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Bluesky updates impersonation policy to fight fake accountsNikki Kaye was an MP for Auckland Central. Photo: RNZ A close friend of Kaye's, who did not want to be named, told RNZ the former MP for Auckland Central passed away after a long battle with cancer. Former colleague and National MP Maggie Barry posted on Facebook today a picture of the pair with the caption "farewell my friend". Kaye was in Parliament for 12 years, entering in 2008 aged 28, before announcing in July 2020 she wouldn't contest the upcoming election. Kaye had worked for Bill English when he was Leader of the Opposition in 2002. In January 2013, she was appointed to Cabinet by then Prime Minister Sir John Key, eventually holding ministerial (and associate) responsibilities for ACC, Civil Defence, Education, Food Safety, Immigration, Youth and Youth Affairs over the next seven years. In 2016, Kaye took leave after being diagnosed with breast cancer at 36 and returned to Parliament and her ministerial roles in 2017 after successful treatment. She held the electorate of Auckland Central during her entire time in Parliament, overthrowing Labour's Judith Tizard in 2008, and was the first National MP to win the electorate. She became the Deputy Leader of the National Party in May 2020 when Todd Muller took over from Simon Bridges. Kaye has always been more on the socially liberal side of the National Party, voting in favour of MP Louisa Wall's Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Act 2013, allowing same-sex couples to legally marry. In an interview with RNZ's Nine to Noon programme in 2020, Kaye spoke about having breast cancer. "The other thing is, being diagnosed with breast cancer, and I've not talked in detail about my health before, I don't see life as a situation whereby you can always plan things and my view is that you have to live every moment and I have given everything to the party and the country," she said in tears. "You have to know when your time is up and you've given it your all." Prime Minister and National Party leader Christopher Luxon and Deputy Leader Nicola Willis said they are deeply saddened by the passing of Kaye. Luxon said in a statement Kaye was a cherished colleague, friend, and former minister. "Nikki's contribution to our party, her community, and New Zealand has left an indelible mark. Her tireless dedication, sharp intellect, and tenacity earned her the respect of people across the political spectrum," Luxon says. "Nikki was a remarkable person and a crusader for what she believed in, and her contribution has left our country in a better place." Willis said Kaye was one of the bravest Parliamentarians New Zealand has seen. "She was not only a colleague, but a brilliant friend to many of us. She was fiercely committed to her constituents and her values and she contributed so much of her soul to this country party and our party. "Our thoughts are with her family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time," Willis says.Preview: MK Dons vs. Crewe Alexandra - prediction, team news, lineups
It’s just about time to call it quits on 2024 and already the previous year feels like a blur. Before we set our sights on the future, though, let’s take a moment to take a glance back. Interprovincial Manhunt One of the most startling stories to hit our region last year began in the wee hours of a summer morning, bringing tragedy to Niverville’s doorstep. On June 5, residents awoke to news of a police confrontation in front of the Shell station on the west side of town. As the day unfolded, locals learned that one man was dead as a result of RCMP gunfire and two more suspected criminals had fled the scene in a stolen vehicle. David Frank Burling, 29, was arrested in rural Saskatchewan after a chase across two provinces that ended later in the day. The woman in his company was eventually released without charges. Burling and his deceased accomplice, Tristan Mariash, had a long history with the law. Both had received early release from prison months prior. In February 2023, Burling was charged with attempted murder, assaulting a police officer with a weapon, flight from police, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, possession of stolen property, and two counts of theft. After serving just 72 days of a two-and-a-half-year sentence, Burling was at it again. The manhunt began just after midnight in Winnipeg. Working together, the Winnipeg Police Service and RCMP tracked the trio’s stolen F-350 with the aid of a police helicopter, leading them to Providence University College in Otterburne. One Otterburne resident recalled waking up to the sound of gunshots near his home on campus. Proof of the altercation could be seen in the form of a police cruiser on the side of the highway. It contained 14 bullet holes. The manhunt continued to Niverville, where the criminals were spotted attempting to steal a different vehicle parked at the Shell station. Some residents reported being awoken around 3:00 a.m. to the sound of a woman’s screams. Burling and his female companion successfully fled the scene, but Mariash died when attempts by Niverville EMS to resuscitate him failed. Stormy Rollout of Plan20-50 Perhaps the most tumultuous story came later in the summer, due to a high tide of public criticism over the Winnipeg Metro Region’s (WMR) proposed Plan20-50, a 127-page document intended to operate as a 30-year guide to regional planning for the 18 municipalities making up the capital region, including Niverville and the RM of Ritchot. Events came to a head on August 8 when a public hearing held by the WMR at the Niverville Heritage Centre was met with hundreds of disgruntled attendees. Many were turned away due to a lack of seating. RCMP were on site to maintain order. That August public hearing had to be cancelled. To date, no new hearing has been set and the future of the plan is highly uncertain. For many attending the meeting that day, Plan20-50 is anything but innocuous. Many believe it represents a threat to the freedom of movement Manitobans currently enjoy. Terms such as “15-minute city,” “density targets,” and “global agenda” cropped up in conversation and social media for weeks. One Niverville public council meeting required an RCMP presence. Some Plan20-50 objectors were escorted out when they demanded their voice be heard in a session unrelated to plan. In the coming weeks, several councils expressed disenchantment with Plan20-50 and the WMR’s approach, among them the Town of Niverville and Ritchot mayor Chris Ewen. “This letter is not to express my position either for or against the plan itself, but to indicate my concern about the misinformation and the lack of clarification allowed from the WMR board members,” Ewen said in his public statement. In part, he referred to a letter from the WMR which requested that board members not communicate about Plan20-50 with their constituents during the public hearing process. Around the same time, a statement from Niverville’s council conveyed a list of specific concerns, including Niverville’s forced inclusion on the WMR board. Mandated participation from the 18 RMs had been made official in March 2023. Late in the summer, Premier Wab Kinew stated his intent to provide an opt-out option for municipalities. Tumult in Education The year also brought turmoil to local two school divisions. The Seine River School Division (SRSD) was assigned a provincial investigator in January to conduct a deep dive into the division’s troubled finances. This was in response to the revelation of a $3.1 million deficit reported by the division late in 2023. It was estimated that the deficit would grow to $5.3 million without some deep budget cuts. The coming weeks required hard work from the SRSD trustee board in terms of cutbacks and tax hikes. The board also faced the prospect of losing a number of teachers who were considering a move at the end of the school year. If that weren’t enough, a 15-day strike of custodial workers followed in February, which ended with the trustee board agreeing to a wage increase. By May, superintendent/CEO Ryan Anderson called it quits. He was replaced by Hanover School Division’s (HSD) Colin Campbell later that summer. HSD itself underwent a staffing shake-up this past year, with superintendent/CEO Shelley Amos giving notice early in 2024. The role was assumed by Joe Thiessen, a 28-year HSD veteran. And when Campbell left shortly after, he was replaced by Marlin Adrian. Other big administrative changes came to the Niverville High School when Principal Kimberley Funk gave her notice. Funk had been instrumental in opening the school in 2019 and played a significant role in the implementation of a project-based program. Funk was replaced by Paul Grosskopf, new to HSD after years serving as vice principal and instructional coach at École St. Adolphe. As in the case of the SRSD, the province deemed it necessary to appoint an advisor to the HSD trustee board last year, too. This was the result of accusations of discrimination by a group calling themselves the Hanover Parent Alliance for Diversity (HPAD). This was the second time in seven years that the HSD board faced such allegations. In both cases, the concerns revolved around the division’s lack of inclusivity for members of the LGBTQ community. HPAD alleged that the board was attempting to vet teachers who identified with or were sympathetic to the LGBTQ community, a role which traditionally does not fall into the trustees’ wheelhouse. Late last year, HSD announced staffing cuts for 93 educational assistants (EA) due to a lack of government follow-through on funding promised through Jordan’s Principle grants. “In early summer, the regional office for Indigenous Services Canada informed us that, based upon our renewal application for Jordan’s Principle funding, we could proceed with hiring staff for the start of the new school year,” superintendent-CEO Joe Thiessen said. “With this information, we proceeded in good faith that funding was secured. However, over the past few months, responsibility for administering the funding shifted to the federal office of Indigenous Services Canada. This change was introduced without our knowledge and now requires us to reapply for funding, which we intend to do.” In the meantime, a good number of HSD’s Indigenous students currently lack the EA supports they’ve become accustomed to in recent years. Infrastructure Starts and Stops Both Ritchot and Niverville saw some significant infrastructure improvements this year. After years of waiting on the province, residents of Île-des-Chênes are finally driving along a rebuilt Main Street, although construction wasn’t without its issues. It didn’t take some residents long to criticize the seemingly narrow lanes being created with the development of bump-outs, or parking bubbles, along the street. Following conversations between the construction company, the RM’s public works department, and an engineering team, it was concluded that wider lanes would be preferable. The already installed concrete curbing was removed and rebuilt, widening the lane from 10 feet, 8 inches to a full 12 feet. Meanwhile, tendering for St. Adolphe’s Main Street rebuild is scheduled to begin in spring 2025. Ste. Agathe residents are also adjusting to new traffic flows thanks to the restoration of the Louis Riel Bridge. In its entirety, construction is expected to last well into 2026. This project, estimated at $48.6 million, will involve a major reconstruction of the structure’s foundation to bring it up to current federal standards. The deck and railings will be replaced, creating wider lanes and shoulders. The sidewalk will be separated from traffic by concrete barriers. The Louis Riel Bridge was first built in 1959, replacing a ferry system that had transported vehicles across the Red River. It has since served as a vital east-west link, connecting traffic from the east side of the river to Highway 75. Another significant infrastructure undertaking this year resulted in a large-scale refurbishment of the RM’s civic office building and grounds. The building is now twice as large and includes new council chambers, a brightly lit reception area, and new office spaces. A ribbon-cutting ceremony took place on October 16. However, another Ritchot project never made it off the ground. This was Legacy Park in Île-des-Chênes. For more than a decade, council had been working with a planning committee to establish the details of a 40-acre park to be built on land leased from TC Energy. In July, a statement from the RM revealed that TC Energy had had a change of heart. “Our plan was to use this land to develop a much-needed park space in the community,” the RM said. “Unfortunately, and to our disappointment, TC Energy has stated that they are unable to donate this parcel of land at this time but will work with the municipality to identify other areas they may be able to support the community.” One month later, a residential development was temporarily put on hold in St. Adolphe. The housing project at 420 Main Street was nearly ready to get underway when newly placed lot boundary markers uncovered an unexpected problem. On the development side of the markers lay a grave marked by a headstone with the name Marie-Thérèse Leclerc. Leclerc was seven years old at the time of her death and had been laid to rest here, next to the parish cemetery, more than a century earlier. The story took on a surprising twist when parishioners and longtime St. Adolphe residents began to speak up with knowledge of other historical graves on the site. It turned out that grave makers for many children once buried here had been washed away during the 1950 flood. All that had been left to memorialize them was a granite cairn, erected at the southeast corner of the parish property. On that cairn is etched the names of dozens of deceased who are listed in the parish’s records. In late September, the province sent in an excavation team to determine the degree to which these graves would be disturbed by the residential development. Later that same week, construction was finally able to get going. Water Hookups and Land Annexations In March, Niverville’s council was taken by surprise when hundreds of residents showed up to an informational open house on the topic of an opportunity for them to hook up to the town’s water system. At present, there are still about 700 households using private wells in Niverville. The goal of council that night was to glean public interest in municipal water treatment plant hookup if a significant grant could be obtained to help mitigate homeowner costs. Passions ran high for many who attended the meeting, worried they were being pushed into a very expensive hookup for a service they didn’t want. In the end, the mayor and council answered questions as best they could and provided a survey for well owners to fill out. Without an 80 percent buy-in, they said they would not proceed with water treatment plant mainlines through the older sections of Niverville. A few weeks later, the results were in. Based on responses from 51 percent of affected homeowners, the answer was a resounding no. Niverville was on the receiving end of another no late in the year. In November, the province officially declined council’s request for a 2,600-acre land annexation. The land in question runs to Niverville’s east, from the community’s current boundary all the way to Highway 59. If approved, it would have more than doubled Niverville’s current footprint and provided an answer to how the community can continue to grow over the next 50 years. For now, Mayor Myron Dyck says, the plan has gone back to the drawing board. Council first applied to the province for this annexation two years ago in response to a sustainable growth strategy report prepared for them by Urban Systems. According to that report, based on Niverville’s current rate of growth, the community would run out of developable residential land in the next 15 to 20 years. “Although 20 years may seem like a long time, it is important to plan proactively for the future to ensure sustainable growth for Niverville,” stated a 2022 council press release. “Transferring lands now will ensure that [the parcels] do not become fragmented or developed with incompatible uses, and more difficult to transfer or develop in the future.”NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes fell Thursday following some potentially discouraging data on the economy . The S&P 500 slipped 0.5% for its fourth loss in the last six days. It’s a pause for the index, which has been rallying toward one of its best years of the millennium . The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 234 points, or 0.5%, and the Nasdaq composite sank 0.7% from its record set the day before. A report early in the morning said more U.S. workers applied for unemployment benefits last week than expected. A separate update, meanwhile, showed that inflation at the wholesale level, before it reaches U.S. consumers, was hotter last month than economists expected. Neither report points to imminent disaster, but they dilute one of the hopes that’s driven the S&P 500 to 57 all-time highs so far this year : Inflation is slowing enough to convince the Federal Reserve to keep cutting interest rates, while the economy is remaining solid enough to stay out of a recession. Of the two reports, the weaker update on the job market may be the bigger deal for the market, according to Chris Larkin, managing director, trading and investing, at E-Trade from Morgan Stanley. A surge in egg prices may have been behind the worse-than-expected inflation numbers. “One week doesn’t negate what has been a relatively steady stream of solid labor market data, but the Fed is primed to be sensitive to any signs of a softening jobs picture,” he said. Traders are widely expecting the Fed will ease its main interest rate at its meeting next week. If they’re correct, it would be a third straight cut by the Fed after it began lowering rates in September from a two-decade high. It’s hoping to support a slowing job market after getting inflation nearly all the way down to its 2% target. Lower rates would give a boost to the economy and to prices for investments, but they could also provide more fuel for inflation. A cut next week would have the Fed following other central banks, which lowered rates on Thursday. The European Central Bank cut rates by a quarter of a percentage point, as many investors expected, and the Swiss National Bank cut its policy rate by a steeper half of a percentage point. Following its decision, Switzerland’s central bank pointed to uncertainty about how U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s victory will affect economic policies, as well as about where politics in Europe is heading. Trump has talked up tariffs and other policies that could upend global trade. He rang the bell marking the start of trading at the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday to chants of “USA.” On Wall Street, Adobe fell 13.7% and was one of the heaviest weights on the market despite reporting stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. The company gave forecasts for profit and revenue in its upcoming fiscal year that fell a bit shy of analysts’. Warner Bros. Discovery soared 15.4% after unveiling a new corporate structure that separates its streaming business and film studios from its traditional television business. CEO David Zaslav said the move “enhances our flexibility with potential future strategic opportunities,” raising speculation about a spinoff or sale. Kroger rose 3.2% after saying it would get back to buying back its own stock now that its attempt to merge with Albertsons is off . Kroger’s board approved a program to repurchase up to $7.5 billion of its stock, replacing an existing $1 billion authorization. All told, the S&P 500 fell 32.94 points to 6,051.25. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 234.55 to 43,914.12, and the Nasdaq composite sank 132.05 to 19,902.84. In stock markets abroad, European indexes held relatively steady following the European Central Bank’s cut to rates. Asian markets were stronger. Indexes rose 1.2% in Hong Kong and 0.8% in Shanghai as leaders met in Beijing to set economic plans and targets for the coming year. South Korea’s Kospi rose 1.6% for its third straight gain of at least 1%, as it pulls back following last week’s political turmoil where its president briefly declared martial law. In the bond market, the 10-year U.S. Treasury yield rose to 4.33% from 4.27% late Wednesday. AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed.
(CNN) — President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Ed Martin, a hardline, socially conservative activist and commentator, to serve as the next chief of staff at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). As CNN first reported in July, Martin has publicly advocated for a national abortion ban without exceptions for rape or incest and has raised imposing criminal penalties on women and doctors involved in abortions. Martin is a former chair of the Missouri Republican Party chair and former radio host, and served as one of the leaders of the 2024 Republican National Convention’s platform committee, which shaped the party’s official stance on key issues. He is the current president of socially conservative group Phyllis Schlafly Eagles. The OMB plays a key role in shaping the president’s economic and legislative agenda by reviewing funding proposals and ensuring they align with the administration’s policy priorities. Martin’s role at OMB could have a potential impact on how federal funds are allocated for programs related to women’s health or reproductive rights. CNN first reported Martin’s comments about potentially jailing women for abortions when he was named deputy policy director for the Republican National Convention’s platform committee. Ultimately, at Trump’s request , the platform softened its language on abortion to remove support for a national ban. A Pew Research Center survey from May 2024 showed that 63% of US adults believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases. Martin didn’t respond to CNN’s requests for comment on the initial story or this one. During his radio show in May 2022, Martin repeatedly discussed the prospect of imprisoning women who undergo abortions, stating, “If you believe it’s a baby – I do – then you have to do something to protect the baby.” Martin has also urged anti-abortion activists to frame the debate in terms of protecting the unborn rather than adopting the framing used by abortion rights advocates about being about a women’s choice. He argued that if the discussion focuses on a woman’s right to choose, it becomes politically difficult to justify criminal penalties for women who get abortions. However, by shifting the argument to focus on the life of the baby, the possibility of punitive measures for women and doctors becomes open. “The late Phyllis Schlafly, whom I worked so closely with, used to say, ‘If you get to claim and frame the argument, you almost certainly get to win,’” Martin said. “In other words, if you take their framing, it’s a woman’s right. Are you gonna put women in jail? No. It’s about a baby. Now, what do we do? Frame the argument. Own the argument.” At the OMB, Martin will report to incoming director Russell Vought, another staunch conservative who previously served in the role during Trump’s first term. Martin and Vought also served together on the platform committee. In the days after a draft opinion striking down Roe v. Wade was leaked in May 2022, Martin first discussed on his radio show possible prison sentences for women and doctors who perform abortions. “If you ban abortion in Louisiana, is a doctor who has an abortion breaking the law? Yes. Should he be punished? Yes – I think that seems obvious. What is the punishment? Not sure yet. Could be criminal, could be a jail sentence, I suppose,” he said. Trump praised Martin in a Truth Social post announcing the selection, writing, “Ed is a winner who will help Make America Great Again!” Martin has also opposed exceptions for abortions to save the life of the mother, calling it “an absolute scientific fact that no abortion is ever performed to save the life of the mother. None, zero, zilch.” According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists , complications during pregnancy can pose life-threatening risks, sometimes requiring an abortion to preserve the mother’s life. Abortions may be necessary to save the life of the mother suffering from pregnancy complications, such as preeclampsia or an ectopic pregnancy. “The true bane of the pro-life movement is the faction of fake pro-lifers who claim to believe in the sanctity of human life but are only willing to vote that way with a list of exceptions,” Martin said on another radio show in June 2022 – days after Roe v. Wade was struck down. His hardline views contrast with Trump’s recent efforts to moderate his rhetoric on abortion, as the issue has become politically challenging for Republicans following the overturning of Roe v. Wade . Trump has advocated for exceptions in cases of rape, incest, and the health of the mother and said that the issue of abortion should largely be left to the states. Still, Martin has continued to push for absolute restrictions on abortion, rejecting exceptions of any kind, including, as he said in July 2022, the rape of a 10-year-old Ohio girl. “Don’t tell me to stop talking about abortion,” Martin said in April 2024 on his radio show. “Don’t tell me that because you don’t think it’s a winner politically, I’m supposed to stop talking about abortion.” The-CNN-Wire TM & © 2024 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.VW gearing up to celebrate 50 years of the PoloONE Gas to Participate in Jefferies, Mizuho, and Wells Fargo Utility Conferences
Botafogo won the Copa Libertadores for the first time in their history with a 3-1 victory over fellow Brazilians Atletico Mineiro on Saturday. Botafogo played almost the entire match with ten men after Gregore was sent off in the first minute but they showed impressive spirit and resilience to secure victory at River Plate's Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires. Midfielder Gregore was shown a red card after a wild, high challenge on Fauto Vera, forcing Botafogo to adjust their game plan, but Atletico failed to press home their numerical advantage. Veteran forward Hulk had an effort from outside the box saved by John but the team from Belo Horizonte created little pressure. Sensing the game might not be the rearguard action they might have expected, Botafogo began to show more attacking intent and they were rewarded in the 35th minute. Marlon Freitas's shot from the edge of the box ricocheted around a crowded box before the ball fell to Luiz Henrique, who fired home from close range. To their credit, Botafogo didn't retreat to defend their slim advantage and they were able to double their lead in the 44th minute. Atletico defender Guilherme Arana attempted to shepherd the ball back to goalkeeper Everson but Luiz Henrique snuck between the pair and went down under challenge from the keeper. After a VAR review, a penalty was awarded and Alex Telles confidently smashed home the spot kick to give Botafogo an unlikely 2-0 lead at the break. Atletico, who won the Libertadores in 2013, made a triple substitution at the interval and it paid off swiftly with Eduardo Vargas heading in from a corner. Inevitably, there was late pressure from Atletico, but Botafogo made sure of the victory when Junior Santos finished off a counter-attack deep in stoppage time. With the win, Botafogo earns the final of 32 places in next year's FIFA Club World Cup to be held in the United States. sev/jsAidan O’Connell shows in loss to Chiefs that he is the Raiders’ QB for the rest of seasonNEW YORK (AP) — Stocks fell in morning trading Friday as Wall Street closes out a holiday-shortened week. The S&P 500 fell 1.4%, with more than 80% of stocks in the benchmark index losing ground. Still, the index is managing to hold onto a modest gain for the week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 402 points, or 0.9%, to 42,945 as of 10:41 a.m. Eastern time. The Nasdaq composite fell 2%. Both the Dow and the Nasdaq are also holding on to weekly gains. Technology stocks were the biggest drag on the market Friday. Semiconductor giant Nvidia slumped 3.2%. Its enormous valuation gives it an outsize influence on indexes. Other Big Tech stocks losing ground included Microsoft, with a 2.2% decline. A wide range of retailers also fell. Amazon fell 2.2% and Best Buy slipped 1.9%. The sector is being closely watched for clues on how it performed during the holiday shopping season. Energy was the only sector within the S&P 500 rising. It gained 0.5% as crude oil prices rose 0.8%. Investors don't have much in the way of corporate or economic updates to review as the market moves closer to another standout annual finish. The S&P 500 is on track for a gain of around 25% in 2024. That would mark a second consecutive yearly gain of more than 20%, the first time that has happened since 1997-1998. The gains have been driven partly by upbeat economic data showing that consumers continued spending and the labor market remained strong. Inflation, while still high, has also been steadily easing. A report on Friday showed that sales and inventory estimates for the wholesales trade industry fell 0.2% in November, following a slight gain in October. That weaker-than-expected report follows an update on the labor market Thursday that showed unemployment benefits held steady last week. In Asia, Japan’s benchmark index surged as the yen remained weak against the dollar. Stocks in South Korea fell after the main opposition party voted to impeach the country’s acting leader. Markets in Europe gained ground. Bond yields held relatively steady. The yield on the 10-year Treasury remained at 4.59% from late Thursday. The yield on the two-year Treasury slipped to 4.32% from 4.33% late Thursday. Wall Street will have more economic updates to look forward to next week, including reports on pending home sales and home prices. There will also be reports on U.S. construction spending and snapshots of manufacturing activity.
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- Apple on Monday announced its list of finalists for "iPhone App of the Year" award. The company's 2024 list of top iPhone finalists favors more traditional iOS apps, including those that help iPhone users perform specific tasks like recording professional video (Kino), tailoring their running plans (Runna), or organizing their travels (Tripsy). The artificial intelligence (AI) apps like ChatGPT, Anthropic's Claude, Microsoft Copilot, and those that create AI photos or videos were not nominated for iPhone App of the Year. Among Apple's list of 45 finalists across various categories in apps and games, AI-powered apps were mentioned only a few times.Fazl calls for transparent polls
One night last month, near the end of the Chicago International Film Festival, a particularly long line of moviegoers snaked down Southport Avenue by the Music Box Theatre. The hot ticket? This fall’s hottest ticket, in fact, all over the international festival circuit? Well, it’s a 215-minute drama about a fictional Hungarian Jewish architect who emigrates to America in 1947 after surviving the Holocaust. The film’s title, “The Brutalist,” references several things, firstly a post-World War II design imperative made of stern concrete, steel, and a collision of poetry and functionality. Director and co-writer Brady Corbet, who wrote “The Brutalist” with his filmmaker wife, Mona Fastvold, explores brutalism in other forms as well, including love, envy, capitalist economics and how the promise of America eludes someone like the visionary architect László Tóth, played by Adrien Brody. Corbet, now 36 and a good bet for Oscar nominations this coming January, says his unfashionable sprawl of a picture, being distributed by A24, is also about the “strange relationship between artist and patron, and art and commerce.” It co-stars Felicity Jones as the visionary architect’s wife, Erzsébet, trapped in Eastern Europe after the war with their niece for an agonizingly long time. Guy Pearce portrays the imperious Philadelphia blueblood who hires Tóth, a near-invisible figure in his adopted country, to design a monumental public building known as the Institute in rural Pennsylvania. The project becomes an obsession, then a breaking point and then something else. Corbet’s project, which took the better part of a decade to come together after falling apart more than once, felt like that, too. Spanning five decades and filmed in Hungary and Italy, “The Brutalist” looks like a well-spent $50 million project. In actuality, it was made for a mere $10 million, with Corbet and cinematographer Lol Crawley shooting on film, largely in the VistaVision process. The filmmaker said at the Chicago festival screening: “Who woulda thunk that for screening after screening over the last couple of months, people stood in line around the block to get into a three-and-a-half-hour movie about a mid-century designer?” He lives in Brooklyn, New York, with Fastvold and their daughter. Our conversation has been edited for clarity and length. Q: Putting together an independent movie, keeping it on track, getting it made: not easy, as you told the Music Box audience last night. Money is inevitably going to be part of the story of “The Brutalist,” since you had only so much to make a far-flung historical epic. A: Yeah, that’s right. In relation to my earlier features, “The Childhood of a Leader” had a $3 million budget. The budget for “Vox Lux” was right around $10 million, same as “The Brutalist,” although the actual production budget for “Vox Lux” was about $4.5 million. Which is to say: All the money on top of that was going to all the wrong places. For a lot of reasons, when my wife and I finished the screenplay for “The Brutalist,” we ruled out scouting locations in Philadelphia or anywhere in the northeastern United States. We needed to (film) somewhere with a lot less red tape. My wife’s previous film, “The World to Come,” she made in Romania; we shot “Childhood of a Leader” in Hungary. For “The Brutalist” we initially landed on Poland, but this was early on in COVID and Poland shut its borders the week our crew was arriving for pre-production. When we finally got things up and running again with a different iteration of the cast (the original ensemble was to star Joel Edgerton, Marion Cotillard and Mark Rylance), after nine months, the movie fell apart again because Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. We couldn’t get any of the banks to cash-flow the tax credit (for location shooting in Poland). It’s completely stable now, but at that time the banks were nervous about whether the war would be contained to Ukraine or not. And then we finally got it up and running in Budapest, Hungary. Q: That’s a long time. A: Every filmmaker I know suffers from some form of post-traumatic stress (laughs). It sounds funny but it’s true. At every level. On the level of independent cinema, you’re just so damn poor. You’re not making any money, and yet from nose to tail, at minimum, a movie always takes a couple of years. With bigger projects, you might have a little more personal security but a lot less creative security with so many more cooks in the kitchen. Either route you choose, it can be an arduous and painful one. Whether you’re making a movie for a million dollars, or $10 million, or $100 million, it’s still “millions of dollars.” And if you’re concerned about the lives and livelihoods of the people working with you, it’s especially stressful. People are constantly calling you: “Is it happening? Are we starting? Should I take this other job or not?” And you have 250 people who need that answer from you. Every iteration of the project, I always thought we were really about to start in a week, two weeks. It’s just very challenging interpersonally. It’s an imposition for everyone in your life. And then there’s the imposition of screening a movie that’s three-and-a-half-hours long for film festivals, where it’s difficult to find that kind of real estate on the schedule. So essentially, making a movie means constantly apologizing. Q: At what point in your acting career did you take a strong interest in what was going on behind the camera? A: I was making short films when I was 11, 12 years old. The first thing I ever made more properly, I guess, was a short film I made when I was 18, “Protect You + Me,” shot by (cinematographer) Darius Khondji. It was supposed to be part of a triptych of films, and I went to Paris for the two films that followed it. And then all the financing fell through. But that first one screened at the London film festival, and won a prize at Sundance, and I was making music videos and other stuff by then. Q: You’ve written a lot of screenplays with your wife. How many? A: Probably 25. We work a lot for other people, too. I think we’ve done six together for our own projects. Sometimes I’ll start something at night and my wife will finish in the morning. Sometimes we work very closely together, talking and typing together. It’s always different. Right now I’m writing a lot on the road, and my wife is editing her film, which is a musical we wrote, “Ann Lee,” about the founder of the Shakers. I’m working on my next movie now, which spans a lot of time, like “The Brutalist,” with a lot of locations. And I need to make sure we can do it for not a lot of money, because it’s just not possible to have a lot of money and total autonomy. For me making a movie is like cooking. If everyone starts coming in and throwing a dash of this or that in the pot, it won’t work out. A continuity of vision is what I look for when I read a novel. Same with watching a film. A lot of stuff out there today, appropriately referred to as “content,” has more in common with a pair of Nikes than it does with narrative cinema. Q: Yeah, I can’t imagine a lot of Hollywood executives who’d sign off on “The Brutalist.” A: Well, even with our terrific producing team, I mean, everyone was up for a three-hour movie but we were sort of pushing it with three-and-a-half (laughs). I figured, worst-case scenario, it opens on a streamer. Not what I had in mind, but people watch stuff that’s eight, 12 hours long all the time. They get a cold, they watch four seasons of “Succession.” (A24 is releasing the film in theaters, gradually.) It was important for all of us to try to capture an entire century’s worth of thinking about design with “The Brutalist.” For me, making something means expressing a feeling I have about our history. I’ve described my films as poetic films about politics, that go to places politics alone cannot reach. It’s one thing to say something like “history repeats itself.” It’s another thing to make people see that, and feel it. I really want viewers to engage with the past, and the trauma of that history can be uncomfortable, or dusty, or dry. But if you can make it something vital, and tangible, the way great professors can do for their students, that’s my definition of success. “The Brutalist” opens in New York and Los Angeles on Dec. 20. The Chicago release is Jan. 10, 2025. Michael Phillips is a Tribune critic.Editor’s note: The Social Security Administration previously warned users that accounts not connected to Login.gov would be retired starting in September 2024. However, as of Dec. 12 2024, Social Security recipients still have the ability to use their old login methods to access my Social Security. SSA told VERIFY: “We are currently in the transition process and our current goal is to notify the public about these upcoming changes, therefore we have not set a final deadline for legacy accounts to transition to a Login.gov account.” In an update to the frequently asked questions page on Dec. 12, SSA addressed concerns the process would affect payments, saying: “Your Social Security benefits and Medicare premium deduction are not affected by the transition. While we strongly encourage you to transition to or create a Login.gov or ID.me account to access your personal my Social Security account, it is optional.” The story continues as originally published below. The Social Security Administration has an online system, my Social Security , where people can log on and see information about their Social Security cards, applications or benefits. VERIFY readers Mary and Joan reached out to ask if notifications they received about setting up an account with a different website, Login.gov, to access their Social Security information online were real and whether it’s safe to create an account. Is it safe to use Login.gov to access online Social Security accounts? Social Security Administration AARP Yes, it’s safe to use Login.gov to access online Social Security accounts. Sign up for the VERIFY Fast Facts daily Newsletter! Login.gov is a legitimate website run by the federal government to authenticate the identity of online account holders. Users who aren’t using it or another government-approved authenticator will be required to do so in the coming months. The Social Security Administration is making updates to its online account system, according to a July 12 press release published by the agency. Starting in September , Social Security recipients will be required to use verification tools Login.gov or ID.me in order to access Social Security information online. “The agency is making the changes to simplify the sign-in experience and align with federal authentication standards while providing safe and secure access to online services,” the Social Security Administration says . The Social Security Administration has an update regarding the change pinned to the top of its website, ssa.gov . The email notice VERIFY reader Mary sent to us came from subscription.service@subscriptions.ssa.gov , a legitimate Social Security email address, according to the administration’s website . A pop up on Login.gov also confirms the website is an “official website of the United States government.” The .gov domain is also specifically reserved for government agencies. The other option for authentication, ID.me, is also legitimate. The company has partnered with 16 federal agencies to facilitate a login service “that meets the U.S. government's online identity proofing and authentication requirements,” the Social Security administration says. RELATED: No, Project 2025 doesn’t propose eliminating Social Security benefits Both provide users the ability to use just one username and password across multiple websites with two-factor authentication. The big difference between the two is that Login.gov is operated and run by the government, while ID.me is a third-party login system that can be used for government agencies, as well as non-government businesses. The Social Security Administration recommends ID.me for people living outside the United States. The systems offer additional protection from scammers who may “obtain your Social Security number and other personal information phishing, data breaches or other means may be able to go online and set up a My Social Security account in your name,” AARP says. Users already have the option to log in to their my Social Security accounts using Login.gov or ID.me, and people who have previously set up accounts through one of the authentication sites won’t need to take any action. Users who created my Social Security accounts before Sept. 18, 2021, and who have not created a login on one of the new authentication websites have just a few more months before their account is phased out. The Social Security Administration says “over five million of these account holders have already transitioned to Login.gov.” “Starting September 2024, these accounts will be retired,” the my Social Security login page says . For users who do not currently use Login.gov, switching over an account can be done when logging into my Social Security. After logging in on the my Social Security website with their username and password as usual, users with soon-to-be outdated accounts will be given an option to transfer over to the Login.gov system. They will then need to set up a second authentication method. Once the user links their account, a confirmation message will be shown, and Login.gov can be used to sign in to my Social Security in the future. The Social Security Administration recommends switching to a Login.gov account as soon as possible.
Lionel Messi wins MLS MVP award, the latest trophy on a long list of honors for the Inter Miami star FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi is the MVP of Major League Soccer for 2024. The award comes after a season where he missed 15 of Inter Miami’s 34 regular-season matches with injuries or commitments to Argentina’s national team. He still factored into a league-high 36 goals by scoring 20 and assisting on 16 others. His 2.1 goal contributions per 90 minutes played is the best by any player in any season in MLS history. MLS revealed the voting results Friday. Messi edged out Columbus Crew forward Cucho Hernández for the award, which is determined by a poll of players, club technical staff and select media members. NFL ends investigation into sexual assault allegations against Browns QB Deshaun Watson CLEVELAND (AP) — The NFL has closed an investigation into sexual assault allegations against Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson. The league has been reviewing the case for months, trying to determine whether Watson should be punished. League spokesman Brian McCarthy said in an email that "there was insufficient evidence to support a finding of a violation of the personal conduct policy.” Watson, who served an 11-game suspension in 2022, was accused of assault by a woman in September. She was seeking more than $1 million in damage before the sides reached a confidential settlement. Watson has played in just 19 games over three seasons for the Browns. NBA returning to China for pair of Suns-Nets preseason games in 2025 The NBA is returning to China next season. The league has struck a deal to play preseason games there more than five years after the league was effectively banned for Commissioner Adam Silver not punishing Daryl Morey for tweeting support of anti-government protesters in Hong Kong. Brooklyn and Phoenix will play games in China’s gambling hub of Macao on Oct. 10, 2025, and again two days later. There are more games planned for China in 2026, a source told The Associated Press. American ski racer Lindsey Vonn is picking up speed in her comeback bid at 40 years old COPPER MOUNTAIN, Colo. (AP) — American ski racer Lindsey Vonn darted through the shadows on the speed course at Copper Mountain on a frigid morning. She was on the hill Friday as she tries to make a comeback to skiing nearly six years after her last race. Vonn plans to enter a series of lower-tier FIS downhill and super-G races this weekend at Copper Mountain, Colorado. It could be the first step toward seeing her on the World Cup circuit again. NFL's next coaching cycle will feature an impressive list of candidates: Analysis The next NFL coaching cycle will feature an impressive list of candidates ranging from proven champions to up-and-coming coordinators. Six-time Super Bowl winner Bill Belichick heads the list of recognizable names that includes 2021 AP Coach of the Year Mike Vrabel. Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, Buccaneers OC Liam Cohen, Bills OC Joe Brady and Eagles OC Kellen Moore are among a lengthy list of young offensive-minded coaches who will garner plenty of interest. Hall of Famer Randy Moss is stepping away from ESPN for an extended time to deal with health issue Hall of Fame wide receiver Randy Moss is stepping away from his ESPN analyst role for an extended time to focus on a personal health challenge, the network said in a statement. Moss revealed last week that he’s dealing with a health issue and asked fans to pray for him and his family. The 47-year-old ESPN football analyst made his announcement on Instagram from the set of the network’s “Sunday NFL Countdown” show. He directed his message to men and urged them to get checkups and bloodwork done, without specifying any particular illness. No Bevo? SEC tells Texas there's no room for its 1,700-pound longhorn at title game vs. Georgia ATLANTA (AP) — The Southeastern Conference championship game will not feature another mascot showdown. The league says there's not enough space on the sideline at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta for No. 2 Texas to bring along its 1,700-pound longhorn Bevo XV for the game against No. 5 Georgia. The teams have two of college football’s most famous mascots. There should be enough sideline space for Georgia’s pure white English bulldog, Uga XI. Before the 2019 Sugar Bowl at the Superdome in New Orleans, Bevo XV toppled his barrier and began to charge at Uga X. Texas handlers were able to pull Bevo back before any harm. The Big Ten and SEC are set to gobble up CFP bids. That could squeeze the ACC and other leagues The Big Ten and Southeastern conferences are set to gobble up the majority of the bids to the newly expanded 12-team College Football Playoff. That could squeeze the Atlantic Coast Conference and other leagues trying to maintain their footing. ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips told The Associated Press he wants clarity on the process that put two-loss Miami behind three-loss Alabama in the latest rankings. Mountain West Conference Commissioner Gloria Nevarez said she wouldn't support future changes for guaranteed numbers of bids to power conferences. The Mountain West is set to have its champion in the playoff as a Group of Five winner. F1 champion Max Verstappen to become first-time father with girlfriend Kelly Piquet ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen is set to become a father for the first time with his girlfriend Kelly Piquet. There’s racing heritage on both sides of the family. Verstappen secured his fourth F1 title last month and Kelly’s father Nelson Piquet was a three-time champion in the 1980s. Verstappen says on Instagram that "we couldn’t be happier with our little miracle.” Verstappen is aiming to win his 10th F1 race of the year at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday. Practice gets underway later. Anaheim Ducks acquire Rangers captain Jacob Trouba in trade for Vaakanainen, draft pick ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — The Anaheim Ducks have acquired New York Rangers captain Jacob Trouba in a trade for defenseman Urho Vaakanainen and a future fourth-round pick. The trade ends Trouba’s tenure with the Rangers, who acquired the 30-year-old defenseman in a trade with Winnipeg in 2019. He became New York’s captain before the 2022-23 season. Trouba will immediately become a key contributor on the blue line for the Ducks, who are in last place in the Pacific Division. He will also play alongside Anaheim forwards Ryan Strome and Frank Vatrano, his teammates with the Rangers during the club’s run to the Eastern Conference finals in 2022.
Animation Guild Reaches Tentative Deal With Studios After Bargaining Over AI Guardrails and MoreEnglish rugby union was united in its anger and disbelief over Bill Sweeney’s “embarrassing” £1.1 million pay packet which left Premiership clubs and senior administrators scathing in their criticism amid calls for the chief executive to resign. Sweeney’s salary increase was slammed as “out of touch” and “an embarrassment” after he was paid £1.1 million this year despite the governing body recording a near-£40 million loss. Sweeney’s annual base salary included a pay rise of 8.5 per cent from £684,000 to £742,000 for the year to June 2024, and the annual report also states he received a one-off performance-based payment of £358,000. The bonus is understood to be part of the RFU’s Long-Term Incentive Plan (LTIP) that saw the RFU executive team agree to a six-month pay reduction in 2021 following the pandemic, which would mature after three years. But it follows finishing third in this year’s Six Nations and winning only five out of their 12 Tests in 2024, including just one victory this autumn against , results which Sweeney described as “disappointing”. Sources expressed frustration and criticised the move. One former RFU president said: “I think at a time of severe financial pressure, where money is tight, record losses have been posted and the RFU is making people redundant, it is very difficult to justify a 60 per cent increase on last year’s salary. Even if there are good reasons for an increase the optics of paying the CEO over one million pounds are not very good. I suspect many in the game will be shocked and disappointed.” Another source added: “How long ago was it when Bill Sweeney was described by the government as being ‘asleep at the wheel’?”, before launching a stinging summary of Sweeney’s track record. “Seventh/eighth in the world, at war with most of the game over its future, forced into a deal with Premiership Rugby Limited at twice the original price, five professional clubs have gone bust, record fall in participation levels, global lawsuits on player welfare with not a single public statement made, CVC deal now universally discredited, mismanagement of Eddie Jones at almost every stage and a HR nightmare - all equals £1m. Nice work if you can get it.” Premiership clubs were said to be “furious” at the news of Sweeney’s bonus, with the RFU remuneration committee branded as “totally out of touch” by one insider. “It’s extraordinary,” said a source. “The RFU is losing millions, the clubs are losing millions. The RFU is laying off staff but the chief executive is paying himself millions.” “It has always been outrageous; an embarrassment,” added source at a separate club. The Community Clubs Union (CCU), which was established in 2023 in response to the lowering of the tackle height in the community game, have been long-time critics of Sweeney and Tom Ilube, the current chairman of the RFU. “While disappointing, it is hardly surprising to read that Bill Sweeney and Tom Ilube continually to fail to read the room,” they told on Monday evening. “The community game is dying. So far this season we have had almost 300 walkover results as teams fail to field sides, and a deeply concerning lack of match officials. Both elements of the game have lost losing financial support over the last five years. “Sadly, the checks and balances of the RFU council are now powerless and the management board continue to run without accountability. Despite sound bites about investment in the community game, notably from the Twickenham Allianz deal, no investment plans have been announced – just more job cuts from a bloated Twickenham HQ, seemingly to help pay towards Sweeneys significant pay rise and bonuses. “Enough is enough now and with the relaunch of the CCU in the coming weeks, part of our core manifesto will be for both Sweeney and Ilube to go.” Sweeney’s salary plus bonus for 2024 will match the record for a British sporting executive, with the Football Association’s chief executive Mark Bullingham currently paid £850,000. Tom Harrison, the former England Cricket Board chief executive, was paid £1,134,425 during the 2022-23 financial year, a figure which also included a long-term incentive bonus. understands that the RFU council, during the explanation of Sweeney’s pay rise at Monday’s meeting, was told by governing body administrators that the chief executive of the NFL earned £64 million. But the news of Sweeney’s pay comes at a time where the RFU is under significant financial strain, with the annual report confirming losses of £37.9 million, as previously The operating loss is more than the £30.9 million recorded in 2018 which led to the resignation of previous chief executive Steve Brown, although it was expected given England played no autumn fixtures at Twickenham last November because of the 2023 Rugby World Cup and one fewer home Six Nations match this year. That followed a £4 million operating profit for the 2022-23 financial year. Twickenham saw a £53.8 million reduction in year-on-year revenue that was made up by fewer ticket sales (£25.4 million), hospitality and catering income (£22 million) and broadcast revenues (£6.4 million). The result is the annual report highlights RFU revenues for the year of £175.2 million, down from £221.4 million the previous year, and a profit of £58.2 million before taking into account the £96.1 million investment in rugby. The increase in the underlying loss compared to 2019-20, the last World Cup year, was pinned on inflationary cost increases and reduced Six Nations revenues from broadcast and sponsorship. While Sweeney criticised the standard of England’s results this year, which has seen England drop from fifth to seventh in the World Rugby rankings, Sweeney added: “We are encouraged by the pipeline of talented young players coming through and the outstanding England win in the World Rugby U20 Championship final against France, taking the title for the first time in eight years.” Commenting in the annual report Ilube, said that the impacts on revenue in a Rugby World Cup year were “were anticipated, planned for and they are in line with expectations”. Sweeney also added that numbers in the community game have “stabilised”, with more teams playing in RFU leagues and “reporting feeling safer as a result of a reduction in the tackle height”. Age grade player registrations have also increased by 16 per cent for boys and 10 per cent for girls. “The RFU has planned well for this year, the fourth year in our business planning cycle, which is always a loss making due to increased costs associated with going to the Rugby World Cup and as a result of hosting fewer games at Allianz Stadium,” Sweeney said. “Emerging from post-covid challenges, which saw significant lost revenues, substantial increases in costs and inflation, and a drop in player participation, we are now entering into a period of significant transformation with a great deal to be positive about.”
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Six Alaska House seats currently held by men are set to be held by women next year, bringing the overall number of women in the chamber to 21. This will be the first time in the state’s history that one of the legislative chambers is majority women. The women elected to the Alaska House bring a variety of experiences and perspectives to the chamber. Ten of them are Republicans, including four newly elected this year. Nine are Democrats — including three who are newly elected. Two are independents who caucus with Democrats. There are also five women in the state Senate, a number that remained unchanged in this year’s election, bringing the total number of women in the Alaska Legislature to 26 out of 60, a new record for the state. The previous record of 23 was set in 2019. Nationally, around a third of legislative seats were held by women this year, according to researchers at Rutgers University. Nearly two-thirds of women legislators are Democrats. In Alaska, women serving in the Legislature are largely evenly split between the major political parties. Before this year’s election, only seven states had ever seen gender parity in one of their legislative chambers. They include Arizona, Nevada, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Colorado, New Mexico and Oregon. California is set to join the list after this year’s election. Three of the women slated to serve in the Alaska House next year are Alaska Native — also a record. Two of them were elected for the first time: Robyn Burke of Utqiagvik , who is of Iñupiaq descent, and Nellie Jimmie of Toksook Bay, who is of Yup’ik descent. They join Rep. Maxine Dibert of Fairbanks, of Koyukon Athabascan descent, who was elected in 2022. The historic increase in representation of women came in Alaska even as voters did not reelect U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola, the first woman and first Alaska Native person to represent the state in the U.S. House. Peltola was voted out in favor of Republican Nick Begich III. Women come to the Alaska Legislature from diverse professional backgrounds, but a disproportionate number of them will arrive with some experience in public education. Three of the newly elected lawmakers — Burke, Jubilee Underwood of Wasilla and Rebecca Schwanke of Glennallen — have served on their local school boards, helping oversee the North Slope Borough, Matanuska-Susitna Borough and Copper River school districts, respectively. The three bring different perspectives on public education. Burke said she is looking forward to working with a bipartisan caucus that is set to have a majority in the Alaska House this year, with a focus on increasing education funding and improving the retirement options for Alaska’s public employees, including teachers. Schwanke and Underwood, on the other hand, have indicated they will join the Republican minority caucus, which has shown an interest in conservative social causes such as barring the participation of transgender girls in girls’ school sports teams. The increase in the number of women serving in the Alaska Legislature comes as public education funding is set to be a key issue when lawmakers convene in January. Burke said she and the other newly elected women bring different policy perspectives to the topic of education, but their shared experience in serving on school boards reflects a commitment to their children’s education. “With so many parents and so many moms, I hope that there will be really good legislation that supports working families and children and education,” Burke said. ©2024 Anchorage Daily News. Visit at adn.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.US homelessness up 18% as affordable housing remains out of reach for many people
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