French premier seeks budget cuts that toppled prior cabinetA Nasa spacecraft is on the edge of an unprecedented achievement as it attempts to make the "touch" the Sun today. Nasa’s Parker Solar Probe - the fastest man-made object in existence - is on a mission to make the closest-ever approach to the Sun to help scientists better understand the star, according to the space agency’s website. The technological marvel moves at speeds of up to 430,000mph and endures temperatures of up to 982C. The probe will pass within a record-breaking 3.6 million miles above the Sun's surface. In a video posted on X, formerly and better known as Twitter , Nasa’s science associate administrator Dr Nicky Fox said the mission will help discover what drives solar activity and why the Sun’s outer atmosphere, known as the corona, is hotter than its surface. “By flying extremely close to the sun, Parker Solar Probe can directly measure the solar wind near the source, and that will help us understand the origins of the solar wind and those intense bursts of energy that come from our sun," she said. “These insights are crucial for understanding what drives solar activity, which can affect technology on Earth, from satellites to power grids and even astronauts in space. “By getting closer to the sun than ever before, Parker Solar Probe will reveal the secrets about our star that can help protect our technology and support our future exploration.” During the approach, the spacecraft will be out of contact with the Earth because of constraints on signal transmission while it is in close proximity to the sun, meaning it will not be able to send a signal back to its operators until December 27 indicating its condition after the flyby. In a separate video posted on X, Dr Fox said the Christmas Eve approach was a “yay, we did it!” moment. She said: “Right now, Parker Solar Probe is flying closer to a star than anything has ever been before, and this is the orbit that we really designed the mission for. “In 2018 we launched the mission, it seemed so far away – December 2024. “All those things that have to happen, all of those other orbits, 21 orbits that had to just be flawless, and they were, and we’re here and it’s a just a total ‘yay we did it!’ moment.” Since the spacecraft launched in 2018, it has circled gradually closer to the sun – flying past Venus in order to use the planet’s gravity to move it into a tighter orbit. When it first passed into the sun’s atmosphere in 2021, the probe made unexpected discoveries about the boundary of the corona. At the end of next January, scientists expect the spacecraft to begin to send back the data it collected on the Christmas Eve flyby.
With Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s tenure looking increasingly tenuous, it can be assumed that people eyeing the top role in the Liberal Party are considering running for leadership. Will the future party leader come from within the cadre of ministers who have served for years under Trudeau? Or will it be someone outside the current caucus who may take the party in a new direction? Freeland said in her letter that she intends to run in the next election, unlike Housing Minister Sean Fraser, who has said he is resigning from cabinet and isn’t planning to run again. “My goal is to get re-elected in the next election, and to be representing Ahuntsic-Cartierville (Que.), and I think that is a prerequisite to any other political engagement,” she said. Joly became foreign affairs minister in the fall of 2021 and was tasked with rebuilding ties with Beijing after Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor were freed from arbitrary detention in China as part of the Huawei-Meng Wanzhou affair. Joly has had to handle other thorny files, such as the rift with India this year. Following the Israel-Hamas war, she has also overseen Canada changing its traditional stance of backing Israel at the United Nations. Other cabinet ministers who could be potential leadership contenders include LeBlanc, Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne, and Transport Minister Anita Anand. LeBlanc briefly considered running for the leadership of the party in 2008 before dropping out and endorsing Michael Ignatieff. Trudeau relied on LeBlanc to help stave off the threat of U.S. tariffs by preparing a border plan, and also elevated him to oversee Canada’s finances after Freeland resigned. However, LeBlanc could be seen by Trudeau detractors as being too close to the prime minister. The two have been friends for decades. Anand, meanwhile, seemed to distance herself from Trudeau when she first commented on Freeland’s resignation. “I'll just say that Chrystia Freeland is a good friend, someone I worked with very, very closely as president of the Treasury Board and Minister of Transport,” she said on Dec. 16. “This news has hit me really hard.” The minister is usually talkative when speaking with reporters, but he kept it brief when asked about Freeland’s resignation and whether he has confidence in Trudeau. Trudeau, Freeland, and Carney share the same worldview on a host of issues. Carney told Erskine-Smith he supports the Liberal Party because it has the “right combination of a social conscience and social priorities at its core.” One former provincial leader could also be a contender in a Liberal leadership contest. Clark served as B.C. premier from 2011 to 2017. She won re-election in May 2017 with a minority government, but resigned that summer as leader of the B.C. Liberal party as well as a member of the B.C. legislature. Her resignation came after her government was defeated in a confidence vote following an alliance between the B.C. NDP and Green Party. If Trudeau chooses to step down, the Liberal caucus could elect an interim leader while the party runs a leadership contest. The prime minister could also ask the Governor General to prorogue Parliament during the leadership race.I didn't know how badly I wanted to grill and gobble up monsters until this upcoming survival roguelike made it look so tastyMoney Research Collective’s editorial team solely created this content. Opinions are their own, but compensation and in-depth research determine where and how companies may appear. Many featured companies advertise with us. How we make money . By Adam Hardy MONEY RESEARCH COLLECTIVE November 25, 2024 With AI models like ChatGPT, you can describe at length what you’re looking for — even if you don’t exactly know what that is yet. As we approach the holidays, artificial intelligence is taking center stage. Whether that’s a blessing or a curse — well, that depends on how the burgeoning technology is used. On one hand, Coca-Cola is facing fierce backlash after it used generative AI to reimagine its beloved 1995 “Holidays Are Coming” campaign. On the other, some proponents of AI say that the very same tool can reduce the stress of one of the biggest holiday to-dos: shopping for gifts. John Licato, a computer engineering associate professor and AI researcher at the University of South Florida , recommends using AI to help you pick the perfect gift for friends or family. “You can refine the AI’s suggestions by giving feedback, helping it become more accurate in offering thoughtful, tailored gift ideas,” Licato said in a news release . Recent data from Adobe suggests that many online shoppers are already asking AI to help them pick products. AI referrals to retail sites have increased eightfold since 2023; the software firm expects the trend to pick up even more this holiday season. In fact, a recent survey from Debt.com found that 65% of shoppers said they were willing to spend more than usual on a gift if AI gave them an ideal recommendation. How to use AI to buy Christmas presents By now, most folks are accustomed to using Google to do basic product research, probably by pecking in “best” followed by whatever type of product they’re searching for. In milliseconds, Google populates pages and pages of results, usually topped by several sponsored products. But AI works a little differently. And not all AI chatbots are created equally. Licato recommends using reputable ones like ChatGPT and Claude, which use advanced language-learning models that are trained with extensive amounts of data and have real-time access to the internet. Many retailers now have their own on-site AI chatbots. Take Amazon’s shopping-assistant chatbot, Rufus, for example. Rufus can help you search for products... but only ones on Amazon.com. In some cases, these retailer-run AI tools might not be as advanced as ChatGPT, or they may have different goals such as only selling you products offered on the site. When you’ve decided on which AI tool you want to use, tell it a little bit about your shopping goals and budget. According to RetailWire’s holiday shopping forecast , one major perk of using a tool like ChatGPT over a regular search engine is that AI uses natural language, not just a few key words. You can describe at length what you’re looking for — even if you don’t exactly know what that is yet. You can also feed the chatbot as much information about the person you’re shopping for as you want. Basic facts like their interests, relation to you, hobbies and more can go a long way in getting tailored gift ideas (though Licato suggests using only publicly available information on the person if you have privacy concerns). After you’ve homed in on the item you want, you can get even more specific recommendations. The chatbot can also help you compare prices across retailers if it’s hooked up to live search engines. Just make sure the pricing is accurate. Licato recommends asking the chatbot to provide links directly to the site so you can double check. Once you get the perfect gift, all that’s left is deciding whether to tell the recipient that ChatGPT came up with the idea. Includes VPN & password manager Up to $3 million identity theft coverage Comprehensive 3-bureau monitoring system Over 40 years of experience in the field More from Money: Where to Get a Free Turkey This Thanksgiving Can ChatGPT Save You From the Agony of Writing a Cover Letter? FAFSA Opens: All Students Can Now Apply for College Financial Aid for 2025-26 Adam Hardy is Money's lead data journalist. He writes news and feature stories aimed at helping everyday people manage their finances. He joined Money full-time in 2021 but has covered personal finance and economic topics since 2018. Previously, he worked for Forbes Advisor, The Penny Hoarder and Creative Loafing.In addition to those outlets, Adam’s work has been featured in a variety of local, national and international publications, including the Asia Times, Business Insider, Las Vegas Review-Journal, Yahoo! Finance, Nasdaq and several others. Adam graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the University of South Florida, where he studied magazine journalism and sociology. As a first-generation college graduate from a low-income, single-parent household, Adam understands firsthand the financial barriers that plague low-income Americans. His reporting aims to illuminate these issues.Since joining Money, Adam has already written over 300 articles, including a cover story on financial surveillance, a profile of Director Rohit Chopra of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and an investigation into flexible spending accounts, which found that workers forfeit billions of dollars annually through the workplace plans. He has also led data analysis on some of Money’s marquee rankings, including Best Places to Live, Best Places to Travel and Best Hospitals. He regularly contributes data reporting for Best Colleges, Best Banks and other lists as well.Adam also holds a multimedia storytelling certificate from Poynter’s News University and a data journalism certificate from the Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) at the University of Missouri.In 2017, he received an English teaching certification from the University of Cambridge, which he utilized during his time in Seoul, South Korea. There, he taught students of all ages, from 5 to 65, and worked with North Korean refugees who were resettling in the area.Now, Adam lives in Saint Petersburg, Florida, with his pup Bambi. He is a card-carrying shuffleboard club member.
The government of Albania has blocked ByteDance-owned social media platform TikTok for one year, citing its influence on growing youth violence in the country. The Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama who ordered the one-year ban said that social media, especially TikTok is fostering increasing violence among youth in the country. “TikTok will not exist in the Republic of Albania,” said Rama. “TikTok is the thug of the neighborhood. We are going to chase this thug out of our neighborhood for one year.” READ ALSO: Trump hopes to keep TikTok around for a ‘little while’ The ban follows widespread protests and political turmoil after a 14-year-old kid was killed in November by a classmate who later posted pictures of the scene on Snapchat. Albania is now one of many nations in Europe, North America and Asia that have implemented various limitations, like outright banning or temporarily prohibiting TikTok. Opinions Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs. As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake. If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause. Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development. Donate Now
MAC defensive lineman commits to Iowa out of transfer portal
The U.S. House of Representatives will decide Jan. 3 whether to re-elect Speaker Mike Johnson to the top GOP job after he faced a contentious vote to avert a government shutdown at the last-minute last week, leaving some Republicans skeptical of his prospects heading into the vote. All of Minnesota’s four Republican members of Congress say they plan to back Johnson, including Rep. Tom Emmer, the House majority whip and No. 3 Republican in the House, who came close to becoming speaker before Johnson clinched the role last year. “Whip Emmer supports Speaker Johnson and is focused on doing the job he was elected to do,” a spokesperson for Emmer said when asked if he plans to support Johnson and if he would be interested in running for the role himself if Johnson loses support. President-elect Donald Trump and his allies sent Johnson scrambling last week to put together a new plan to avoid a government shutdown after he had worked with Democrats on an initial agreement with bipartisan support. In that chaos, some Republicans reportedly said Emmer and other lawmakers were being floated as possible contenders for speaker. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said over the weekend that Johnson is at risk of losing his speakership post and that there will be “no Democrats available to save him” on Jan. 3, following the speaker’s decision to move away from the bipartisan bill. DFL Reps. Ilhan Omar and Angie Craig have said they plan to back Jeffries for speaker instead. With a slim 219-215 GOP majority, Johnson can only risk losing one Republican vote to get re-elected to the role with a majority of 218 votes if all Democrats vote against him. So far, at least one Republican lawmaker, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), has said he will not back Johnson and other Republicans have indicated they are still undecided. “I believe Johnson will prevail — but not without making promises that won’t be able to be kept,” outgoing DFL Rep. Dean Phillips, who is leaving his seat Jan. 2 and will not be voting, said in a text. “Tom Emmer is broadly respected among a diverse array of his conference, and I foresee a race between him and [House Majority Leader] Steve Scalise should Mike Johnson find himself unable to secure 218 votes,” Phillips continued. Emmer emerged as contender for speaker last year after a group of Republicans ousted former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. However, Emmer eventually dropped out of the race after Trump and his allies spoke out against his bid on social media But Emmer and Trump have since grown close. Emmer secured a prime time spot defending the president-elect during the Republican National Convention, and he spent election night with Trump in Florida. Though Trump is now close to Emmer, the president-elect has also previously said he’s with Johnson “all the way .” Prior to the government shutdown dispute last week, Republicans had appeared unified after Trump’s victory in the Nov. 5 election. Johnson, Scalise and Emmer were all easily re-elected to their jobs during the November leadership elections.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Coach Brian Callahan is sticking with Mason Rudolph at quarterback for a second straight game to see if the Tennessee Titans can build on the veteran who's played in four of their highest scoring games this season. Callahan said Tuesday that he thinks Rudolph earned another chance to play despite a 38-30 loss to Indianapolis. “Obviously the one interception was probably his only really poor moment," Callahan said. "The rest of it was pretty well executed on his part and operated in a drop-back passing game and had to fight his way back through it. And it was good to see, so we’ll let him take another crack at it.” Rudolph is 2-4 in the six games he's played in this season. That includes coming in for an injured Will Levis on Sept. 30 in a 31-12 win at Miami , and he tried to rally the Titans in a turnover-plagued 37-27 loss to Cincinnati before being selected as the starter last week. Rudolph, who is in Tennessee on a one-year deal, was 23 of 34 for 252 yards with two touchdown passes and three interceptions. One went off running back Tony Pollard's hands with the final pick coming on the last play of the game after Rudolph led a rally from a 38-7 deficit in the final 18 minutes. Rudolph's ability to avoid sacks is a key piece of sticking with him over Levis, the 33rd pick overall in the 2023 draft. The quarterbacks' stats are similar with Rudolph having eight TD passes and eight interceptions, completing 63.8% of his passes with a 78.8 passer rating. That’s similar to Levis completing 63.7% of his passes with 12 TD passes and 12 interceptions. But Levis has been sacked 40 times compared to just seven for Rudolph. “He’s got the ability to avoid the negative play when it comes to sacks," Callahan said of Rudolph. “He gets the ball out. He knows where to go with it quickly.” That means Rudolph gets a chance Sunday when the Titans (3-12) visit the Jacksonville Jaguars (3-12) to see if he can guide the offense to more than the six points Levis managed against their AFC South rival in a 10-6 loss on Dec. 8 in Nashville. Rudolph said he knows he put the Titans defense in a bad spot with some turnovers. "I’m ready to prove that I can take care of the ball better and keep scoring points,” Rudolph said. The Titans held a walk-through Tuesday with Callahan giving the team Wednesday off for Christmas. An injury report won't be released until Wednesday, and Callahan said it'll likely be lengthy. RG Dillon Radunz, who was knocked out of last week's game with an injury, will be on that report. Lineman Jaelyn Duncan, who hurt a hamstring badly enough early in his first start at right tackle Oct. 20 that he wound up on injured reserve , will be available. Callahan said he is excited to see Duncan play. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflThe year began with a 7.5 earthquake in Japan. Conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine continued to rage. Simone Biles soared in the Olympics. Katie Ledecky inspired . Steph Curry and LeBron James teamed up to win gold. America was captivated by a rare solar eclipse. Notre Dame cathedral, an 800-year-old masterpiece, gloriously reopened five years after a devastating fire. A former president was convicted of 34 felonies. The current one stumbled badly in a high-stakes debate, and announced he would not seek a second term. Mexico elected its first female president . And a daughter of Oakland joined the race to try to become America’s first. The nation said goodbye to Quincy Jones, Joe Lieberman, Dr. Ruth Westheimer, Pete Rose, Ethel Kennedy, Bob Newhart, Toby Keith, O.J. Simpson, Shelley Duvall, Kris Kristofferson and Phil Donahue. The stock market hit record highs. Hurricane Helene cut a deadly swath across the South. One of the world’s most brutal dictators was driven out of Syria. The Bay Area saw its own share of big news stories in 2024 as well, some linked closely to world and national events, and many with implications for next year. Here are the top 10: 1) Kamala Harris loses the presidential race She had not planned to run until 2028. But when Joe Biden announced on July 21 that he would become the first president since Lyndon Johnson in 1968 not to seek re-election, endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party rallied around her. Harris, a former San Francisco prosecutor, California attorney general and U.S. senator, would have been only the second president born in California, after Richard Nixon. She had 107 days to organize a campaign and barnstorm the country. She beat the Republican nominee, Donald Trump, in their only debate. She raised more than $1 billion. But she came up short. Voters still stinging over inflation that swept the world after the Covid pandemic, unhappy about illegal immigration and estranged from a party that many said was out of touch with working class concerns, chose Trump. He won all seven swing states. Republicans took back the Senate and kept a slim majority in the House. Where does Harris, 60, go next? She could seek the presidency again in 2028. Or she may announce a run next year for California governor in 2026. That would likely clear the Democratic field, and make her the odds-on favorite to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom. 2) Willie Mays dies He was the most famous Bay Area athlete in any sport, considered by some historians to be the greatest baseball player ever. The “Say Hey Kid” came out of the segregated South, joined the Negro Leagues, and played in the majors from 1951 to 1973, nearly all with the Giants. Mays’ legendary playing style — from his cannon arm to the way he raced around the bases so fast that his helmet flew off — marked a career with 660 home runs and 24 all-star appearances. No one was surprised when the Giants built a statue of him in front of their waterfront ballpark in 2000, and coronated the address “24 Willie Mays Plaza.” “Mays is the only man in baseball I’d pay to see play,” fellow Hall-of-Famer Ty Cobb once said. A fixture at Giants games for years, a mentor to hundreds of players and beloved by fans, Mays died June 18 at age 93 in Palo Alto. Ten days later, another Giants Hall-of-Famer, Orlando Cepeda, died at age 86. The Giants have struggled since winning the World Series in 2014, winning the National League West only once. On Sept. 30, after firing president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi, they named former MVP catcher Buster Posey to the job. Opening Day is April 4. 3) Voters boot incumbents Bay Area voters are known for being tolerant. This year they hit their limit. Fed up with car break-ins, retail theft, attacks on elderly residents, drug dealing and squalid homeless encampments, San Franciscans dumped Mayor London Breed and replaced her with fellow Democrat Daniel Lurie, heir to the Levi Strauss fortune. Not to be outdone, East Bay voters recalled Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price by landslide margins. Meanwhile, every Bay Area county voted to approve Proposition 36, a statewide ballot measure to toughen sentences for theft and selling drugs like fentanyl, despite opposition from Newsom. The lesson for candidates in 2025? If voters don’t feel safe, your political career may not be either. 4) FCI Dublin prison scandal The Federal Correctional Institution, Dublin had been famous for housing inmates like Patty Hearst, “Hollywood Madam” Heidi Fleiss and actress Felicity Huffman, who was convicted in the Varsity Blues bribery scandal. The Alameda County prison became infamous, however, after the Associated Press, 60 Minutes and others documented rampant sexual abuse of inmates by prison guards and staff. Since 2021, at least eight FCI Dublin employees have been charged, including former warden Ray Garcia, who was sentenced last year to nearly 6 years in prison. This month, the Federal Bureau of Prisons announced it was permanently closing FCI Dublin, and agreed to pay $116 million to 103 women who filed a class-action lawsuit. “We were sentenced to prison. We were not sentenced to be assaulted and abused,” said former Dublin prisoner Aimee Chavira. 5) Oakland A’s era ends On Sept. 26, the Oakland Athletics played their last home game, ending a 57-year run. They beat the Texas Rangers 3-2 in front of a sell-out crowd at the Oakland Coliseum. With the loss of the Warriors to San Francisco in 2019 and the Raiders to Las Vegas in 2020, the A’s were the last major pro sports team left in Oakland. The city lost part of its identity and a gathering site for generations of families. “I started crying after the final moment,” said A’s fan Jesus Ventura. “I felt a deep, deep sadness.” After moving to Oakland from Kansas City in 1968, the A’s won four World Series in 1972, 1973, 1974 and 1989. Fans cheered as Reggie Jackson blasted home runs, Rickey Henderson stole bases, and greats like Vida Blue, Catfish Hunter and Dennis Eckersley struck out opposing hitters. But as the Oakland Coliseum aged, the A’s failed to build a new facility in San Jose, Fremont or Oakland. Billionaire owner John Fisher, heir to the Gap fortune, announced plans last year to move the team to Las Vegas. Enraged fans launched a “sell the team!” campaign. But Major League owners gave him the OK. On Dec. 5, Las Vegas officials greenlit plans for a $1.75 billion domed stadium, with $380 million in public funds, scheduled to open in 2028. Until then, the A’s will play at Sutter Health Park, a minor league field in West Sacramento. Adding to the heartache of A’s fans, the team’s Hall of Fame hometown hero Rickey Henderson, who holds the record for most stolen bases, died just days before what would have been his 66th birthday on Christmas Day. 6) Tie in Silicon Valley race for Congress It’s a common cliche: “Every vote counts.” A Silicon Valley congressional race this year proved it true. After congresswoman Anna Eshoo announced she was retiring from the 16th Congressional District, 11 candidates ran to succeed her, including former San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo, Assemblyman Evan Low and Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian. After the March 5 primary, an amazing thing happened. Liccardo led, but fellow Democrats Low and Simitian, fighting for the other spot on the general election ballot, were tied following weeks of counting. Each had 30,249 votes. After a recount, Low won by 5 votes. In November, the more moderate Liccardo beat Low easily , 58%-42%, to represent the district, which stretches from Pacifica to San Jose. He will be sworn in Jan. 3. 7) Transit funding woes worsen Most vestiges of the Covid pandemic are gone. But it is still decimating public transit. Because so many people continue to work from home, BART, the Bay Area’s largest public transit system, has seen ridership collapse from roughly 400,000 a day to fewer than 200,000 most days now. The agency, which operates 50 stations in five counties, raised fares by 5%. It still faces a $35 million deficit in 2026 and a staggering $385 million shortfall in 2027. Federal Covid money is running out, and the new Trump administration isn’t likely to give California a bailout. Critics say BART needs to cut bloated union benefits and staffing, and continue to reduce crime on its trains. Other Bay Area transit agencies also face shortfalls, and warn that if they cut service, traffic will increase for everyone on freeways. The agencies have tried to draft a tax increase for the 2026 ballot, but so far haven’t been able to agree. The question for 2025 may not be whether there will be cuts on hours and routes — but how big will they be? 8) 49ers lose Super Bowl They had so much promise. With offensive stars like George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk, Christian McCaffrey and quarterback Brock Purdy, a stacked defense and a 12-5 record, the 49ers rolled into Las Vegas on Feb. 11 looking to dethrone the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs. But in the most-watched TV show in history, with 123 million viewers, the Niners’ first Super Bowl victory since 1995 wasn’t to be. They led 19-16 with 1:53 left in the game. But future Hall-of-Fame quarterback Patrick Mahomes drove the Chiefs down the field, resulting in a game-tying field goal with 3 seconds left. In overtime, he broke 49ers’ fans hearts, covering 75 yards in 13 plays for the winning touchdown. The 49ers fired their defensive coordinator after the game. Relentless injuries this season to stars like Aiyuk, McCaffrey, Nick Bosa and Trent Williams caused them to miss the playoffs entirely. In 2025 they are expected to sign Purdy to a long-term deal. And although there are lots of question marks, they are lucky the NFC West is considered a relatively easy division. Hope springs eternal. 9) San Mateo County sheriff drama San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus got a lot of attention in 2024. But it wasn’t for arresting criminals. On Dec. 4, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors voted to place a measure on the March ballot that would allow them to remove a sheriff for “flagrant or repeated neglect of duties, misappropriation of public funds, willful falsification of documents, or obstructing an investigation.” The unanimous vote came after the board hired retired Superior Court Judge LaDoris Cordell to investigate allegations of wrongdoing. She concluded that Corpus hired her boyfriend to be chief of staff, gave him improper authority, used racial and homophobic slurs and bullied employees. Corpus denies the allegations. In November, she ordered the arrest of Carlos Tapia, a critic who serves as president of the San Mateo County Deputy Sheriff’s Association, for time card fraud. But on Dec. 16, San Mateo County District Attorney Stephen M. Wagstaffe said no crime was committed and he won’t file charges. Will San Mateo County’s first female sheriff get the boot? Voters will have the final say in three months. 10) Gaza protests roil universities College campuses across California were the site of raucous demonstrations following the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack by Hamas against Israel, sparking a massive counterattack by Israeli forces in Gaza that has killed more than 40,000 people. Hundreds of students and other protesters were arrested at Cal, Stanford, UC Santa Cruz and other campuses after refusing to leave pro-Palestinian encampments and occupying buildings. Some Jewish students said they were harassed and threatened. In August, UC system President Michael Drake banned encampments and said students would face discipline if they blocked others or wore masks as intimidation. Cal State followed suit. This fall, protests were muted. Biden has dispatched negotiators to the Middle East to try and broker a cease-fire. On Dec. 16, Trump announced that he had a “very good talk” with Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and warned “all hell is going to break out” if Hamas does not release the remaining hostages by Jan. 20, the day Trump takes office. Bay Area News Group reporters Rick Hurd and Grace Hase contributed to this story.Former President Jimmy Carter was remembered for his leadership and commitment to public service following his death. Carter died on Sunday at his home in Plains, Georgia, at the age of 100. RELATED STORY | Former President Jimmy Carter dies at age 100 President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden: Today, America and the world lost an extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian. Over six decades, we had the honor of calling Jimmy Carter a dear friend. But, what’s extraordinary about Jimmy Carter, though, is that millions of people throughout America and the world who never met him thought of him as a dear friend as well. With his compassion and moral clarity, he worked to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil rights and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless, and always advocate for the least among us. He saved, lifted, and changed the lives of people all across the globe. Donald and Melania Trump: I just heard of the news about the passing of President Jimmy Carter. Those of us who have been fortunate to have served as President understand this is a very exclusive club, and only we can relate to the enormous responsibility of leading the Greatest Nation in History. The challenges Jimmy faced as President came at a pivotal time for our country and he did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans. For that, we all owe him a debt of gratitude. Melania and I are thinking warmly of the Carter Family and their loved ones during this difficult time. We urge everyone to keep them in their hearts and prayers. Barack and Michelle Obama: For decades, you could walk into Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia on some Sunday mornings and see hundreds of tourists from around the world crammed into the pews. And standing in front of them, asking with a wink if there were any visitors that morning, would be President Jimmy Carter – preparing to teach Sunday school, just like he had done for most of his adult life. Some who came to hear him speak were undoubtedly there because of what President Carter accomplished in his four years in the White House – the Camp David Accords he brokered that reshaped the Middle East; the work he did to diversify the federal judiciary, including nominating a pioneering women’s rights activist and lawyer named Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the federal bench; the environmental reforms he put in place, becoming one of the first leaders in the world to recognize the problem of climate change. Others were likely there because of what President Carter accomplished in the longest, and most impactful, post-presidency in American history – monitoring more than 100 elections around the world; helping virtually eliminate Guinea worm disease, an infection that had haunted Africa for centuries; becoming the only former president to earn a Nobel Peace Prize; and building or repairing thousands of homes in more than a dozen countries with his beloved Rosalynn as part of Habitat for Humanity. But I’m willing to bet that many people in that church on Sunday morning were there, at least in part, because of something more fundamental: President Carter’s decency. Elected in the shadow of Watergate, Jimmy Carter promised voters that he would always tell the truth. And he did – advocating for the public good, consequences be damned. He believed some things were more important than reelection – things like integrity, respect, and compassion. Because Jimmy Carter believed, as deeply as he believed anything, that we are all created in God’s image. Whenever I had a chance to spend time with President Carter, it was clear that he didn’t just profess these values. He embodied them. And in doing so, he taught all of us what it means to live a life of grace, dignity, justice, and service. In his Nobel acceptance speech, President Carter said, “God gives us the capacity for choice. We can choose to alleviate suffering. We can choose to work together for peace.” He made that choice again and again over the course of his 100 years, and the world is better for it. Maranatha Baptist Church will be a little quieter on Sundays, but President Carter will never be far away – buried alongside Rosalynn next to a willow tree down the road, his memory calling all of us to heed our better angels. Michelle and I send our thoughts and prayers to the Carter family, and everyone who loved and learned from this remarkable man. Bill and Hillary Clinton: Hillary and I mourn the passing of Jimmy Carter and give thanks for his long, good life. Guided by his faith, President Carter lived to serve others—until the very end. Statement from President Clinton and Secretary Clinton on the Passing of President Jimmy Carter pic.twitter.com/1Ejol6yjav — Angel Ureña (@angelurena) December 29, 2024 Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer: President Carter's faith in the American people and his belief in the power of kindness and humility leave a strong legacy. He taught us that the strength of a leader lies not in rhetoric but in action, not in personal gain but in service to others. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell: President Carter served during times of tension and uncertainty, both at home and abroad. But his calm spirit and deep faith seemed unshakeable. Jimmy Carter served as our commander-in-chief for four years, but he served as the beloved, unassuming Sunday school teacher at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia for forty. And his humble devotion leaves us little doubt which of those two important roles he prized the most. U.S. Sen. Jon Osoff (D-GA): Among his lifetime of service and countless accomplishments, President Carter will be remembered for his commitment to democracy and human rights, his enduring faith, his philanthropic leadership, and his deep love of family U.S. Sen. Rafael Warnock (D-GA): President Carter was one of my heroes. His leadership was driven by love, his life’s project grounded in compassion and a commitment to human dignity. For those of us who have the privilege of representing our communities in elected office, Jimmy Carter is a shining example of what it means to make your faith come alive through the noble work of public service. U.S. Sen. John Thun (R-SD): President Carter dedicated his life to serving the people of Georgia and our great country – as a naval officer, a governor, and as the 39th President of the United States. From peanut farming to the presidency and every step in between, his wife Rosalynn was by his side. House Speaker Mike Johnson Because of his work in brokering the Camp David Accords and his advocacy with Habitat for Humanity, the world is a more peaceful place, and more Americans have a place to call home. No one can deny that President Carter led an extraordinary life of service to his country. May he rest in peace.
Georgia has a new President and he is also a former Premier League soccer player. Georgia inaugurated on Sunday an ex-footballer turned far-right politician -- Mikheil Kavelashvili -- as Tbilisi's next figurehead president, after a controversial election process denounced as "illegitimate" by the current pro-EU leader, AFP reported. ET Year-end Special Reads What kept India's stock market investors on toes in 2024? India's car race: How far EVs went in 2024 Investing in 2025: Six wealth management trends to watch out for Picked by the governing Georgian Dream party as a loyalist, the former forward for English Premier League champions Manchester City is known for his expletive-laden parliament speeches and tirades against government critics and LGBTQ people. He was voted into the role by an electoral college controlled by Georgian Dream, after the party abolished the use of popular votes to elect the president under controversial constitutional changes passed in 2017. Kavelashvili was the only candidate and his inauguration came amid a major political crisis -- thousands of anti-government protesters have staged daily rallies in Tbilisi for a month, outraged at Georgian Dream for shelving EU accession talks. Minutes before he took the oath in parliament, outgoing pro-Western leader Salome Zurabishvili said she remains the "country's only legitimate president." For the first time in Georgia's history, the swearing-in ceremony took place behind closed doors in parliament. 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View Program Data Science SQL for Data Science along with Data Analytics and Data Visualization By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI and Analytics based Business Strategy By - Tanusree De, Managing Director- Accenture Technology Lead, Trustworthy AI Center of Excellence: ATCI View Program Web Development A Comprehensive ASP.NET Core MVC 6 Project Guide for 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Pam Moore By - Pam Moore, Digital Transformation and Social Media Expert View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI-Powered Python Mastery with Tabnine: Boost Your Coding Skills By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Office Productivity Mastering Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and 365 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Digital marketing - Wordpress Website Development By - Shraddha Somani, Digital Marketing Trainer, Consultant, Strategiest and Subject Matter expert View Program Office Productivity Mastering Google Sheets: Unleash the Power of Excel and Advance Analysis By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Web Development Mastering Full Stack Development: From Frontend to Backend Excellence By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance Financial Literacy i.e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By - CA Rahul Gupta, CA with 10+ years of experience and Accounting Educator View Program Data Science SQL Server Bootcamp 2024: Transform from Beginner to Pro By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Protesters have described Kavelashvili as a "puppet" of billionaire oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili, the country's de facto leader and Georgian Dream's founder. On Friday, Washington imposed sanctions on Ivanishvili, arguing he undermined the country's democratic future for Russia's benefit, the AFP report stated. Mikheil Kavelashvili Born in Georgia's tiny southwestern town of Bolnisi in 1971, Kavelashvili began his career as a professional footballer in the 1980s, playing for clubs in Georgia and Russia and becoming a striker for his country's national team. The 53-year-old played for Manchester City from 1995 to 1997, scoring on his debut against bitter crosstown rivals Manchester United. He then joined Swiss club Grasshoppers, where he spent most of his time on the bench, before stints elsewhere in Switzerland at Zurich, Luzern, Sion, Aarau and Basel. Kavelashvili was disqualified from running for president of the Georgian Football Federation in 2015 due to a lack of higher education -- a requirement for the role. He has served as an MP for Georgian Dream since 2016 and was elected to the legislature on the party's list in October 2024 polls that opposition groups say were rigged and have refused to recognise. FAQs Q1. When did Mikheil Kavelashvili play for Manchester City? A1. Mikheil Kavelashvili played for Manchester City from 1995 to 1997. Q2. Which clubs did Mikheil Kavelashvili play for? A2. After plying his trade in Manchester City, Mikheil Kavelashvili joined Swiss club Grasshoppers, where he spent most of his time on the bench, before stints elsewhere in Switzerland at Zurich, Luzern, Sion, Aarau and Basel. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
Chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen returns to a tournament after a dispute over jeans is resolvedNoneAlyssa Naeher retires: Who will take over in goal for USWNT after USA women's legend bows out? | Sporting News
Stomping around the NBA as the defending champions can have its benefits. Last week, the Boston Celtics took advantage of theirs. One really cool perk: a team reunion happens near the White House Rose Garden with the President of the United States offering compliments on — of all things — points per possession. Also, Jaylen Brown, the 2024 Finals MVP, can basically tweet things into existence, like meeting childhood idol Bill Nye the Science Guy, then actually get him to come to a game. But the luxuries that last year’s accomplishments bestowed on the 2024-25 Celtics do little to nothing for what matters this season: winning again. Since the 2017 and 2018 seasons, the NBA has not produced back-to-back champions. Not with the Golden State Warriors, who won in 2022 on the last fumes of their dynasty, or with the 2023 champion Denver Nuggets, who are still led by the league’s best player in Nikola Jokic. Boston, with its young superstars Brown and Jayson Tatum still in their 20s and a strong core stocked with veterans Jrue Holiday, Derrick White and (insert name of healthy center here), would figure to be the favorites again next June. Yet, that’s not a given. Even with the distinction of being the only team thus far this year to knock off the Cleveland Cavaliers, who started the season 15-0, Boston faces the same obstacles that tripped up the previous five champs. Specifically, can they recapture the angst? “I think we still got a lot to prove,” White said last Friday night, following the Celtics’ closer-than-expected 108-96 win over the Washington Wizards. “It’s going to be a long season, We just got to enjoy the ups and downs and know what led us to our success last year.” Rewind to last season and think back to those Celtics players who wouldn’t leave the house without a big ol’ chip on their shoulders. They loved that chip. Carried it everywhere they went. Nursed it to sleep every night. Gave it a name and called it Disrespect. Back then, it was easy to fuel a whole season with that energy because Boston was coming off a disappointing playoff run (losing in Game 7 of the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals to the Miami Heat) and feeling the tight squeeze of a narrowing championship window. So when Boston finally broke through, defeating the Dallas Mavericks in the 2024 NBA Finals, it felt like long-delayed relief. As the confetti fell, Tatum found his mother and shouted: “What they gonna say now?!” then repeated it during his television interview. After soaking in champagne, Brown rushed to Instagram to mock those who betted against Boston. They replaced the chip with a golden trophy. Yet since then, it seems they’ve tried to manufacture the angst for more motivation this year. Over the summer, they searched for slights. When Brown didn’t get picked as an injury replacement for the USA men’s basketball team — his teammate White was selected instead — he again used social media as an outlet for his emotions. And after Tatum returned from the Paris Olympics, earning a gold medal despite remaining on the bench in two games, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla called it a “gift” that could inspire him to work toward even more success in the future. Still, when you’re a reigning champ, it’s hard to live in the space of feeling disrespected. Not while standing and listening to President Joe Biden praise their accomplishments, as the Celtics did last Thursday afternoon during their visit to the White House. By Friday night, the love affair continued in downtown D.C. as Celtics fans once again commandeered Capital One Arena in support of their favorite team against the Wizards. It wasn’t enough that the color green dotted every section of the arena, and for the crowd to have been pro-Boston all night. Mazzulla felt he needed to contrive some chaos. “It changed the energy in the arena. Did you feel that?” Mazzulla said about picking up a technical foul in the third quarter. “It wasn’t really about energizing the team, I think it was just manipulating the environment. I thought that’s what the environment needed at the time. We just have to make those calls from time to time.” Mazzulla didn’t need to manipulate a thing last Tuesday night when Boston, playing in front of a fired-up home crowd, gave the Cavs their first loss. The tactic to stir up the room — his players, really — was necessary Friday night with the Celts shooting poorly (11 for 46 from the three-point arc overall) in a close game against a team that had lost nine straight. “Every game’s a little different. Some games (there’s) more energy, some games we just have to find a way,” White said. “Our coach does a good job of just trying to figure out the game and trying to figure out how we are, and put us in the right position to win.” Maybe because they’re champions, the Celtics can ratchet up the intensity when necessary, as they did in knocking off the best team in the Eastern Conference one night, then get away with playing abysmally against one of the worst teams in the league a few days later. Especially because they’re champs, Brown can get a personal audience with Nye in the back hallway of Capital One Arena, and pose for a photo with the man who made learning science a joy for him. No disrespect to the champs, but maybe this Boston group is so good that it doesn’t need any more made-up motivations.NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Coach Brian Callahan is sticking with Mason Rudolph at quarterback for a second straight game to see if the Tennessee Titans can build on the veteran who's played in four of their highest scoring games this season. Callahan said Tuesday that he thinks Rudolph earned another chance to play despite a 38-30 loss to Indianapolis. “Obviously the one interception was probably his only really poor moment," Callahan said. "The rest of it was pretty well executed on his part and operated in a drop-back passing game and had to fight his way back through it. And it was good to see, so we’ll let him take another crack at it.” Rudolph is 2-4 in the six games he's played in this season. That includes coming in for an injured Will Levis on Sept. 30 in a 31-12 win at Miami , and he tried to rally the Titans in a turnover-plagued 37-27 loss to Cincinnati before being selected as the starter last week. Rudolph, who is in Tennessee on a one-year deal, was 23 of 34 for 252 yards with two touchdown passes and three interceptions. One went off running back Tony Pollard's hands with the final pick coming on the last play of the game after Rudolph led a rally from a 38-7 deficit in the final 18 minutes. Rudolph's ability to avoid sacks is a key piece of sticking with him over Levis, the 33rd pick overall in the 2023 draft. The quarterbacks' stats are similar with Rudolph having eight TD passes and eight interceptions, completing 63.8% of his passes with a 78.8 passer rating. That’s similar to Levis completing 63.7% of his passes with 12 TD passes and 12 interceptions. But Levis has been sacked 40 times compared to just seven for Rudolph. “He’s got the ability to avoid the negative play when it comes to sacks," Callahan said of Rudolph. “He gets the ball out. He knows where to go with it quickly.” That means Rudolph gets a chance Sunday when the Titans (3-12) visit the Jacksonville Jaguars (3-12) to see if he can guide the offense to more than the six points Levis managed against their AFC South rival in a 10-6 loss on Dec. 8 in Nashville. Rudolph said he knows he put the Titans defense in a bad spot with some turnovers. "I’m ready to prove that I can take care of the ball better and keep scoring points,” Rudolph said. The Titans held a walk-through Tuesday with Callahan giving the team Wednesday off for Christmas. An injury report won't be released until Wednesday, and Callahan said it'll likely be lengthy. RG Dillon Radunz, who was knocked out of last week's game with an injury, will be on that report. Lineman Jaelyn Duncan, who hurt a hamstring badly enough early in his first start at right tackle Oct. 20 that he wound up on injured reserve , will be available. Callahan said he is excited to see Duncan play. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflTitans QB Mason Rudolph gets another chance at starting, this time against the Jags
A judge on Monday granted a request by prosecutors to dismiss the election subversion case against Donald Trump because of a Justice Department policy of not prosecuting a sitting president. Judge Tanya Chutkan agreed to the request by Special Counsel Jack Smith to dismiss the case against the president-elect "without prejudice," meaning it could potentially be revived after Trump leaves the White House four years from now. "Dismissal without prejudice is appropriate here," Chutkan said, adding in the ruling that "the immunity afforded to a sitting President is temporary, expiring when they leave office." Trump, 78, was accused of conspiring to overturn the results of the 2020 election he lost to Joe Biden and removing large quantities of top secret documents after leaving the White House, but the cases never came to trial. Smith also moved on Monday to drop his appeal of the dismissal of the documents case filed against the former president in Florida. That case was tossed out earlier this year by a Trump-appointed judge on the grounds that Smith was unlawfully appointed. The special counsel paused the election interference case and the documents case this month after Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris in the November 5 presidential election. Smith cited the long-standing Justice Department policy of not indicting or prosecuting a sitting president in his motions to have the cases dismissed. "The Government's position on the merits of the defendant's prosecution has not changed," Smith said in the filing with Chutkan. "But the circumstances have." "It has long been the position of the Department of Justice that the United States Constitution forbids the federal indictment and subsequent criminal prosecution of a sitting President," Smith said. "As a result this prosecution must be dismissed before the defendant is inaugurated." In a separate filing, Smith said he was withdrawing his appeal of the dismissal of the classified documents case against Trump but pursuing the case against his two co-defendants, Trump valet Walt Nauta and Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos De Oliveira. - 'Empty and lawless' - Trump, in a post on Truth Social, said the cases were "empty and lawless, and should never have been brought." "Over $100 Million Dollars of Taxpayer Dollars has been wasted in the Democrat Party's fight against their Political Opponent, ME," he said. "Nothing like this has ever happened in our Country before." Trump was accused of conspiracy to defraud the United States and conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding -- the session of Congress called to certify Biden's win, which was violently attacked on January 6, 2021 by a mob of the then-president's supporters. Trump was also accused of seeking to disenfranchise US voters with his false claims that he won the 2020 election. The former and incoming president also faces two state cases -- in New York and Georgia. He was convicted in New York in May of 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels on the eve of the 2016 election to stop her from revealing an alleged 2006 sexual encounter. However, Judge Juan Merchan has postponed sentencing while he considers a request from Trump's lawyers that the conviction be thrown out in light of the Supreme Court ruling in July that an ex-president has broad immunity from prosecution. In Georgia, Trump faces racketeering charges over his efforts to subvert the 2020 election results in the southern state, but that case will likely be frozen while he is in office. cl/smsAre ocean waves the future of energy? Scientists say more development neededBriana Holt posted a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds to lead top-seeded and No. 18 in the NJ.com Top 20 University in a 77-6 quarterfinals win over eighth-seeded Bard in the Newark Public Schools Holiday Tournament, hosted by Weequahic. University (1-3) will face fourth-seeded Arts in the semis on Friday at 11:30 am at Weequahic. 12/23 - 11:30 AM Girls Basketball Final Bard 6 University 77 Paradise Fisher chipped in with 14 points, five steals and five assists. Shanaa Manning finished with nine points and five steals, while Jayanna Hayes recorded wight points, seven rebounds, five steals and three assists. Bard fell to 2-1 on the season. The N.J. High School Sports newsletter is now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now! Follow us on social: Facebook | Instagram | X (formerly Twitter)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Coach Brian Callahan is sticking with Mason Rudolph at quarterback for a second straight game to see if the Tennessee Titans can build on the veteran who's played in four of their highest scoring games this season. Callahan said Tuesday that he thinks Rudolph earned another chance to play despite a 38-30 loss to Indianapolis. “Obviously the one interception was probably his only really poor moment," Callahan said. "The rest of it was pretty well executed on his part and operated in a drop-back passing game and had to fight his way back through it. And it was good to see, so we’ll let him take another crack at it.” Rudolph is 2-4 in the six games he's played in this season. That includes coming in for an injured Will Levis on Sept. 30 in a 31-12 win at Miami , and he tried to rally the Titans in a turnover-plagued 37-27 loss to Cincinnati before being selected as the starter last week. Rudolph, who is in Tennessee on a one-year deal, was 23 of 34 for 252 yards with two touchdown passes and three interceptions. One went off running back Tony Pollard's hands with the final pick coming on the last play of the game after Rudolph led a rally from a 38-7 deficit in the final 18 minutes. Rudolph's ability to avoid sacks is a key piece of sticking with him over Levis, the 33rd pick overall in the 2023 draft. The quarterbacks' stats are similar with Rudolph having eight TD passes and eight interceptions, completing 63.8% of his passes with a 78.8 passer rating. That’s similar to Levis completing 63.7% of his passes with 12 TD passes and 12 interceptions. But Levis has been sacked 40 times compared to just seven for Rudolph. “He’s got the ability to avoid the negative play when it comes to sacks," Callahan said of Rudolph. “He gets the ball out. He knows where to go with it quickly.” That means Rudolph gets a chance Sunday when the Titans (3-12) visit the Jacksonville Jaguars (3-12) to see if he can guide the offense to more than the six points Levis managed against their AFC South rival in a 10-6 loss on Dec. 8 in Nashville. Rudolph said he knows he put the Titans defense in a bad spot with some turnovers. "I’m ready to prove that I can take care of the ball better and keep scoring points,” Rudolph said. Holiday adjustment The Titans held a walk-through Tuesday with Callahan giving the team Wednesday off for Christmas. An injury report won't be released until Wednesday, and Callahan said it'll likely be lengthy. RG Dillon Radunz, who was knocked out of last week's game with an injury, will be on that report. Lineman Jaelyn Duncan, who hurt a hamstring badly enough early in his first start at right tackle Oct. 20 that he wound up on injured reserve , will be available. Callahan said he is excited to see Duncan play. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl Teresa M. Walker, The Associated Press
