Info: fvrl.bc.ca. . Teen Dungeons & Dragons: Ages 12 to 14 can play Saturday, Dec. 14, from noon to 4 p.m. at the Aldergrove Library, 26770 29 Ave. Ages 14 to 19 can play at a session noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 21. No experience nor supplies necessary. Register in advance. Info: fvrl.bc.ca. . Tween and teen Dungeons & Dragons: Session for kids nine to 18 is from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 14, at the Murrayville Library, 22071 48 Ave. Registration appreciated. No experience nor supplies needed. Info: fvrl.bc.ca. . Morning book club: Lively discussions of book is monthly at the Murrayville Library, 22071 48 Ave. Session is 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Books are provided. Next gathering is Tuesday, Dec. 17. Info: fvrl.bc.ca. . Afternoon book club: Adults can join fellow book enthusiasts at a gathering Thursday, Dec. 19, from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Books provided. Register in advance. Info: fvrl.bc.ca. . All ages chess: No registration required to play chess Wednesdays from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Aldergrove Library, 26770 29 Ave. Young children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian, but all ages and all skill levels welcome. Info: fvrl.bc.ca. . Saturday free play: Muriel Arnason Library, 20338 65 Ave., has afternoon fun for children ages three and older Sundays between noon and 2 p.m. Children under 10 must be accompanied by an adult. Enjoy an assortment of games and toys. Drop-in format. Info: fvrl.bc.ca. . "Not Bored" Games Club: All ages can play games at the Brookswood Library, 20045 40 Ave., on Wednesdays from 3 to 5 p.m. No sign up is required. Info: fvrl.bc.ca. . Sunday free play: Muriel Arnason Library, 20338 65 Ave., has afternoon fun for children ages three and older each Sunday between 2 and 4 p.m. Children under 10 must be accompanied by an adult. Enjoy an assortment of games and toys. Drop-in format. Info: fvrl.bc.ca. . Scrabble Club: No registration is required for games scrabble at the Murrayville Library, 22071 48 Ave., Sundays from 1 to 2 p.m. No experience necessary. Info: fvrl.bc.ca. . Book Club: Adults invited to club at Muriel Arnason library. Sign up in advance. Info: fvrl.bc.ca. . Monday afternoon book club: From 2 to 3 p.m., the club for adults meets at the Aldergrove library. New members welcome. Book provides. Info: fvrl.bc.ca. . Hooked on Reading: Murrayville library’s book club for adults will meet 6 to 7 p.m. on Monday. Books provided and new members welcome. Info: fvrl.bc.ca. . Chat and Chill: Described as “adult show and tell” the club is for collectors of things old and new. Meets on the first Thursday of the month at 6:30 p.m. in the Murrayville Library, 22071 48 Ave. Free. Info: www.fvrl.bc.ca. . Babytime: Fraser Valley Regional Library 30-minute sessions for babies and caregivers are on Tuesdays at the Dean Drysdale branch (10:30 a.m.) and Murrayville branch (10 a.m.). Thursdays at the Aldergrove branch at 10:30 a.m. and at 1:30 p.m. at Murrayville. Friday sessions are at 9:30 at Muriel Arnason branch, and 10:30 a.m. at Brookswood. Limited space. Register in advance through the website. Info: www.fvrl.bc.ca. . Sensory playtime: Baby (birth to two) sensory playtime with textures, sounds, and colours is Thursdays 2 to 3 p.m. at the Murrayville branch. No registration required. Info: fvrl.bc.ca. . Storytime: Prepares children to learn to read. Children and caregivers enjoy interactive songs, stories, rhymes, and more. Tuesday 10 a.m. at the Muriel Arnason branch. Wednesday sessions are at Aldergrove (10:30 a.m.), Murrayville (10:30 a.m.) and Brookswood (11 a.m.). Thursday 10 a.m. at the Dean Drysdale branch. Info: fvrl.bc.ca. . Pyjama Storytime: Children and caregivers can visit the Aldergrove Library Thursdays at 6 p.m. for a 30-minute session of stories, songs, rhymes and more. Kids can wear PJs and bring a stuffie. Info: www.fvrl.bc.ca. Next session: Nov. 19. . Builders’ Club: Monday sessions are 3:30 p.m. at the Muriel Arnason Library, 20338 65 Ave. Tuesday sessions are at the Aldergrove Library, 26770 29 Ave., at 3:30 p.m. Drop-in fun for all ages. Library provides the LEGO, Keva planks and Magformers. Info: www.fvrl.bc.ca. . Knit and crochet: Fraser Valley Regional Library groups open to all skill levels. Group meets Mondays from 9:30 a.m. to noon at the Muriel Arnason branch. Tuesday session is 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Murrayville branch. Thursdays: Aldergrove branch gathering is 1 to 3 p.m. Info: fvrl.bc.ca. . Tech help for seniors: Aldergrove library, 26770 29 Ave., has one-on-one help for seniors Fridays 1 to 3 p.m. Bring the device (cellphone, tables, ereaders, laptops) and receive up to 60 minutes free help. Register in advance at 604-856-6415, in person, or at www.fvrl.bc.ca. . Teen Night: Stop by the Aldergrove Library from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Mondays for board games, puzzle cubes, LEGO, Keva planks, colouring and more. Info: fvrl.bc.ca. . LEGO and KEVA Club: Aldergrove Library provides the playing pieces for anyone who wants to stop by Tuesdays 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Info: fvrl.bc.ca. . Morning Coffee Club: Adults can head to the Murrayville Library Wednesdays from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. to relax by the fireplace, and enjoy coffee and conversation. Info: www.fvrl.bc.ca. . Coffee and conversation: Brookswood Library, 20045 40 Ave., invites adults to enjoy a relaxing get-together Wednesdays from 2 to 3 p.m. Info: fvrl.bc.ca. . Conversation circle: Drop-in format for ages 12 and older for gathering for those wanting to improve their English skills. Meet at the Muriel Arnason Library, 20338 65 Ave., from 2 to 3 p.m. Sundays. Info: fvrl.bc.ca. . Groups are welcome to submit information about upcoming community events in Langley. Publication is at the discretion of the newspaper, and host groups are responsible for keeping their information up to date.
Statement By The Prime Minister On The Passing Of Jimmy Carter
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has announced a proposed rule aimed at regulating data brokers who sell sensitive personal and financial information, introducing stricter protections under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). These measures are designed to address both privacy concerns and national security risks. The rule seeks to classify data brokers as consumer reporting agencies under the FCRA when they sell information such as Social Security Numbers, income details, and credit histories. This would subject these entities to stringent requirements, including data accuracy, consumer access to information, and enhanced safeguards against misuse. “The CFPB’s proposed rule will curtail these practices that threaten our personal safety and undermine America’s national security,” said CFPB Director Rohit Chopra. National Security and Consumer Protections The CFPB’s proposal identifies multiple risks posed by the data broker industry. Personal data, including information about military personnel and government employees, can be purchased by foreign adversaries such as China or Russia, posing espionage and surveillance threats. Additionally, criminals frequently exploit detailed consumer profiles to execute fraud schemes targeting vulnerable populations, such as senior citizens and individuals in financial distress. Personal safety is another key concern. Sensitive information sold by brokers can be used to track or harass individuals, including law enforcement officers, judges, and domestic violence survivors, increasing the risk of violence. Proposed Safeguards The new rule would introduce several measures to protect consumers from these risks. Data brokers would face the same regulatory oversight as credit bureaus and background check companies, ensuring compliance with FCRA protections regardless of how the information is marketed. Companies would also be required to obtain explicit consumer consent for data sharing, addressing long-standing criticisms about opaque data-handling practices. These safeguards aim to prevent data brokers from sidestepping FCRA requirements while continuing to sell highly sensitive consumer information. The regulation would also preserve government agencies’ access to necessary data for law enforcement, counterintelligence, and counterterrorism purposes, ensuring public safety remains a priority. Broader Implications This rule marks another step in a broader government initiative to strengthen data privacy protections. It aligns with recent Executive Orders and actions by other agencies, including an October proposal from the Department of Justice aimed at restricting access to Americans’ sensitive information by nations of concern. The CFPB’s proposal aims to combat the misuse of personal data in an era where technological advancements have made consumer information more vulnerable than ever. If implemented, the rule could significantly transform the data broker industry while bolstering privacy, national security, and consumer protections. For the latest news on everything happening in Chester County and the surrounding area, be sure to follow MyChesCo on Google News and MSN .
WESTERN BUREAU: A slow start did not dictate Dr Aubrey Stewart’s journey. Hailing from the inner-city community of Albion Lane in Montego Bay, St James, he struggled through poverty and gun violence. Among the atrocities he faced was seeing his family’s home being firebombed and shot at during gang violence in 2007, resulting in his mother and grandmother being injured. Stewart, who then regarded himself as “a slow learner” due to his academic struggles while attending Cornwall College, which was a stone’s throw from his home, was nonetheless ambitious and hungry to succeed. Now, his aspirations and tenacity have paid off despite the struggles. Stewart, who is now 31, and who was a Fulbright Scholarship recipient, recently completed a PhD in public policy, specialising in crime policy evaluation and program design, at Florida International University (FIU). In a recent interview with The Gleaner , Stewart reminisced on his academic journey from Cornwall College to FIU. While explaining that he was never a high achiever during high school, Stewart stated that joining the cadets helped to develop his sense of discipline, which brought him to obtain three university degrees. But, before heading off to university, Stewart had to tackle the hurdles of completing high school. ‘Cadet made me more disciplined’ “I was one of the first persons in my area to attend Cornwall College and then, after that, it was like a ripple effect. Other young boys were getting the opportunity to attend Cornwall. I was not necessarily a high achiever there. I was in cadet and did a lot of community service, so I would say that my high school journey started very slow, but cadet made me a lot more disciplined and I started focusing on school. I realised that my grades started getting a little bit better,” Stewart said. Though his Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) grades weren’t impressive, Stewart worked hard to land a place at The University of West Indies Western Jamaica Campus (WJC), where he blossomed while pursuing a bachelor’s degree in political leadership, strategy and management. “I never got all the ones that my classmates were getting. Mi get the one, two, three, four and five. I couldn’t afford to attend sixth form at Cornwall. Some persons were giving scholarships and because of my discipline and community service they decided to award me with sponsorship so I could attend sixth form,” Stewart said. “I went to UWI WJC and my grades started getting better. I was campus chairman ... and I realised that I actually could do this. The ones and fives I used to get in high school didn’t matter anymore.” While pursuing his undergraduate studies, Stewart was involved in several community-based initiatives. He maintained a strong relationship with his community and further honed his skills. He pursued a master’s degree in comparative politics and political theory through a partnership with UWI and the University of Cambridge. He later worked as a data scientist and research fellow in the Ministry of National Security and the Office of the Prime Minister in Jamaica before receiving the Fulbright Scholarship in 2021. During his doctoral studies, Stewart maintained a 4.0 grade point average and was inducted into the Phi Kappa Phi honour society, the oldest academic society in the United States (US). He is now proud of the strides he has made. “I started pretty slow because I didn’t have an academic support system. I think I was pretty slow because, in grade nine, I would shy away from just reading in class. I didn’t want to read because the boys would laugh at me. It was just a journey but I am proud and grateful. I would not change anything about my growing up. It was pretty hard but I would not change it. There are many young people in inner-city communities, just like Albion Lane, and they are slow but that is not it for them. Sometimes it just takes one opportunity to open many more gates.” Stewart further stated that his family is elated by his achievements. “They are extremely happy for me. Maybe not all of my family members understand what a PhD means or what it entails, but they are proud,” he said. In the meantime, Stewart has since returned home with an important mission ahead. He told The Gleaner that he refused an opportunity to become a professor in the US due to his love and dedication to Jamaica. “I got an opportunity in the US to be a professor but decided to turn down the opportunity and come to Jamaica ... to serve my country [as a] consultant working on national security projects.” With the knowledge gained over the years, Stewart is aiming to make an impact in the country’s national security ministry. His PhD dissertation focused heavily on crime prevention policies implemented in Caribbean countries and ways to improve on those initiatives. “What I have been doing in my dissertation studies is to create tailored crime prevention policies and initiatives that this government and Caribbean governments can use to enhance their security apparatus. I have evaluated all the different types of policies that Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago have implemented, and also policies in other Latin American countries to see how effective they have been. That’s the type of work that I have been doing and I’ll be putting some of that in place in Jamaica,” he said. rochelle.clayton@gleanerjm.com
Luke Littler reveals what he got for Christmas including redundant present from his mumWESTERN BUREAU: A slow start did not dictate Dr Aubrey Stewart’s journey. Hailing from the inner-city community of Albion Lane in Montego Bay, St James, he struggled through poverty and gun violence. Among the atrocities he faced was seeing his family’s home being firebombed and shot at during gang violence in 2007, resulting in his mother and grandmother being injured. Stewart, who then regarded himself as “a slow learner” due to his academic struggles while attending Cornwall College, which was a stone’s throw from his home, was nonetheless ambitious and hungry to succeed. Now, his aspirations and tenacity have paid off despite the struggles. Stewart, who is now 31, and who was a Fulbright Scholarship recipient, recently completed a PhD in public policy, specialising in crime policy evaluation and program design, at Florida International University (FIU). In a recent interview with The Gleaner , Stewart reminisced on his academic journey from Cornwall College to FIU. While explaining that he was never a high achiever during high school, Stewart stated that joining the cadets helped to develop his sense of discipline, which brought him to obtain three university degrees. But, before heading off to university, Stewart had to tackle the hurdles of completing high school. ‘Cadet made me more disciplined’ “I was one of the first persons in my area to attend Cornwall College and then, after that, it was like a ripple effect. Other young boys were getting the opportunity to attend Cornwall. I was not necessarily a high achiever there. I was in cadet and did a lot of community service, so I would say that my high school journey started very slow, but cadet made me a lot more disciplined and I started focusing on school. I realised that my grades started getting a little bit better,” Stewart said. Though his Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) grades weren’t impressive, Stewart worked hard to land a place at The University of West Indies Western Jamaica Campus (WJC), where he blossomed while pursuing a bachelor’s degree in political leadership, strategy and management. “I never got all the ones that my classmates were getting. Mi get the one, two, three, four and five. I couldn’t afford to attend sixth form at Cornwall. Some persons were giving scholarships and because of my discipline and community service they decided to award me with sponsorship so I could attend sixth form,” Stewart said. “I went to UWI WJC and my grades started getting better. I was campus chairman ... and I realised that I actually could do this. The ones and fives I used to get in high school didn’t matter anymore.” While pursuing his undergraduate studies, Stewart was involved in several community-based initiatives. He maintained a strong relationship with his community and further honed his skills. He pursued a master’s degree in comparative politics and political theory through a partnership with UWI and the University of Cambridge. He later worked as a data scientist and research fellow in the Ministry of National Security and the Office of the Prime Minister in Jamaica before receiving the Fulbright Scholarship in 2021. During his doctoral studies, Stewart maintained a 4.0 grade point average and was inducted into the Phi Kappa Phi honour society, the oldest academic society in the United States (US). He is now proud of the strides he has made. “I started pretty slow because I didn’t have an academic support system. I think I was pretty slow because, in grade nine, I would shy away from just reading in class. I didn’t want to read because the boys would laugh at me. It was just a journey but I am proud and grateful. I would not change anything about my growing up. It was pretty hard but I would not change it. There are many young people in inner-city communities, just like Albion Lane, and they are slow but that is not it for them. Sometimes it just takes one opportunity to open many more gates.” Stewart further stated that his family is elated by his achievements. “They are extremely happy for me. Maybe not all of my family members understand what a PhD means or what it entails, but they are proud,” he said. In the meantime, Stewart has since returned home with an important mission ahead. He told The Gleaner that he refused an opportunity to become a professor in the US due to his love and dedication to Jamaica. “I got an opportunity in the US to be a professor but decided to turn down the opportunity and come to Jamaica ... to serve my country [as a] consultant working on national security projects.” With the knowledge gained over the years, Stewart is aiming to make an impact in the country’s national security ministry. His PhD dissertation focused heavily on crime prevention policies implemented in Caribbean countries and ways to improve on those initiatives. “What I have been doing in my dissertation studies is to create tailored crime prevention policies and initiatives that this government and Caribbean governments can use to enhance their security apparatus. I have evaluated all the different types of policies that Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago have implemented, and also policies in other Latin American countries to see how effective they have been. That’s the type of work that I have been doing and I’ll be putting some of that in place in Jamaica,” he said. rochelle.clayton@gleanerjm.com
"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?" Thanks for your interest in Kalkine Media's content! To continue reading, please log in to your account or create your free account with us.
49ers claim RB Israel Abanikanda off waivers from Jets49ers claim RB Israel Abanikanda off waivers from Jets
The Falcons are sticking with Kirk Cousins and may get a break thanks to a soft scheduleJackson leads but Barkley closes gap in NFL Pro Bowl votingGermany has taken in almost one million Syrians, with the bulk arriving in 2015-16 under ex-chancellor Angela Merkel. European countries suspend Syrian asylum decisions after Assad’s fall Germany, France, Austria and several Nordic countries said Dec 9 they would freeze all pending asylum requests from Syrians, a day after the ouster of president Bashar al-Assad. While Berlin and other governments said they were watching the fast-moving developments in the war-ravaged nation, Vienna signalled it would soon deport refugees back to Syria. Far-right politicians elsewhere made similar demands, including in Germany, home to Europe’s largest Syrian community, at a time when immigration has become a hot-button issue across the continent. READ MORE HERE US police arrest man in connection with UnitedHealthcare exec killing A 26-year-old Maryland native has been arrested on gun charges and for questioning in connection with last week’s killing of a health insurance executive in midtown Manhattan that prompted a search up and down the East Coast, the New York Police Department said. The man being questioned was identified as Luigi Mangione, the police commissioner, Jessica Tisch, said at a news briefing on Dec 9. He was arrested in a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after an employee recognised him and called authorities about 9.15am. Police had shared a steady stream of multiple photos of the man believed to be the gunman since the shooting. “He was sitting there eating,” Mr Joseph Kenny, the Police Department’s chief of detectives, said at the briefing. READ MORE HERE TikTok hires ex-Trump administration lawyer ahead of Supreme Court appeal TikTok and its Chinese owner ByteDance have turned to a veteran US Supreme Court lawyer as they prepare to ask the justices to block a law that could ban the popular short video platform in the United States. Noel Francisco, who served as US solicitor general during Republican President-elect Donald Trump’s first administration, will represent TikTok along with his partner Hashim Mooppan at law firm Jones Day, court papers show. As the Justice Department’s top Supreme Court advocate from 2017 to 2020, Francisco defended Trump’s ban on people from six predominantly Muslim countries entering the United States. He has argued more than 20 cases before the high court. READ MORE HERE US Supreme Court rejects Boston case over race in school admissions The US Supreme Court declined on Dec 9 a chance to further restrict efforts to promote racial diversity in education, turning away a case over whether criteria that had been used to decide admissions to elite public high schools in Boston discriminated against white and Asian students. The justices decided not to hear an appeal by a coalition of parents and students, represented by a libertarian legal group, of a lower court’s ruling upholding the legality of the policy, which was used for just one year during the Covid-19 pandemic. The plaintiffs had argued that the policy violated the US Constitution’s 14th Amendment promise of equal protection. Two of the Supreme Court’s conservative members, Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas, dissented from the court’s decision to decline to hear the appeal. READ MORE HERE Premier League referee Coote sacked by PGMOL Premier League referee David Coote has been sacked by English soccer referees’ body PGMOL on Dec 9, after their investigation found his actions to be in serious breach of his contract. Coote had been suspended last month after a video circulated on social media showing the official allegedly abusing Liverpool and former manager Juergen Klopp and after a full investigation, his position has been deemed untenable. “Following the conclusion of a thorough investigation into David Coote’s conduct, his employment with PGMOL has been terminated today with immediate effect,” the PGMOL statement said. READ MORE HERE Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you. Read 3 articles and stand to win rewards Spin the wheel now
OU JAC receives threats after attack on Allu Arjun’s home in HyderabadPlayers beaten by bouncers, investigation in progress
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday highlighted the contributions of former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and acknowledged the substantial progress the region witnessed during his tenure. ET Year-end Special Reads What kept India's stock market investors on toes in 2024? India's car race: How far EVs went in 2024 Investing in 2025: Six wealth management trends to watch out for "I will remember him only in the context of Jammu and Kashmir. Dr Manmohan Singh has done a lot for Jammu and Kashmir," Abdullah added. He further acknowledged the substantial progress the region witnessed under Singh's leadership, stating that his contributions were unparalleled. "Hardly any Prime Minister would have done so much for Jammu and Kashmir," Abdullah remarked. Abdullah emphasized that Jammu and Kashmir benefited immensely during Singh's time in office, noting that the region received crucial support and development initiatives that helped it during challenging times. "Jammu and Kashmir got a lot during Manmohan Singh's tenure, for which we will always remember him," he said. Artificial Intelligence(AI) Java Programming with ChatGPT: Learn using Generative AI By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Basics of Generative AI: Unveiling Tomorrows Innovations By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Generative AI for Dynamic Java Web Applications with ChatGPT By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Mastering C++ Fundamentals with Generative AI: A Hands-On By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Master in Python Language Quickly Using the ChatGPT Open AI By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Performance Marketing for eCommerce Brands By - Zafer Mukeri, Founder- Inara Marketers View Program Office Productivity Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance A2Z Of Money By - elearnmarkets, Financial Education by StockEdge View Program Marketing Modern Marketing Masterclass by Seth Godin By - Seth Godin, Former dot com Business Executive and Best Selling Author View Program Astrology Vastu Shastra Course By - Sachenkumar Rai, Vastu Shashtri View Program Strategy Succession Planning Masterclass By - Nigel Penny, Global Strategy Advisor: NSP Strategy Facilitation Ltd. View Program Data Science SQL for Data Science along with Data Analytics and Data Visualization By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI and Analytics based Business Strategy By - Tanusree De, Managing Director- Accenture Technology Lead, Trustworthy AI Center of Excellence: ATCI View Program Web Development A Comprehensive ASP.NET Core MVC 6 Project Guide for 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Pam Moore By - Pam Moore, Digital Transformation and Social Media Expert View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI-Powered Python Mastery with Tabnine: Boost Your Coding Skills By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Office Productivity Mastering Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and 365 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Digital marketing - Wordpress Website Development By - Shraddha Somani, Digital Marketing Trainer, Consultant, Strategiest and Subject Matter expert View Program Office Productivity Mastering Google Sheets: Unleash the Power of Excel and Advance Analysis By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Web Development Mastering Full Stack Development: From Frontend to Backend Excellence By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance Financial Literacy i.e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By - CA Rahul Gupta, CA with 10+ years of experience and Accounting Educator View Program Data Science SQL Server Bootcamp 2024: Transform from Beginner to Pro By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Speaking on Singh's passing, and the controversy over his memorial, Abdullah said, "It is unfortunate that these fights are still going on even after Dr Manmohan Singh's death." Notably, a war of words has broken out between BJP and Congress leaders over the cremation of Manmohan Singh at Delhi's Nigambodh Ghat. Earlier on Sunday, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri accused the Congress of "creating" a controversy over the demise of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and building a memorial for him. He highlighted that former PM Narsimha Rao's body wasn't even brought to the AICC headquarters. Speaking to ANI, Puri said, "There is no controversy but it is being created. Congress party is isolated in the INDI alliance and even in the country. Congress didn't allow PV Narasimha Rao's mortal remains to come to party headquarters and his final cremation was done in Hyderabad." "Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge wrote a letter that we (Congress) would like something - the home ministry released a communication and said that we agreed to their request," he added. Puri assured that a memorial will be built to honour the memory of former PM Manmohan Singh. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )OpenAI said Monday it’s releasing its buzzy AI video-generation tool, Sora, later in the day. The AI video-generation model works similarly to OpenAI’s image-generation AI tool, DALL-E: A user types out a desired scene, and Sora will return a high-definition video clip. Sora can also generate video clips inspired by still images and extend existing videos or fill in missing frames. The Microsoft -backed artificial intelligence startup, which burst into the mainstream last year thanks to the viral popularity of ChatGPT, introduced Sora in February. It’ll debut to U.S. users as well as to “most countries internationally” later today, according to OpenAI’s YouTube livestream, and the company has “no timeline” yet for launching the tool in Europe and the U.K., as well as some other countries. OpenAI said users don’t need to pay extra for the tool, which will be included in existing ChatGPT accounts such as Plus and Pro. Employees on the livestream and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman demonstrated features like “Blend” (i.e., joining two scenes together at the user’s direction), as well as the option to make an AI-generated video endlessly repeat. Until now, Sora has mainly been available to a small group of safety testers, or “red-teamers,” who test the model for vulnerabilities in areas such as misinformation and bias. Reddit users asked OpenAI executives in October about Sora’s release date, questioning whether it was being delayed “due to the amount of compute/time required for inference or due to safety.” In response, OpenAI’s product chief Kevin Weil wrote, “Need to perfect the model, need to get safety/impersonation/other things right, and need to scale compute!” “We obviously have a big target on our back as OpenAI,” Rohan Sahai, OpenAI’s Sora product lead, said on the livestream, adding that the company needs to prevent illegal use of the technology. “But we also want to balance that with creative expression.” OpenAI closed its latest funding round in October at a valuation of $157 billion, including the $6.6 billion the company raised from an extensive roster of investment firms and Big Tech companies. It also received a $4 billion revolving line of credit , bringing its total liquidity to more than $10 billion. It’s all part of a serious growth plan for OpenAI, as the Microsoft -backed artificial intelligence startup battles Amazon -backed Anthropic, Elon Musk’s xAI, Google , Meta , Microsoft and Amazon for the biggest slice of the generative AI market, which is predicted to top $1 trillion in revenue within a decade. Earlier this month, OpenAI hired its first chief marketing officer , indicating plans to spend more on marketing to grow its user base. And in October, OpenAI debuted a search feature within ChatGPT that positions it to better compete with search engines like Google , Microsoft ’s Bing and Perplexity and may attract more users who otherwise visited those sites to search the web. With Sora, the ChatGPT maker is looking to compete with video-generation AI tools from companies such as Meta and Google , which announced Lumiere in January . Similar AI tools are available from other startups, such as Stability AI’s Stable Video Diffusion. Amazon has also released Create with Alexa, a model that specializes in generating prompt-based short-form animated children’s content. Video could be the next frontier for generative AI now that chatbots and image generators have made their way into the consumer and business world. While the creative opportunities will excite some AI enthusiasts, the new technologies present serious misinformation concerns as major political elections occur across the globe. The number of AI-generated deepfakes created has increased 900% year over year, according to data from Clarity, a machine learning firm. OpenAI has made multimodality — the combining of text, image and video generation — a prominent goal in its effort to offer a broader suite of AI models. News of Sora’s release follows protestors’ decision to leak what appeared to be a copy of Sora over concerns about the ChatGPT maker’s treatment of artists. Some members of OpenAI’s early access program for Sora, which it said included about 300 artists, published an open letter in late November critiquing OpenAI for not being sufficiently open or supporting the arts beyond marketing. “Dear corporate AI overlords,” the protestors’ open letter stated, “We received access to Sora with the promise to be early testers, red teamers and creative partners. However, we believe instead we are being lured into ‘art washing’ to tell the world that Sora is a useful tool for artists.” The letter added that hundreds of artists provided unpaid labor for OpenAI through bug testing and feedback on Sora, and that “while hundreds contribute for free, a select few will be chosen through a competition to have their Sora-created films screened — offering minimal compensation which pales in comparison to the substantial PR and marketing value OpenAI receives.” “We are not against the use of AI technology as a tool for the arts (if we were, we probably wouldn’t have been invited to this program),” the open letter stated. “What we don’t agree with is how this artist program has been rolled out and how the tool is shaping up ahead of a possible public release. We are sharing this to the world in the hopes that OpenAI becomes more open, more artist friendly and supports the arts beyond PR stunts.” In late November, an OpenAI spokesperson responded to the protestors’ actions in a statement to CNBC. “Hundreds of artists in our alpha have shaped Sora’s development, helping prioritize new features and safeguards,” the OpenAI spokesperson said at the time. “Participation is voluntary, with no obligation to provide feedback or use the tool. We’ve been excited to offer these artists free access and will continue supporting them through grants, events, and other programs.”
X owner Elon Musk has delivered a brutal takedown of an Australian newspaper, predicting they will lose their readership over “relentless lying”. The hit targeted Nine Entertainment’s Sydney Morning Herald after it published an opinion piece on Sunday featuring a prediction that irked the billionaire. The outlet published an article by technology editor David Swan in which he shared his predictions for the industry in 2025. One prediction was that Mr Musk would leave electric car manufacturer Tesla to focus on Government work with US President-elect Donald Trump. Mr Swan suggested that the world’s richest man would have too much on his plate. “To be juggling leadership roles at X (formerly Twitter), Tesla, SpaceX, xAI, the Boring Company and Neuralink was already unsustainable,” the SMH article read. “Musk now has wormed his way into Trump’s inner circle, and will jointly lead the president-elect’s DOGE – Department of Government Efficiency – in a bid to slash billions in government expenditure. “After constant controversies and distractions, it will all come to a head in 2025, and Musk will be forced to hand over the reins at Tesla, a company many mistakenly think he founded.” The prediction over Mr Musk’s resignation was not appreciated by the world’s richest man. Replying to a screenshot of the opinion piece, Mr Musk delivered his own prediction for 2025, aimed directly at the publisher of the article. “I predict that the Sydney Morning Herald will continue to lose readership in 2025 for relentlessly lying to their audience and boring them to death Mr Musk’s smackdown was shared with his 209 million followers on the X social media platform. “Easy prediction to make, any legacy media continuing to lie to their readers will face significant decline,” one user added to Mr Musk’s prediction. “Australia, Ireland and the UK are stuck in the woke nightmare, and I feel for them,” said another. “They are becoming more and more irrelevant,” a third added. One user shared a screenshot of Nine Entertainment’s share price, which has been in decline since 2022. Back on the Sydney Morning Herald website, Mr Swan appeared to strike a chord with some readers. “I’d love to see Musk on a one-way trip to Mars and stop teaching me how to live my life,” one person commented. “Musk quits Tesla and becomes de facto President of the USA!” wrote another. Mr Musk agreed with one user commenting on his post who said that “legacy media is in a doom spiral”. Mr Swan appeared to brush off the attack on his own X profile, writing, “Damn, roasted” in a post accompanied by a retweet of Mr Musk’s clap back. However, the reaction to Mr Swan’s was split on his profile. “You need to frame this,” one wrote. “How about so-called journalists try and get their dignity back by not reporting lies and gearing the audience towards clickbait,” said another. The controversy ended a week that the Sydney Morning Herald may want to put behind them. On Friday, the newspaper issued an apology after incorrectly identifying Adelaide barrister Ian Roberts as the South Australian fatality in the Sydney to Hobart race. Mr Roberts was not killed in the tragic accident, instead, South Australian Nick Smith lost his life when he was struck by a boom during dangerous weather. “The Sydney Morning Herald incorrectly named Adelaide barrister Ian Roberts as one of the victims in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race,” the Sydney Morning Herald wrote. “This was incorrect. We apologise to Mr Roberts and his family.”LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has launched the ‘Suthra Punjab’ Programme with a target of cleaning the province in three months. “The Punjab government was taking revolutionary steps to improve cleanliness in the province by starting the programme across the province; the government will ensure zero waste by cleaning roads and streets not only in cities but also in villages,” she said while addressing a launching ceremony of the ‘Suthra Punjab’ Programme on Tuesday. She further said that the government was spending billions of rupees on this programme to make the province neat and clean. “The programme was creating job opportunities for over 100,000 people while the government purchased the latest machinery at a cost of billions of rupees,” she added. She claimed that for the first time in Punjab, their government has brought a programme for uniform cleaning of cities and villages and under the programme; they would provide 21,000 modern machines and 80,000 equipments. She added that the government was building landfill sites in various villages and cities while the sanitation workers would get compensation under the minimum wage agreement. While castigating the Pakistan tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s recent ‘violent protest’ in Islamabad, she said that there was a need to clean ‘political waste’ otherwise they would continue to set public properties on fire. She averred that during the November 24 protest, the people of Punjab ignored their final call and she saw only a small number of people coming out onto the streets across Punjab. “In the past, the PML-N held protests and our protestors did not damage public properties,” she added. She lamented the PTI for resorting to violence whenever they announced protests, adding that the PTI attacked the federation and 170 policemen were injured during the PTI attack on the federation. Since 2014, the PTI never held a peaceful protest and warned that only peaceful protestors would be allowed to hold protests. She accused the PTI of using foreign nationals to create unrest in Punjab and the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were not involved in the bloodshed and violence. Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
Croatia’s incumbent president wins most votes at polls but still faces runoff
A takeaway business near Wānaka had to rush out to borrow a generator this morning as a power cut left it and hundreds of other customers without power. Power was cut to 1156 properties around Albert Town and Lake Hāwea about 5.40am. Aurora Energy said the cause of the power cut was being looked into. At noon the number without power had been reduced to fewer than 40 properties. One of those was Ravi Singh, who owns Wingin' It takeaways in Lake Hāwea. He said the power cut had led to a busy morning. "They are causing problems. We have two fridges, two freezers which are not working right now. We had to go and get a new generator. So everything is turned on now, just now. "But it has been off for a little while, and we were worried about our stock. We don't even know if we will be able to open and serve people." He said they could not fully operate with the generator, so were hoping to get the power restored as soon as possible. Aurora Energy said it took longer to restore power because of fire restrictions currently in place. The automatic reclosers that help get the power back on quickly after a short outage could potentially create sparks if the network had been damaged during a fault, it said. When a prohibited fire season is declared, Aurora disables the automatic reclosers to reduce the fire risk. When the reclosers were disabled the fault crews had to manually check the lines to make sure everything was safe before they could turn the power back on. It was a trade-off between getting power restored faster, and the risk of fire, Aurora Energy said.
DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — A few days after insurgents in Syria overthrew President Bashar Assad , his ruling Baath party announced it was freezing its activities, marking a stunning change in fortunes for the political group that had ruled for more than six decades. Many members of the party's leadership have gone into hiding and some have fled the country. In a symbolic move, Syria's new rulers have turned the former party headquarters in Damascus into a center where former members of the army and security forces line up to register their names and hand over their weapons. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.NEW YORK (AP) — No ex-president had a more prolific and diverse publishing career than Jimmy Carter . His more than two dozen books included nonfiction, poetry, fiction, religious meditations and a children’s story. His memoir “An Hour Before Daylight” was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2002, while his 2006 best-seller “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid” stirred a fierce debate by likening Israel’s policies in the West Bank to the brutal South African system of racial segregation. And just before his 100th birthday, the Dayton Literary Peace Prize Foundation honored him with a lifetime achievement award for how he wielded “the power of the written word to foster peace, social justice, and global understanding.” In one recent work, “A Full Life,” Carter observed that he “enjoyed writing” and that his books “provided a much-needed source of income.” But some projects were easier than others. “Everything to Gain,” a 1987 collaboration with his wife, Rosalynn, turned into the “worst threat we ever experienced in our marriage,” an intractable standoff for the facilitator of the Camp David accords and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. According to Carter, Rosalynn was a meticulous author who considered “the resulting sentences as though they have come down from Mount Sinai, carved into stone.” Their memories differed on various events and they fell into “constant arguments.” They were ready to abandon the book and return the advance, until their editor persuaded them to simply divide any disputed passages between them. “In the book, each of these paragraphs is identified by a ‘J’ or an ‘R,’ and our marriage survived,” he wrote. Here is a partial list of books by Carter: “Keeping Faith: Memoirs of a President” “The Blood of Abraham: Insights into the Middle East” (With Rosalynn Carter) “Everything to Gain: Making the Most of the Rest of Your Life” “An Outdoor Journal: Adventures and Reflections” “Turning Point: A Candidate, a State, and a Nation Come of Age” “Always a Reckoning, and Other Poems” (With daughter Amy Carter) “The Little Baby Snoogle-Fleejer” “Living Faith” “The Virtues of Aging” “An Hour Before Daylight: Memories of a Rural Boyhood” “Christmas in Plains: Memories” “The Hornet’s Nest: A Novel of the Revolutionary War” “Our Endangered Values: America’s Moral Crisis” “Faith & Freedom: The Christian Challenge for the World” “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid” “A Remarkable Mother” “Beyond the White House” “We Can Have Peace in the Holy Land: A Plan That Will Work” “White House Diary” “NIV Lessons from Life Bible: Personal Reflections with Jimmy Carter” “A Call to Action: Women, Religion, Violence, and Power” “A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety”Linda Black, what’s my horoscope today? Aquarius, breakthrough possible under new moon (12/30/24)