646 jili

UN Resolution 1701 is at the heart of the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire deal. What is it?

Participation in the 9th World Oil and Gas Equipment Exhibition WOGE2024NEW YORK (AP) — The man accused of fatally setting a woman on fire inside a New York City subway train used his shirt to fan the flames, causing her to become engulfed in the blaze, a prosecutor said Tuesday. Sebastian Zapeta, 33, who federal immigration officials said is a Guatemalan citizen who entered the U.S. illegally, made his first court appearance and was arraigned in Brooklyn criminal court. He appeared briefly before a judge and wore a white jumpsuit over a weathered black hooded sweatshirt. He did not speak. He will remain jailed ahead of his next court date on Friday. The apparently random attack occurred Sunday morning on a stationary F train at the Coney Island station in Brooklyn. Police said Tuesday that identification of the victim was still “pending at this time.” Authorities say Zapeta approached the woman, who was sitting motionless in the train car and may have been sleeping, and used a lighter to set her clothing on fire. Zapeta then used his shirt to fan the flames, leading to her becoming engulfed in the fire, Assistant District Attorney Ari Rottenberg said on Tuesday. Zapeta then sat at a bench on the subway platform and watched, according to police. Rottenberg added that under interrogation Zapeta said he didn’t know what happened, noting that he consumes alcohol. But he alleged that Zapeta identified himself to interrogators in images related to the attack. Video posted to social media appeared to show the woman standing inside the train ablaze as some people look on from the platform, and at least one officer walks by. NYPD Chief of Transit Joseph Gulotta said Sunday that several officers had responded to the fire and one stayed to keep the crime scene “the way it’s supposed to be" while the others went to get fire extinguishers and transit workers. They were eventually able to douse the fire, but “unfortunately, it was too late,” Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said — the woman was pronounced dead at the scene. Zapeta was taken into custody Sunday afternoon while riding a train on the same subway line after police got a tip from some teenagers who recognized him from images circulated by the police. A Brooklyn address for Zapeta released by police matches a shelter that provides housing and substance abuse support. The shelter did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Federal immigration officials said Zapeta had been previously deported in 2018 but at some point reentered the U.S. illegally. In a statement, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez called the attack a “gruesome and senseless act of violence against a vulnerable woman” that would be “met with the most serious consequences.” The crime — and the graphic video of it that ricocheted across social media — deepened a growing sense of unease among some New Yorkers about the safety of the subway system in a city where many residents take the subway multiple times each day. Overall, according to authorities, crime is down in the transit system this year when compared to last year — major felonies declined 6% between January and November of this year and in 2023, data compiled by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority show. But murders are up, with nine killings this year through November compared to five in the same period last year. Earlier this month, a Manhattan jury acquitted Daniel Penny in the death of an agitated subway rider that the former Marine placed in a chokehold last year. The case became a flashpoint in ongoing debates over safety, homelessness and mental illness on the system. Policing the subway is also difficult, given the vast network of trains constantly moving between the system’s 472 stations, with each stop containing multiple entry points and, in many stations, multiple floors and platforms. On Sunday, police at the station where the woman burned to death were patrolling a different area and responded after seeing and smelling smoke, authorities said.

AP Trending SummaryBrief at 6:53 p.m. ESTNEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump used his image as a successful New York businessman to become a celebrity, a reality television star and eventually the president. Now he will get to revel in one of the most visible symbols of success in the city when he rings the opening bell of the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday as he's also named Time Magazine's Person of the Year. Trump is expected to be on Wall Street to mark the ceremonial start of the day's trading, according to four people with knowledge of his plans. He will also be announced Thursday as Time's 2024 Person of the Year , according to a person familiar with the selection. The people who confirmed the stock exchange appearance and Time award were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. It will be a notable moment of twin recognitions for Trump, a born-and-bred New Yorker who at times has treated the stock market as a measure of public approval and has long-prized signifiers of his success in New York's business world and his appearances on the covers of magazines — especially Time. Trump was named the magazine's Person of the Year in 2016, when he was first elected to the White House. He had already been listed as a finalist for this year's award alongside Vice President Kamala Harris, X owner Elon Musk, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Kate, the Princess of Wales. Time declined to confirm the selection ahead of Thursday morning's announcement. “Time does not comment on its annual choice for Person of the Year prior to publication,” a spokesperson for the magazine said Wednesday. The ringing of the bell is a powerful symbol of U.S. capitalism — and a good New York photo opportunity at that. Despite his decades as a New York businessman, Trump has never done it before. It was unclear whether Trump, a Republican, would meet with New York's embattled mayor, Democrat Eric Adams , who has warmed to Trump and has not ruled out changing his political party. Adams has been charged with federal corruption crimes and accused of selling influence to foreign nationals; he has denied wrongdoing. Trump himself was once a symbol of New York, but he gave up living full-time in his namesake Trump Tower in Manhattan and moved to Florida after leaving the White House. CNN first reported Wednesday Trump’s visit to the stock exchange and Politico reported that Trump was expected to be unveiled as Time's Person of the Year. The stock exchange regularly invites celebrities and business leaders to participate in the ceremonial opening and closing of trading. During Trump’s first term, his wife, Melania Trump, rang the bell to promote her “Be Best” initiative on children’s well-being. Last year, Time CEO Jessica Sibley rang the opening bell to unveil the magazine's 2023 Person of the Year: Taylor Swift . After the Nov. 5 election, the S&P 500 rallied 2.5% for its best day in nearly two years. The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 1,508 points, or 3.6%, while the Nasdaq composite jumped 3%. All three indexes topped records they had set in recent weeks. The U.S. stock market has historically tended to rise regardless of which party wins the White House, with Democrats scoring bigger average gains since 1945. But Republican control could mean big shifts in the winning and losing industries underneath the surface, and investors are adding to bets built earlier on what the higher tariffs, lower tax rates and lighter regulation that Trump favors will mean. Trump has long courted the business community based on his own status as a wealthy real estate developer who gained additional fame as the star of the TV show “The Apprentice” in which competitors tried to impress him with their business skills. He won the election in part by tapping into Americans' deep anxieties about an economy that seemed unable to meet the needs of the middle class. The larger business community has applauded his promises to reduce corporate taxes and cut regulations. But there are also concerns about his stated plans to impose broad tariffs and possibly target companies that he sees as not aligning with his own political interests. Trump spends the bulk of his time at his Florida home but was in New York for weeks this spring during his hush money trial there. He was convicted, but his lawyers are pushing for the case to be thrown out in light of his election. While he spent hours in a Manhattan courthouse every day during his criminal trial, Trump took his presidential campaign to the streets of the heavily Democratic city, holding a rally in the Bronx and popping up at settings for working-class New Yorkers: a bodega, a construction site and a firehouse. Trump returned to the city in September to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at his Manhattan tower and again in the final stretch of the presidential campaign when he held a rally at Madison Square Garden that drew immediate blowback as speakers made rude and racist insults and incendiary remarks . At the stock exchange, the ringing of the bell has been a tradition since the 1800s. The first guest to do it was a 10-year-old boy named Leonard Ross, in 1956, who won a quiz show answering questions about the stock market. Many times, companies listing on the exchange would ring the bell at 9:30 a.m. to commemorate their initial offerings as trading began. But the appearances have become an important marker of culture and politics -- something that Trump hopes to seize as he’s promised historic levels of economic growth. The anti-apartheid advocate and South African President Nelson Mandela rang the bell, as has Hollywood star Sylvester Stallone with his castmates from the film “The Expendables.” So, too, have the actors Robert Downey Jr. and Jeremy Renner for an “Avengers” movie and the Olympians Michael Phelps and Natalie Coughlin. In 1985, Ronald Reagan became the first sitting U.S. president to ring the bell. “With tax reform and budget control, our economy will be free to expand to its full potential, driving the bears back into permanent hibernation,” Reagan said at the time. “We’re going to turn the bull loose.” The crowd of traders on the floor chanted, “Ronnie! Ronnie! Ronnie!” The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed in 1985 and 1986, but it suffered a decline in October 1987 in an event known as “Black Monday.” Long reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Josh Boak in Washington contributed to this report.

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes got back to climbing on Wednesday after the latest update on inflation appeared to clear the way for more help for the economy from the Federal Reserve . The S&P 500 rose 0.8% to break its first two-day losing streak in nearly a month and finished just short of its all-time high. Big Tech stocks led the way, which drove the Nasdaq composite up 1.8% to top the 20,000 level for the first time. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, meanwhile, lagged the market with a dip of 99 points, or 0.2%. Stocks got a boost as expectations built that Wednesday’s inflation data will allow the Fed to deliver another cut to interest rates at its meeting next week. Traders are betting on a nearly 99% probability of that, according to data from CME Group, up from 89% a day before. 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. “The data have given the Fed the ‘all clear’ for next week, and today’s inflation data keep a January cut in active discussion,” according to Ellen Zentner, chief economic strategist for Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. Expectations for a series of cuts to rates by the Fed have been one of the main reasons the S&P 500 has set an all-time high 57 times this year , with the latest coming last week. The biggest boosts for the index on Wednesday came from Nvidia and other Big Tech stocks. Their massive growth has made them Wall Street’s biggest stars for years, though other kinds of stocks have recently been catching up somewhat amid hopes for the broader U.S. economy. Tesla jumped 5.9% to finish above $420 at $424.77. It’s a level that Elon Musk made famous in a 2018 tweet when he said he had secured funding to take Tesla private at $420 per share . Stitch Fix soared 44.3% after the company that sends clothes to your door reported a smaller loss for the latest quarter than analysts expected. It also gave financial forecasts for the current quarter that were better than expected, including for revenue. GE Vernova rallied 5% for one of the biggest gains in the S&P 500. The energy company that spun out of General Electric said it would pay a 25 cent dividend every three months, and it approved a plan to send up to another $6 billion to its shareholders by buying back its own stock. On the losing end of Wall Street, Dave & Buster’s Entertainment tumbled 20.1% after reporting a worse loss for the latest quarter than expected. It also said CEO Chris Morris has resigned, and the board has been working with an executive-search firm for the last few months to find its next permanent leader. Albertsons fell 1.5% after filing a lawsuit against Kroger, saying it didn’t do enough for their proposed $24.6 billion merger agreement to win regulatory clearance. Albertsons said it’s seeking billions of dollars in damages from Kroger, whose stock rose 1%. A day earlier, judges in separate cases in Oregon and Washington nixed the supermarket giants’ merger. The grocers contended a combination could have helped them compete with big retailers like Walmart, Costco and Amazon, but critics said it would hurt competition. After terminating the merger agreement with Kroger, Albertsons said it plans to boost its dividend 25% and increased the size of its program to buy back its own stock. Macy’s slipped 0.8% after cutting some of its financial forecasts for the full year of 2024, including for how much profit it expects to make off each $1 of revenue. All told, the S&P 500 rose 49.28 points to 6,084.19. The Dow dipped 99.27 to 44,148.56, and the Nasdaq composite rallied 347.65 to 20,034.89. In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.27% from 4.23% late Tuesday. The two-year Treasury yield, which more closely tracks expectations for the Fed, edged up to 4.15% from 4.14%. In stock markets abroad, indexes rose across much of Europe and Asia. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was an outlier and slipped 0.8% as Chinese leaders convened an annual planning meeting in Beijing that is expected to set economic policies and growth targets for the coming year. South Korea’s Kospi rose 1%, up for a second straight day as it climbs back following last week’s political turmoil where its president briefly declared martial law. AP Writers Matt Ott and Zimo Zhong contributed.The LG G4 OLED is on sale at Amazon and Best Buy for $2,796. LG has made great strides with its OLED picture quality, and this model is truly exceptional However, the regular price might be a turn-off since you can buy great TVs for half the price. I'm not usually a fan of LG TVs, but I've tested the LG G4 OLED TV this year, and I have to admit that it has the most impressive picture quality of any TV I've ever bought, used, or tested. Also: The next big HDMI leap is coming next month - what the 2.2 standard means for you Though Cyber Week is over, you can still find the 65-inch LG G4 on sale for over $700 off its retail price of $3,399 at both Amazon and Best Buy as retailers amp up their New Year's savings opportunities. At about $2,800, the LG G4 OLED is still an expensive TV (the best price we saw during Black Friday and Cyber Monday was $2,300). For that price, you could get two 65-inch Sony X90L TVs -- my pick for the best TV for the money . But if picture quality is your number one priority and you have the budget, there's no TV on the planet with a better picture than the LG G4. LG G4 OLED TV The LG G4 OLED TV offers breathtaking visuals with near-perfect blacks, vibrant colors, and an ultra-thin design for an immersive viewing experience. What makes the LG G4 OLED picture so good? Several things. First of all, there are the things that make all OLED screens great, and this is especially true for LG OLEDs because they are one of the leading innovators in the technology. We're talking about true blacks (as opposed to washed-out dark grays from LCD TVs), deep contrast, more vibrant colors, and amazing dynamic range in shots that have both dark and light elements. The LG G4 has all of those qualities -- and at the highest levels I've seen on any TV -- because it is LG's flagship OLED TV for 2024. Also: I tested Samsung's 98-inch 4K QLED TV, and watching Hollywood movies on it left me in awe So, what's new in this year's LG G4? The biggest leap forward is in picture processing, and that's made possible by the new α11 AI Processor 4K. I've always considered Sony the king of picture processing, and it was a long way back to LG and Samsung, essentially tied for second place, with budget TV makers TCL and Hisense lagging the crowd. However, with the 2024 α11 AI Processor, LG is now pushing Sony for the top spot in picture processing -- and that's saying a lot. Where this really matters is when it comes to out-of-the-box picture settings, upscaling older and lower-quality 720p and 1080p content, and the TV automatically adjusting the picture to make today's HDR content look amazing. In all of those areas, the LG G4 now rivals Sony. And because LG has always arguably made the highest-quality OLED TV panels, this upgrade in picture processing lifts the LG G4 to the top of the class in picture quality. For movies, shows, gaming, and virtually any other content, the LG G4 brings them to life in vibrant color, smooth motion, and incredible contrast -- more than any other TV you can buy right now. Also: The best live TV streaming services of 2024: Expert tested I tried it with some of my favorite content with challenging visuals, including Dune, Avengers: End Game , and several other cutting-edge cinematic marvels. All of the content looked better than I've ever seen on any TV I've used, bought, or tested -- and that includes some of the best TVs from Sony, Samsung, LG, TCL, and Hisense over the past few years. What are the drawbacks? There are a few drawbacks to note about the LG G4. First, of course, is the premium price. As I've already mentioned, you could buy two 65-inch Sony X90L TVs for the price of one 65-inch LG G4. And I think most people would be extremely happy with the mid-range Sony X90L. But you're not most people if you're considering the LG G4. The other drawbacks are the remote and LG's built-in webOS software. Both are mediocre at best. I consider LG's remote to be the worst of any of the big five TV makers. It's large, chunky, and has a confusing number of buttons. A TV that is good and has such a premium design that is svelte and beautiful deserves a better-designed remote. Also: You can finally buy LG's transparent OLED TV - if you're willing to pay $60,000 LG's built-in webOS software is nearly as disappointing as the remote control. It works fine, but it's not very intuitive, and it is nowhere close to being as well-thought-out as the TV hardware. The icons for content are small and sometimes hard to select, the menu system is a bit convoluted, and there are built-in ads running in the software, which makes it feel unnecessary for a TV this expensive. That said, in testing the 83-inch LG G4 in ZDNET's TV lab, I simply never used the remote or the built-in software. I attached an Apple TV 4K and used that remote and its interface to access all of the streaming services and content that I wanted. The combination of the LG G4 and Apple TV was glorious. So, if you buy an LG G4, I'd recommend adding a high-end streaming box like the Apple TV 4K , Google TV Streamer (4K) , Amazon Fire TV Cube , or Nvidia Shield . The built-in sound in the LG G4 is fine but not great -- like virtually every other high-end or budget TV. So if you're buying a TV this expensive, I'm going to assume you're going to add a soundbar . At the very least, I'd recommend getting the Hisense AX5125H 5.1.2-channel soundbar -- my pick for best budget soundbar. And if you really want to kick into high gear, then I'd recommend the Sony Bravia Theater Quad , which automatically calibrates itself to your room. Also: Changing these 5 soundbar settings made my living room feel like a movie theater Lastly, if you'd prefer a high-quality OLED TV with a great remote and great software built-in so that you don't have to run a separate streaming box, then I'd recommend the Sony A95L OLED TV , which runs Google TV and has a very premium remote. And if your TV is going to be in a very bright room with lots of windows or lights, then I'd recommend the Samsung S95D , which nearly matches the LG G4 in picture quality but comes with an incredible glare-free screen that looks amazing in any room. ZDNET's buying advice While Sony and Samsung offer OLED TVs with similar price points, the flagship LG G4 OLED is unmatched in picture quality, making it a solid recommendation at this sale price. Its powerful α11 AI Processor is on par with the vibrant colors, true blacks, and dynamic range displayed on its sleek panel. For a more immersive, theatre-like sound experience, consider adding a soundbar, as I mentioned above. Take advantage of these holiday discounts at either Amazon or Best Buy, whether you're gifting someone a smart TV with an exquisite picture or upgrading your home entertainment center. How we test TVs While testing and researching the TVs featured on this list, I and other ZDNET experts kept these criteria in mind: Price: Not all budgets are created equal. And if you're working with a limited budget, that shouldn't mean you have to settle for a sub-par TV. Each TV model on this list has been chosen across a variety of price points to help accommodate different needs. Screen size: The most important factor to consider, after price, when shopping for a new TV is whether or not it will fit into your space. Each best TV on this list was chosen because they are available in a wide variety of sizes to suit different rooms. Picture and audio quality: A new TV doesn't mean much, even if it costs an arm and a leg, if it doesn't provide a great picture and clear audio. Each TV on this list has been ensured to support various HDR codecs, including HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, as well as enhanced audio software like Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital Plus, and object-tracking sound. For a more detailed look, check out our extensive TV testing methodology . ZDNET's product of the year: Why Oura Ring 4 bested Samsung, Apple, and others in 2024 I tested Samsung's 98-inch 4K QLED TV, and watching Hollywood movies on it left me in awe I let my 8-year-old test this Android phone for kids. Here's what you should know before buying This ThinkPad checks all my boxes for a solid work laptop. Here's why it stands outWorld Energy GH2 – Newfoundland wind-to-hydrogen company eyes data centre as international market lags

Man accused in the burning death of a woman on a New York subway appears in court

Christmas WhatsApp status video download: Short videos to share on WhatsApp, Facebook and InstagramChristmas Tales and Family Politics with author John O'Farrell ...The Standard podcast

NoneWhy Biotechnology Company Carmell Shares Are Seeing Blue Skies Tuesday?BEND, OREGON (AP) — Eliza Wilson is a little nervous as she draws the microphone close, but she is determined to share her life story. “My father was a disabled veteran,” she says. “I first experienced homelessness when I was 5 years old.” Wilson, who’s 36, leads programs focused on unhoused youth. On a recent Saturday, she is addressing a citizen assembly, a grassroots gathering seeking solutions to tough local challenges. Her audience consists of 30 ordinary Oregonians. They are acupuncturists and elk hunters; house cleaners and retired riverboat pilots. None are public policy experts. All the same, these participants have been asked to recommend new strategies for combating youth homelessness — a major problem in this affluent Oregon city and the surrounding rural areas of Deschutes County. This unusual experiment in small-D democracy is underwritten by more than $250,000 in grants from backers such as the Rockefeller Foundation and Omidyar Network. As a key early presenter, Wilson wins rapt attention, clicking through data-rich slides and sharing her story of crisis and recovery. That’s how citizen assemblies should work, says Kevin O’Neil, an innovation specialist at the Rockefeller Foundation. His research shows Americans are frustrated with what they perceive as aloofness and gridlock within civic institutions. “People want to be directly involved in decision-making,” O’Neil says. “They recognize the value of expertise, but they don’t want to delegate decision-making to experts.” Assemblies can help “overcome polarization and strengthen societal cohesion,” says Claudia Chwalisz, founder of DemocracyNext. Her nonprofit, launched in Paris in 2022, champions such assemblies worldwide, hoping they can “create the democratic spaces for everyday people to grapple with the complexity of policy issues, listen to one another, and find common ground.” At least, that’s the theory. To succeed, citizen assemblies can’t settle for a few days of harmonious dialogue among well-intentioned strangers. They need to inspire policy changes or new programs from government and other civic institutions. In Europe, such wins abound. In the United States, results are spottier. The most fruitful U.S. effort to date was a 2021 people’s assembly in Washington State that produced 148 ideas — including more solar canopies and food composting — to combat climate change. More often, progress is challenging. An assembly in 2022 in Petaluma, California, spun up ideas to repurpose a long-time county fairground site. Two years later, the fair still operates under short-term leases; its long-term destiny remains in limbo. In Colorado’s Montrose County, enacting an assembly’s bold ideas for improving rural day care has been “more of a marathon than a sprint,” says organizer Morgan Lasher. Can central Oregon do better? It may take years to know, but evidence so far shows both the assembly system’s opportunities and the challenges. Bend’s local economy is strong, with a jobless rate of just 4.2% and median household income of more than $80,000. As housing costs have skyrocketed, though, the spectacle of people living in tent and trailer encampments has become more common. A January count found more than 1,800 people were homeless in Deschutes County, up from 913 in 2020. In 2023, DemocracyNext and Healthy Democracy, a Portland, Oregon, nonprofit, connected with Bend officials interested in bringing the assembly idea to central Oregon. Josh Burgess, an Air Force veteran, who moved to Bend and became the proverbial “advance man” for DemocracyNext. Operating in a county evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans, Burgess built rapport with both liberal and conservative members on the Deschutes County Board of Commissioners. “It took four or five meetings to get there,” Burgess recalls. Organizers decided to focus on homelessness among ages 14 to 24, where opportunities for progress seemed greatest. To pick citizens for the assembly, organizers contacted 12,000 county residents before selecting just 30. Everything was balanced by age, race, gender, and geography — a slow, costly requirement. Even so, advocates such as Michelle Barsa of Omidyar Network says assemblies’ big edge comes from using “an actual representative sample of the community, not just the people who always show up at town-hall meetings and yell into a microphone for three minutes.” At the northern edge of Oregon State’s Bend campus, a few hundred yards from the Deschutes River, is the McGrath Family atrium, a sunlight-drenched space with panoramic woodland views. It feels almost like a spa. As the Bend assembly gets started, black tablecloths at a huge, U-shaped table convey gravity. Name tags identify attendees as “Noelle,” “Dave,” “Alex.” The first few hours go slowly, but everything perks up after lunch. Eliza Wilson takes command, introducing herself as director of runaway and homeless youth services at J Bar J, a social-services organization. Her voice is unfailingly steady, but emotions race fast across her face: hope, frustration, empathy, resolve, and more. “Teens get really good at hiding their homelessness,” Wilson explains. “We don’t share family business outside of the family. I was really fortunate that a high-school counselor pointed me, at age 15, to the first youth shelter that had just opened in Bend. I stayed there for three years, until I graduated from high school. I finally got on my feet at age 21.” As Wilson finishes, questions stream in. “Are there any programs advocating for children to get back to their parents?” one woman wants to know. “Is there open communication between you guys and the school district?” a man asks. Wilson and other presenters respond with a road map of what exists today. They point out how homeless youth are in a precarious but not hopeless situation, counting on allies for a couch to sleep on. Less than 20 percent live outside in encampments. Practically everyone in the audience takes notes. The next day, assembly members strike up conversations with young adults who were once homeless. Chronic problems — and glimmers of ideas about how to address them — tumble forth. Flaws in the foster parent system. The risk of sexual abuse. The unique challenges that LGBTQ youth face. Attendees — who shared their thoughts with the Chronicle on the condition they be identified only by their first name — regarded those conversations as eye-opening breakthroughs in their hunt for policy recommendations. “I’m coming away with a whole different point of view,” Ken told me. He had arrived believing that poor parenting and drug abuse led to homelessness, and that affected families should personally address such challenges. Now, he said, he was interested in broader solutions. Several local officials stopped by to watch the assembly proceedings. Phil Chang, a Deschutes County commissioner, said the broad-based assembly creates “social license for us to do things that the community wants.” Conservative county commissioner Tony DeBone worries that Oregon’s rollback of drug-offense laws has worsened social problems; he also believes that an economic upturn would do the most good. Still, he says, he’s willing to see what the assembly can offer. Ultimately, the assembly’s effectiveness will depend on whether its recommendations can overcome bureaucratic inertia, says Tammy Baney, executive director of the Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council. Proposed changes in police interactions with homeless youth could be acted on within a month or two if local law enforcement is receptive, she says. Improving Oregon’s gridlocked foster-care system might be much harder. “It all depends on how much political will there is,” Baney says. _____ George Anders is editor-at-large at the Chronicle of Philanthropy, where you can read the full article. This article was provided to The Associated Press by the Chronicle of Philanthropy as part of a partnership to cover philanthropy and nonprofits supported by the Lilly Endowment. The Chronicle is solely responsible for the content. For all of AP’s philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy.

Brian Mast: Pro-Israel hawk set to lead US House foreign policy panelPARLIAMENT has reshuffled the chairpersons of various committees, with Murehwa West Member of Parliament Farai Jere and Clement Chiduwa being reassigned. Jere, who was serving on the Sports, Arts, and Recreation Committee, has replaced Chamu Chiwanza as its chairperson. The committee has been holding the Ministry of Sports, Arts, and Recreation accountable for the improvement of sports facilities in the country. Interestingly, Clement Chiduwa, who was previously chairing the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Budget and Finance, has been reassigned to the Industry and Commerce Committee, and he has been succeeded by Energy Mutodi. Former Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Supa Mandiwanzira, has been appointed to chair the Primary and Secondary Education Committee, moving from the Local Government and Public Works Committee. Hon. Dr. T. Khupe – Committee on Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology. Hon. I. Ndudzo – Committee on Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs. Hon. J. Tshuma – Committee on Local Government, Public Works and National Housing. Hon. D. Malinganiso – Committee on Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare; Hon. E. Mutodi – Committee on Budget, Finance and Economic Development. Hon. E. Maoneke – Committee on Defence, Home Affairs.Security Services and War Veterans. Hon. T. Karikoga – Committee on Transport and Infrastructural Development. Hon. S. Mandiwanzira – Committee on Primary and Secondary Education Hon. F. Jere – Committee on Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture; Hon. C. Chiduwa – Committee on Industry and Commerce. Hon. J. Samkange – Parliamentary Legal Committee.As the General Manager of Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, Dr. Babatunde Ajayi celebrated his first year in office, recently, he explained why the agency is committed towards protecting the environment and ensuring a sustainable development in Lagos. Funmi Ogundare writes When Dr. Babatunde Ajayi was appointed the General Manager of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) one year ago, the task ahead was daunting: managing the environmental complexities of a megacity like Lagos. From noise pollution in urban centers to the rising concerns of industrial emissions, LASEPA’s role is crucial in balancing growth with environmental sustainability. Now, as the GM commemorated his first anniversary in office, stakeholders are taking stock of the progress made so far. In an interview with selected journalists, the GM opened up about the agency’s achievements, ongoing challenges, and the vision for a greener Lagos. Its key projects include launching the Lagos Carbon Registry, doubling air quality monitors to 43, and providing mechanised fish kilns to reduce smoke pollution, reduction of noise pollution, among others. The agency has also digitised its processes, secured $6 million in grants, and conducted extensive research on electronic waste and water pollution, among others. He described the launch of the Lagos Carbon Registry as the biggest and the most important project it had executed as it enabled the state to trade carbon globally. According to him, “like other cities in the world, it helped us document our carbon footprints. We’re able to tell how much of greenhouse gas emissions we were saving or were emitted. This cut across transport sector, agricultural sector, the industrial sector, as well as home use including generators and cooking emissions. He stated that efforts were being made to measure emissions from these and ensure proper documentation in the state. Ajayi added that his agency has also doubled its air quality monitors from 20 to 43, and that before the end of the year, it would have increased it to 60 with verifiable data on it. He stated the importance of air quality monitors so as to stem health challenges ” Air quality is important for many things, especially for health. For instance, if you have asthma and you live in an area with bad air quality, that means you are likely to have more health attacks.” Ajayi said his agency releases air quality data every Monday on its social media platforms informing people what the air quality is like in different areas, either good or bad,adding that it traces the source and resolve the problem. The LASEPA boss noted that though noise pollution is five cent of its mandate, but it takes 90 per cent of the agency’s time of enforcement , campaign and ensuring compliance. According to him,” 352 facilities have been shut in the last one year which is more than double the statistics of the previous year.” Ajayi revealed that religious organisations take a larger chunk of the number of facilities shutdown despite warnings issued to the owners and managers, adding,” enforcement is one very effective and existing way of advocacy. We have also done a lot of advocacy programmes by engaging the public, industries, religious organisations as well as the entertainment industry in particular , where we have the major noise problem.” Emphasising on the noise pollution and why the agency had to make people pay fines, the GM stated,” Residents are badly behaved in terms of complying with regulations. One major challenge of noise pollution is that after after enforcement, they comply for a while and before you know it, they go ballistic again and to the same offense. Then we start the process again . Then we start the process again. “The reason why they comply for a while is because they pay fines and we shut them down. There is no city in the world that dies not leverage fines and penalties for violations. There must be consequences for actions. It is not only Nigeria’s problem, it is global.peopke tend to go back to bad behavior.” Ajayi expressed concern about the use of microphones especially at bus stops and religious houses in public saying,” even Christians worshippers come out with loud speakers and microphones to preach in public. For noise pollution, they take the highest because there is little or no control in terms of how you can set up religious houses going by our current regulations. ” It takes a strong-willed policy to have that in control. In Nigeria today , some churches want to have two branches on a street.” The GM noted that the agency has been engaging regularly with representatives of religious houses on the effect of noise pollution and why they need to maintain less than 60 decibels for decorum during their services and the danger they may be posing to the public and themselves. Over the next one year, Ajayi said LASEPA will be prioritising research having partnered with state and federal-owned universities in the state. With the partnerships, he said the agency will use the opportunity to develop local skills, adding that it is also working with the ministries of health and transportation to protect the environment. “LASEPA aims to set standards and lead in environmental protection as we continue to develop and improve our practices,” the GM said, adding that it will also be prioritising training and capacity development of its staff so that they are well grounded and technically capable.

Bipartisan group of governors join together for national education initiativeFox News Flash top sports headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. Jason Kelce’s media career has taken off in his first year away from the NFL, and his next adventure will be joining late-night television. "They Call It Late Night with Jason Kelce" will premiere Jan. 3 on ESPN, running five Friday nights through February 1, starting at 1 a.m. Late-night TV is a competitive space, and Kelce got some advice from a longtime host as he prepares for his new show. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM Jimmy Kimmel (Randy Holmes/ABC via Getty Images) Kelce revealed the news on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!," and the future Pro Football Hall of Fame center said Kimmel has given him "tons of advice" about how to make his show a hit. "To be able to go on his show and promote my show that’s coming out, but also to just go there and talk to him, get all the ins and outs about how to run a late-night show — how you talk into the camera, how you choose topics, how you prepare. It was honestly a very beneficial trip to take," Kelce said on his "New Heights" podcast. TRAVIS KELCE JOKES THAT JASON AND KYLIE SHOULD ‘GO FOR THE STARTING FIVE’ AFTER ANNOUNCEMENT OF 4TH CHILD Travis Kelce , Jason’s younger brother who stars for the Kansas City Chiefs, called Kimmel "one of the best in the business for a reason," noting he got to meet the host over the summer. Former NFL player and ESPN commentator Jason Kelce on the sidelines during the first half of a game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. (Denny Medley/Imagn Images) Jason said he is also a big fan of Conan O’Brien, though he likes all the current late-night greats. Jason has been to football stadiums all over this year despite being retired after joining the "Monday Night Countdown" panel for ESPN while making appearances at "College GameDay" and doing his podcast with Travis throughout the year. Jason’s wife, Kylie Kelce, is also launching her own podcast, "Not Gonna Lie." Jason Kelce of the Philadelphia Eagles reacts after announcing his retirement from the NFL at NovaCare Complex March 4, 2024, in Philadelphia. (Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images) CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Jason will embark on his first solo act with this late-night show, and he’s making sure to use all his resources to make it stick. Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X , and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter . Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James says he’s The NBA’s all-time leading scorer and Los Angeles Lakers star posted on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, and Instagram on Wednesday to announce that he’s stepping away from his pages. James has 159 million followers on Instagram, 52.9 million on X. James started the farewell by Kevin Durant’s longtime manager, posted to X on Oct. 24. “We can all acknowledge that sports is the last part of society that universally brings people together. So why can’t the coverage do the same?” Kleiman wrote that day. “It’s only click bait when you say it. When the platform is so big, you can make the change and allow us all an escape from real life negativity. I for one find it all a waste of breath.” James, on Instagram, posted a screengrab of Kleiman’s post and added the caption, “Damn shame what it’s come to.” Kleiman has posted only a handful of times since his Oct. 24 post, and evidently, James isn’t planning to post much — or anything — until further notice. Related Articles His announcement came one day after he said “everybody on the Internet called me a liar all the time” when he said he was watching Dalton Knecht’s college games last year at Tennessee — long before the Lakers drafted the sharpshooting guard. “And with that said I’ll holla at y’all! Getting off social media for the time being. Y’all take care,” James posted, followed by emojis of a hand holding up two fingers — often symbolizing someone leaving a place — and a crown, a nod to his “King James” moniker. James, the NBA’s oldest active player — he turns 40 next month — is a four-time NBA champion and a three-time Olympic gold medalist, the most recent of those coming earlier this year at the Paris Games. The Lakers are 10-4, winners of six straight and next play Thursday at home against Orlando.

Christmas Tales and Family Politics with author John O'Farrell ...The Standard podcastWASHINGTON (AP) — One year after the , U.S. Capitol attack, Attorney General Merrick Garland the Justice Department was committed to holding accountable all perpetrators “at any level” for “the assault on our democracy.” That bold declaration won’t apply to at least one person: Donald Trump. Special counsel Jack Smith’s move on Monday to abandon the against Trump means jurors will likely never decide whether the president-elect is criminally responsible for his attempts to cling to power after losing the 2020 campaign. The decision to walk away from the election charges and the separate against Trump marks an abrupt end of the Justice Department’s unprecedented legal effort that once threatened his liberty but appears only to have galvanized his supporters. The abandonment of the cases accusing Trump of endangering American democracy and national security does away with the most serious legal threats he was facing as he returns to the White House. It was the culmination of a monthslong defense effort to delay the proceedings at every step and use the criminal allegations to Trump’s political advantage, putting the final word in the hands of voters instead of jurors. “We always knew that the rich and powerful had an advantage, but I don’t think we would have ever believed that somebody could walk away from everything,” said Stephen Saltzburg, a George Washington University law professor and former Justice Department official. “If there ever was a Teflon defendant, that’s Donald Trump.” While prosecutors left the door open to the possibility that federal charges could be re-filed against Trump after he leaves office, that seems unlikely. Meanwhile, Trump’s presidential victory has thrown into question the future of the two state criminal cases against him in New York and Georgia. Trump was supposed to be sentenced on Tuesday after his , but it’s possible the sentencing could be delayed until after Trump leaves office, and the defense is pushing to dismiss the case altogether. Smith’s team stressed that their decision to abandon the federal cases was not a reflection of the merit of the charges, but an acknowledgement that they could not move forward under longstanding Justice Department policy that says sitting presidents cannot face Trump’s presidential victory set “at odds two fundamental and compelling national interests: On the one hand, the Constitution’s requirement that the President must not be unduly encumbered in fulfilling his weighty responsibilities . . . and on the other hand, the Nation’s commitment to the rule of law,” prosecutors wrote in court papers. The move just weeks after Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris underscores the immense personal stake Trump had in the campaign in which he turned his legal woes into a political rallying cry. Trump accused prosecutors of bringing the charges in a bid to keep him out of the White House, and he promised revenge on his perceived enemies if he won a second term. “If Donald J. Trump had lost an election, he may very well have spent the rest of his life in prison,” Vice President-elect JD Vance, wrote in a social media post on Monday. “These prosecutions were always political. Now it’s time to ensure what happened to President Trump never happens in this country again.” After the Jan. 6 attack by Trump supporters that left more than 100 police officers injured, Republican leader Mitch McConnell and several other Republicans said it was up to the justice system to hold Trump accountable. The Jan. 6 case brought last year in Washington alleged an increasingly desperate criminal conspiracy to subvert the will of voters after Trump’s 2020 loss, accusing Trump of using the angry mob of supporters that attacked the Capitol as “a tool” in his campaign to pressure then-Vice President and obstruct the certification of Democrat Joe Biden’s victory. Hundreds of Jan. 6 rioters — many of whom have said they felt called to Washington by Trump — have pleaded guilty or been convicted by juries of federal charges at the same courthouse where Trump was supposed to stand trial last year. As the trial date neared, officials at the courthouse that sits within view of the Capitol were busy making plans for the crush of reporters expected to cover the historic case. But Trump’s argument that he from prosecution quickly tied up the case in appeals all the way up to the Supreme Court. The high court ruled in July that , and sent the case back to the trial court to decide which allegations could move forward. But the case was dismissed before the trial court could get a chance to do so. Related Articles The other indictment brought in Florida accused Trump of at his Mar-a-Lago estate sensitive documents on nuclear capabilities, enlisting aides and lawyers to help him hide records demanded by investigators and cavalierly showing off a Pentagon “plan of attack” and classified map. But U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon . Smith appealed to the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, but abandoned that appeal on Monday. Smith’s team said it would continue its fight in the appeals court to revive charges against Trump’s two co-defendants because “no principle of temporary immunity applies to them.” In New York, jurors spent weeks last spring hearing evidence in a state case alleging a Trump scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election through who said the two had sex. New York prosecutors recently expressed openness to delaying sentencing until after Trump’s second term, while Trump’s lawyers are fighting to have the conviction dismissed altogether. In Georgia, a trial while Trump is in office seems unlikely in a state case charging him and more than a dozen others with conspiring to overturn his 2020 election loss in the state. The case has been on hold since an appeals court agreed to review whether to remove Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis over her with the special prosecutor she had hired to lead the case.

Unique among ‘Person of the Year’ designees, Donald Trump gets a fact-check from Time magazine(TNS) — A new bill would ban cell phone use in all Alabama public schools, with a few exceptions. A bill prefiled Nov. 18 by Rep. Patrick Sellers, D-Jefferson County, would create a statewide model policy to restrict K-12 students from using cell phones and other electronic communication devices during the school day. The Alabama Department of Education and local districts would have to adopt a policy for the 2026-27 school year. Students would only be able to use a device in the event of an emergency or to manage health care issues, or if use is included in an IEP or 504 plan. Sellers told that educators and school administrators really wanted the legislation. They told him they were concerned about students being able to stay focused in class. “Just like we have laws against driving with your cell phone, distracted driving, there’s distracted learning,” Sellers told . “And we need to make sure that we give all of our students the best opportunity that they can have to learn in the most wholesome environment.” Schools around the state and country have considered cell phone bans following recent federal advisories on . In February, the Alabama state school board to “strongly encourage” local school districts to have a policy that would limit cell phone use on school grounds, citing negative effects on learning and retention. Since then, have placed harsher restrictions on cell phone use or have banned them altogether. Some schools require students to turn their phones on “airplane mode” during class. Others use boxes or locked bags to keep phones inaccessible. “We need to talk about getting cell phones out of the schools and getting kids off social media,” Mackey said during the board’s June work session. “Every system that has been able to run the gauntlet and get cell phones out of the schools have been able to improve their discipline scores 35, 40 to 45 percent. It’s unbelievable how discipline changes by getting cell phones out of the schools.” Florida became the first state to ban “wireless communication devices” during instructional time through legislation adopted in 2023. A by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that nearly 30 states have enacted statewide restrictions or policy recommendations. Montgomery County Public Schools in the classrooms last June. Leaders say it has resulted in a . Several staff also reported a reduction in student distractions during learning and engagement. In Mobile, one school reported a 37 percent drop in discipline referrals and a jump in academic achievement after enacting a similar pilot program. It’s possible the bill could have bipartisan support; Republican lawmakers, including Terri Collins, the chair of the Alabama House Education Policy Committee, told reporters this summer that they would support a statewide ban on cell phone use in schools. “We’ll make sure we work hand in hand across the aisle,” Sellers said. “Because it’s a concern, and it has been a concern for some time.” The 2025 legislative session begins Feb. 4.