Victor Wembanyama plays 1-on-1 chess with fans in New York
NEW DELHI (AP) — India’s former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, widely regarded as the architect of India’s economic reform program and a landmark nuclear deal with the United States, has died. He was 92. Singh was admitted to New Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences late Thursday after his health deteriorated due to a “sudden loss of consciousness at home,” the hospital said in a statement. “Resuscitative measures were started immediately at home. He was brought to the Medical Emergency” at 8:06 p.m., the hospital said, but “despite all efforts, he could not be revived and was declared dead at 9:51 p.m.” Singh was being treated for “age-related medical conditions,” the statement said. A mild-mannered technocrat, Singh became one of India’s longest-serving prime ministers for 10 years and leader of the Congress Party in the Parliament's Upper House, earning a reputation as a man of great personal integrity. He was chosen to fill the role in 2004 by Sonia Gandhi, the widow of assassinated Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi . But his sterling image was tainted by allegations of corruption against his ministers. Singh was reelected in 2009, but his second term as prime minister was clouded by financial scandals and corruption charges over the organization of the 2010 Commonwealth Games. This led to the Congress Party’s crushing defeat in the 2014 national election by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party under the leadership of Narendra Modi . Singh adopted a low profile after relinquishing the post of prime minister. Prime Minister Modi, who succeeded Singh in 2014, called him one of India’s “most distinguished leaders” who rose from humble origins and left “a strong imprint on our economic policy over the years.” “As our Prime Minister, he made extensive efforts to improve people’s lives,” Modi said in a post on the social platform X. He called Singh’s interventions in Parliament as a lawmaker “insightful” and said “his wisdom and humility were always visible.” Rahul Gandhi, from the same party as Singh and the opposition leader in the lower house of the Indian Parliament, said Singh’s “deep understanding of economics inspired the nation” and that he “led India with immense wisdom and integrity.” “I have lost a mentor and guide. Millions of us who admired him will remember him with the utmost pride,” Gandhi wrote on X. The United States offered its condolences, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken saying that Singh was “one of the greatest champions of the U.S.-India strategic partnership.” “We mourn Dr. Singh’s passing and will always remember his dedication to bringing the United States and India closer together,” Blinken said. Born on Sept. 26, 1932, in a village in the Punjab province of undivided India, Singh’s brilliant academic career took him to Cambridge University in Britain, where he earned a degree in economics in 1957. He then got his doctorate in economics from Nuffield College at Oxford University in 1962. Singh taught at Panjab University and the prestigious Delhi School of Economics before joining the Indian government in 1971 as economic advisor in the Commerce Ministry. In 1982, he became chief economic adviser to the Finance Ministry. He also served as deputy chair of the Planning Commission and governor of the Reserve Bank of India. As finance minister, Singh in 1991 instituted reforms that opened up the economy and moved India away from a socialist-patterned economy and toward a capitalist model in the face of a huge balance of payments deficit, skirting a potential economic crisis. His accolades include the 1987 Padma Vibhushan Award, India’s second-highest civilian honor; the Jawaharlal Nehru Birth Centenary Award of the Indian Science Congress in 1995; and the Asia Money Award for Finance Minister of the Year in 1993 and 1994. Singh was a member of India’s Upper House of Parliament and was leader of the opposition from 1998 to 2004 before he was named prime minister. He was the first Sikh to hold the country’s top post and made a public apology in Parliament for the 1984 Sikh Massacre in which some 3,000 Sikhs were killed after then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by Sikh bodyguards. Under Singh, India adopted a Right to Information Act in 2005 to promote accountability and transparency from government officials and bureaucrats. He was also instrumental in implementing a welfare scheme that guaranteed at least 100 paid workdays for Indian rural citizens. The coalition government he headed for a decade brought together politicians and parties with differing ideologies that were rivals in the country’s various states. In a move hailed as one of his biggest achievements apart from economic reforms, Singh ended India’s nuclear isolation by signing a deal with the U.S. that gave India access to American nuclear technology. But the deal hit his government adversely, with Communist allies withdrawing support and criticism of the agreement growing within India in 2008 when it was finalized. Singh adopted a pragmatic foreign policy approach, pursuing a peace process with nuclear rival and neighbor Pakistan. But his efforts suffered a major setback after Pakistani militants carried out a massive gun and bomb attack in Mumbai in November 2008. He also tried to end the border dispute with China, brokering a deal to reopen the Nathu La pass into Tibet, which had been closed for more than 40 years. His 1965 book, “India’s Export Trends and Prospects for Self-Sustained Growth,” dealt with India’s inward-oriented trade policy. Singh is survived by his wife Gursharan Kaur and three daughters. Associated Press writer Sheikh Saaliq in New Delhi contributed to this report.
Georgia quarterback Carson Beck announces plan to enter NFL draft after season-ending elbow injury
Abortions are up in the US. It's a complicated picture as women turn to pills, travel‘Gladiator II’ review: Are you not moderately entertained?I'm guess most people reading this article would love the idea of receiving a huge amount of . could be just what people need to create that future. Many people in have if we build up to it and regularly invest. Businesses and their staff (including the CEO) work each year to make a profit, and then those companies can choose how much of that profit to pay to shareholders in the form of dividends. The growth of profit can lead to a rising share price and payout over time. I think there's a key reason why dividends are so useful. As we live our lives, whether retired or not, we spend money. Utilities need paying for. We (may) need to pay for a roof over our heads, food, transportation, and so on. Those costs are of land to pay for those costs each week. Receiving dividends into the bank account can be the we need to pay for those expenses. Various companies on the ASX have pleasing dividend growth records and/or provide a good . Some of the large ASX dividend stocks that I'm thinking of include ( ), ( ), ( ), ( ), and ( ). In addition, are a useful boost to the dividend yields from Australian companies. A diversified portfolio of ASX dividend stocks can hopefully deliver a good and earnings growth. If we can eventually accumulate enough dividends, say $60,000 or $70,000, then this could be enough to pay for all of our life's expenses, or at least a substantial portion. I also think dividends make it easier to understand how much of a cash return we're probably going to get. One of the useful bonuses of the cash returns from ASX dividend stocks is that passive income payments can be much more consistent than share prices. That's because dividends are typically linked to profit, which doesn't change as much as share prices do each year. In an ASX share , it'd be understandable for share prices to fall because of worries about the economy. But, some dividends can continue to be stable (and even grow) during global economic downturns. By owning high-quality ASX dividend stocks that have a good track record of paying dividends, financial freedom can be achieved and paid for.
Georgia quarterback Carson Beck on Saturday announced his plans to enter the NFL draft, five days after having season-ending elbow surgery . Beck, a fifth-year senior, made his NFL plans official on social media. Beck suffered a right elbow injury in the first half of the Bulldogs’ 22-19 overtime win over Texas in the Southeastern Conference championship game on Dec. 7 in Atlanta. Beck had surgery on Monday to repair his ulnar collateral ligament in the elbow. The procedure was performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles. Beck is expected to begin throwing next spring. He could have returned for a sixth season but instead will enter the NFL draft. Beck posted on Instagram: “The past five years at the University of Georgia have been nothing short of a dream come true and I will forever cherish the memories that have been made.” Gunner Stockton, who took over for Beck in the second half against Texas, will start for Georgia on Wednesday in the Sugar Bowl against Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals. Beck has started every game of the 2023 and 2024 seasons. He was 24-3 as a starter. Beck passed for 3,941 yards with 24 touchdowns and only six interceptions in 2023 but had more difficulties with turnovers this season as he passed for 28 touchdowns with 12 interceptions. He completed 7 of 13 passes for 56 yards before his injury in the SEC championship game. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football{ "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "NewsArticle", "dateCreated": "2024-11-25T21:35:39+02:00", "datePublished": "2024-11-25T21:35:39+02:00", "dateModified": "2024-11-26T12:28:04+02:00", "url": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/article/22110/news/rwanda/officials-root-for-positive-parenting-to-tackle-gbv-in-families", "headline": "Officials root for positive parenting to tackle GBV in families", "description": "Raising children with love, respect, and discipline has been recommended by officials at the National Child Development Agency (NCDA) as a key way to...", "keywords": "", "inLanguage": "en", "mainEntityOfPage":{ "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/article/22110/news/rwanda/officials-root-for-positive-parenting-to-tackle-gbv-in-families" }, "thumbnailUrl": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/thenewtimes/uploads/images/2024/11/26/64873.jpg", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/thenewtimes/uploads/images/2024/11/26/64873.jpg" }, "articleBody": "Raising children with love, respect, and discipline has been recommended by officials at the National Child Development Agency (NCDA) as a key way to reduce the risk of violence and discrimination in families and society. During the launch of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) on Monday, November 25, Gilbert Munyemana, NCDA’s Deputy Director General, pointed at the role of positive parenting for GBV-free families, noting that it is essential for nurturing mental health, emotional well-being, and decision-making skills in children. “It lays the foundation for a confident, disciplined, and independent generation. By creating a safe, supportive environment, free from all forms of violence, positive parenting helps children reach their full potential,” he said. Recognising that some parents may, unfortunately, feel inclined to raise their children the way they were raised, he highlighted that parents should make an effort to give their children better treatment so that they have better livelihoods. “Our children have the potential to become even better than we were, provided we offer them opportunities and allow them to grow in safe, supportive, and healthy environments. By doing so, we can break the cycle of violence and create a brighter future for the next generation,” he said. ALSO READ: The pervasive reality of gender- based violence in Rwanda, globally Reverien Interayamahanga, a social researcher, speaking at the same event, said it is crucial to prevent the parents’ separation effect from children, because it can have long-lasting negative effects on the children’s emotional and mental well-being. “Over time, cases of parental separation, whether through court decisions or personal disputes, often result in one parent undermining the other by portraying them in a negative light to the child. This can lead to significant emotional confusion and distress for the child, who may begin to view the other parent in an unfavourable light or even feel abandoned,” he said. “Such circumstances can create deep emotional scars, where children either reject the concept of family altogether or grow up feeling unloved by the parent they are distanced from. The psychological impact can lead to feelings of betrayal, resentment, and insecurity, affecting the child's ability to form healthy relationships in the future,” he added. Regardless of the parents’ relationship status, Interayamahanga said, it is essential to create supportive environments where both parents remain involved in their child's life. “Maintaining a positive co-parenting dynamic, we can help children develop a healthy sense of identity and foster a more inclusive, supportive family structure,” he said. Immacule Uwamariya, the Headmistress of Saint Bernard de Kansi, said children who experience family issues often carry the emotional and psychological burden of those situations into school. “The challenges they face at home, whether it is conflict, neglect, or exposure to violence, can deeply affect their mental state and behaviour. This emotional strain can make it difficult for children to concentrate, engage with their studies, or develop healthy relationships with peers,” she said. “As a result, these children may struggle academically, and their performance may suffer, not because of a lack of potential but because the unresolved issues at home are hindering their ability to thrive in a school environment,” she added. ALSO READ: Addressing technology-facilitated gender-based violence in Rwanda The say’s conversations shed light on the four main parenting styles and their effects on children, calling upon parents to use the most effective one. The styles that were highlighted include authoritative parenting which is characterised by high levels of warmth and responsiveness combined with clear, consistent rules and expectations. “This form of parenting enables children with a higher self-esteem and self-discipline, better social skills and emotional regulation, strong academic performance and problem-solving abilities and a sense of security and trust in relationships because children thrive in an environment where they feel heard and supported, yet understanding the boundaries,” said Munyemana. The authoritarian parenting style involves strict rules and high demands, with little warmth or flexibility. Parents expect obedience and may use punishment rather than discussion to enforce rules. “This, on the other hand, lowers self-esteem and increases fear of failure in children, difficulty in social situations and making independent decisions and higher likelihood of anxiety, depression, or rebellion because lack of warmth and overly strict rules can hinder a child’s emotional development and creativity.” Permissive parenting, also highlighted at the event, is a style where parents are warm and nurturing but set few boundaries or rules. They avoid confrontation and may prioritise being their child’s friend over being a disciplinarian. “This may develop strong self-esteem but lack discipline and responsibility, difficulty respecting authority or dealing with frustration and increased risk of behavioural problems and poor academic performance,” said Munyemana. Under the neglectful parenting style, parents are detached and provide little warmth, guidance, or attention. Basic needs may be met, but emotional engagement is lacking. “This causes low self-esteem and difficulty forming healthy relationships, poor academic performance and emotional regulation and increased risk of substance abuse, mental health issues, and delinquency,” he said. “Children in such environments often feel unsupported, leading to insecurity and low self-worth,” he added. The campaign, which will run until December 10, aims to create a safer, more inclusive society through dialogue, community engagements, and policy reviews.", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Shallon Mwiza" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "The New Times", "url": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/", "sameAs": ["https://www.facebook.com/TheNewTimesRwanda/","https://twitter.com/NewTimesRwanda","https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuZbZj6DF9zWXpdZVceDZkg"], "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "/theme_newtimes/images/logo.png", "width": 270, "height": 57 } }, "copyrightHolder": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "The New Times", "url": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/" } }
A decade-long failure to address urgent repairs in hospitals across England has led to a dramatic rise in issues posing a “high risk” to patients and staff, ministers are being warned. The cost of dealing with this backlog has almost tripled since 2015 in real terms, to £2.7bn this year. High-risk repairs have been the fastest growing part of the lengthy maintenance list over that time. It includes issues that could lead to serious injury to both staff and patients, or to major disruption of services or “catastrophic failure”. The NHS lost more than 600 days – or 14,500 hours – of clinical time because of infrastructure failures in the last year, according to a new analysis seen by the Observer . The total maintenance backlog has now ballooned to £13.8bn in 2023-24, an 18% increase from last year. The figure is more than the NHS’s entire capital budget for the year. There were 22 incidents of lost clinical time a day on average, according to the analysis of official data by the House of Commons library. Close to 80% of the time lost was due to incidents deemed to have the most clinical impact, including faulty roofs, water leaks, and broken lifts or heating systems. There were 1,584 “critical incidents” recorded, the most severe kind. Helen Morgan – the Liberal Democrats’ health and care spokesperson who commissioned the House of Commons library to review data on the hospital repair backlog – blamed the “shocking figures” on years of neglect. “Patients are no longer confident that desperately needed treatment will go ahead without being interrupted by hospitals crumbling around them,” she said. “How can the government expect to get the NHS waiting times down when the buildings are in such a state of disrepair? It is a situation that the new government must grip urgently and bring to an end. “That should start by ministers bringing forward a 10-year plan to eradicate the repair backlog and ensure that our NHS is fit for purpose so that patients can finally get the care they deserve.” Essex Partnership University NHS trust recorded 300 critical incidents in 2023-24, the most of any trust in England. It said it was having to manage more than 200 sites in partnership with other providers. It is now focusing on a programme of refurbishment of inpatient wards, investing £20m since 2020. Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS trust recorded 229 critical incidents. Tom Burton, its director of finance, said the trust continued to face challenges as a result of an “ageing estate”, including electrical issues and older systems. The trust is prioritising maintenance that ensures compliance with health and safety standards and improves resilience of its infrastructure. The rise in severe maintenance problems is worrying NHS experts. “We’re seeing faster growth in the higher risk categories, where the consequences of not doing that maintenance would be more substantial,” said Katie Fozzard, an economist at the Health Foundation. “The highest risk category has almost tripled since 2015.” Rory Deighton, acute network director at the NHS Confederation, said the increasing amount of clinical time lost to disrepair across the NHS was “very concerning” and warned it was the result of long-term underfunding. “Healthcare leaders know first-hand the impact that crumbling buildings and outdated equipment is having on the care they and their staff can provide to patients,” he said. “This is a direct result of the dearth of capital invested into the NHS over the last 10 years or more. “Greater investment in NHS estate, buildings and kit is desperately needed given the maintenance bill for these buildings, and this infrastructure is now higher than the allocated capital budget as a whole. We need to simultaneously fix the broken and run down, but also build and modernise for the future, including in the technology and digital equipment required.” Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what’s happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion He also called for an overhaul of the bureaucracy that often held up the plans of hospital bosses to deal with the essential repair and modernisation work. “The process of getting the funding that does exist out to the frontline needs urgently simplifying,” he said. Charles Tallack, director of research and analysis at the Health Foundation, warned that the poor condition of the NHS estate was hampering efforts to make the service more efficient. “NHS productivity has declined,” he said. “There’s been at least a 20% increase in hospital staff since before the pandemic, but we’ve seen nowhere near that increase in hospital activity. “Part of the reason is that we’ve not invested sufficiently in maintaining buildings, so the extra staff aren’t being used as well as they could be. There are some really stark examples of this. If you have theatres with leaking roofs or under water, then staff can’t get on with caring for patients.” The government is now investing £1bn to tackle the existing backlog of critical maintenance. While the Tories had pledged to build 40 new hospitals under the new hospitals programme, the scheme was widely criticised for failing to provide the necessary funds to deliver it. The Labour government is now reviewing the programme and is prioritising hospitals built using reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac), now deemed a serious risk. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “Buildings and equipment across the NHS have been left to crumble following years of neglect, disrupting patient care and hindering staff. We are investing over £1bn to tackle the existing backlog of critical maintenance, repairs and upgrades. Repairing and rebuilding our NHS estate will be a vital part of our 10-year health plan.”Victor Wembanyama plays 1-on-1 chess with fans in New York
EU rules requiring all new smartphones, tablets and cameras to use the same charger came into force on Saturday, in a change Brussels said will cut costs and waste. Manufacturers are now obliged to fit devices sold in the 27-nation bloc with a USB-C, the port chosen by the European Union as the common standard for charging electronic tools. “Starting today, all new mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones, speakers, keyboards and many other electronics sold in the EU will have to be equipped with a USB Type-C charging port,” the EU Parliament wrote on social media X. The EU has said the single charger rule will simplify the life of Europeans and slash costs for consumers. By allowing consumers to purchase a new device without a new charger, it will also reduce the mountain of obsolete chargers, the bloc has argued. The law was first approved in 2022 following a tussle with US tech giant Apple. It allowed companies until December 28 this year to adapt. Makers of laptops will have extra time, from early 2026, to also follow suit. Most devices already use these cables, but Apple was more than a little reluctant. The firm said in 2021 that such regulation “stifles innovation”, but by September last year it had begun shipping phones with the new port. Makers of electronic consumer items in Europe had agreed on a single charging norm from dozens on the market a decade ago under a voluntary agreement with the European Commission. But Apple, the world’s biggest seller of smartphones, refused to abide by it and ditch its Lightning ports. Other manufacturers kept their alternative cables going, meaning there were about half a dozen types knocking around, creating a jumble of cables for consumers. USB-C ports can charge at up to 100 Watts, transfer data up to 40 gigabits per second, and can serve to hook up to external displays. At the time of its approval, the commission said the law was expected to save at least 200 million euros ($208 million) per year and cut more than a thousand tonnes of EU electronic waste every year. “It’s time for THE charger,” the European Commission wrote on X on Saturday. “It means better-charging technology, reduced e-waste, and less fuss to find the chargers you need.” With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives.NASA Leadership to Visit, Strengthen Cooperation with MexicoA single underwater cable supplies Beaver Island with its power. Storms, which are becoming increasingly frequent and severe with climate change, have knocked out the lights for days. A maritime accident once cut electricity for months in the 600-person island 30 miles off the coast of western Michigan. What if water surrounding Beaver Island could be the key to delivering the small island with more reliable — and clean — power? Backed by a $3.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation, researchers at the University of Michigan are working with island residents to explore converting wave energy into electricity. If they’re successful, naturally occurring waves would make the remote community more resilient to climate change and mitigate climate change-fueling carbon emissions. Remote islands with compromised grid reliability are early candidates for nascent wave energy converters. Once the technology is established and costs drop, the renewable power source is expected to complement solar and wind power in urban coastal communities as well, said Vishnu Vijayasankar, a doctoral candidate leading the university’s efforts. Vicky Fingeroot, a Detroit native, began traveling to Beaver Island in 2006. “I never thought about energy or how we got it when I bought my first piece of property here back then,” she said. It wasn’t until she moved to Beaver Island full time in 2021 and experienced her first power outage that grid reliability crossed her mind. A strong storm took down multiple overhead power lines that carry electricity ashore from the underwater line. More weather was on the way, so plane and ferry services were paused. There was no way on or off the island. The local line worker who knew how to turn on the backup generator was attending an out-of-town funeral. “It was the perfect storm, no pun intended,” said Fingeroot, who was on the board of trustees for one of the island’s two townships. Left without power for several days, her community’s vulnerability was suddenly thrust in front of her. “What about the elderly who need oxygen? What were they going to do? And are there warming centers?” she recalled worrying. When the emergency diesel generator was finally turned on, it powered only the two main business roads on the north end of the island. Many residents on the island’s southern end had to rely on personal propane generators until the lines were repaired. Both diesel and propane generators are polluting technologies. The generator had been installed after an outage in winter 1999 that lasted over three months. The lake froze over, inhibiting service technicians from reaching the underwater power cable, which had been nicked by a tugboat anchor. The island had expressed interest in exploring renewable energy sources then, but the technologies were new and still expensive, said Beth Croswhite, who has lived on the island for over four decades and served in local government. The 2021 outage, an influx of clean-energy funding under the Biden administration and dramatic decreases in the cost of renewables revived conversations about renewable energy. Beaver Island was one of 12 communities selected to reenvision its energy grid with support from the Department of Energy. Much of the focus in the program so far has been on solar power. The community also was approached by researchers at the University of Michigan seeking to explore wave energy as an additional carbon-free power source. In the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, remote communities are exploring tidal energy as well. Tides — changes in water level caused by the gravitational pull of the sun and moon — are too small in the Great Lakes. But waves, which are caused by strong winds and changes in atmospheric pressure, are abundant in the fall and early winter. Related Articles Originally from India, Vijayasankar couldn’t believe how much wave activity Lake Michigan had when he first visited in October. “I went (to the shore) during October and there was a crazy amount of waves. I was like, ‘Oh my God.’ I was worried that our device might not be able to withstand Lake Michigan,” he said. At the most basic level, a wave energy converter uses the rise and fall of the water to move a motor. That kinetic energy gets run through a generator that converts it to the electric energy needed to power homes and businesses. Wave energy converters are less common than wind turbines and solar panels, largely because of design challenges. One design makes floating buoys that bob up and down with the crest and trough of the waves. Another depends on the crest of the waves to compress air in a chamber, forcing it up through a turbine that spins. Every model comes with pros and cons regarding myriad issues, including but not limited to storm resiliency, energy generation and marine life safety. In the design phase of the Beaver Island project, anticipated to last two years, the university researchers are hosting dinners and creating a survey to ensure their blueprint is accepted by residents. A preliminary survey showed that residents were most concerned about marine life safety, signaling to Vijayasankar that he should nix designs with exposed turbines. Researchers also will have to address resident concerns about the seasonality of waves. They’re typically stronger during the colder months until the lake freezes over. Wave energy likely will be a complement to the solar power Beaver Island is also exploring, Vijayasankar said. There may be lots of waves on stormy days when the sun isn’t shining, for example. Large-scale batteries — which scientists are racing to perfect — could help store excess wave energy produced by passing storm systems for later use. “The end goal is to make us sustainable, and I don’t see us doing it with one thing. I see us doing it with many things,” Fingeroot said. “This wave energy project, there’s certainly an openness to it.”An unlikely friendship is brewing in the latest series of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! and fans are even demanding a podcast from the pair. On Monday night's show, Loose women star GK Barry and the Reverend Richard Coles enjoyed a heart-to-heart in the jungle. GK, whose real name is Grace, spoke to Richard about juggling his sexuality and religion and asked him: “Did you find it quite difficult being gay and doing that job?” Richard confessed: “No, not at all. I’ve never given it a moment’s twinge of anxiety over whether God thought it was alright or not. Whether other people thought it was alright or not, well I’m happy to have that argument...” He added of his sexuality: “Also, I was not the first. Sometimes I look at documents from the early church, or the church of the middle ages and I just think - so gay.” GK admitted in the Bush Telegraph: “I came into this jungle, maybe not knowing who I would gel with or who I would be close with in here and never in a million years if you told me that I would be getting on best with a reverend would I have believed you. But, he is honestly... I think he might be my favourite person in here.” GK told Richard she used to be religious, and spoke about going to a religious camp when she was younger, where there were men telling her not to have sex before she was married. She said that even at 13, she thought: “Well, that’s not gonna happen. I see my future and it involves scissoring now.” After GK explained "scissoring" to the Rev, the topic of conversation moved along to GK asking Richard who the most interesting person that he thinks he’s met. Richard replied: “I think I’m looking at her.” Viewers rushed to social media to comment on the blossoming friendship with one comparing them to previous campmates Georgia Toffolo and Stanley Johnson, saying: "GK and Richard’s friendship reminds me so much of Toff & Stanley." Another said: "GK Barry & Rev are fantastic Together." While a third added: "Gk Barry and the rev is giving Toff and Stanley!" There was also a demand for the pair to work together again with one viewer commenting: "We need to get GK Barry and Rev. Richard Coles a video podcast after this." Elsewhere on the show, fans have spotted the latest jungle feud after Dean McCullough refused to heed a warning from fellow campmate Tulisa Constostavlos. In Sunday's edition of the Australia-based ITV reality show hosted by Ant and Dec , there was a shake-up in camp when Tulisa and Coronation Street star Alan Halsall ended their time as leaders and were replaced by McFly's Danny Jones and boxing legend Barry McGuigan. It meant the pair had to give up their beds in the Leaders' Lodge for their successors and camp alongside the other contestants in the jungle. Tulisa chose a spot by the campfire but warned Radio 1 Breakfast Show host Dean McCullogh not to perform any musical theatre songs first thing in the morning as she wouldn't be happy. In Monday's episode, Tulisa decided to sleep in - that is, until the camp decided to wake her up with the sound of musical theatre. Dean said: “Now that she’s out of the Leaders’ Lodge, Tulisa has warned me that there must be no musical theatre early in the morning, so I made it my mission to make sure the camp woke up this morning with the sound of lovely singing!” Meanwhile, latecomer Maura Higgins celebrated her 34th birthday in camp and Dean faced his sixth Bushtucker Trial, Jack and the Scream Stalk - and broke his record, collecting 10 oiut of the 12 stars. I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! is on ITV1 and ITVX
, one of the most popular animated series in history, celebrates its 36th season in 2024. In addition to being a funny portrayal of everyday life in American families, in recent years, the series has become famous for its great ability to predict the future, even in a disturbing way, due to the great accuracy with which they get it right. But something that has been even more disturbing is that one of the protagonists of the series, the voice actress, who lends her voice to made a prediction that came true on two occasions: Trump as president," the actress joked to the New York Post during her participation in the that kicks off this weekend. " And he added: But that wasn't all of the prediction, as Smith said: "There are also killer hornets and now we have killer hornets. Great! Listen, you have to stop doing it because it never seems to be good news," he told the show's writers. In the 2000 episode of the series, titled is shown fulfilling her dream of becoming president of the United States, replacing Trump in office. In that episode, the yellow-skinned president tells her collaborators: Then Secretary of State tells her that: This was not a guess as such, although after first term, which ended in 2020, the country's finances were affected and the stock market experienced some of its biggest single-day losses during the pandemic. The endearing relationship of the protagonists of The Simpsons in real life In real life, Yeardley Smith revealed that after more than three decades of daily work, the protagonists of the series have generated a close relationship with each other, as they have worked together continuously since 1989: Additionally, 's podcast, , recently won the award for "I co-host along with my now husband, Detective Dan, and his twin brother, Detective Dave, and Paul Holes," she explained. "All the cases are told by the detectives who investigated them, so you get a real first-hand account of what it was like to get all the dominoes to line up perfectly so that justice was done." Smith added:Other States Banned Forced Prison Labor. Why Didn’t California?
A new study reveals that the healthiest country to age in is Japan, a finding which reflects high quality of life, good healthcare and affordable living. The Netherlands ranks second with a life expectancy of 82.3 years. Portugal stands out with the best climate. A journalist research company Journo Report analysed 200 countries to identify the ones that are the healthiest to age in. The study takes into account life expectancy, age dependency, quality of life, safety, healthcare as well as climate index and happiness ranking. Each of these criteria were analysed to calculate the composite score, by which countries are ranked. The data is taken from open reports by the World Health Organization, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and Worldometer. The top ten rankings were: Coming top Japan, with the maximum score of 100, has good healthcare and affordable cost of living. Japan is the second most affordable country on the list and has the longest life expectancy in the ranking with 84.8 years. The Netherlands ranks second in the list of the healthiest countries for aging, with the composite score of 95.1. The country ranks high when it comes to happiness and has the second highest quality of life in the ranking, earning its place in the list. Denmark takes third place, getting a score of 93.7. The life expectancy in Denmark is similar to the Netherlands but the health index is slightly lower. The high quality of life index, one of a few above 200, puts the country in the top-3. Switzerland follows closely with fourth positions and a score of 92.1. It falls behind Denmark or the Netherlands because of the higher cost of living but provides the citizens with solid quality of life and healthcare. Luxembourg is fifth in the ranking of the healthiest countries to age in, with a score of 91.6. The country ranks just above Switzerland in overall happiness and has the highest quality of life. Compared to other countries, it has a lower climate index influencing its place in the ranking. Spain ranks sixth, earning a score of 90.9. The average life expectancy here is 83.3 years and the country has the second most favourable climate in the top-10. Compared to Luxembourg or Switzerland, Spain falls behind in quality of life but compensates with a well-built healthcare system. In seventh place is South Korea, scoring 89.7. The age dependency ratio in South Korea is the lowest in the list at 10 percent, showing that older people rarely depend on the younger generation. Finland takes eighth place, with a score of 89.2. The country is considered to be happiest in the world, coupled with high quality of life and good healthcare. Austria is ninth, getting a score of 88.5. The life expectancy here is similar to Finland. Portugal closes the ranking of the healthiest countries for aging with tenth place and a score of 87. The country has the best climate in the ranking which is important for older people. Dr. Tim Sandle is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for science news.Tim specializes in science, technology, environmental, business, and health journalism. He is additionally a practising microbiologist; and an author. He is also interested in history, politics and current affairs.I'm A Celebrity fans 'need' Dean McCullogh to leave first as they all say same thing about him
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 21, 2024-- Elastic (NYSE: ESTC) (“Elastic”), the company behind Elasticsearch®, announced financial results for its second quarter of fiscal 2025 ended October 31, 2024. Second Quarter Fiscal 2025 Financial Highlights “Elastic delivered a strong second quarter supported by solid sales execution, exceeding our guidance across all revenue and profitability metrics,” said Ash Kulkarni, Chief Executive Officer, Elastic. “In Q2 we saw strong customer commitments with key wins across all our solution areas, with continued momentum in GenAI and platform consolidation. Our clear product differentiation, and our relentless pace of innovation is helping us become a natural choice for customers building GenAI applications.” Second Quarter Fiscal 2025 Key Metrics and Recent Business Highlights Key Customer Metrics Product Innovations and Updates Other Business Highlights Financial Outlook The Company is providing the following guidance: For the third quarter of fiscal 2025 (ending January 31, 2025): For fiscal 2025 (ending April 30, 2025): The guidance assumes, among others, the following exchange rates: 1 Euro = 1.060 US Dollars; and 1 Great British Pound = 1.267 US Dollars. See the section titled “Forward-Looking Statements” below for information on the factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in our forward-looking statements. We present historical and forward-looking non-GAAP financial measures in addition to, and not as a substitute for, or superior to, financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP. See the section entitled “Statement Regarding Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” for an explanation of these non-GAAP measures. A reconciliation of forward-looking non-GAAP measures to the corresponding GAAP measures for operating margin and net loss per share is not available without unreasonable effort due to the uncertainty regarding, and the potential variability of, many of the costs and expenses that may be incurred in the future. These items necessary to reconcile such non-GAAP measures could be material and have a significant impact on the Company’s results computed in accordance with GAAP. Chief Financial Officer Transition Elastic also announced today that Janesh Moorjani, the Company’s Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer, will be leaving Elastic to pursue another opportunity and his last day with Elastic will be December 13, 2024. Eric Prengel, Elastic’s Group Vice President of Finance, has been appointed as interim Chief Financial Officer effective December 14, 2024. Prengel has been with Elastic for the past two years with broad responsibility for various FP&A and business partnership functions. Prior to joining Elastic, Prengel spent nearly 10 years at J.P. Morgan in various investment banking leadership roles. “I’d like to thank Janesh for all his contributions to Elastic over the past seven years. He has been a trusted colleague and a friend, and we wish him all the best as he pursues a new opportunity. Having worked closely with Eric during his time here, I am excited to have him step into the interim CFO role and I am confident in his disciplined leadership and ability to excel in this role,” said Kulkarni. Conference Call and Webcast Elastic’s executive management team will host a conference call today at 2:00 p.m. PT/5:00 p.m. ET to discuss the Company’s financial results and business outlook. A live audio webcast of the conference call will be available through Elastic’s Investor Relations website at ir.elastic.co. A presentation containing financial and operating information will be available at the same website. The replay of the webcast will also be available on the investor relations website. About Elastic Elastic (NYSE: ESTC), the Search AI Company, enables everyone to find the answers they need in real-time using all their data, at scale. Elastic’s solutions for search, observability and security are built on the Elastic Search AI Platform, the development platform used by thousands of companies, including more than 50% of the Fortune 500. Learn more at elastic.co. Elastic and associated marks are trademarks or registered trademarks of Elastic N.V. and its subsidiaries. All other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties, which include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our expected financial results for the fiscal quarter ending January 31, 2025 and the fiscal year ending April 30, 2025, the expected performance or benefits of our offerings, our product strategy and innovation, changes in leadership, expected market opportunities, and our ability to execute on those market opportunities. Actual outcomes and results may differ materially from those contemplated by these forward-looking statements due to uncertainties, risks, and changes in circumstances, including but not limited to those related to: our future financial performance, including our expectations regarding our revenue, cost of revenue, gross profit or gross margin, operating expenses (which include changes in sales and marketing, research and development and general and administrative expenses), and our ability to achieve and maintain future profitability; our ability to continue to deliver and improve our offerings and develop new offerings (including innovations around AI use cases); customer acceptance and purchase of our new and existing offerings; the expansion and adoption of our Elastic Cloud offerings; our ability to realize value from investments in the business; our ability to maintain and expand our user and customer base; the impact of the evolving macroeconomic and geopolitical environments on our business, operations, hiring and financial results, and on businesses and spending priorities of our customers and partners; the impact of our pricing model strategies on our business; the impact of our licensing model on the use and adoption of our software; the impact of foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations and the uncertain inflation and interest rate environment on our results; our international expansion strategy; our operating results and cash flows; the sufficiency of our capital resources; our ability to successfully execute our go-to-market strategy, our forecasts regarding our business; and general market, political, economic and business conditions. Any additional or unforeseen effect from the evolving macroeconomic and geopolitical environments may exacerbate these risks. Additional risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in our forward-looking statements are included in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2024 and subsequent reports filed with the SEC. SEC filings are available on the Investor Relations section of Elastic’s website at ir.elastic.co and the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov . Elastic assumes no obligation to, and does not currently intend to, update any such forward-looking statements, except as required by law. Statement Regarding Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures In addition to our results determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP, we believe the non-GAAP measures listed below are useful in evaluating our operating performance. We use these non-GAAP financial measures to evaluate our ongoing operations and for internal planning and forecasting purposes. We believe that non-GAAP financial information, when taken collectively, may be helpful to investors because it provides consistency and comparability with past financial performance. However, non-GAAP financial information is presented for supplemental informational purposes only, has limitations as an analytical tool and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for financial information presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. In addition, other companies, including companies in our industry, may calculate similarly-titled non-GAAP measures differently or may use other measures to evaluate their performance, all of which could reduce the usefulness of our non-GAAP financial measures as tools for comparison. Investors are cautioned that there are a number of limitations associated with the use of non-GAAP financial measures and key metrics as analytical tools. Investors are encouraged to review the differences between GAAP financial measures and the corresponding non-GAAP financial measures, and not to rely on any single financial measure to evaluate our business. Reconciliations of historical GAAP financial measures to their respective historical non-GAAP financial measures are included below. In relation to constant currency non-GAAP financial measures, the only reconciling item between GAAP financial measures and non-GAAP financial measures is the effect of foreign currency rate fluctuations. Further details on how we calculate such effects can be found in the definition of “Constant Currency” below. Non-GAAP Gross Profit and Non-GAAP Gross Margin We define non-GAAP gross profit and non-GAAP gross margin as GAAP gross profit and GAAP gross margin, respectively, excluding stock-based compensation expense and related employer taxes and amortization of acquired intangible assets. We believe non-GAAP gross profit and non-GAAP gross margin provide our management and investors consistency and comparability with our past financial performance and facilitate period-to-period comparisons of operations, as these metrics generally eliminate the effects of certain variables from period to period for reasons unrelated to overall operating performance. Non-GAAP Operating Income and Non-GAAP Operating Margin We define non-GAAP operating income and non-GAAP operating margin as GAAP operating loss and GAAP operating margin, respectively, excluding stock-based compensation expense and related employer taxes, amortization of acquired intangible assets, acquisition-related expenses, and restructuring and other related charges. We believe non-GAAP operating income and non-GAAP operating margin provide our management and investors consistency and comparability with our past financial performance and facilitate period-to-period comparisons of operations, as these metrics generally eliminate the effects of certain variables from period to period for reasons unrelated to overall operating performance. Non-GAAP Net Income and Non-GAAP Earnings Per Share We define non-GAAP net income as GAAP loss, excluding stock-based compensation expense and related employer taxes, amortization of acquired intangible assets, acquisition-related expenses, restructuring and other related charges, and the related income tax effect of these adjustments as well as other significant tax adjustments. We define non-GAAP earnings per share, basic, as non-GAAP net income divided by weighted average shares outstanding and non-GAAP earnings per share, diluted, as non-GAAP net income divided by weighted average diluted shares outstanding, which includes the potentially dilutive effect of the company’s employee equity incentive plan awards. We believe non-GAAP earnings per share provides our management and investors consistency and comparability with our past financial performance and facilitates period-to-period comparisons of operations, as this metric generally eliminates the effects of certain variables from period to period for reasons unrelated to overall operating performance. Adjusted Free Cash Flow and Adjusted Free Cash Flow Margin Adjusted free cash flow is a non-GAAP financial measure that we define as net cash provided by (used in) operating activities adjusted for cash paid for interest less cash used for investing activities for purchases of property and equipment. Adjusted free cash flow margin is calculated as adjusted free cash flow divided by total revenue. Adjusted free cash flow does not represent residual cash flow available for discretionary expenditures since, among other things, we have mandatory debt service requirements. Constant Currency We compare the percent change in certain results from one period to another period using constant currency information to provide a framework for assessing how our business performed excluding the effect of foreign currency rate fluctuations. In presenting this information, current and comparative prior period results are converted into United States dollars at the exchange rates in effect on the last day of our prior fiscal year, rather than the actual exchange rates in effect during the respective periods. Contact Information Anthony Luscri Elastic Investor Relations ir@elastic.co Madge Miller Elastic Corporate Communications PR-Team@elastic.co View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241120426893/en/ CONTACT: Anthony Luscri Elastic Investor Relations ir@elastic.coMadge Miller Elastic Corporate Communications PR-Team@elastic.co KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: APPS/APPLICATIONS TECHNOLOGY SECURITY SOFTWARE NETWORKS INTERNET IOT (INTERNET OF THINGS) DATA MANAGEMENT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SOURCE: Elastic N.V. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 11/21/2024 04:05 PM/DISC: 11/21/2024 04:06 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241120426893/en
Israel strikes Houthi rebels in Yemen's capital while the WHO chief says he was meters away JERUSALEM (AP) — A new round of Israeli airstrikes in Yemen has targeted the Houthi rebel-held capital of Sanaa and multiple ports. The World Health Organization’s director-general said Thursday's bombardment took place just “meters away” as he was about to board a flight in Sanaa. He says a crew member was hurt. The strikes followed several days of Houthi attacks and launches setting off sirens in Israel. Israel's military says it attacked infrastructure used by the Houthis at the airport in Sanaa, power stations and ports. The Israeli military later said it wasn’t aware that the WHO chief was at the location in Yemen. At least three people were reported killed and dozens injured in the Sanaa airport strike. An uneasy calm settles over Syrian city of Homs after outbreak of sectarian violence HOMS, Syria (AP) — Syria’s new security forces checked IDs and searched cars in the central city of Homs a day after protests by members of the Alawite minority erupted in gunfire and stirred fears that the country’s fragile peace could break down. A tense calm prevailed Thursday after checkpoints were set up throughout the country’s third-largest city, which has a mixed population of Sunni and Shia Muslims, Alawites and Christians. The security forces are controlled by the former insurgent group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which led the charge that unseated former President Bashar Assad. The US says it pushed retraction of a famine warning for north Gaza. Aid groups express concern. WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials say they asked for — and got — the retraction of an independent monitor's warning of imminent famine in north Gaza. The internationally Famine Early Warning System Network issued the warning this week. The new report had warned that starvation deaths in north Gaza could reach famine levels as soon as next month. It cited what it called Israel's “near-total blockade” of food and water. The U.S. ambassador to Israel, Jacob Lew, criticized the finding as inaccurate and irresponsible. The U.S. Agency for International Development, which funds the famine-monitoring group, told the AP it had asked for and gotten the report's retraction. USAID officials tell The Associated Press that it had asked the group for greater review of discrepancies in some of the data. Powerful thunderstorms rumble across Texas, delaying holiday travel DALLAS (AP) — Severe thunderstorms are firing up in parts of Texas and could trigger high winds, hail and potential tornadoes. More than 100 flights were delayed and dozens more were canceled Thursday at airports in Dallas and Houston. The National Weather Service says the greatest weather risk stretched from just east of Dallas, and between Houston and portions of southern Arkansas and western Louisiana. The risk includes the possibility of tornadoes, wind gusts between 60 and 80 miles per hour and large hail. The National Weather Service issued a tornado watch for several counties in southeast Texas, including the Houston area. Trump has pressed for voting changes. GOP majorities in Congress will try to make that happen ATLANTA (AP) — Republicans in Congress plan to move quickly in their effort to overhaul the nation’s voting procedures, seeing an opportunity with control of the White House and both chambers of Congress. They want to push through long-sought changes such as voter ID and proof-of-citizenship requirements. They say the measures are needed to restore public confidence in elections. That's after an erosion of trust that Democrats note has been fueled by false claims from Donald Trump and his allies of widespread fraud in the 2020 election. Democrats say they are willing to work with the GOP but want any changes to make it easier, not harder, to vote. Americans are exhausted by political news. TV ratings and a new AP-NORC poll show they're tuning out NEW YORK (AP) — A lot of Americans, after an intense presidential election campaign, are looking for a break in political news. That's evident in cable television news ratings and a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The poll found nearly two-thirds of Americans saying they've found the need recently to cut down on their consumption of political and government news. That's particularly true among Democrats following President-elect Donald Trump's victory, although a significant number of Republicans and independents feel the same way. Cable networks MSNBC and CNN are really seeing a slump. That's also happened in years past for networks that particularly appeal to supporters of one candidate. Aviation experts say Russia's air defense fire likely caused Azerbaijan plane crash as nation mourns Aviation experts say that Russian air defense fire was likely responsible for the Azerbaijani plane crash the day before that killed 38 people and left all 29 survivors injured. Azerbaijan is observing a nationwide day of mourning on Thursday for the victims of the crash. Azerbaijan Airlines’ Embraer 190 was en route from Azerbaijan’s capital of Baku to the Russian city of Grozny in the North Caucasus on Wednesday when it was diverted for reasons yet unclear and crashed while making an attempt to land in Aktau in Kazakhstan. Cellphone footage circulating online appeared to show the aircraft making a steep descent before smashing into the ground in a fireball. Ukraine's military intelligence says North Korean troops are suffering heavy battlefield losses KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine's military intelligence says North Korean troops are suffering heavy losses in Russia's Kursk region and face logistical difficulties as a result of Ukrainian attacks. The intelligence agency said Thursday that Ukrainian strikes near Novoivanovka inflicted heavy casualties on North Korean units. Ukraine's president said earlier this week that 3,000 North Korean troops have been killed and wounded in the fighting in the Kursk region. It marked the first significant estimate by Ukraine of North Korean casualties several weeks after Kyiv announced that North Korea had sent 10,000 to 12,000 troops to Russia to help it in the almost 3-year war. Ex-Sen. Bob Menendez, citing 'emotional toll,' seeks sentencing delay in wake of wife's trial NEW YORK (AP) — Former U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez is asking a federal judge to delay his end-of-January sentencing on bribery charges, saying his family would suffer a “tremendous emotional toll” if the New Jersey Democrat was sentenced during his wife's trial. His lawyers told Judge Sidney H. Stein in a letter that Nadine Menendez would face a jury that might find it impossible not to hear about her husband's sentencing if it occurred eight days into her trial. The 70-year-old Menendez was convicted in July of 16 charges, including bribery. His wife, whose trial was postponed when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, faces much of the same evidence as her husband. How the stock market defied expectations again this year, by the numbers NEW YORK (AP) — What a wonderful year 2024 has been for investors. U.S. stocks ripped higher and carried the S&P 500 to records as the economy kept growing and the Federal Reserve began cutting interest rates. The benchmark index posted its first back-to-back annual gains of more than 20% since 1998. The year featured many familiar winners, such as Big Tech, which got even bigger as their stock prices kept growing. But it wasn’t just Apple, Nvidia and the like. Bitcoin and gold surged and “Roaring Kitty” reappeared to briefly reignite the meme stock craze.There are six games featuring a ranked team on the Tuesday college basketball schedule, including the Duke Blue Devils versus the Kansas Jayhawks. If you’re wanting against-the-spread picks for each matchup, continue scrolling. Place your bets on any men’s college basketball matchup at BetMGM. Sign up today using our link. Bet on the Creighton-San Diego State spread—or any other NCAA men’s basketball matchup—with BetMGM ! Bet on the Texas A&M-Oregon spread—or any other NCAA men’s basketball matchup—with BetMGM ! Bet on the Kentucky-Western Kentucky spread—or any other NCAA men’s basketball matchup—with BetMGM ! 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AP Sports SummaryBrief at 1:31 p.m. EST
Robert Milton stocks up on sand Monday at the Auburn Public Works sand supply shed on Gracelawn Road in Auburn. The predicted incoming ice storm on Tuesday comes ahead of a rain and wind storm expected on Wednesday. “It’s Maine,” Milton said, “You just have to be ready for it.” Andree Kehn/Sun Journal We invite you to add your comments. We encourage a thoughtful exchange of ideas and information on this website. By joining the conversation, you are agreeing to our commenting policy and terms of use . More information is found on our FAQs . You can modify your screen name here . Comments are managed by our staff during regular business hours Monday through Friday as well as limited hours on Saturday and Sunday. Comments held for moderation outside of those hours may take longer to approve. Please sign into your Sun Journal account to participate in conversations below. If you do not have an account, you can register or subscribe . Questions? Please see our FAQs . Your commenting screen name has been updated. Send questions/comments to the editors. « PreviousMinnesota’s journey toward a recreational cannabis market hit a roadblock Monday when a local judge delayed the state's first lottery for cannabis business licenses. The decision follows lawsuits filed by applicants who claim they were unfairly excluded from the process, reported The Minnesota Star Tribune. Judge Stephen Smith ordered the state's Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) to postpone the Tuesday lottery for social equity applicants. The delay aims to provide the Court of Appeals time to address legal challenges raised by the rejected applicants. The lottery is set to grant 282 social equity applicants pre-approval for cannabis business licenses. This move may impact the timeline for launching Minnesota's retail cannabis market. Read Also: Minnesota Cannabis Update As Industry Prepares To Launch Retail Sales Rejections Spark Lawsuits Out of 1,817 applicants , 1,169 were denied entry into the lottery. The OCM cited failures to meet qualifying standards or submit proper documentation as reasons for rejection. However, rejected applicants argue the process lacked transparency and clarity. Attorney Courtney Ernston , representing one of the plaintiffs, criticized the vague nature of rejection notices. "Simply saying the word ‘fail' is not a reason," Ernston said, adding that her client received no detailed explanation for her exclusion. Applicants and their legal representatives contend that the lack of transparency undermines their ability to contest or correct the rejections. Get Benzinga's exclusive analysis and the top news about the cannabis industry and markets daily in your inbox for free. Subscribe to our newsletter here . You can’t afford to miss out if you're serious about the business. Implications For Minnesota's Cannabis Market The delayed lottery raises concerns about potential setbacks in establishing Minnesota's cannabis market. The program’s social equity focus aims to prioritize individuals disproportionately affected by past cannabis prohibition, Gov. Tim Walz pointed out in an interview in February. “Philosophically our goal is to make sure the equity piece was a big part of this. We certainly want to stay within the parameters of the law of who we can give help to. But I think the idea was, too often marginalized communities are left to the side. They’re left back,” Walz said. Read Next: EXCLUSIVE: Can Minnesota Keep Its Cannabis Industry Local Amid Out-Of-State Pressure? Legal Expert Weighs In Cover: Photo by Josh Hild via Pexels © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.Daily Post Nigeria NPFL: Eguma appointed new Enyimba head coach Home News Politics Metro Entertainment Sport Sport NPFL: Eguma appointed new Enyimba head coach Published on December 28, 2024 By Mike Oyebola Enyimba has announced the appointment of Stanley Eguma as their new head coach, DAILY POST reports. Eguma will take charge of the nine-time Nigeria Premier Football League, NPFL, champions following the sacking of Yemi Olanrewaju. Olanrewaju was fired on Saturday following the Aba giant’s poor result in recent outings. The People’s Elephants are winless in eight consecutive matches in all competitions. It is their longest winless streak in 20 years. Eguma last managed one-time NPFL champion, Rivers United. Related Topics: Eguma enyimba NPFL Don't Miss NPFL summons Nasarawa, Rivers United over crowd trouble You may like NPFL summons Nasarawa, Rivers United over crowd trouble NPFL: Niger Tornadoes will overcome Rangers in Minna – Okoro NPFL: Odigie linked with Akwa United coaching job NPFL: Pillars coach reveals plan for El-kanemi Warriors clash NPFL: Finidi demands improved performance from players against Plateau United NPFL: Shooting Stars battle ready for Kwara United Advertise About Us Contact Us Privacy-Policy Terms Copyright © Daily Post Media Ltd