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https www wow888 win After Trump's Project 2025 denials, he is tapping its authors and influencers for key rolesTEHRAN – In a powerful address during the Student Day ceremony at the Sharif University of Technology, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian declared that Iran will not retreat in the face of any power, emphasizing the nation's strength and resilience. Addressing a gathering of students and professors, Pezeshkian underscored the vital role of youth in shaping the country’s future. Highlighting the significance of Student Day as a platform for demanding rights, Pezeshkian remarked, "Students are the hope for the country's future." He praised their ability to express their views freely, stating, "A student is not dependent on positions and ranks; they can speak the truth and defend rights without fear." Pezeshkian drew attention to recent student protests in the United States and Europe against the ongoing Israeli violence in Gaza and Lebanon, contrasting them with the relatively muted response from Iranian universities. He urged students to raise their voices against injustices, saying, "When a group of killers claims to advocate for human rights while committing atrocities, it is essential to protest against that." Elsewhere in his address, Pezeshkian emphasized the importance of capable individuals stepping forward to achieve the nation’s vision as outlined by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution. "The country belongs to you," Pezeshkian declared, calling for unity among the youth to bring about necessary changes in leadership. He underscored that for the nation to progress toward its envisioned future, elite and competent individuals must take charge while those lacking capability must step aside. The president highlighted the need for a stronger connection between government and universities, stating, "Our universities are of the second generation. They need to be upgraded to the third and fourth generations." He elaborated that a fourth-generation university is one that integrates with society to address real-world problems, while a fifth-generation institution should be focused on long-term goals, looking a century into the future. Addressing Iranian student movements, Pezeshkian expressed his expectations for them to become advocates for rights, emphasizing that such advocacy transcends political affiliations. "Advocates for rights do not recognize left or right. We must dialogue together," he said. He stressed the importance of informed decision-making, insisting that policies should be grounded in scientific research, international experience, and expert consultation. The president also highlighted the critical need for Iran to implement Financial Action Task Force (FATF) standards internally, emphasizing the importance of transparency and accountability in financial transactions. He urged students and academics to collaborate in addressing systemic issues that he said hinder the nation’s economic stability. The president called for a united effort from universities and elite professionals to tackle these challenges, stating, "With the help of universities and elites, we can solve problems." Speaking on the matter of official appointments, Pezeshkian explained that the selection process for managers is based on individual capabilities, social capabilities, and structural capabilities. He emphasized the importance of education and communication skills in determining leadership potential. He posed a critical question regarding societal cohesion: "Are our doctors, engineers, merchants, and industrialists currently moving towards a clear goal, or is everyone moving in a different direction?" Pezeshkian argued that a society with well-defined goals and collaborative efforts among its professionals is more likely to thrive than one where individuals operate in isolation. As part of his ongoing efforts to improve governance, Pezeshkian announced plans for a meeting with newly appointed governors to discuss strategies for enhancing local administration and addressing community needs. He remains optimistic about the potential for collective action to create a more organized and purposeful society.Aden Holloway established career highs of 26 points and eight 3-pointers to help No. 5 Alabama roll to a 105-82 nonconference victory over South Dakota State on Sunday at Tuscaloosa, Ala. Freshman Labaron Philon had the best game of his young career with 21 points and six assists for the Crimson Tide (11-2). Mark Sears had 20 points, including 6-for-14 3-point shooting. Grant Nelson added 17 points and eight rebounds and scored the game's first eight points. Alabama coach Nate Oats has sometimes been critical of his squad's defensive effort and the second half against the Jackrabbits will provide more fuel for that concern. Alabama did connect on a season-best 19 3-point shots but also attempted 55 long-range shots (34.5 percent). The Tide also saw South Dakota State put up 49 points in the second half to keep the score relatively competitive. Alabama claimed a fifth straight win with its third 100-plus point performance of the season. South Dakota State (9-6) was led by Washington State transfer Oscar Cluff, who had 21 points and 15 rebounds, including seven offensive boards. The Jackrabbits connected on 11-for-26 3-point shooting (42.3 percent), with guard Isaac Lindsey scoring 11 points, including 3-for-6 on 3-point tries. After Nelson's personal 8-0 run to open the game, South Dakota State pulled with 16-14 on a shot by William Whorton with 11:45 to play in the opening half. But Alabama then broke the game open, going on a 24-3 run culminating in a Holloway 3-pointer to give the Tide a 40-17 edge with 7:37 left in the opening half. South Dakota State trailed 57-33 at halftime, but played a much more competitive second half offensively by connecting on 17 of 33 shots (51.5 percent). Alabama will open 2025 with a home game against No. 12 Oklahoma on Saturday. South Dakota State will host Summit Conference opponent Denver on Thursday. --Field Level Media

AP News Summary at 5:31 p.m. ESTBudget has ‘thrown obstacles in the way of business in Northern Ireland,’ event hearsNone

Israel has agreed to a ceasefire with Hezbollah in Lebanon that will take effect at 4 a.m. Wednesday. Moments after U.S. President Joe Biden announced the ceasefire deal , which Israel's Cabinet approved late Tuesday, an Israeli airstrike slammed into the Lebanese capital. Residents of Beirut and its southern suburbs have endured the most intense day of Israeli strikes since the war began nearly 14 months ago, as Israel's nationwide onslaught of bombings signaled it aims to keep pummeling Hezbollah before the ceasefire is set to take hold. At least 42 people have killed by Israeli strikes across Lebanon on Tuesday, according to local authorities. Hezbollah also fired rockets into Israel on Tuesday, triggering air raid sirens in the country’s north. An Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire would mark the first major step toward ending the regionwide unrest triggered by Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. But it does not address the devastating war in Gaza. Hezbollah began attacking Israel a day after Hamas’ attack. The fighting in Lebanon escalated into all-out war in September with massive Israeli airstrikes across the country and an Israeli ground invasion of the south. In Gaza, more than 44,000 people have been killed and more than 104,000 wounded in the nearly 14-month war between Israel and Hamas, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Here's the Latest: BEIRUT — The Health Ministry in Lebanon says 18 more people have been killed by Israeli airstrikes across the country, bringing the total death toll on Tuesday to at least 42 people. Eleven people were killed by Israeli bombing in eastern Lebanon, four were killed by strikes on border crossings between northern Lebanon and Syria, and three people were killed in southern Lebanon, the Health Ministry said early Wednesday. In the hours before a ceasefire with Hezbollah was to take effect, Israel launched its most intense wave of strikes on the capital Beirut and its southern suburbs since the start of the conflict. Strikes have targeted what Israel said were Hezbollah-related targets in several other parts of the country as well. Israel’s military issued a record number of evacuation warnings in Beirut, sending people fleeing from their homes. Hezbollah also fired rockets into Israel on Tuesday, triggering air raid sirens across the country’s north. UNITED NATIONS – The United Nations chief welcomes the announcement of a ceasefire in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah, and hopes it can end the violence and suffering of people in both countries, the U.N. spokesman says. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged Israel and Hezbollah to swiftly implement all commitments under the agreement, and take immediate steps toward fully implementing the 2006 U.N. Security Council resolution that ended the last Israel-Hezbollah war, spokesman Stephane Dujarric said late Tuesday. Resolution 1701 called for the deployment of Lebanese forces throughout the south, which borders Israel and is now mainly controlled by Hezbollah, and it calls for all armed groups including Hezbollah to be disarmed. Neither has happened in the past 17 years. Dujarric said U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert and the U.N. peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon “both stand ready to support the implementation of this agreement, in line with their respective mandates.” WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump’s senior national security team was briefed by the Biden administration as negotiations unfolded, according to the senior U.S. official. The official, who spoke to reporters on the condition of anonymity in a White House-organized call, added that the incoming Trump administration officials were not directly involved in the talks, but that it was important that the incoming administration knew “what we were negotiating and what the commitments were.” The official said “all fire will stop from all parties” at 4 a.m. local time. The next step would be what the official described as a “phased withdrawal” by the Israeli military. As the Israelis pull back, Lebanese national forces will occupy the territories. The process is slated to finish within 60 days. Lebanese forces is supposed to patrol the area and remove Hezbollah weaponry and infrastructure there. “Hezbollah is incredibly weak at this moment, both militarily and politically,” the official said. “And this is the opportunity for Lebanon to re-establish its sovereignty over its territory.” The official said the ceasefire agreement will strengthen what’s known as the “tripartite mechanism” by including the United States and France. The goal is to address violations of the ceasefire without a return to hostilities. UNITED NATIONS – The top U.N. envoy for Lebanon welcomed the ceasefire announcement and urged Israel and Hezbollah militants to take concrete actions to fully implement the 2006 agreement that ended their last war. U.N. Special Coordinator Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert said the agreement “marks the starting point of a critical process” that must see both sides fully implement U.N. Security Council resolution 1701. It called for the deployment of Lebanese armed forces in the south bordering Israel and the disarmament of all armed groups including Hezbollah – neither of which has happened in the past 17 years. “Nothing less than the full and unwavering commitment of both parties is required,” Hennis-Plasschaert said. “Neither side can afford another period of disingenuous implementation under the guise of ostensible calm.” She commended the parties for “seizing the opportunity to close this devastating chapter,” stressing that “Now is the time to deliver, through concrete actions, to consolidate today’s achievement.” UNITED NATIONS — Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is calling for urgent international intervention to stop what he described as “an ongoing genocidal war” in Gaza. Abbas heads the Palestinian Authority which has limited self-rule in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, but not Gaza, which has been controlled by Hamas. The U.S. and others want a reinvigorated Palestinian Authority to run Gaza when the war ends. In a speech on the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, Abbas accused Israel of repeating what happened to the Palestinians in 1948 and 1967 – displacing them and seizing their land and resources. Abbas demanded to know how long the world will remain silent and refuse to compel Israel to abide by international law. The speech to U.N. member nations was read by Palestinian U.N. ambassador Riyad Mansour. “The only way to halt the halt the dangerous escalation we are witnessing in the region, and maintain regional and international stability, security and peace, is to resolve the question of Palestine,” Abbas' speech said. This must be done in accordance with U.N. Security Council resolutions which call for a two-state solution, he said. BEIRUT -- Lebanon’s Prime Minister Najib Mikati welcomed the U.S.-brokered ceasefire proposal between Israel and Hezbollah, describing it as a crucial step toward stability, the return of displaced people to their homes and regional calm. Mikati made these comments in a statement issued just after U.S. President Joe announced the truce deal. Mikati said he discussed the ceasefire agreement with Biden by phone earlier Tuesday. The prime minister reaffirmed Lebanon’s commitment to implementing U.N. resolution 1701, strengthening the Lebanese army’s presence in the south, and cooperating with the U.N. peacekeeping force. He also called on Israel to fully comply with the ceasefire and withdraw from southern Lebanon in accordance the U.N. resolution. JERUSALEM — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security Cabinet has approved a ceasefire deal with Hezbollah, clearing the way for the truce to take effect. Netanyahu’s office said the plan was approved by a 10-1 margin. The late-night vote came shortly before President Joe Biden was expected to announced details of the deal in Washington. Earlier, Netanyahu defended the ceasefire, saying Israel has inflicted heavy damage on Hezbollah and could now focus its efforts on Hamas militants in Gaza and his top security concern, Iran. Netanyahu vowed to strike Hezbollah hard if it violates the expected deal. WASHINGTON — Rep. Mike Waltz, President-elect Donald Trump’s designate to be national security adviser, credited Trump’s victory with helping bring the parties together toward a ceasefire in Lebanon. “Everyone is coming to the table because of President Trump,” he said in a post on X on Tuesday. “His resounding victory sent a clear message to the rest of the world that chaos won’t be tolerated. I’m glad to see concrete steps towards deescalation in the Middle East.” He added: “But let’s be clear: The Iran Regime is the root cause of the chaos & terror that has been unleashed across the region. We will not tolerate the status quo of their support for terrorism.” BEIRUT — Israeli jets targeted a building in a bustling commercial area of Beirut for the first time since the start of the 13-month war between Hezbollah and Israel. The strike on Hamra is around 400 meters (yards) from the country’s central bank. A separate strike hit the Mar Elias neighborhood in the country’s capital Tuesday. There was no immediate word on casualties from either strike, part of the biggest wave of attacks on the capital since the war started. Residents in central Beirut were seen fleeing after the Israeli army issued evacuation warnings for four targets in the city. Meanwhile, the Israeli army carried out airstrikes on at least 30 targets in Beirut’s southern suburbs Tuesday, including two strikes in the Jnah neighborhood near the Kuwaiti Embassy. Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported that 13 people were injured in the strikes on the southern suburbs. BEIRUT — Hezbollah has said it accepts the ceasefire proposal with Israel, but a senior official with the group said Tuesday that it had not seen the agreement in its final form. “After reviewing the agreement signed by the enemy government, we will see if there is a match between what we stated and what was agreed upon by the Lebanese officials,” Mahmoud Qamati, deputy chair of Hezbollah’s political council, told the Al Jazeera news network. “We want an end to the aggression, of course, but not at the expense of the sovereignty of the state.” of Lebanon, he said. “Any violation of sovereignty is refused.” Among the issues that may remain is an Israeli demand to reserve the right to act should Hezbollah violate its obligations under the emerging deal. The deal seeks to push Hezbollah and Israeli troops out of southern Lebanon. JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that he would recommend his Cabinet adopt a United States-brokered ceasefire agreement with Lebanon’s Hezbollah, as Israeli warplanes struck across Lebanon, killing at least 23 people. The Israeli military also issued a flurry of evacuation warnings — a sign it was aiming to inflict punishment on Hezbollah down to the final moments before any ceasefire takes hold. For the first time in the conflict, Israeli ground troops reached parts of Lebanon’s Litani River, a focal point of the emerging deal. In a televised statement, Netanyahu said he would present the ceasefire to Cabinet ministers later on Tuesday, setting the stage for an end to nearly 14 months of fighting. Netanyahu said the vote was expected later Tuesday. It was not immediately clear when the ceasefire would go into effect, and the exact terms of the deal were not released. The deal does not affect Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza, which shows no signs of ending. BEIRUT — Lebanon’s state media said Israeli strikes on Tuesday killed at least 10 people in Baalbek province the country’s east. At least three people were killed in the southern city of Tyre when Israel bombed a Palestinian refugee camp, said Mohammed Bikai, a representative of the Fatah group in the area. He said several more people were missing and at least three children were among the wounded. He said the sites struck inside the camp were “completely civilian places” and included a kitchen that was being used to cook food for displaced people. JERUSALEM — Dozens of Israeli protesters took to a major highway in Tel Aviv on Tuesday evening to call for the return of the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, as the country awaited news of a potential ceasefire in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah. Protesters chanted “We are all hostages,” and “Deal now!” waving signs with faces of some of the roughly 100 hostages believed to be still held in Gaza, at least a third of whom are thought to be dead. Most of the other hostages Hamas captured in the Oct. 7, 2023 attack were released during a ceasefire last year. The prospect of a ceasefire deal in Lebanon has raised desperation among the relatives of captives still held in Gaza, who once hoped that the release of hostages from Gaza would be included. Instead of a comprehensive deal, the ceasefire on the table is instead narrowly confined to Lebanon. Dozens of Israelis were also demonstrating against the expected cease-fire, gathering outside Israel’s military headquarters in central Tel Aviv. One of the protesters, Yair Ansbacher, says the deal is merely a return to the failed 2006 U.N. resolution that was meant to uproot Hezbollah from the area. “Of course that didn’t happen,” he says. “This agreement is not worth the paper it is written on.” FIUGGI, Italy — Foreign ministers from the world’s industrialized countries said Tuesday they strongly supported an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah and insisted that Israel comply with international law in its ongoing military operations in the region. At the end of their two-day summit, the ministers didn’t refer directly to the International Criminal Court and its recent arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister over crimes against humanity . Italy had put the ICC warrants on the official meeting agenda, even though the G7 was split on the issue. The U.S., Israel’s closest ally, isn’t a signatory to the court and has called the warrants “outrageous.” However, the EU’s chief diplomat Josep Borrell said all the other G7 countries were signatories and therefore obliged to respect the warrants. In the end, the final statement adopted by the ministers said Israel, in exercising its right to defend itself, “must fully comply with its obligations under international law in all circumstances, including international humanitarian law.” And it said all G7 members — Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States – “reiterate our commitment to international humanitarian law and will comply with our respective obligations.” It stressed that “there can be no equivalence between the terrorist group Hamas and the State of Israel.” The ICC warrants say there's reason to believe Netanyahu used “starvation as a method of warfare” by restricting humanitarian aid and intentionally targeted civilians in Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza — charges Israeli officials deny. BEIRUT — An Israeli strike on Tuesday levelled a residential building in the central Beirut district of Basta — the second time in recent days warplanes have hit the crowded area near the city’s downtown. At least seven people were killed and 37 wounded in Beirut, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. It was not immediately clear if anyone in particular was targeted, though Israel says its airstrikes target Hezbollah officials and assets. The Israeli military spokesman issued a flurry of evacuation warnings for many areas, including areas in Beirut that have not been targeted throughout the war, like the capital’s commercial Hamra district, where many people displaced by the war have been staying. The warnings, coupled with fear that Israel was ratcheting up attacks in Lebanon during the final hours before a ceasefire is reached, sparked panic and sent residents fleeing in their cars to safer areas. In areas close to Hamra, families including women and children were seen running away toward the Mediterranean Sea’s beaches carrying their belongings. Traffic was completely gridlocked as people tried to get away, honking their car horns as Israeli drones buzzed loudly overhead. The Israeli military also issued warnings for 20 more buildings in Beirut’s suburbs to evacuate before they too were struck — a sign it was aiming to inflict punishment on Hezbollah in the final moments before any ceasefire takes hold. TEL AVIV, Israel — The independent civilian commission of inquiry into the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel has found Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directly responsible for the failures leading up to the attack, alongside former defense ministers, the army chief and the heads of the security services. The civil commission presented its findings today after a four-month probe in which it heard some 120 witnesses. It was set up by relatives of victims of the Hamas attack, in response to the absence of any state probe. The commission determined that the Israeli government, its army and security services “failed in their primary mission of protecting the citizens of Israel.” It said Netanyahu was responsible for ignoring “repeated warnings” ahead of Oct. 7, 2023 for what it described as his appeasing approach over the years toward Hamas, and for “undermining all decision-making centers, including the cabinet and the National Security Council, in a way that prevented any serious discussion” on security issues. The commission further determined that the military and defense leaders bear blame for ignoring warnings from within the army, and for reducing the army’s presence along the Gaza border while relying excessively on technological means. On the day of the Hamas attack, the report says, the army’s response was both slow and lacking. The civil commission called for the immediate establishment of a state commission of inquiry into the Oct. 7 attack. Netanyahu has opposed launching a state commission of inquiry, arguing that such an investigation should begin only once the war is over. JERUSALEM -- The Israeli military says its ground troops have reached parts of Lebanon’s Litani River — a focal point of the emerging ceasefire. In a statement Tuesday, the army said it had reached the Wadi Slouqi area in southern Lebanon and clashed with Hezbollah forces. Under a proposed ceasefire, Hezbollah would be required to move its forces north of the Litani, which in some places is some 30 kilometers (20 miles) north of the Israeli border. The military says the clashes with Hezbollah took place on the eastern end of the Litani, just a few kilometers (miles) from the border. It is one of the deepest places Israeli forces have reached in a nearly two-month ground operation. The military says soldiers destroyed rocket launchers and missiles and engaged in “close-quarters combat” with Hezbollah forces. The announcement came hours before Israel’s security Cabinet is expected to approve a ceasefire that would end nearly 14 months of fighting. BEIRUT — Israeli jets Tuesday struck at least six buildings in Beirut’s southern suburbs Tuesday, including one that slammed near the country’s only airport. Large plumes of smoke could be seen around the airport near the Mediterranean coast, which has continued to function despite its location beside the densely populated suburbs where many of Hezbollah’s operations are based. The strikes come hours before Israel’s cabinet was scheduled to meet to discuss a proposal to end the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. The proposal calls for an initial two-month ceasefire during which Israeli forces would withdraw from Lebanon and Hezbollah would end its armed presence along the southern border south of the Litani River. There were no immediate reports of casualties from Tuesday’s airstrikes. FIUGGI, Italy — EU top diplomat Josep Borrell, whose term ends Dec. 1, said he proposed to the G7 and Arab ministers who joined in talks on Monday that the U.N. Security Council take up a resolution specifically demanding humanitarian assistance reach Palestinians in Gaza, saying deliveries have been completely impeded. “The two-state solution will come later. Everything will come later. But we are talking about weeks or days,” for desperate Palestinians, he said. “Hunger has been used as an arm against people who are completely abandoned.” It was a reference to the main accusation levelled by the International Criminal Court in its arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister. Borrell said the signatories to the court, including six of the seven G7 members, are obliged under international law to respect and implement the court’s decisions. Host Italy put the ICC warrants on the G7 agenda at the last minute, but there was no consensus on the wording of how the G7 would respond given the U.S., Israel’s closest ally, has called the warrants “outrageous.” Italy, too, has said it respects the court but expressed concern that the warrants were politically motivated and ill-advised given Netanyahu is necessary for any deal to end the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon. “Like it or not, the International Criminal Court is a court as powerful as any national court,” Borrell said. “And if the Europeans don’t support International Criminal Court then there would not be any hope for justice,” he said. Borrell, whose term ends Dec. 1, said he proposed to the G7 and Arab ministers who joined in talks on Monday that the U.N. Security Council take up a resolution specifically demanding humanitarian assistance reach Palestinians in Gaza, saying deliveries have been completely impeded. “The two-state solution will come later. Everything will come later. But we are talking about weeks or days,” for desperate Palestinians, he said. “Hunger has been used as an arm against people who are completely abandoned.” It was a reference to the main accusation levelled by the International Criminal Court in its arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister. Borrell said the signatories to the court, including six of the seven G7 members, are obliged under international law to respect and implement the court’s decisions. Host Italy put the ICC warrants on the G7 agenda at the last minute, but there was no consensus on the wording of how the G7 would respond given the U.S., Israel’s closest ally, has called the warrants “outrageous.” Italy, too, has said it respects the court but expressed concern that the warrants were politically motivated and ill-advised given Netanyahu is necessary for any deal to end the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon. “Like it or not, the International Criminal Court is a court as powerful as any national court,” Borrell said. “And if the Europeans don’t support International Criminal Court then there would not be any hope for justice,” he said. (edited)

Trying to limit widespread pollution and violent threats to their employees, board members of Silicon Valley’s largest water agency late Tuesday approved a new ordinance to ban camping along 295 miles of creeks in San Jose and other parts of Santa Clara County. The Santa Clara Valley Water District’s board voted 6-1 to enact the rules, which take effect Jan. 2. “Our employees have to have police escorts to do their jobs,” said Dick Santos, a retired fire captain and vice chairman of the board. “They can’t go into the creek areas by themselves. We’ve had gunshots, dog bites, needles. Criminals there are giving the homeless a bad name. And it’s increasing. We’ve had people pull knives on our employees, threaten them with machetes. What we’ve been doing hasn’t been working. We’ve got to stop this nonsense.” The water district, based in San Jose, is a government agency that provides flood control and drinking water to 2 million county residents. Under the new ordinance, the district will set up “water protection zones” along all 295 miles of waterways where it owns property or easements or has maintenance obligations. Those areas include the Guadalupe River, Coyote Creek, Los Gatos Creek and others. In those areas, it will be illegal to build encampments, shoot fireworks, possess firearms or ammunition, or create other disturbances, like cutting trees or playing loud music. After being given a verbal and written warning providing 72 hours to remove an encampment, violators will be subject to fines of up to $500 and penalties ranging from community service to 30 days in jail. The new law will be enforced by local police and sheriff’s deputies, water district officials said. The district, the wholesale water supplier to more than a dozen cities and private water companies, such as San Jose Water Company, is funded largely by water rates and property taxes. Over the year ending in July, it spent $3.4 million removing 15,050 cubic yards of debris — enough to fill 1,500 dump trucks — from Coyote Creek, Guadalupe River, Los Gatos Creek and other South Bay waterways. The problem has worsened since the COVID pandemic. A growing number of homeless people have polluted creeks with hazardous materials, piles of trash and human waste, water district officials said at Tuesday’s meeting. Some have trapped endangered steelhead trout with shopping carts, cut down trees, started wildfires, left empty propane tanks, discarded needles and built makeshift structures in areas prone to winter flooding. “We’re not trying to put people in jail,” Santos said. “But we get hundreds of complaints from neighbors. We have people playing loud music all night, starting fires, threatening neighbors whose homes are near the creeks and piling up garbage.” The district estimates that roughly 700 people live along the creeks it oversees. A coalition of eight environmental groups supported the rules, including the Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter, Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society, California Native Plant Society and Green Foothills. “We believe that this ordinance is a vital tool in protecting our water resources and natural habitats, ensuring public safety, and upholding the values of environmental stewardship,” the groups wrote in a letter in July when the rules were first debated before the district board. Homeless advocates, however, say the rules are unfair. “Yes, we need to get the creeks cleaned up,” said Todd Langton, executive director of Agape Silicon Valley, a nonprofit group in San Jose that delivers food, water and clothes to people living outdoors. “But doing it right in the middle of the holidays in the rainy season is not humane. There’s no place for them to go. The shelters are full. There’s not enough transitional housing. It’s whack-a-mole. It’s frustrating.” Langton said multiple local and state agencies need to work in a more coordinated way with nonprofit groups to build more transitional housing and other facilities. He said other cities, such as Dallas, do a more efficient job. The water district has been working with the city to to build a supervised temporary housing site with 96 tiny units on 2 acres the water district owns at Cherry Avenue near the Guadalupe River and Almaden Shopping Center. The new water district ordinance follows efforts earlier this year by San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan directing the city to do more to clear encampments on creek properties the city owns after state water regulators threatened the city with millions of dollars in fines because the encampments violate water quality, trash and pollution laws. The stepped-up enforcement, which mirrors challenges faced by cities across California, from San Francisco to Los Angeles, received a major boost this year from the nation’s highest court. In June, the U.S. Supreme Court gave local governments more power to break up encampments, and arrest and fine people sleeping outside who refuse to move or accept offers of shelter beds or other assistance. In Grants Pass v Johnson , the justices ruled 6-3 to overturn lower court rulings that said to do so violated constitutional protections against cruel and unusual punishment. Gov. Gavin Newsom praised the decision that day. “This decision removes the legal ambiguities that have tied the hands of local officials for years and limited their ability to deliver on common-sense measures to protect the safety and well-being of our communities,” Newsom said in a statement.(TNS) — A first-of-its-kind audit showed a nearly identical match to the election night count by using technology to read the text on all 5.3 million Georgia ballots. The audit — required by state law to of voting machines — revealed just 87 discrepancies from all races. Almost all the inconsistencies were caused by unclear marks on absentee ballots that required human review, according to an released Monday. “The ballot image audit shows again that the votes in Georgia were counted accurately, securely and quickly,” Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said. “The image audit shows that our system works accurately and can be trusted.” The recheck of the results scanned the names of every candidate in all 1,955 races and added up vote totals. Then the compared its count with the totals from election night, which relied on ballot scanning machines that tabulate votes from QR codes printed on ballots. It was the largest ballot image audit ever conducted, according to Enhanced Voting, the company hired to perform the review after it won a . Ballot images are available for on the secretary of state’s website. “There were zero differences found between the tabulation based on the human-readable text and the tabulation based on the QR codes generated by the Dominion ImageCast X ballot marking devices,” Enhanced Voting’s audit report states. “In every instance, the human-readable text on the paper ballots matched the votes represented in the QR code on that ballot.” Georgia’s voting system uses a combination of touchscreens and printers to create a paper ballot for in-person voters. About 5% of voters returned absentee ballots, which are filled in by hand and then scanned. Just one discrepancy occurred on ballots submitted through touchscreen, and the error was traced to a human error in counting a write-in vote, according to Enhanced Voting. The remaining 86 vote discrepancies were resolved by a human review of bubbled-in ovals on absentee ballots that couldn’t be interpreted by machines, such as a checkmark, dot or scribbled-out choice. In each county, adjudication panels reviewed and counted those ballots before results were certified. In the presidential race, the audit five fewer votes for Republican Donald Trump and 14 fewer for Democrat Kamala Harris. showed that Trump won the race by 115,100 votes, a 2.2 percentage point margin of victory. The latest audit, which used optical character recognition technology, followed a hand-count audit completed last week. The showed 11 more votes for Trump and six fewer for Harris out of nearly 750,000 ballots reviewed. Raffensperger said the difference was largely caused by human error during the hand-counting process. Critics of Georgia’s voting technology say it to potential malware or hacks that could change results. Marilyn Marks, who leads an election security organization that advocates for hand-marked paper ballots, said the review doesn’t solve the problems of encoding votes by machines. “Image audits cannot be relied on, although they are helpful in locating discrepancies but should not be considered the ground truth,” said Marks, executive director for the Coalition for Good Governance. Tight margins in Georgia’s closest races remained the same in the audit, including a race for the state House separated by just , where Democratic Rep. Mack Jackson defeated Republican Tracy Wheeler for a Sandersville seat. The audit was completed before Raffensperger and Gov. Brian Kemp Friday. But the details of its findings weren’t released until a report was completed Monday. Soon, winning candidates will take office across Georgia and the country. For the presidential race, Congress meets on Jan. 6 to count electoral votes, and then Trump will be inaugurated Jan. 20. ©Joe Biden resigned from the US Presidential elections, citing his age as well as appoint a worthy successor as his replacement in the poll race. Moreover, he has also often claimed that he is too old to risk more work, but has spent thousands of dollars on facelifts and hair transplants. Biden celebrated his 82nd birthday and made history for being the oldest sitting President, but his age has created many controversies about administrative capabilities. Assembly Election Results Live Updates Maharashtra Election Results Jharkhand Election Results Bypoll Election Results Has Joe Biden undergone facelifts? According to board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Gary Motykie , Biden has had hair transplants and one to two facelifts, which was probably a move to keep up with his appearances. Some scarring by his ears and the pulling of his earlobe are major hints that Biden had a facelift through means of plastic surgery. He may also have had his upper eyelids pulled up and may have even attempted to hide his facial wrinkles, trying to look younger than he actually is. These surgeries cost nearly 150,000 dollars approximately, and even more if he has tried more surgeries. However, these procedures on Biden are not very out of the ordinary, according to Motykie, but there could be more complex surgeries that may have been done on the US President. FAQs: Is Joe Biden still the US President? Yes, Joe Biden is still the US President, and will be succeeded by Donald Trump, who is currently the President-elect. Have the US Presidential elections ended? Yes, the US Presidential elections have ended officially, with Donald Trump having clearly stated his mandate in both, the popular votes as well as the Electoral College. Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI and Analytics based Business Strategy By - Tanusree De, Managing Director- Accenture Technology Lead, Trustworthy AI Center of Excellence: ATCI View Program Leadership From Idea to Product: A Startup Development Guide By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Leadership Validating Your Startup Idea: Steps to Ensure Market Fit By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Finance Financial Literacy i.e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By - CA Rahul Gupta, CA with 10+ years of experience and Accounting Educator View Program Office Productivity Advanced Excel Course - Financial Calculations & Excel Made Easy By - Anirudh Saraf, Founder- Saraf A & Associates, Chartered Accountant View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Master in Python Language Quickly Using the ChatGPT Open AI By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Digital marketing - Wordpress Website Development By - Shraddha Somani, Digital Marketing Trainer, Consultant, Strategiest and Subject Matter expert View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) ChatGPT Mastery from Zero to Hero: The Complete AI Course By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Strategy Succession Planning Masterclass By - Nigel Penny, Global Strategy Advisor: NSP Strategy Facilitation Ltd. View Program Finance Startup Fundraising: Essential Tactics for Securing Capital By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Web Development Django & PostgreSQL Mastery: Build Professional Web Applications By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Data Science MySQL for Beginners: Learn Data Science and Analytics Skills By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Modern Marketing Masterclass by Seth Godin By - Seth Godin, Former dot com Business Executive and Best Selling Author View Program Web Development JavaScript Essentials: Unlock AI-Driven Insights with ChatGPT By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI-Powered Python Mastery with Tabnine: Boost Your Coding Skills By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Leadership Crafting a Powerful Startup Value Proposition By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Office Productivity Mastering Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and 365 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Data Science SQL Server Bootcamp 2024: Transform from Beginner to Pro By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance AI and Generative AI for Finance By - Hariom Tatsat, Vice President- Quantitative Analytics at Barclays View Program Finance Tally Prime & GST Accounting: Complete Guide By - CA Raj K Agrawal, Chartered Accountant View Program Assembly Election Results Live Updates Maharashtra Poll Results Highlights 2024 Jharkhand Poll Results Highlights 2024 (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )After two exhaustive weeks of chaotic bargaining and sleepless nights, nearly 200 nations banged through the contentious finance pact in the early hours beneath a sports stadium roof in Azerbaijan. Nations had struggled to reconcile long-standing divisions over climate finance. Sleep-deprived diplomats, huddled in anxious groups, were still revising the final phrasing on the plenary floor before the deal passed. At points, the talks appeared on the brink of collapse, with developing nations storming out of meetings and threatening to walk away should rich nations not cough up more cash. In the end -- despite repeating that no deal is better than a bad deal -- they did not stand in the way of an agreement, despite it falling well short of what they want. The final deal commits developed nations to pay at least $300 billion a year by 2035 to help developed countries green their economies and prepare for worse disasters. That is up from $100 billion now provided by wealthy nations under a commitment set to expire -- and from the $250 billion proposed in a draft Friday. That offer was slammed as offensively low by developing countries, which have demanded at least $500 billion to build resilience against climate change and cut emissions. A number of countries have accused Azerbaijan, an authoritarian oil and gas exporter, of lacking the experience and will to meet the moment, as the planet again sets temperature records and faces rising deadly disasters. Wealthy countries and small island nations have also been concerned by efforts led by Saudi Arabia to water down calls from last year's summit to phase out fossil fuels. The United States and EU have wanted newly wealthy emerging economies like China -- the world's largest emitter -- to chip in. The final draft encouraged developing countries to make contributions on a voluntary basis, reflecting no change for China which already pays climate finance on its own terms. Wealthy nations said it was politically unrealistic to expect more in direct government funding. Donald Trump, a sceptic of both climate change and foreign assistance, returns to the White House in January and a number of other Western countries have seen right-wing backlashes against the green agenda. The deal posits a larger overall target of $1.3 trillion per year to cope with rising temperatures and disasters, but most would come from private sources. bur-np-sct/lth/jj

TORONTO, Nov. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TerrAscend Corp. ("TerrAscend” or the "Company”) (TSX: TSND, OTCQX: TSNDF), a leading North American cannabis company, today announced the appointment of Lynn Gefen as Chief People Officer in addition to her existing role as Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary, effective November 12, 2024. "Lynn has proven to be an exceptional member of our leadership team since she joined TerrAscend in May of 2022. She has brought not only technical expertise, but a passion for culture. With the natural overlap between People programs and the Legal function, Lynn is uniquely positioned to take on this expanded role,” stated Ziad Ghanem, President and Chief Executive Officer of TerrAscend. "Consolidating these roles aligns with our focus on streamlining our operations and optimizing our resources to drive efficiencies while not sacrificing agility,” continued Mr. Ghanem. "Joining TerrAscend has been an extraordinary opportunity, and I am honored to take on these additional responsibilities,” said Lynn Gefen, Chief People and Legal Officer, and Corporate Secretary. "Our people are critical to executing on our ambitious growth strategy heading into 2025 and I look forward to working cross-functionally to drive these programs with our talented team," continued Ms. Gefen. Prior to her roles at TerrAscend, Ms. Gefen served as Deputy General Counsel, Chief Risk and Compliance Officer, and Assistant Secretary at HomeServe, a publicly traded, independent provider of home repair service solutions. In addition to her roles at HomeServe, Ms. Gefen has worked for Diageo North America, a global leader in beverage alcohol, focusing on regulatory matters, privacy, and compliance, and for Citrix Systems, a multinational cloud computing and virtualization technology company, where she led a team with global responsibility for corporate and compliance matters including securities, commercial transactions, litigation, governance, and employment. Ms. Gefen began her legal career as an associate at Thacher Proffitt & Wood and Holland & Knight. Ms. Gefen received a J.D. from American University and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Florida. The Toronto Stock Exchange ("TSX”) has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Neither the TSX nor any securities regulator accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. About TerrAscend TerrAscend is a leading TSX-listed cannabis company with interests across the North American cannabis sector, including vertically integrated operations in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Michigan and California through TerrAscend Growth Corp. and retail operations in Canada through TerrAscend Canada Inc. TerrAscend operates The Apothecarium, Gage and other dispensary retail locations as well as scaled cultivation, processing, and manufacturing facilities in its core markets. TerrAscend's cultivation and manufacturing practices yield consistent, high-quality cannabis, providing industry-leading product selection to both the medical and legal adult-use markets. The Company owns or licenses several synergistic businesses and brands including Gage Cannabis, The Apothecarium, Cookies, Lemonnade, Ilera Healthcare, Kind Tree, Legend, State Flower, Wana, and Valhalla Confections. For more information visit www.terrascend.com . Caution Regarding Cannabis Operations in the United States Investors should note that there are significant legal restrictions and regulations that govern the cannabis industry in the United States. Cannabis remains a Schedule I drug under the US Controlled Substances Act, making it illegal under federal law in the United States to, among other things, cultivate, distribute, or possess cannabis in the United States. Financial transactions involving proceeds generated by, or intended to promote, cannabis-related business activities in the United States may form the basis for prosecution under applicable US federal money laundering legislation. While the approach to enforcement of such laws by the federal government in the United States has trended toward non-enforcement against individuals and businesses that comply with medical or adult-use cannabis programs in states where such programs are legal, strict compliance with state laws with respect to cannabis will neither absolve TerrAscend of liability under U.S. federal law, nor will it provide a defense to any federal proceeding which may be brought against TerrAscend. The enforcement of federal laws in the United States is a significant risk to the business of TerrAscend and any proceedings brought against TerrAscend thereunder may adversely affect TerrAscend's operations and financial performance. Forward Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information contained in this press release may be identified by the use of words such as, "may”, "would”, "could”, "will”, "likely”, "expect”, "anticipate”, "believe, "intend”, "plan”, "forecast”, "project”, "estimate”, "outlook” and other similar expressions, and include statements with respect to the Company's expectations regarding streamlining of its operations or execution of its growth plans. Forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and is based upon a number of estimates and assumptions of management in light of management's experience and perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors relevant in the circumstances, including assumptions in respect of current and future market conditions, the current and future regulatory environment, and the availability of licenses, approvals and permits. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking information is based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking information because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, current and future market conditions; risks related to federal, state, provincial, territorial, local and foreign government laws, rules and regulations, including federal and state laws in the United States relating to cannabis operations in the United States; and the risk factors set out in the Company's most recently filed MD&A, filed with the Canadian securities regulators and available under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and in the section titled "Risk Factors” in the Company's Annual Report for the year ended December 31, 2023 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC”) on March 14, 2024, as updated by its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 to be filed with the SEC. The statements in this press release are made as of the date of this release. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking information, whether, as a result of new information, future events, or results or otherwise, other than as required by applicable securities laws. CONTACT: For more information regardingTerrAscend: Keith Stauffer Chief Financial Officer [email protected] 717-343-5386Nick Fuentes Arrested For Allegedly Macing Woman Who Confronted Him Over 'Your Body, My Choice' Post

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KUWAIT: Zain, Kuwait’s leading technology innovator, announced its platinum sponsorship of NEXUS—the largest technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship gathering of its kind. The three-day event was held at The Arena Kuwait, featuring participation from over 100 entities from the public and private sectors, under the patronage and presence of Minister of State for Communications Affairs Omar Al-Omar. Zain took part in the exhibition’s opening ceremony, which was attended by officials, executives, and experts representing a wide range of industries. The company’s support to this event aligns with its strategy to contribute to the national economy, emphasize the private sector’s role in supporting the country’s digital transformation plans, accelerate the entrepreneurial ecosystem, and empower Kuwaiti talent. How technology shapes future During the event, a panel discussion titled “How AI, data, and IoT will shape the future” was held, joined by Hamad Al-Marzouq, Chief Enterprise Business Officer at Zain Kuwait and Abdullah Al-Ajmi, Acting Chairman of the Communications and Information Technology Regulatory Authority (CITRA), along with other experts. During the panel, Al-Marzouq highlighted Zain’s leading role in digital transformation and how the company employs IoT and AI technologies to enhance customer experience and promote digital lifestyles. He also discussed some of Zain’s innovative solutions to integrate data analytics in smart city projects. He also discussed key projects in collaboration with government and private institutions to advance smart city initiatives and explored the opportunities that 5G and IoT technologies bring to Kuwait’s digital future. “At Zain, we take pride in being pioneers in adopting AI solutions and new technologies. We extend our gratitude to CITRA for their role in supporting our initiatives and facilitating the necessary licenses for launching technologies such as 5G, data centers, and cloud services in the market,” said Al-Marzouq during the panel discussion. “On the consumer side, we were the first to introduce AI-powered customer service solutions, such as our interactive smart platform, zBot, that we launched years ago. We also offer a comprehensive portfolio of IoT solutions that enrich our customers’ smart home experiences.” Al-Marzouq talked about Zain’s contributions in the enterprise sector. “We have numerous success stories where we empowered public and private sector entities to adopt the latest solutions such as 5G and 5G Advanced connectivity, and we’ve worked to enhance the smart city ecosystem by deploying 800,000 smart meters in collaboration with the Ministry of Electricity and Water,” he said. The discussion also touched on Zain’s collaboration with international tech companies. “Our solid partnerships with global technology giants such as Microsoft, Amazon (AWS), Google Cloud, and others have strengthened our digital infrastructure to provide the best services and solutions for business clients in the Kuwaiti market, including large corporations, SMEs, and the public sector,” said Al-Marzouq. He also highlighted a recent AI-driven platform developed by Zain for enterprise clients to help track project progress using data-driven insights. Among the notable success stories was the partnership with the Kuwait Credit Bank to provide an engineering inspection platform using drones, significantly enhancing citizens’ experiences. Discussing the significance of data in decision making, Al-Marzouq stated: “Data has become one of the most valuable resources today. At Zain, we recently launched the Zain Data Office, which assists us in making data-driven decisions. We harness the power of data to offer solutions that help overcome societal challenges and create exclusive offerings tailored to our customers’ unique needs.” Zain had an engaging presence at NEXUS, showcasing its leading experience in digital transformation, support for Kuwaiti entrepreneurs, and the latest fintech solutions, through its dedicated booth and by sharing expertise during engaging panel discussions and specialized workshops throughout the three-day event. Exclusive bundles for SMEs During its participation at NEXUS, Zain launched all-new exclusive bundles tailored for SME customers. Designed specifically for startups, these packages include a variety of offerings from Zain’s business portfolio, such as cloud solutions, 5G services, IoT, 5G connectivity, and more. The new plans provide customized and integrated solutions specifically designed for SMEs, helping them manage and operate their businesses seamlessly. The plans are cost-effective by bundling several services at a competitive price, with flexibility to customize the plans and opt in for add-ons as needed, ensuring small businesses have the tools and support needed for success and sustainable growth. The bundles target SMEs looking to enhance operational efficiency by providing reliable and fast 5G internet connectivity, hosted collaboration services, access to the latest productivity tools, high-level security, and flexible payment options. Additionally, Zain’s booth featured a notable contribution from FOO, Zain’s fintech partner, showcasing cutting-edge fintech solutions for institutions, including digital wallets, digital banking, banking-as-a-service, cloud-as-a-service, payment solutions, digital transformation enablement, and more. Fostering growth for entrepreneurs During the event, Haya AlManaa, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Expert at Zain Kuwait, participated in a panel titled “Ecosystem Builders and Enablers.” She highlighted Zain’s innovation strategy, which aims to support entrepreneurs and empower startups by providing world-class mentorship and acceleration resources. AlManaa spoke about Zain’s role in providing resources and mentorship to new entrepreneurs through its award-winning tech startup accelerator, Zain Great Idea (ZGI). She also discussed the challenges startups face in the tech space and how to overcome them to achieve sustainable growth, as well as Zain’s efforts to foster innovation and inclusion, especially for women in entrepreneurship. Zain’s booth featured participation from three Kuwaiti entrepreneurs from the finalists of the ZGI program, which recently concluded its global acceleration phase in Silicon Valley in the US. The participants included Faisal Tawfiqi and Fahad Alzuabi from USim — an internet roaming app, Abdullah Albusairi from EYON— an Arab live streaming platform, and Abdullah Shaban from Mawqif — a parking app. They highlighted their competitive services to visitors and shared their experiences from the ZGI program. NEXUS featured the first-of-its-kind startup challenge, where 100 startups competed for six major awards totaling KD 30,000, including a grand prize of KD 10,000. Three startups from the current ZGI cohort participated in the competition: Ghaneema Al-Mutawa, Yousur Al-Mutawa, and Yasmeen Al-Kandari from Seeds Academy; Mohammed Al-Kandari and Khaled Ibrahim from Caliery; and Abdulrahman Al-Fneisan from ADWAA. They presented their pioneering ideas and business models to the judging panel and audience. Partnership with ‘Raha’ On the sidelines of the exhibition, Zain announced a collaboration with Raha, the rapidly growing logistics technology company in Kuwait. Through this collaboration, Raha’s subsidiary, Smooth Logistics, will support Zain’s logistics operations, leveraging its expertise in advanced AI-powered robotics and automation solutions, considered to be among the best in their class in the logistics industry. The partnership was announced in the presence of Ahmad Al-Habib, Outbound Department Manager in the Channels Division at Zain Kuwait, and Saleh Al-Tunaib, co-founder and CEO of Raha. Smooth Logistics will provide support in managing Zain’s logistics operations, including transporting, storing, and shipping products and orders, following the highest standards of quality and efficiency, and utilizing AI-powered robotic solutions in its state-of-the-art facilities in Kuwait. Hamad Al-Marzouq: “Data has become one of today’s most valuable resources. At Zain, we harness the power of data to enhance customer experiences and enrich their digital lifestyle.”Strictly Come Dancing fans fear star to leave for good and predict show 'set up'BOARDWALKTECH REPORTS SECOND QUARTER FISCAL 2025 FINANCIAL RESULTS

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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has named a Russian national Pavel Prozorov as the principal accused in the operations of OctaFx. This forex trading platform allegedly defrauded Indian investors with Rs 800 crore. The Mumbai ED filed a prosecution complaint against OctaFx, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) Act. This followed an investigation based on an FIR registered on December 8, 2021, by Shivaji Nagar police station, Pune, against multiple individuals involved with the firm. The investigation revealed that OctaFX, owned by the 42-year-old Russian, was at the centre of a fraudulent scheme that involved collecting funds from Indian investors under the pretence of Forex trading, to Rs 800 crore, from its operations in India within nine months. According to the ED, the forex trading platform manipulated trade activities, inducing huge losses for Indian investors. The ED also alleges that OctaFX diverted the defrauded funds into accounts and e-wallets owned by dubious entities. The ED claims that OctaFX’s platforms frequently changed their login URLs and web addresses, to “obscure fraudulent activities from investors.” The ED found that OctaFx utilized fin-tech employees to create mule accounts linked to shell companies and fake e-commerce websites, to obtain payment gateway access to route the investor money abroad, by faking imports and freight services. The company smashed its way into the Indian market through aggressive marketing, including, sponsoring an Indian Premier League (IPL) team, and engaging in paid endorsements with various influencers and celebrity personalities. The Enforcement Directorate has so far conducted multiple searches in multiple locations and has attached and seized assets worth Rs 165 crore approximately, including 19 immovable properties in Spain, owned by Pavel Prozorov. According to the UK government’s company directory, Pavel Prozorov lives in Spain, and his company registered in the UK, by the name OCTA Markets UK LTD has a dissolved-company status.Apple is poised to expand its retail footprint in the UAE, announcing plans for a fifth store in the region. This development comes as the company’s cumulative investments in the UAE have surpassed $1.6 billion, underscoring the tech giant’s commitment to strengthening its presence in a key international market. The upcoming store, slated to open in Abu Dhabi’s Al Maryah Island, will be the second Apple location in the UAE capital. Described by Apple as a community space to inspire creativity and collaboration, the store aims to offer visitors a comprehensive experience, combining technology, learning opportunities, and Apple’s signature design aesthetic. Special barricades at the site signal the brand’s vision of delivering innovation and premium service to its customers in this new location. The UAE’s strategic position as a global technology and commerce hub has made it a vital region for Apple. With the company’s initial entry into the UAE market dating back to 2015, Apple has continued to invest in both physical and digital infrastructure in the country. Its flagship outlets, including the Marina Mall store in Abu Dhabi and Dubai’s Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates locations, consistently rank among the busiest retail outlets globally. This expansion reinforces Apple’s strategy of integrating its retail presence within the country’s top-tier lifestyle destinations. Beyond retail, Apple’s investments in the UAE also reflect its emphasis on fostering local innovation and talent. The company has been instrumental in advancing digital literacy in the region through educational initiatives such as its “Today at Apple” workshops. These sessions, hosted across its UAE stores, are designed to empower the community by teaching new skills in photography, music, and app development, contributing to the broader digital transformation goals of the UAE. The company’s operations in the region also extend to significant contributions to the UAE’s economy. With over $1.6 billion invested, Apple’s ventures span across various sectors, including retail, technology, and education, while supporting thousands of direct and indirect jobs. Its presence has enhanced the UAE’s standing as a leader in technological adoption and innovation. Apple’s growing footprint aligns with the UAE’s vision of becoming a global technology and innovation leader. By leveraging the country’s advanced infrastructure and a dynamic consumer base, the tech giant has successfully tapped into one of the Middle East’s most lucrative markets. This latest expansion reaffirms Apple’s long-term commitment to the region as it continues to deliver premium services and products tailored to its local audience.and appealed to the Australian Government on Tuesday through written submissions to delay a bill imposing a social media ban for children under 16 years old. In their submissions, both Google and Meta contended the bill should be delayed until the Government’s Age Assurance Trial results are obtained. The would “include methods that verify a user’s identity credentials to accurately determine their age” using “biometric markers or digital usage patterns.” Meta’s outlined several key points, including asserting the bill will “needlessly burden parents and young people” and “disempower Australian parents,” expressing doubts regarding the government’s proposition to place the burden on social media companies. Further, the submission considers the “omission of YouTube and online gaming fatal to the Bill’s purpose.” However, the government has to exclude messaging apps, gaming services, and health and education-related such as Google Classroom and YouTube. Meta’s submission additionally voices reservations about the new definition of ‘age-restricted social media platform,’ the “unclear technical requirements with significant penalties.” It raises concerns of “overlap and duplication” with the Privacy Act. Google’s proposed the bill “adopt a more targeted approach to covered services,” noting “digital platform regulation is complex and requires careful regulation,” expressing concerns that the speed of the bill’s development has “not allowed for adequate contemplation of the complexities,” and the “rushed approach” has “failed to allow adequate consultation with experts, industry, parents and caregivers and young people themselves,” suggesting it “does not reflect good regulatory practice.” Australia’s Labor government the on November 21, 2024, which sought to implement a minimum age of 16 for social media. The proposed bill, which received bipartisan support, in the House of Representatives with 102 votes to 13 and will proceed to the Senate for debate. The bill was referred to the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee, with submissions of opinions closing after one day. An amendment to the , the bill would place responsibility on social media companies, rather than parents or children, to ensure reasonable steps are taken to prevent children under 16 from the platforms. The broadened definition of ‘age-restricted social media platform’ noted in would include Facebook and Instagram owned by Meta Platforms, TikTok, Snapchat, Reddit, and X (formerly Twitter). Significant penalties could be imposed upon digital platforms for systemic breaches, such as failing to adhere to the minimum age obligation and incurring fines of up to AUD $49.5 million. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese the legislation as a “landmark reform,” acknowledging, “We know some kids will find workarounds, but we’re sending a message to social media companies to clean up their act.” Several organizations and individuals have expressed uncertainty and opposition to the bill, including , , , , and . Despite reservations about the bill expressed in submissions, a found an increase in Australian citizens’ support for the bill, with 77 percent backing the proposed ban. Pope Urban II sparks First Crusade Pope Urban II threw his support behind what would become the First Crusade on November 27, 1095 during the Council of Clairmont. The Pope urged the council's participants to render aid to the Byzantine Empire, which was being attacked by the Seljuks. Pope Urban called for a wide coalition of rich and poor to combat the threat, which eventually resulted in the conquest of much of the Muslim-controlled Levant by the Crusaders and the establishment of the Crusader States. Pope Urban's address. Catholic Code of Canon Law revised On November 27, 1983, the revised of the Roman Catholic Church went into effect.Learn more about the history of Canon Law from of the Catholic University of America's Columbus School of Law. Alfred Nobel creates Nobel Prize in his will On November 27, 1895, Alfred Nobel signed his will, creating the . about the history of the Nobel Prize and the Nobel Commission.

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