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"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum." Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" To keep reading, please log in to your account, create a free account, or simply fill out the form below.(The Center Square) — A quarter of the homeless shelter beds in the City of Los Angeles are empty each night, causing a loss of $218 million from 2019 to 2023, according to a new report from the city controller. The report also notes the city has tripled its homeless shelter capacity since 2019, which led to a reduction in the city’s unsheltered homeless population at the start of 2024. The report also said the number of individuals placed into “permanent” housing, including permanently “free” supportive housing paid for by taxpayers that the report supports, has only increased by 21% since 2019. “Until a person is permanently housed, that person’s homelessness is not successfully ended,” said City Controller Kenneth Mejia in the first line of the report. “That is the guiding principle for the City and nation’s homelessness strategy.” The report says city-funded shelter capacity stands at 6,929 beds, which make up 53% of the area’s total 13,000 beds. At an average 25% occupancy, that means 3,250 beds are empty each night, enough to house more than one in ten of the city’s 29,275 unsheltered homeless individuals. Occupancy rates — and thus losses — vary significantly by type of homeless shelter. Congregate shelters, in which individuals are housed in large rooms together, are 70% of city-funded interim shelter beds and had a 65% occupancy rate with an annual cost of $29,000 per bed. More from this section Tiny-homes, which are typically single-occupancy but can be double-occupancy, and hotel-based interim shelters, which are only single occupancy, are 30% of city beds and had a 86% occupancy rate with an annual cost of $57,000 per bed. These costs include many of the social services included at shelters, such as case management and food. Once accounting for the cost of vacancies, the cost per congregate bed rises $15,615 per individual, to $44,615 per bed, while the cost per private bed rises to $66,300, reducing the difference in cost between the two shelters by about $6,300. Mejia says vacancies arise from city councilmembers reserving shelter beds “based on geographic zones (“catchments”) and prior to encampment cleanups or 41.18 enforcement operations.” Now that Los Angeles has a larger shelter capacity, empty beds cost the city about $68 million per year. Mejia has previously said the city is “ broke ” and must borrow $80 million to make court-ordered liability payments, spending on vacant shelters could have paid for most of the shortfall. Over the summer Mejia also reported the city’s hotel homeless shelter program has spent $341 million, serving 2,728 individuals since December 2022. Other city reports have found 45% of the city’s homeless individuals are “service resistant,” or unwilling to make use of offered city services. Between July and December of 2023, the city attempted contacting 22,019 verified separate homeless individuals, 12,043 of whom engaged with city personnel and enrolled in city programs. Of those 12,043, 2,962 took offers of city shelter, 428 exited to permanent housing, which for that report included the city’s hotel program), and 328 exited to “temporary destinations.” The city says it funds 29,554 vouchers for permanent supportive housing for homeless individuals and families paid for by taxpayers; vouchers for one-bedroom apartments are $2,407 per month.A €5 BILLION ‘black hole’ has been uncovered in Fine Gael’s spending plan in the party’s manifesto. The figure is contained in the section of the manifesto which looks at how much Fine Gael would spend over the next five years. It shows that the party has not allocated enough money to cover its new spending commitments as well as what is estimated to be needed to maintain the existing level of services. The discovery is an uncomfortable one for the government party, which puts responsible management of the public finances at the centre of its pitch to voters. The ‘black hole’ came to light after Trinity economics professor Dr Barra Roantree wrote a piece for his Substack on Thursday evening about the three main parties’ . This piece was subsequently published on on Friday morning. Fine Gael contacted Dr Roantree after the piece was published to clarify some of the information in it – inadvertently revealing in the clarification the existence of the ‘black hole’. Roantree had contacted Fine Gael before the initial piece was finished but the party had not responded. The ‘black hole’ is in the party’s plan for current – or day-to-day – voted expenditure between now and 2030. This is a huge figure which is made up of central government department spending and is approved by a vote of the Dáil each year. Roantree notes that this figure is not a comprehensive one for government spending – it doesn’t include most social welfare expenditure, for example – but it is the best figure available. “It is the only aggregate measure of spending each of the three largest parties have provided information on,” he said. Fine Gael says current voted spending will increase by €26.4 billion under a FG government. However this leaves a gap of €5.5 billion when the party’s new spending commitments (€9.3 billion) are added to what the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (IFAC) says is needed to maintain the existing level of services (€22.6 billion), giving a total of €31.9 billion – significantly more than the €26.4 billion FG has suggested. “Fine Gael have instead referenced a figure of €15.5 billion for the cost of maintaining the existing level of services alongside €1.7 billion in an unspecified contingency,” Roantree said. “This simply isn’t credible. We have an independent Fiscal Advisory Council who have clearly and transparently calculated the cost of maintaining the existing level of services. Instead Fine Gael choose to use a figure based on their own – unpublished – workings that is more than €5 billion per year lower.” Fine Gael had not responded to a request for comment at the time of publication. The research also found significant – albeit smaller – gaps in Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin’s spending plans. Roantree notes that both parties have pencilled in €20 billion per year by 2030 for maintaining existing services, which is significantly less – €2.5 billion per year – than what the IFAC has said will be needed. “This raises serious questions for the three major parties about the credibility of their spending plans as we enter into very uncharted waters,” Roantree said, suggesting that party manifestos need to be objectively costed and tested.
House approves $895B defense bill with military pay raise, ban on transgender care for minors
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Cornerback Taron Johnson is still agitated over the dud the Buffalo Bills defense produced in giving up season worsts in points and yards, while melting down on third down in a loss to the Los Angeles Rams last weekend. There’s no better time or opportunity to show how much better they are than this Sunday. That’s when the Bills (10-3) travel to play the NFC-leading Detroit Lions (12-1), who just happen to lead the NFL in scoring and feature the same dynamic style of offense as the Rams. “I think our mindset is just going to be attack,” Johnson said after practice Wednesday. “We can’t wait to play Sunday just to prove people wrong and prove to ourselves that how we played wasn’t who we are.” The Bills acknowledge having several excuses to lean on for why they unraveled in a 44-42 loss — riding a little too high after a division-clinching win, a cross-country trip and facing a more driven opponent in the thick of a playoff race. What’s unacceptable is the hesitancy their usually reliable defensive backs showed in coverage and the lack of pressure applied by their defensive front. The bright side is the substandard performance potentially serving as a late-season reminder of this not being the time to let their foot off the gas. “A lot of teams have scars on their way to having a darn good season. And we’re having a darn good season,” coach Sean McDermott said. “So what has to be in front of us this week is the opportunity that’s in front of us, quite frankly, to challenge that team,” he added, referring to Detroit. “You better bring your heart, you better bring your guts, you better put it on the line.” With a little bit of added fire, the Bills are going back to the basics on defense following an outing in which very little went right. The defense was off-balance from the start in being unable to stop the run, before eventually being picked apart in the passing game while allowing the Rams to score on each of their first six drives (not including a kneel-down to close the first half) in building a 38-21 lead. The most frustrating part was Buffalo’s inability to get off the field while allowing the Rams to convert 11 of 15 third-down chances. LA’s 73.3% third-down conversion rate was the third highest against Buffalo — and worst since Miami converted 75% of its chances in 1986 — since the stat was introduced to NFL gamebooks in 1973. “The recipe to lose a football game is what we did (Sunday) and it starts with me, first and foremost,” defensive coordinator Bobby Babich said Monday. “Move on and let it not happen again. Let it be a learning lesson. Failure is the best teacher.” The challenge is preparing for an exceptionally balanced Lions offense that ranks fourth in the NFL in both rushing and passing, and averaging 32.1 points per outing. The objective, McDermott said, is to not overcorrect but stick to the fundamentals that led to Buffalo winning seven straight before losing to Los Angeles. He placed an emphasis on winning at the line of scrimmage and forcing takeaways, something Buffalo failed to do last weekend for the first time this season. A little more urgency, would help, too. “It is a mentality. It is an attitude, and if you want to play good defense, that’s where it starts,” McDermott said. “There’s not a lot of shortcuts or ways around it. It’s got to be a mentality.” The message resonated even on offense, where quarterback Josh Allen nearly rallied the Bills to victory while becoming the NFL’s first player to throw three touchdown passes and rush for three more scores. “It was a case of you saw a team that’s fighting for their lives to try to make the playoffs in the Los Angeles Rams, and they came out ready to play. And maybe we didn’t have that type of urgency,” Allen said. “It forces us to know that we’ve got to be better. We know that.” NOTES: LB Baylon Spector (calf) and DE Dawuane Smoot (wrist) returned to practice Wednesday, opening their 21-day windows to be activated off IR. ... Starting CB Rasul Douglas did not practice and could miss time after hurting his knee on Sunday. ... Buffalo has until this weekend to determine whether to activate OL Tylan Grable (groin) off IR. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflCheck out impressive mansion family built in just 7 monthsUS expected to send £1 billion in weapons to Ukraine before Trump takes office
Canva AI Features for Faster Graphic DesignLAGOS – Google has unveiled the findings of its 2024 Year in Search for Nigeria, showcasing the most popular searches, notable individuals, actors, musicians, topics, questions, and other subjects that captured Nigerians’ attention during the course of the year. Google’s Year in Search is an annual analysis that reveals the top trending lists and also spotlights what the world searches to see, learn, and do. In Nigeria, this year’s results show a continued interest in the political and economic landscape, with searches related to the US elections, the new national anthem, and the national grid topping the news category in this order. Nigerians were also curious about personalities like Bobrisky, who led the trending people’s list this year. The music scene in 2024 was marked by a surge in popularity for artists like Shallipopi and Khaid, who also featured prominently in the overall personalities list. The top trending song was “I Don’t Care” by Boy Spyce”, followed closely by “Ozeba” and “Commas” by Ayra”. Nigerians also showed a keen interest in understanding the lyrics of various songs, with “Ogechi lyrics”, “Ozeba lyrics”, and “Omemma by Chandler Moore lyrics” leading the searches in the lyrics category. According to Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, Communications and Public Affairs Manager, Google West Africa, “The 2024 Year in Search offers a unique lens into the questions, interests, and conversations that shaped the lives of Nigerians this year. From cultural milestones to pressing concerns, these insights reflect how Search continues to be a valuable tool for users to navigate and better understand their world”. This year, Nigerians continued to demonstrate a strong interest in entertainment with movies like “A Tribe Called Judah”, “Treasure In The Sky”, and “Damsel” topping the movie charts. The top TV series that captured the interest of Nigerian netizens included “Supacell”, “My Demon”, and “Queen of Tears”. In the culinary world, Nigerians explored diverse recipes with “Pornstar Martini recipe” leading the searches. Concerns about personal well-being and global events were also reflected in search trends. Questions like “How much is dollar to naira today?”, “How to get perfectly defined curls for African hair?”, and “Who won the US presidential election?” topped the list of queries. Nigerians were curious about the meaning of words like “demure,” “steeze,” and “pet peeves,” turning to Search for answers.
Girls wrestling: Returning state place winners for the 2024-25 seasonPrime Minister Christopher Luxon has again defended his Government’s handling of the Interislander ferries, saying they’ve found a “great solution” to replace KiwiRail’s ageing ships. It’s been a year since Finance Minister Nicola Willis cancelled the previous Labour Government’s plan for two new mega ferries. The announcement yesterday that the Government will set up a new company to procure two new ferries to begin operating in 2029 has been criticised for lacking detail . The Government has defended itself by saying it needed to wait for advice from its ministerial advisory group and also get indicative costs from shipbuilders. Speaking to reporters during a visit to Levin today, Luxon again defended the plan. He said the new ferries will arrive by 2029 and there is a window between now and the end of March to find a better solution.
Fox News Digital spoke with New York Times employees about how the tech worker strike might impact coverage of the 2024 presidential election. The New York Times Tech Guild reached a tentative contract agreement with management Wednesday, a month after its election week strike . The NewsGuild of New York, which represents the Times Tech Guild, reached a deal on a three-year contract following the union's week-long strike in November over unfair labor practices. The three-year agreement is the first for the Times Tech Guild, which is a bargaining unit of The NewsGuild of New York and the largest union of tech workers with collective bargaining rights in the country, the union announced in a press release. "We’re thrilled to reach an agreement that secures ‘just cause’ protections, sustains workplace flexibility, and guarantees annual raises for our members," Kathy Zhang, a Senior Analytics Manager at The New York Times and unit chair of the Tech Guild, said. "These first contract wins set a strong foundation for job protections that our colleagues will build upon for generations. I could not be more proud to have been part of organizing this strong, fighting union. Serving on our first bargaining committee has been the honor of a lifetime." Image 1 of 3 next Members of The New York Times news division stood in solidarity with tech employees on strike during Election Day 2024. (Fox News Digital) Image 2 of 3 prev next New York Times employees protesting in front of the entrance in New York City. (Fox News Digital) Image 3 of 3 prev New York Times tech worker strike (Fox News) NEW YORK TIMES TECH WORKER STRIKE STRETCHES INTO ELECTION DAY The union's members returned to work in early November following the week-long election strike in which they failed to come to an agreement with management. The deal marks the end of more than two years of bargaining, which began shortly after the unit won its National Labor Relations Board election by a landslide in March 2022, solidifying their unionization. Software developers, project managers and graphic designers at The New York Times unionized alongside a wave of other tech workers at SEGA, Meow Wolf, NPR, Activision Blizzard and Alphabet, organizing as part of CODE-CWA, or the Campaign to Organize Digital Employees. Goran Svorcan-Merola, a Times senior software engineer and member of the Tech Guild's bargaining committee, told Fox News Digital that he is excited to finally be able to implement the protections they've been fighting for in recent years. "We were able to really push leadership to give us what we're worth," he said. "In terms of attitudes towards management, I have to say, some of them, some of their positions have been unfortunate. But ultimately, we are looking to work with one another on this." "We hope to have a productive three years as we continue to fight for our members," he added. As part of the new contract, workers will get enhanced job security with "just cause" protections, guaranteed wage increases for the first time of up to 8.25%, prioritization of the largest wage increases for the lowest paid members over the life of the contract, additional compensation for on-call work, important protections that lock in guardrails on additional variable compensation, including stocks and bonuses, improved protections for workers on visas, language guaranteeing flexible hybrid work schedules, as well as transparency protections for career growth, performance reviews and other workplace issues, according to the press release. Tech Guild members will vote on ratification of their contract on Thursday, Dec. 19th. Image 1 of 1 New York Times tech worker strike (Fox News) FORBES EDITORIAL STAFFERS WALK OFF THE JOB THE SAME DAY AS RELEASE OF THE COMPANY'S ‘30 UNDER 30’ LIST During the strike, NYT subscribers across the country expressed solidarity with striking tech workers by opting to forego games operated by tech workers, including Wordle and Connections, or using the Cooking app. Instead, Tech Guild members created their own games site that amassed more than a half million page views and more than 320,000 active users, the union said in its press release. "With this contract our Tech Guild members demonstrate what happens when workers band together to fight for the value of their labor," Susan DeCarava, President of The NewsGuild of New York said. "We not only won a first contract that set new standards for workers within the New York Times, but we’ve also established a strong foundation for what is possible for tech workers in the future when they organize and bargain collectively." CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Kendall Tietz is a writer with Fox News Digital.(Bloomberg) — Asian stocks were poised to climb Thursday after US equities snapped a two-day slide on benign inflation data that supported expectations for an interest rate cut this month. Australian shares rose, while futures for Japan climbed and Hong Kong contracts were steady. The S&P 500 rose 0.8% and the Nasdaq 100 advanced 1.9% to a new high Wednesday, with the strong showing for tech pushing Amazon.com Inc and Meta Platforms Inc. to fresh records. Broadcom Inc. rose 6.6% following a report that the chipmaker was working on an AI deal with Apple Inc. Australian and New Zealand yields edged higher, echoing selling pressure in Treasuries across the curve Wednesday. The US 10-year yield rose four basis points, while the policy-sensitive two-year climbed one basis point. The moves were centered upon US consumer price index data that came in line with expectations, cementing forecasts for the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates by 25 basis points later in December. Swaps traders have now virtually priced in such a move, compared with an around 75% chance a week ago. The inflation data, “gives the Federal Reserve the green light for a 25 basis point rate cut at the December meeting, as it helps to confirm that we are still making progress on inflation even though it remains sticky,” according to Skyler Weinand, chief investment officer at Regan Capital. In Asia, economic reports set for release Thursday include labor market data for Australia, and inflation and industrial production for India. An index of dollar strength rose Wednesday for a fourth session, helped along by higher Treasury yields. China’s yuan slid the most in a week following a report that Beijing is considering allowing the currency to weaken next year in response to the threat of a trade war with the US. Meanwhile, China’s two-day Central Economic Work Conference is expected to map out policies for next year, following stimulus signals from top leaders. Officials must focus on, “how will they deliver fiscal stimulus more directly to consumers so the economy can more directly shift to consumption-led rather than investment led,” Amy Xie Patrick, head of income strategies for Pendal Group, said on Bloomberg Television. The yen weakened for a third day Wednesday. Bank of Japan officials see little cost to waiting before raising interest rates, while still being open to a hike next week depending on data and market developments, according to people familiar with the matter. Hikes, Cuts Brazil’s central bank increased the benchmark interest rate by a full percentage point to 12.25% late on Wednesday, and promised to deliver two hikes of the same size in the next two meetings, as it rushes to recover investor confidence and tame inflation expectations. The Canadian dollar advanced after hovering near a four and a half-year low once policymakers signaled they were ready to slow down on monetary easing. The Bank of Canada lowered its rate by half a percentage Wednesday, its second straight outsized cut. The Swiss National Bank and European Central Bank are also expected to reduce interest rates Thursday. In commodities, crude futures rose after a Bloomberg News report that the Biden administration is considering new sanctions on Russia’s oil trade, a move that could tighten the market. The White House warned that Russia may fire another intermediate-range ballistic missile at Ukraine, after what Moscow said were strikes on its territory with US-supplied weapons. Wall Street’s fear gauge, the Vix, fell below 14 following the CPI data, an indication the market is expecting calm in the near-term. Stocks and long bonds stand to benefit as fears of a higher inflation print evaporate, according to ClearBridge Investments’ Jeff Schulze. “The debate for the FOMC next week between cut or skip is over,” Schulze said. “This inflation print should be risk-asset friendly and provide a tailwind to equity markets as we move through one of the strongest seasonal periods of the year.” Key events this week: Some of the main moves in markets: Stocks Currencies Cryptocurrencies Bonds Commodities This story was produced with the assistance of Bloomberg Automation.
Lawmakers edge closer to deal on government fundingAllies, rivals, global leaders pay homage to Manmohan SinghMiguel Tomley scores 28 to lead Weber State over Pepperdine 68-53 at Arizona Tip-Off
Some tech industry leaders are pushing the incoming Trump administration to increase visas for highly skilled workers from other nations. Related Articles National Politics | Trump threat to immigrant health care tempered by economic hopes National Politics | In states that ban abortion, social safety net programs often fail families National Politics | Court rules Georgia lawmakers can subpoena Fani Willis for information related to her Trump case National Politics | New 2025 laws hit hot topics from AI in movies to rapid-fire guns National Politics | Trump has pressed for voting changes. GOP majorities in Congress will try to make that happen The heart of the argument is, for America to remain competitive, the country needs to expand the number of skilled visas it gives out. The previous Trump administration did not increase the skilled visa program, instead clamping down on visas for students and educated workers, increasing denial rates. Not everyone in corporate America thinks the skilled worker program is great. Former workers at IT company Cognizant recently won a federal class-action lawsuit that said the company favored Indian employees over Americans from 2013 to 2022. A Bloomberg investigation found Cognizant, and other similar outsourcing companies, mainly used its skilled work visas for lower-level positions. Workers alleged Cognizant preferred Indian workers because they could be paid less and were more willing to accept inconvenient or less-favorable assignments. Question: Should the U.S. increase immigration levels for highly skilled workers? Caroline Freund, UC San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy YES: Innovation is our superpower and it relies on people. Sourcing talent from 8 billion people in the world instead of 330 million here makes sense. Nearly half our Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or their children. Growing them also relies on expanding our skilled workforce. The cap on skilled-worker visas has hardly changed since the computer age started. With AI on the horizon, attracting and building talent is more important than ever. Kelly Cunningham, San Diego Institute for Economic Research YES: After years of openly allowing millions of undocumented entrants into the country, why is there controversy over legally increasing somewhat the number having desirable skills? Undocumented immigration significantly impacts lower skill level jobs and wages competing with domestic workers at every skill level. Why should special cases be made against those having higher skills? Could they just not walk across the border anyway, why make it more inconvenient to those with desirable skills? James Hamilton, UC San Diego YES: Knowledge and technology are key drivers of the U.S. economy. Students come from all over the world to learn at U.S. universities, and their spending contributed $50 billion to U.S. exports last year. Technological advantage is what keeps us ahead of the rest of the world. Highly skilled immigrants contribute much more in taxes than they receive in public benefits. The skills immigrants bring to America can make us all better off. Norm Miller, University of San Diego YES: According to Forbes, the majority of billion-dollar startups were founded by foreigners. I’ve interviewed dozens of data analysts and programmers from Berkeley, UCSD, USD and a few other schools and 75% of them are foreign. There simply are not enough American graduates to fill the AI and data mining related jobs now exploding in the U.S. If we wish to remain a competitive economy, we need highly skilled and bright immigrants to come here and stay. David Ely, San Diego State University YES: Being able to employ highly skilled workers from a larger pool of candidates would strengthen the competitiveness of U.S. companies by increasing their capacity to perform research and innovate. This would boost the country’s economic output. Skilled workers from other nations that cannot remain in the U.S. will find jobs working for foreign rivals. The demand for H-1B visas far exceeds the current cap of 85,000, demonstrating a need to modify this program. Phil Blair, Manpower YES: Every country needs skilled workers, at all levels, to grow its economy. We should take advantage of the opportunity these workers provide our employers who need these skills. It should be blended into our immigration policies allowing for both short and long term visas. Gary London, London Moeder Advisors YES: San Diego is a premiere example of how highly skilled workers from around the globe enrich a community and its regional economy. Of course Visa levels need to be increased. But let’s go further. Tie visas and immigration with a provision that those who are admitted and educated at a U.S. university be incentivized, or even required, to be employed in the U.S. in exchange for their admittance. Bob Rauch, R.A. Rauch & Associates NO: While attracting high-skilled immigrants can fill critical gaps in sectors like technology, health care and advanced manufacturing, increasing high-skilled immigration could displace American workers and drive down wages in certain industries. There are already many qualified American workers available for some of these jobs. We should balance the need for specialized skills with the impact on the domestic workforce. I believe we can begin to increase the number of visas after a careful review of abuse. Austin Neudecker, Weave Growth YES: We should expand skilled visas to drive innovation and economic growth. Individuals who perform high-skilled work in labor-restricted industries or graduate from respected colleges with relevant degrees should be prioritized for naturalization. We depend on immigration for GDP growth, tax revenue, research, and so much more. Despite the abhorrent rhetoric and curtailing of visas in the first term, I hope the incoming administration can be persuaded to enact positive changes to a clearly flawed system. Chris Van Gorder, Scripps Health YES: But it should be based upon need, not politics. There are several industries that have or could have skilled workforce shortages, especially if the next administration tightens immigration as promised and expected. Over the years, there have been nursing shortages that have been met partially by trained and skilled nurses from other countries. The physician shortage is expected to get worse in the years to come. So, this visa program may very well be needed. Jamie Moraga, Franklin Revere NO: While skilled immigration could boost our economy and competitiveness, the U.S. should prioritize developing our domestic workforce. Hiring foreign nationals in sensitive industries or government-related work, especially in advanced technology or defense, raises security concerns. A balanced approach could involve targeted increases in non-sensitive high-demand fields coupled with investment in domestic STEM education and training programs. This could address immediate needs while strengthening the long-term STEM capabilities of the American workforce. Not participating this week: Alan Gin, University of San DiegoHaney Hong, San Diego County Taxpayers AssociationRay Major, economist Have an idea for an Econometer question? Email me at phillip.molnar@sduniontribune.com . Follow me on Threads: @phillip0206:11 bonus shares, 1:10 stock split: Multibagger SME IPO turns ₹1 lakh into ₹25.93 lakh in seven years | Stock Market News - Mint
Titans and Jags meet for 2nd time in 4 weeks, but with QB Mason Rudolph starting for TennesseeHARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Democratic of Pennsylvania conceded his reelection bid to Republican on Thursday, as a statewide recount showed no signs of closing the gap and his campaign suffered repeated blows in court in its effort to get potentially favorable ballots counted. Casey’s concession comes more than two weeks after Election Day, as a grindingly slow ballot-counting process became a spectacle of hours-long election board meetings, social media outrage, lawsuits and accusations that some county officials were openly flouting the law. Republicans had been claiming that Democrats were trying to steal McCormick’s seat by counting “illegal votes.” Casey’s campaign had accused of Republicans of trying to block enough votes to prevent him from pulling ahead and winning. In a statement, Casey said he had just called McCormick to congratulate him. “As the first count of ballots is completed, Pennsylvanians can move forward with the knowledge that their voices were heard, whether their vote was the first to be counted or the last," Casey said. The Associated Press the race on Nov. 7, concluding that not enough ballots remained to be counted in areas Casey was winning for him to take the lead. As of Thursday, McCormick led by about 16,000 votes out of almost 7 million ballots counted. That was well within the 0.5% margin threshold to trigger an automatic statewide recount under Pennsylvania law. But no election official expected a recount to change more than a couple hundred votes or so, and Pennsylvania's highest court dealt him a blow when it refused entreaties to allow counties to count mail-in ballots that lacked a correct handwritten date on the return envelope. Republicans will have a 53-47 majority next year in the U.S. Senate. Follow Marc Levy atKimberly Guilfoyle, the former San Francisco first lady-turned fierce Donald Trump loyalist, said Tuesday that to be the president-elect’s choice to become ambassador to Greece and looked forward to earning the support of the U.S. Senate. But it remains to be seen whether Guilfoyle can win this support. She’s got “baggage,” as political observers would say, and not just because to Trump’s oldest son, Donald Trump Jr. The former San Francisco prosecutor also has faced allegations that she engaged in sexual misconduct when she worked as a host at Fox News, and leaving the Rupert Murdoch-run network to pay out a multimillion-dollar settlement to avoid trial. Guilfoyle is the latest Trump nominee for a high-level, public-facing government position to face allegations of sexual impropriety. It’s not clear yet whether such allegations will prove disqualifying for these jobs, with Trump barreling into his second term and insisting his government should be filled with loyalists. His party also controls the Senate, which is responsible for confirming nominees to positions in his Cabinet, in the federal courts and in the State Department. But making Guilfoyle an ambassador with her alleged history “does continue the pattern that we have seen among a number of Trump nominees, one that he does not consider (sexual misconduct) a disqualifying issue in any forum,” said Kathleen Dolan, a political science professor at the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee whose focus includes women and politics. Trump himself has been accused of sexual misconduct or assault by at least 18 women and was found liable by a jury for sexually abusing a woman in a department store in the mid-1990s, . The former reality TV star was first elected president in 2016, even after the release of the infamous “Access Hollywood” tape, where he could be heard saying he “can do anything” to women because he’s a “star.” Trump has repeatedly denied the accusations against him. “It also a good mirror, I think, into where we still are in American society on sexual harassment,” Dolan said. “Half the country would say, ‘You can’t be the ambassador if you’ve been accused of this and your employer had to pay out millions of dollars to cover it up.’ And then, some part of the country, is, ‘Whatever, you know, boys will be boys, girls will be girls.’” The Washington Post added that Trump’s willingness to pick people who face such accusations shows his insistence on placing loyalty above Washington norms and his tendency to play down accusations of sexual misconduct “as invented claims or the work of political enemies.” Guilfoyle has been an enthusiastic campaigner and fundraiser for Trump, and that he won the 2020 election over Joe Biden. Her nomination is a further indication that Trump wants to demonstrate “defiance” of these norms, perhaps point “a middle finger” and show “a new level of trying to own the libs,” Dolan also said. Senate opposition did manage to end Trump’s nomination of former Florida congressman Matt Gaetz to head the Justice Department, with Gaetz still into alleged child sex abuse and illegal drug use. But, for the time being, Trump appears to be standing by Pete Hegseth and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., his picks to head the Defense and Health and Human Services departments, respectively. They each have histories of being accused of sexual assault, which both have denied. Linda McMahon, Trump’s pick for education secretary and former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO, also has been accused in an October lawsuit of failing to prevent the sexual abuse of teenage WWE workers. The allegations against Guilfoyle began to surface soon after she left her lucrative job at Fox News in July 2018. Among the reasons publicly given for her departure was that she wanted to work for a pro-Trump Super Pac as she began dating Trump Jr. But a 2018 story and revealed that the ex-wife of California Gov. Gavin Newsom was asked to leave Fox News following a human resources investigation into allegations of inappropriate behavior, including sexual misconduct. New Yorker writer Jane Mayer reported that the allegations involved Guilfoyle’s former assistant who filed a draft complaint. The young woman alleged that Guilfoyle frequently required her to work at Guilfoyle’s New York apartment while “The Five” host, her direct supervisor, displayed herself naked. In her complaint, the assistant also said Guilfoyle showed her photographs of the genitalia of men with whom she had had sexual relations, Mayer reported. The complaint further alleged that Guilfoyle, a Roger Ailes protégée, “spoke incessantly and luridly about her sex life” and told the assistant she should sleep with wealthy and powerful men and submit to a Fox employee’s demands for sexual favors. Under Ailes, Fox News became a hotbed of sexual harassment and retaliation, HuffPost reported. But the network worked to change its workplace culture after Ailes resigned in 2016, after he was accused of sexually harassing a number of female employees, including stars such as Gretchen Carlson, Megyn Kelly and Julie Roginsky. Mayer also reported that the assistant accused Guilfoyle of trying to buy her silence, while Fox secretly paid her an undisclosed sum. Mayer said she was told that the sum was “upward of four million dollars.” Guilfoyle denied the sexual misconduct allegations, both right after she left Fox News and, in a statement to the New Yorker in 2020, she said “In my 30-year career working for the SF District Attorney’s Office, the LA District Attorney’s Office, in media and in politics, I have never engaged in any workplace misconduct of any kind. During my career, I have served as a mentor to countless women, with many of whom I remain exceptionally close to this day.” The Trump transition team did not respond to a request for a comment Wednesday on Guilfoyle’s nomination, the sexual misconduct allegations against her or her qualifications to be an ambassador. In a statement, Trump praised Guilfoyle for her loyalty and “her extensive experience and leadership in law, media, and politics.” In the past, sexual misconduct allegations have been the subject of rigorous FBI background checks or tense confirmation hearings, such as the 2018 Senate Judiciary Committee hearing involving Christine Blasey Ford’s claims that future U.S. Supreme Court justice Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her in the early 1980s. After Kavanaugh denied the accusations, the committee voted along party lines to advance his confirmation to a full Senate vote. When it comes to diplomatic posts, Eric Garcetti’s Senate nomination to become Biden’s ambassador to India stalled for 20 months – even though the former Los Angeles mayor wasn’t accused of sexual misconduct himself, and . Instead, he was accused of ignoring complaints of sexual harassment, allegedly committed by one of his mayoral aides. Iowa Senator Charles Grassley led an effort to hold up Garcett’s nomination and oversaw an investigative report into his actions with regard to the aide. Garcetti eventually confirmed in March 2023. Grassley’s office did not respond to a request for comment on whether he would seek an investigation into Guilfoyle’s activities at Fox News. Spokespeople for several Democratic and Republican members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which holds confirmation hearings for top State Department posts, also did not respond to requests for comment. Dolan said it’s not uncommon for presidents to reward allies with ambassadorships, though nominees usually possess applicable professional skills and may have an affinity for their assigned country’s culture. The current U.S. ambassador to Greece, , is Greek-American, and Greek is his first language, while Guilfoyle only that she appreciates that “democratic values born in Greece ... helped shape the founding of America.” Like others, Dolan questioned the timing of Trump’s announcement, which came hours after first broke the news that Trump Jr. has apparently gotten himself a new girlfriend, Palm Beach socialite named Bettina Anderson. While Trump Jr. and Guilfoyle have not publicly ended their six-year relationship or called off their engagement, commentators and other outlets are seeing the convenience in having Guilfoyle sent abroad for “a shiny new job.” Dolan also asked: “Is this the way to get her out of the way?”
By Chibuike Oguh NEW YORK -Global stocks registered a strong weekly gain on Friday while U.S. Treasury yields slipped as markets eyed President-elect Donald Trump's likely policies and their impact on the U.S. economy, even as bitcoin traded near the $100,000 threshold. Traders are bracing for Trump's agenda after he takes office in January, which is expected to include tariffs, tax cuts and deregulation. Trump has been nominating senior officials in his administration, and markets are awaiting his pick for Treasury secretary. All three Wall Street indexes finished higher and each notched a weekly gain. Industrials, consumer discretionary, financials and consumer staples drove gains while communication services, utilities and technology equities were the biggest losers. Nvidia, the world's most valuable company, ended down 3.2% after the artificial intelligence chipmaker reported strong quarterly results but issued lacklustre sales forecasts. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.97% to 44,296.51, the S&P 500 rose 0.35% to 5,969.34 and the Nasdaq Composite rose 0.16% to 19,003.65. Europe's Stoxx 600 share index ended the week 1% higher, snapping four straight weeks of losses. MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe rose 0.33% to 854.22 and gained about 1.4% for the week. "The earnings of Nvidia were really solid and the market traded off a little bit but I don't think it was a major event that it could have been," said Mark Malek, chief investment officer at SiebertNXT in New York. "So we put that behind us and when we look at what else might be driving the market this week ... People are starting to think about what has happened to the market since Trump was elected and some of the appointments he's been making." The yield on benchmark U.S. 10-year notes fell 1.4 basis points to 4.418%, as markets reassess future rate cuts from the Federal Reserve given expectations that some of Trump's policies could be inflationary. The market is now pricing in a 53% probability the Fed will cut rates by 25 basis points in December. Bets that Trump's administration will take a lighter-touch approach to regulation also propelled bitcoin to the brink of $100,000 for the first time. The world's largest cryptocurrency gained 1.33% to $99,384.00. Ethereum declined 1.59% to $3,295.40. The euro fell to a two-year low while the dollar gained after gauges of business activity were released in each region. A gauge of the U.S. manufacturing sector compiled by S&P Global increased to 55.3 this month, the highest level since April 2022. A similar gauge for the euro zone sank to a 10-month low of 48.1 in November. The dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of currencies, rose 0.43% to 107.52, with the euro down 0.56% at $1.0414 after falling to $1.0333, its lowest since Nov. 30, 2022. Oil prices climbed about 1%, settling at a two-week high, driven by the intensifying Russia-Ukraine conflict. Brent futures rose 1.3% to settle at $75.17 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude rose 1.6% to settle at $71.24. Gold prices breached the $2,700 threshold for the first time in two weeks, on track for their biggest weekly gain in over a year. Spot gold rose 1.37% to $2,706.39 an ounce. U.S. gold futures settled 1.4% higher at $2,712.20. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.NoneThe world’s fastest high-speed train, the CR450 prototype, has been unveiled in China. The formidable CR450 train is capable of reaching test speeds of 450 km/h, marking a milestone in global rail technology. The CR450 high-speed train Unveiled in Beijing on Sunday, December 29, the CR450 prototype is a significant advancement over the CR400 Fuxing trains currently in service, which operate at a maximum speed of 350 km/h. Most Read on Euro Weekly News Dystopian robot cop hits Chinese streets China’s artificial island airport set to transform Asian aviation According to the China State Railway Group Co. (China Railway), the train reached a record test speed of 450 km/h, with plans to operate commercially at 400 km/h. This could further reduce travel times and enhance efficiency across China’s vast rail network. The CR450 incorporates cutting-edge design enhancements, including aerodynamic windshields and lightweight materials. According to Shine News, these features also reduce interior noise by two decibels and increase passenger space by 4 per cent. China’s expanding high-speed rail network China boasts the world’s most extensive high-speed rail (HSR) network, spanning 47,000 km of operational tracks. Notably, The Economic Times reported that the Beijing-Shanghai line remains the most profitable route, while other lines are yet to achieve financial viability. China’s HSR network has profoundly impacted the nation’s economy and society. As Shine News reported, it has reduced travel times, boosted industrial activity, and enhanced regional connectivity. Despite some routes struggling financially, the network is a testament to China’s commitment to innovation and infrastructure development. View all travel news .
John Torode 'repeatedly flagged' Gregg Wallace's 'inappropriate behaviour' to MasterChef bossesEmmerdale viewers have figured out the real reason behind Joe Tate's unexpected return to the village. Joe, played by Ned Porteous, made a surprise comeback to the Dales at Christmas, coinciding with the death of Will Taylor, Kim Tate's husband. However, it's clear that Joe is hiding something significant - but what could it be, and what's troubling him? Fans of the ITV soap are speculating that Joe's return might be due to financial struggles or a serious health issue. Concerned viewers shared their thoughts on social media. One fan commented: "If they've just brought Joe back to kill him off, I'm not going to be happy.. #Emmerdale," while another added: "Joe's going to have some terminal illness, isn't he? #Emmerdale." A third viewer suggested: "I reckon Joe is only back because he ran out of money because he's a drugs addict #Emmerdale," and a fourth asked: "What's up with Joe... #Emmerdale.", reports Leeds Live . Ned Porteous, the actor who plays Joe, expressed his excitement about returning to the show: "I'm thrilled to be back in Emmerdale. Joe has unfinished business, and it feels like the right time for his comeback." "Joe has always had a dark side, but there might be something much bigger at play here. Joe's return is not without reason, and the chaos at Home Farm is just the beginning of a much larger storyline." He hinted: "It's safe to say the audience can expect fireworks this holiday season!" Producer Laura Shaw shared of the return: "We are thrilled to welcome Ned back to Village. From the moment Joe arrives on screen, it's clear there's trouble ahead but Joe's hiding an even darker secret that could see 2025 start off with a huge bang." In the latest episode, the mystery deepened as April (Amelia Flanagan) remained missing, with Marlon (Mark Charnock) frantically searching for her. Despite his efforts, including an attempt to confront Jade, April's whereabouts continued to elude everyone. Meanwhile, Jade ended up in police custody, and Marlon's unexpected visit to the illegal boxing den accelerated the police investigation. The episode concluded with Billy (Jay Kontzle) voicing his suspicions to Dawn (Olivia Bromley) about Joe's potential involvement in Will's death, leaving viewers questioning whether Joe could be responsible. *Emmerdale airs weekdays at 7.30pm on ITV1 and ITVX, with an hour long episode on Thursdays.Irene Fulton has worked as a counselor at Fort Worth ISD’s West Handley Elementary School for 29 years. Soon, she’ll retire, she told the Report. Not long after that, the school in which she spent nearly half of her career will be gone, too. During Fort Worth ISD’s Dec. 10 meeting, trustees voted to close West Handley Elementary School as part of the district’s effort to address declining enrollment and modernize facilities. Instead of formally announcing a closure, trustees voted to redraw attendance boundaries to gradually phase out West Handley’s use as an elementary school. The 70-year-old campus’s fate is tied to the replacement of Eastern Hills Elementary School , which will soon be completely rebuilt at its current site at 5917 Shelton St. During the meeting, trustees voted 8-0 to enter into a new contract with BRW Architects to design the $47.8 million campus. That new campus, funded by the district’s $1.2 billion 2021 bond program, will feature a modern design with space for up to 750 students. As of the 2022-23 school year, 472 students attended the current Eastern Hills Elementary campus while 392 students attended West Handley. Once the replacement campus is completed in 2028, students from both Eastern Hills and West Handley will consolidate into the new building, closing West Handley as an elementary school. During construction, Eastern Hills students will temporarily relocate to West Handley. The two campuses are located less than a mile from each other. Get essential daily news for the Fort Worth area. Sign up for insightful, in-depth stories — completely free. To alleviate overcrowding at West Handley and the eventual Eastern Hills campus, trustees also approved boundary adjustments to rezone some West Handley students into Sagamore Hill Elementary, effective next school year. Now, all residents living south of Lancaster Avenue and west of Tierney Road will send their children to Sagamore Hill starting next school year. Incoming fifth grade students will be allowed to stay at West Handley, though transportation will not be provided. “We look to stabilize enrollment across our campuses and better utilize our facilities,” said Kellie Spencer, deputy superintendent of operations. The boundary redraw affecting West Handley wasn’t the only one approved at the meeting. Trustees also voted to rezone students between Carter Park Elementary and Clifford Davis Elementary schools in the O.D. Wyatt High School pyramid. Clifford Davis, which the district says is over capacity, will transfer 105 students to Carter Park, which has space to accommodate students. The adjustment moves the dividing line between the schools from Sycamore Creek to the Fort Worth & Western Railroad tracks, beginning in the 2025-26 school year. “The resulting shift will balance utilization rates and improve operational efficiency for both schools,” meeting documents said. Aging infrastructure, underutilized campuses and an uneven distribution of students have prompted the district to rethink how its schools are used across the district, officials said, especially in regard to projects listed in the 2021 bond like Eastern Hills Elementary. “To improve utilization rates in the Eastern Hills pyramid, it is necessary to reduce the number of schools in the area inside Loop 820 from four schools to three,” meeting documents said. In the case of Eastern Hills, the current building’s design and aging infrastructure made it a clear candidate for replacement, said Mike Naughton, executive director of facility planning. The new campus will address accessibility challenges and modernize learning environments, he said. “There has not been new construction in the Eastern Hills pyramid inside Loop 820 in almost 70 years,” Naughton said. “The size of this property between the high school and the elementary school together really provides us a lot of opportunities and options that we don’t have elsewhere.” During construction, the 48-acre site will undergo significant changes, officials said, including plans to improve traffic flow during pickup and drop-off. At a Dec. 9 community meeting at Eastern Hills High School, BRW Architects emphasized that community input will continue to shape its final design. West Handley is slated for closure due to the campus’s lack of educational adequacy compared to other nearby campuses, which examines whether school facilities meet the district’s educational standards. Prior to the building becoming an elementary school, West Handley was utilized as a district service center, Spencer said. The building’s future use remains uncertain. Spencer assured the community during a Dec. 5 meeting at the campus that the building will not remain vacant, but its exact purpose will be determined after the transition. Ideas floated during the meeting included converting it back into a district operations center or a community resource hub. To Fulton, West Handley’s longtime counselor, the upcoming changes are bittersweet. She understands the need to consolidate campuses but hopes it’s done efficiently. Fulton wonders how many students will attend West Handley during the transition period, as the campus has a capacity of 671 students. As of 2022-23, a total of 864 students attended both Eastern Hills and West Handley. School officials told her that she and her colleagues will know more in January, she said. For now, officials estimate that approximately 120 students will shift from West Handley to Sagamore Hill for the 2025-26 school year to balance enrollment, according to meeting documents. “In this business, the one thing that’s constant is change,” Fulton said. “I have a wait-and-see attitude right now. Just wait and see.” Eventually, Fulton will be sad to see the building where she spent nearly 30 years no longer filled with the shuffling of small feet down hallways and laughter echoing from classrooms. But as the noise and activity at West Handley diminishes, the action will shift less than a mile north to the new Eastern Hills Elementary campus. West Handley neighbors living on Putnam Street will almost certainly appreciate the lack of noise and traffic, she said. Matthew Sgroi is an education reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at matthew.sgroi@fortworthreport.org or @matthewsgroi1 . 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You can’t edit our stories, except to reflect relative changes in time, location and editorial style. Our stories may appear on pages with ads, but not ads specifically sold against our stories. You can’t sell or syndicate our stories. You can only publish select stories individually — not as a collection. Any web site our stories appear on must include a contact for your organization. If you share our stories on social media, please tag us in your posts using @FortWorthReport on Facebook and @FortWorthReport on Twitter. by Matthew Sgroi, Fort Worth Report December 11, 2024Tigers sign former Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres to a $15 million, 1-year deal