Rams prepare for primetime Eagles game as NFC West heats upPope Francis will visit the French Mediterranean island of Corsica in December, days after skipping the reopening of Paris's Notre Dame Cathedral which was ravaged by a fire in 2019, the Vatican said Saturday. Francis, 87, declined an invitation from French President Emmanuel Macron to attend the Notre Dame reopening ceremony in Paris on December 7. He will however head to Corsica's capital Ajaccio for a conference on the Catholic faith in the Mediterranean one week later on December 15, the Vatican said. Some French bishops were "annoyed" by the pope's decision to stay away from the Notre Dame gala, according to one bishop speaking on condition of anonymity. But the head of the Bishops' Conference of France (CEF) Archbishop Eric de Moulins-Beaufort said: "The star of the Notre Dame reopening ceremony is Notre Dame itself." The pope had not wanted his presence to be a distraction from the essential point of the occasion, he added. "It's not a snub aimed at France," said another bishop. Francis's one-day trip to Corsica will be the first papal visit to the island, where 90 percent of its 350,000 population is Catholic, according to the local Church, and religious traditions remain deeply rooted. He will give two speeches, preside over a mass and meet Macron during his nine hours on the island, the Vatican said. "It is a historic event, we will give ourselves the extraordinary means to put on an exceptional welcome for the Holy Father," said Bishop of Ajaccio Francois-Xavier Bustillo said in a video posted on social media. Francis, who will celebrate his 88th birthday on December 17, has been to France twice since becoming head of the worldwide Catholic Church in 2013. He visited Strasbourg in 2014, where he addressed the European Parliament, and last year went to Marseille for a meeting of Mediterranean area bishops, where he met Macron. Sign up to get our free daily email of the biggest stories! He has yet to make a state visit to France, one of Europe's main majority-Catholic countries. He is also yet to make state visits to Spain, the United Kingdom or Germany. The Argentine pontiff prefers visiting smaller or less established Catholic communities, from Malta to Mongolia. The Corsica visit was championed by the popular media-friendly Bustillo, who was made a cardinal by Pope Francis in September 2023. "It will not be a state visit, but a pastoral visit. It will be a beautiful moment, a moment of hope and joy," he told AFP. In addition, the head of the Catholic Church is scheduled to be at the Vatican on December 7-8 for a service at which he will create 21 new cardinals. Rescheduling appointments over coming months would appear to be tricky, given the multitude of events due to take place in Rome in 2025, a Catholic jubilee year. Bustillo is one of the active cardinals Francis has appointed in the Mediterranean region, with the pope keen they "work together to meet the specific challenges of the area", a bishop told AFP on condition of anonymity. Those issues include migration, global warming and interreligious dialogue. Corsica will be the 47th overseas visit for Francis and his third this year, after a long tour of the Asia Pacific in early September and a trip to Belgium and Luxembourg the same month. cmk-bur/tw/jm
NoneLAKEPORT, Calif. — Maria Valadez would like everyone to chill out. Every election, the prickly Lake County registrar follows California’s litany of voting laws and certifies thousands of ballots by the time she is required to. And every year, people still complain. “The state gave us a deadline, we meet the deadline,” an exasperated Valadez said from her small office in Lakeport as a handful of staffers sat at computers verifying signatures more than two weeks after election day, when they had tallied fewer than half of the votes. “I just don’t understand, why do we need to rush?” In a state known for its slow processing of election results , Lake County, with only about 38,000 voters, is often the slowest of them all. For years, the rural Northern California county — known for local disputes over marijuana cultivation and several brutal wildfires — has been among the state’s last to announce votes after elections, often frustrating candidates and befuddling political pundits. The reason appears to be a combination of factors, including an under-resourced elections budget in one of California’s smaller, lower-income counties and a desire to keep a meticulous, steady process that was instilled by trusted staff decades ago, even as technology advances. “Elections are a lot of security, transparency and accountability. That’s what we do here. And it has been like this for all of the years I’ve worked here,” said Valadez, who was hired in 1995 and trained by the prior registrar, who was hired in 1977. “We have a lot of checks and balances. We do them as we go.” She repeated: “We have a deadline, we meet the deadline.” State law requires counties to finalize their official results 30 days after the election, this year by Dec. 5. Though Valadez is adamant that she’ll make it, the pace of progress is startling compared to most of the country. Shortly before midnight on election night, Lake County reported just 5,784 ballots. A few thousand more have been counted since. Yet by Thursday — 16 days after the election — Lake County still had more than 10,000 ballots left to count, according to the secretary of state. “I’m not unsympathetic to the challenges that come with unfunded top-down mandates from Sacramento, but there is a pattern of sheer awfulness with Lake County in particular going back at least a decade and they’ve earned all the scorn coming their way,” Rob Pyers, who operates the election guide California Target Book, said on social media last week. He said Lake County is “in the running for slowest election department worldwide.” This year, that may not matter much. Unlike some other counties in California, where daily ballot counts are still changing results in tight races for the House of Representatives that will determine the size of Republicans’ majority in Washington, Lake County did not have many hot contests on the ballot. Still, the slow count means residents are waiting to find out who will serve on local schools boards, the Clear Lake City Council and the county board of supervisors. Lake County’s lag has delayed statewide outcomes before. In the 2014 primary election , the race for state controller was razor thin. California voters had to wait a month to know who would compete in the general election as Lake County officials took their time with the final ballots even as they were barraged with phone calls from politicos feverishly refreshing their browsers for updates. It was Lake County that declared Betty Yee had edged out fellow Democrat John Perez by fewer than 500 votes and would advance. The county met its deadline. Democracy lived on. Now, it’s a different world than when Valadez first started working in elections 30 years ago, and her department’s speed — or lack thereof — has spurred conspiracy theories like those inflamed by Donald Trump when he lost the election in 2020. As Valadez and her staff calmly processed ballots Wednesday, an angry man from North Dakota called to inquire about what’s taking so long. Conservatives have singled out Lake County on social media as proof that deep blue California is aiming to rig elections. The man who lives 1,600 miles east and can’t vote in Lake County suggested something nefarious was going on. Valadez invited him to visit her office off the shore of Clear Lake, to her tightknit community where the security guard at the courthouse next door calls entrants “kiddo.” She has nothing to hide, she said. “We take our job very seriously,” Valadez said of her small staff. “The integrity of my work is very important to me.” California is among the slowest states to call elections not only because of its huge population, but also because of voting laws designed to increase voter participation, including sending all registered voters a ballot by mail, which can prolong when some races are called. “California deserves all the scorn it gets for holding up House election results,” screamed a headline last week in the New York Post. The article went on: “Hey, bud, what’s the rush? seems to be Golden State officials’ work ethic.” Derek Tisler, who focuses on elections as counsel for the Brennan Center for Justice, confirmed that Lake County is among the slowest to process ballots in the U.S. this year. But that’s OK, he said. “We get impatient, but I think everyone would agree that at the end of the day, we want things to be accurate,” Tisler said. “That is what election officials are going to prioritize. It makes sense they’re doing things in a way that they feel confident in.” As a wall of rain beat down this week on most of Lake County, a place that struggles with meth and opioid abuse, where 73% of public school students qualify for free and reduced-price meals, Valadez said she’s doing her best “within staffing and resource limitations.” The Lake County registrar’s office has five full time-employees, and one is currently on leave. A few retirees have been added as temporary help. The county — population: 67,000 — does not have a high-speed vote counting machine, instead verifying everything by hand. Kim Alexander, president of the nonpartisan California Voter Foundation, said places like Lake County don’t get the same resources as bigger tourism destinations with urban centers and higher property taxes. The state does not help counties pay for elections staff or voting equipment even as it issues more mandates, she said, making local officials’ jobs harder and uneven, depending on where they live. “I get really frustrated when I hear lawmakers complaining about how long it takes to count, because they could actually do something about it,” Alexander said. “If elections were not a chronically underfunded government service, we could have faster results.” Valadez also pointed to voting preferences as a potential reason for the timing of the county’s results. Unlike a growing number of counties, Lake County does not offer voting centers, a hybrid model that allows voters to drop off ballots several days before the election. Voters here prefer to vote in person at their neighborhood polling precincts and some are still getting used to receiving a ballot in the mail, Valadez said. But even if Lake County got a boost in funding, and more voters sent their ballots in by mail early, it’s unclear if elections officials would change much of their decades-old strategy. Wearing a bright red pixie cut and a Carhartt flanel, Diane Fridley, 71, worked to verify votes this week at a computer in the registrar’s office in Lakeport, scrolling her mouse across the screen to identify any issues with ballots. For more than 40 years, Fridley was the Lake County registrar. When she retired in 2019, she passed the torch to Valadez. But in between babysitting her grandchildren, Fridley comes in to help around election season. A Lake County native, Fridley remembers when voters had to bring their birth certificates to their polling stations. She has lived through the days of hanging chads. As someone who likes to have the same breakfast every morning — a slice of apple pie — and is hypervigilant about counting ballots, all the changes have been hard, but exciting. “Yeah, it takes us a little longer, but we dot our I’s and we cross our Ts,” she said. “We’re positive whatever totals we have are correct. I’m not saying other counties don’t do that, but we try to be perfect.” Fridley and Valadez exchanged a knowing look. “There’s a deadline for a reason,” Fridley said, echoing Valadez. “We always meet the deadline.”Israel cracks down on Palestinian citizens who speak out against the war in Gaza UMM AL-FAHM, Israel (AP) — In the year since the war in Gaza broke out, Israel's government has been cracking down on dissent among its Palestinian citizens. Authorities have charged Palestinians with “supporting terrorism” because of posts online or for demonstrating against the war. Activists and rights watchdogs say Palestinians have also lost jobs, been suspended from schools and faced police interrogations. Palestinians make up about 20% of Israel's population. Many feel forced to self-censor out of fear of being jailed and further marginalized in society. Others still find ways to dissent, but carefully. Israel's National Security Ministry counters that, “Freedom of speech is not the freedom to incite.” Israel says rabbi who went missing in the UAE was killed TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel says the body of of an Israeli-Moldovan rabbi who went missing in the United Arab Emirates has been found, citing Emirati authorities. The statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office on Sunday said Zvi Kogan was murdered, calling it a “heinous antisemitic terror incident.” It said: “The state of Israel will act with all means to seek justice with the criminals responsible for his death." Kogan went missing on Thursday, and there were suspicions he had been kidnapped. His disappearance comes as Iran has been threatening to retaliate against Israel after the two countries traded fire in October. Israeli strikes in central Beirut kill at least 20 as diplomats push for a cease-fire BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) — Lebanese officials say Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 20 people and injured dozens in central Beirut, as the once-rare attacks on the heart of Lebanon’s capital continue without warning. Diplomats are scrambling to broker a cease-fire but say obstacles still remain. The current proposal calls for a two-month cease-fire during which Israeli forces would withdraw from Lebanon and Hezbollah would end its armed presence along the southern border south of the Litani River. Lebanon’s Health Ministry says Israeli attacks have killed more than 3,500 people in Lebanon in the months of fighting that have turned into all-out war. After Trump's Project 2025 denials, he is tapping its authors and influencers for key roles WASHINGTON (AP) — During the campaign, President-elect Donald Trump had hailed what would become Project 2025 as a conservative roadmap for “exactly what our movement will do." Trump pulled an about-face when Project 2025 became a political liability. He denied knowing anything about the “ridiculous and abysmal” plans, even though some were written by his former aides and many allies. Now, after winning the 2024 election, Trump is stocking his second administration with key players in the effort he temporarily shunned. Trump has tapped Russell Vought for an encore as director of the Office of Management and Budget; Tom Homan, his former immigration chief, as “border czar;” and immigration hardliner Stephen Miller as deputy chief of policy. Trump's Republican Party is increasingly winning union voters. It's a shift seen in his labor pick WASHINGTON (AP) — Working-class voters helped Republicans make steady election gains this year and expanded a coalition that increasingly includes rank-and-file union members. It's a political shift spotlighting one of President-elect Donald Trump’s latest Cabinet picks: a GOP congresswoman, who has drawn labor support, to be his labor secretary. Oregon Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her bid for a second term this month, despite strong backing from union members. They're a key part of the Democratic base but are gravitating in the Trump era toward a Republican Party traditionally allied with business interests. Forecasts warn of possible winter storms across US during Thanksgiving week WINDSOR, Calif. (AP) — Forecasters in the U.S. have warned of another round of winter weather that could complicate travel leading up to Thanksgiving. California is bracing for more snow and rain this weekend while still grappling with some flooding and small landslides from a previous storm. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for California's Sierra Nevada through Tuesday, with heavy snow expected at high elevations. Thousands remained without power in the Seattle area on Saturday after a “bomb cyclone” storm system hit the West Coast earlier in the week, killing two people. Parts of the Northeast and Appalachia also began the weekend with heavy precipitation. Pakistan partially stops mobile and internet services ahead of pro-Imran Khan protest ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan says it is suspending mobile and internet services “in areas with security concerns” as supporters of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan gear up for a protest in the capital. The government and Interior Ministry made the announcement on X, which is banned in Pakistan. Sunday's protest is to demand Khan's release. He has been in prison for more than a year but remains popular. His supporters rely heavily on social media and messaging apps to coordinate with each other. Pakistan has already sealed off Islamabad and shut down major roads and highways connecting the city with Khan's power bases. Here's what to know about the new funding deal that countries agreed to at UN climate talks BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — In the wee hours Sunday at the United Nations climate talks, countries from around the world reached an agreement on how rich countries can cough up the funds to support poor countries in the face of climate change. But it’s a far-from-perfect arrangement, with many parties still unsatisfied but hopeful that the deal will be a step in the right direction. Japan holds Sado mines memorial despite South Korean boycott amid lingering historical tensions SADO, Japan (AP) — Japan held a memorial ceremony on Sunday near the Sado Island Gold Mines despite a last-minute boycott of the event by South Korea that highlighted tensions between the neighbors over the issue of Korean forced laborers at the site before and during World War II. South Korea’s absence at Sunday’s memorial, to which Seoul government officials and Korean victims’ families were invited, is a major setback in the rapidly improving ties between the two countries, which since last year have set aside their historical disputes to prioritize U.S.-led security cooperation. Chuck Woolery, smooth-talking game show host of 'Love Connection' and 'Scrabble,' dies at 83 NEW YORK (AP) — Chuck Woolery, the affable, smooth-talking game show host of “Wheel of Fortune,” “Love Connection” and “Scrabble” who later became a right-wing podcaster, skewering liberals and accusing the government of lying about COVID-19, has died. He was 83. Mark Young, Woolery’s podcast co-host and friend, said in an email early Sunday that Woolery died at his home in Texas with his wife, Kristen, present. Woolery, with his matinee idol looks, coiffed hair and ease with witty banter, was inducted into the American TV Game Show Hall of Fame in 2007 and earned a daytime Emmy nomination in 1978. He teamed up with Young for the podcast “Blunt Force Truth” and became a full supporter Donald Trump.
ts Ltd ( ) in the last couple of months. MFF built its reputation as a , but it recently announced the of a fund manager called Montaka to add an operational element to the business. The business is led by ( ) co-founder Chris Mackay, but the addition of the Montaka investment team will broaden MFF's research team, expand its research capabilities and potentially unlock additional investment opportunities. Montaka will continue to operate as a funds management business, and MFF Capital expects to add to Montaka's administration teams to help free up some of the investment professionals' time. I think this is a good move and could unlock significant value for MFF shareholders over time. But, while appealing, Montaka is not why I invested in MFF shares. I'd also called MFF an ASX dividend share because it is expecting to pay an annualised grossed-up of 5.25%, including , in FY25. Plus, it has grown its annual every year since 2018. However, while I like receiving , the dividend is not the main reason why I invested in this ASX stock either. It's understandable that a lot of Aussies have a bias towards investing in the ASX share market. However, the ASX only accounts for around 2% of the global share market and many of the world's best businesses can be found on stock markets in the northern hemisphere. I believe that Aussies, including myself, would benefit from having a portion of their portfolio allocated to names like , (Google), are among the world's and strongest businesses with incredibly strong . We can get to the US-listed global giants through our brokers. We don't necessarily need to buy shares of those businesses ourselves, instead we can get exposure through or . I believe a number of ASX ETFs out there are some of the best investments that Aussies can buy. However, one drawback is that index-based ASX ETFs don't have the flexibility to change their investments if a holding company is weakening because the ETF portfolios must match the index. LIC investment teams can respond to conditions by changing the portfolio and selling or buying. As a globally-focused LIC, I like that MFF can choose to invest anywhere it wants to. Currently, almost 60% of the MFF portfolio is spread across Amazon, , , Meta Platforms, Alphabet and Microsoft. I like that the ASX stock provides a lot of exposure to those great businesses, but I also appreciate that MFF can sell and move on, if it makes sense too. For me, the ASX stock's grossed-up dividend yield of more than 5% is a bonus.Eagles boss Oliver Glasner was reluctant to put a definite time frame on the comeback of the £30 million attacker but hopes it will come within the next two weeks. Earlier this month, Glasner took accountability for Nketiah’s injury, confessing he left the former Arsenal forward on the field for too long against Wolves. MORE PALACE NEWS Providing an update today, the Europa League winning coach said: “Let’s say [he will be available] during the week with three games against Newcastle, Ipswich and Manchester City. “I hope he’s available. I don’t know if it will be the first one or if it will be for Ipswich or Manchester City. We hope he’s back.” The South London club have just three senior attackers at their disposal when they travel to Villa Park tomorrow with Eberechi Eze and Nketiah absent through injury, while Daichi Kamada serves the first of his three-match ban.A California man who was is set to be reunited with his sister after a alerted the woman to her sibling's whereabouts, authorities announced. The report, which sought to identify an unknown patient at a Los Angeles County hospital, was sent to the woman by a friend of hers, the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office in Northern California confirmed on Facebook. The patient was discovered in South Los Angeles on April 15 and taken to the St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood, California, USA TODAY previously reported. Officials at the hospital asked for the public's assistance in identifying the man, who is non-verbal and could not communicate his name. For the next six months, the hospital's social services department was unable to reach any family members for the patient. That all changed on Friday, when his sister told the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office that she believed the unidentified patient was her long lost brother. The sheriff's office has not revealed the name of the man or his family members, citing privacy for the family. Information regarding his health status have also been withheld due to patient confidentiality laws. USA TODAY has reached out to the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office and the St. Francis Medical Center for additional information. The man was reported missing from Doyle, California in 1999 and not heard from since, his sister told the sheriff’s office. Sheriff’s Deputy Derek Kennemore contacted the hospital, where staff told him the patient had been transferred to different hospital. The second hospital confirmed that the man was in their care and matched the description of the missing person, according to the sheriff’s office. His identity was later confirmed through a fingerprint test conducted by the Los Angeles Police Department, according to the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office. "The family will be reunited soon," the office wrote. "The Lassen County Sheriff’s Office would like to commend Deputy Kennemore on his tenacity with this case. We would also like to thank the Los Angles Police Department for their assistance in identifying the missing man and closing out this 25 year old case."Josh Pascarelli scores 24 to propel Marist to 82-75 victory over Manhattan
By TRÂN NGUYỄN SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California, home to some of the largest technology companies in the world, would be the first U.S. state to require mental health warning labels on social media sites if lawmakers pass a bill introduced Monday. The legislation sponsored by state Attorney General Rob Bonta is necessary to bolster safety for children online, supporters say, but industry officials vow to fight the measure and others like it under the First Amendment. Warning labels for social media gained swift bipartisan support from dozens of attorneys general, including Bonta, after U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy called on Congress to establish the requirements earlier this year, saying social media is a contributing factor in the mental health crisis among young people. “These companies know the harmful impact their products can have on our children, and they refuse to take meaningful steps to make them safer,” Bonta said at a news conference Monday. “Time is up. It’s time we stepped in and demanded change.” State officials haven’t provided details on the bill, but Bonta said the warning labels could pop up once weekly. Up to 95% of youth ages 13 to 17 say they use a social media platform, and more than a third say that they use social media “almost constantly,” according to 2022 data from the Pew Research Center. Parents’ concerns prompted Australia to pass the world’s first law banning social media for children under 16 in November. “The promise of social media, although real, has turned into a situation where they’re turning our children’s attention into a commodity,” Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, who authored the California bill, said Monday. “The attention economy is using our children and their well-being to make money for these California companies.” Lawmakers instead should focus on online safety education and mental health resources, not warning label bills that are “constitutionally unsound,” said Todd O’Boyle, a vice president of the tech industry policy group Chamber of Progress. “We strongly suspect that the courts will set them aside as compelled speech,” O’Boyle told The Associated Press. Victoria Hinks’ 16-year-old daughter, Alexandra, died by suicide four months ago after being “led down dark rabbit holes” on social media that glamorized eating disorders and self-harm. Hinks said the labels would help protect children from companies that turn a blind eye to the harm caused to children’s mental health when they become addicted to social media platforms. “There’s not a bone in my body that doubts social media played a role in leading her to that final, irreversible decision,” Hinks said. “This could be your story.” Related Articles National News | Biden creates Native American boarding school national monument to mark era of forced assimilation National News | ‘Polarization’ is Merriam-Webster’s 2024 word of the year National News | Supreme Court rejects appeal challenging Hawaii gun licensing requirements under Second Amendment National News | Supreme Court rejects appeal from Boston parents over race bias in elite high school admissions National News | Supreme Court rejects Wisconsin parents’ challenge to school guidance for transgender students Common Sense Media, a sponsor of the bill, said it plans to lobby for similar proposals in other states. California in the past decade has positioned itself as a leader in regulating and fighting the tech industry to bolster online safety for children. The state was the first in 2022 to bar online platforms from using users’ personal information in ways that could harm children. It was one of the states that sued Meta in 2023 and TikTok in October for deliberately designing addictive features that keep kids hooked on their platforms. Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, also signed several bills in September to help curb the effects of social media on children, including one to prohibit social media platforms from knowingly providing addictive feeds to children without parental consent and one to limit or ban students from using smartphones on school campus. Federal lawmakers have held hearings on child online safety and legislation is in the works to force companies to take reasonable steps to prevent harm. The legislation has the support of X owner Elon Musk and the President-elect’s son, Donald Trump Jr . Still, the last federal law aimed at protecting children online was enacted in 1998, six years before Facebook’s founding.
Fifth District Savings Bank ( NASDAQ:FDSB – Get Free Report ) and HSBC ( NYSE:HSBC – Get Free Report ) are both finance companies, but which is the superior investment? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, valuation, earnings, risk, profitability and dividends. Valuation & Earnings This table compares Fifth District Savings Bank and HSBC”s revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation. HSBC has higher revenue and earnings than Fifth District Savings Bank. Analyst Recommendations Profitability This table compares Fifth District Savings Bank and HSBC’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Institutional and Insider Ownership 1.5% of HSBC shares are owned by institutional investors. 0.0% of HSBC shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a stock is poised for long-term growth. Summary HSBC beats Fifth District Savings Bank on 8 of the 8 factors compared between the two stocks. About Fifth District Savings Bank ( Get Free Report ) Fifth District Bancorp, Inc. is the holding company for Fifth District Savings Bank which provide all banking services. Fifth District Bancorp, Inc. is based in NEW ORLEANS. About HSBC ( Get Free Report ) HSBC Holdings plc provides banking and financial services worldwide. The company operates through Wealth and Personal Banking, Commercial Banking, and Global Banking and Markets segments. The Wealth and Personal Banking segment offers retail banking and wealth products, including current and savings accounts, mortgages and personal loans, credit and debit cards, and local and international payment services; and wealth management services comprising insurance and investment products, global asset management services, investment management, and private wealth solutions. This segment serves personal banking and high net worth individuals. The Commercial Banking segment provides credit and lending, treasury management, payment, cash management, commercial insurance, and investment services; commercial cards; international trade and receivables finance services; foreign exchange products; capital raising services on debt and equity markets; and advisory services. It serves small and medium sized enterprises, mid-market enterprises, and corporates. The Global Banking and Markets segment offers financing, advisory, and transaction services; and credit, rates, foreign exchange, equities, money markets, and securities services; and engages in principal investment activities. It serves government, corporate and institutional clients, and private investors. HSBC Holdings plc was founded in 1865 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom. Receive News & Ratings for Fifth District Savings Bank Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Fifth District Savings Bank and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .Luke Kromenhoek throws 3 TD passes as Florida St. ends six-game skid vs. Charleston SouthernCANADA is deploying one of its largest trade delegations to the Philippines next month, to be led by its Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development Mary Ng. “This is not a typical trade mission. This is a very powerhouse delegation,” Guy Boileau, counsellor and senior trade commissioner of the Canadian Embassy in Manila said in a press conference Thursday. The Team Canada Trade Mission (TCTM) will be on its last leg of the Indo-Pacific tour next week. They will go to Jakarta first on December and then proceed Manila on December 4 for a three-day visit. The trade delegation includes Alberta’s Minister of Jobs, Economy and Trade Matt Jones. Around 20 industry associations such as Business Council of Canada composed of chief executive officers as members, and the Canada-Asean Business Council. Boileau said Canadian small and medium enterprises as well as large companies from agricultural, clean technology, infrastructure development, information technology, defense, aerospace and education sectors will join the delegation. The delegates will get a chance to network with Filipino business leaders, attend business matching sessions, conduct on-site visits to companies, and attend meetings with industry players and conglomerates. The last time Canada sent such a large delegation to Manila was in 1997, during the visit of then Prime Minister Jean Chrétien. Boileau said there has been an increasing interest lately among Canadian business owners in investing in the Philippines. He said this is because the Philippines has made significant reforms in the past few years. These include the amended Public Service Act that allows foreigners to have 100 percent ownership in key sectors such as telecommunications, airlines, and railway. Canadian investors in renewable energy also welcomed the liberalization of the renewable energy sector, the recently signed CREATE MORE that clarified some taxation issues, the Public Private Partnership Code, and the recently amended government procurement law. “Those are all very positive signals to international investors, to exports including those in Canada. “These investors are looking for a stable and predictable business environment. And what we have seen over the past few years is that the Philippines is indeed going in that direction,” Boileau said. One of those who have expressed active interest to invest in the Philippines are institutional investors that are “actively looking for viable projects, particularly in the green space.” Canada is also “very strong” in setting up smart cities and would like to work with the Philippine government or key conglomerates in solving the traffic woes in Metro Manila, Cebu City and other metropolis.Grim outlook for new crop
No. 2 Ohio State takes control in the 2nd half and runs over No. 5 Indiana 38-15 COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Will Howard passed for two touchdowns and rushed for another, TreVeyon Henderson ran for a score and No. 2 Ohio State beat previously undefeated No. 5 Indiana 38-15. All Ohio State has to do now is beat Michigan at home next Saturday and it will earn a return to the Big Ten championship game for the first time since 2020 and get a rematch with No. 1 Oregon. The Ducks beat Ohio State 32-31 in a wild one back on Oct. 12. Man City routed 4-0 by Tottenham in fifth-straight defeat as crisis deepens for Pep Guardiola What started as an evening of celebration for Manchester City ended with the four-time defending Premier League champion falling to a fifth-straight loss in all competitions and facing a deepening crisis in a season that is threatening to unravel. A 4-0 defeat to Tottenham left City five points behind league leader Liverpool, having played a game more. Two goals from James Maddison inside 20 minutes at the Etihad Stadium stunned the home crowd. Pedro Porro scored a third for Tottenham after halftime. Brennan Johnson added a fourth in the third minute of stoppage time. City manager Pep Guardiola signed a two-year contract extension this week. Chelsea, Arsenal and Brighton all won and closed the gap on Liverpool to six points. Florida knocks No. 9 Ole Miss out of College Football Playoff contention, 24-17 in the Swamp GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — DJ Lagway threw two touchdown passes, Montrell Johnson ran for 127 yards and a score, and Florida upset No. 9 Mississippi 24-17 on Saturday to knock the Rebels out of College Football Playoff contention. The Gators beat ranked teams in consecutive weeks for the first time since 2008 and became bowl eligible. The late-season spurt provided another vote of confidence for coach Billy Napier, who is expected back for a fourth season. Ole Miss lost for the first time in four games and surely will drop out of the 12-team playoff picture. Jennings has 3 TDs as No. 13 SMU routs Virginia 33-7 to clinch a spot in the ACC title game CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Kevin Jennings threw for a career-high 323 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another, and No. 13 SMU clinched a spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game by routing Virginia 33-7. Isaiah Smith and Jared Harrison-Hunte each had two sacks to help the Mustangs extend their winning streak to eight. They would earn an automatic bid into the expanded College Football Playoff by beating 11th-ranked Miami or 17th-ranked Clemson in the ACC title game on Dec. 7 in Charlotte, North Carolina. UVa must beat rival Virginia Tech next week to become bowl eligible. No. 11 Miami pulls away late to beat Wake Forest 42-14 and move one win from the ACC title game MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Cam Ward passed for 280 yards and threw two touchdowns to Jacolby George on another record-breaking day, Mishael Powell ran an interception back 76 yards for a touchdown and No. 11 Miami pulled away late to beat Wake Forest 42-14. The 10-1 Hurricanes can clinch a berth in the ACC title game with a win at Syracuse next weekend. Ward completed 27 of 38 passes, plus ran for a score. Demond Claiborne had a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown for 4-7 Wake Forest. No. 24 Illinois stuns Rutgers on Bryant's 40-yard TD reception with 4 seconds left PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) — Luke Altmyer found Pat Bryant for a catch-and-run, 40-yard touchdown pass with 4 seconds left, sending No. 24 Illinois to a wild 38-31 victory over Rutgers. Illinois was down 31-30 when it sent long kicker Ethan Moczulski out for a desperation 58-yard field goal with 14 seconds to go. Rutgers coach Greg Schiano then called for a timeout right before Moczulski’s attempt was wide left and about 15 yards short. After the missed field goal was waved off by the timeout, Illinois coach Bret Bielema sent his offense back on the field. Altmyer hit Bryant on an in cut on the left side at the 22, and he continued across the field and scored untouched. Andy Murray will coach Novak Djokovic through the Australian Open Recently retired Andy Murray will team up with Novak Djokovic, working with him as a coach through the Australian Open in January. Murray’s representatives put out statements from both players on Saturday. Djokovic is a 24-time Grand Slam champion who has spent more weeks at No. 1 than any other player in tennis history. Murray won three major trophies and two Olympic singles gold medals who finished 2016 atop the ATP rankings. He retired as a player after the Paris Summer Games in August. Jannik Sinner and Matteo Berrettini lift Italy past Australia and back to the Davis Cup final MALAGA, Spain (AP) — Top-ranked Jannik Sinner and Matteo Berrettini won their singles matches to lift defending champion Italy past Australia 2-0 and back into the Davis Cup final. Sinner extended his tour-level winning streak to 24 sets in a row by beating No. 9 Alex de Minaur 6-3, 6-4 on Saturday on an indoor hard court in Malaga, Spain. That came after Berrettini came back to defeat Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-7 (6), 6-3, 7-5. Italy will meet first-time finalist Netherlands on Sunday for the title. The Dutch followed up their victory over Rafael Nadal and Spain in the quarterfinals by eliminating Germany on Friday. Argentina's Racing wins its first Copa Sudamericana championship by beating Brazil's Cruzeiro 3-1 ASUNCION, Paraguay (AP) — Gaston Martirena and Adrian Martinez scored first-half goals as Argentina’s Racing won its first Copa Sudamericana championship by beating Brazil’s Cruzeiro 3-1 in the final on Saturday. Martirena opened the scoring in the 15th minute and Martinez added a goal five minutes later to help give “La Academia” its first international title since 1988 when it won the Supercopa Sudamericana. Roger Martinez sealed the victory with a goal in the 90th. “Maravilla” Martinez scored 10 goals in 13 matches and finished as the top scorer in the competition. Kaio Jorge scored in the 52nd for Cruzeiro. Formula 1 expected to expand grid to 11 teams as early as next week for Cadillac to enter in 2026 LAS VEGAS (AP) — Formula 1 is expected to approve grid expansion for an 11th team originally started by Michael Andretti as early as next week. The team will be called Cadillac F1 and powered by Ferrari engines when it enters the sport in 2026. General Motors is expected to complete its own Cadillac power unit ahead of the 2028 season. Multiple industry insiders spoke to The Associated Press about the grid expansion on condition of anonymity because an announcement ahead of Saturday night’s Las Vegas Grand Prix could potentially steal the spotlight from the showcase event on the F1 calendar.
Pope to skip Notre Dame opening in Paris for Corsica visitLatur: BJP nominee Archana Patil Chakurkar, daughter-in-law of former Lok Sabha speaker Shivraj Patil, was defeated by Congress MLA Amit Deshmukh, son of late Maharashtra CM Vilasrao Deshmukh, in Latur City constituency by 6,973 votes. As votes are being counted for the Maharashtra assembly polls held on November 20, Amit Deshmukh polled 1,12,518 votes and Patil Chakurkar 1,05,545. In Latur Rural, BJP MLC Ramesh Karad defeated Congress MLA Dhiraj Deshmukh, brother of Amit Deshmukh, by 6,595 votes. Karad bagged 1,12,051 votes while Dhiraj Deshmukh secured 1,05,456 votes. Out of six constituencies in Latur district, Mahayuti won five constituencies. In Ausa constituency, BJP’s sitting MLA Abhimanyu Pawar defeated his Shiv-Sena (UBT) challenger Dinkar Mane by a margin of 35,000 votes. In Nilanga, BJP’s former minister and candidate Sambhaji Patil Nilangekar triumphed over Congress’s Abhay Salunke by 13,740 votes. In Ahmedpur-Chakur, NCP MLA Babasaheb Patil won by 30,000 votes. In the reserved constituency of Udgir, state minister Sanjay Bansode clinched victory with a significant 92,000 margin over his NCP (SP) rival Sudhakar Bhalerao.