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Speaking in Parliament on 18 December, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake pledged that under the leadership of his party, “we will never allow a situation like 2022-23 to reoccur in our country”. If AKD and the National People’s Power (NPP) intend to keep this promise, they will have to get a lot more serious about industrialising an economy dependant on services and remittances. It is regrettable that the President’s speech, while announcing welcome relief for the poor through tax cuts, allowances and subsidies, paid scant attention to increasing investment in the real economy. This is a deadly trap that centre-left governments often fall into. Naturally, the wretched conditions following economic collapse require immediate relief measures. However, long term increases in consumption can only be achieved through investment in the real economy. There have been a multitude of interpretations of the root causes of the economic crisis in 2022-23 which led to hours-long blackouts, acute shortages of fuel and cooking gas, a devaluation of the rupee, and soaring inflation. The mainstream explanation has focused almost exclusively on the Government’s budget deficit, and the Central Bank’s financing of it. The reality is that this crisis was a long time coming, rooted in the country’s fundamentally colonial economic structure that is dependent upon tourism, remittances, and low-value-added exports. Historically, a strong focus on value-added manufacturing has been the only way for countries to sustain rapid growth levels, develop indigenous technology, and uplift the living standards of the majority of people. The only exceptions to this rule are small countries that are either rich in natural resources (e.g. UAE, Qatar, etc.) or function as tax havens and centres for financial services (e.g. Luxembourg, Ireland, etc.). With a population of 22 million—comparable to Syria, Burkina Faso, or Chile—Sri Lanka is hardly a ‘small country’. Uplifting our large rural population requires industrialisation. In the lead up to the 2024 elections, one of the NPP’s most articulate voices for industrialisation was Chathuranga Abeysinghe, now serving as Deputy Minister of Industries and Entrepreneurship Development. Abeysinghe has often made sensible points about the need for state-ownership of energy and finance, combined with support for technology transfer and upgrading, to jump start the process of industrialisation. However, his eclectic choice of benchmarks countries, including India, China, Malaysia, and Vietnam, is confused at best. China and Vietnam are socialist countries ruled by a Communist Party. These countries derive legitimacy from the reproduction and growing productivity of an industrial working class. Meanwhile, India and Malaysia feature a relatively strong class of industrial capitalists, who have a vested interest in the perpetuation of interventionist industrial policies. Sri Lanka is unlike both of these, being a liberal democracy dominated by merchant capital (business interests invested in sectors such as trade, finance, and real estate). Setting on a path of industrialisation would necessarily bring any government in Sri Lanka on a collision course with the interests of merchant capital. There can be no industrialisation without tackling parasitic interests in the economy, including the likes of predatory financial services, agricultural middle-men, and import mafias. These domestic interests function as fronts for large-scale multinational companies which seek to keep countries in the Global South as captive markets. There may be ways to peacefully convert at least some factions of merchant capital into industrial capital. South Korea was able to convert its landlord class into an industrial capitalist class through extensive land reforms which redistributed land to the tiller while compensating the landlords with bonds that were reinvested in industry. The challenge for NPP policy makers is to devise incentive structures to direct investment into strategic manufacturing sectors that can deliver long term productivity gains. Industrialisation is no easy task. The interests opposed to it often cloak themselves in humanitarian concern for workers and the environment. Yet the reality is that industrialisation is most oppressive for a business class used to making easy money through trade, finance, real estate, and tourism. Operating a factory, managing scores of workers, competing with international standards, and innovating new products and process will demand much more from our private sector than they are used to. This is precisely why the State, helmed by a political party dedicated to the cause, is needed to drive this process. For better or worse, the NPP’s electoral campaign about corruption and system change captured the imagination of large swathes of the electorate, helping them win both the Presidency and a supermajority in Parliament. However, more work needs to be done to unravel the structural causes of so-called corruption and the exact nature of the system that holds Sri Lanka down. At Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research, we recently published a dossier titled, “How Neoliberalism Has Wielded ‘Corruption’ to Privatise Life in Africa”. Here, we pointed out how the role of the private sector in corruption is avoided or minimised by official definitions of corruption. The biggest losses of revenue for countries in the Global South are not from petty bribery by government officials, but large-scale drain of finances through practices such as tax evasion, transfer pricing, and trade misinvoicing. In the case of Africa, investment into extractive sectors significantly increases the opportunity for private sector corruption and opaque pricing practices. In the case of Sri Lanka, it is our dependency on food and energy imports, and reliance on low value-added exports, that is conducive to private sector corruption. In such a pattern of (under)development, there is hardly any need for capitalists to reinvest profits into developing a domestic industrial ecosystem. If the NPP wants to fulfil its mandate of anti-corruption and modernisation of the country, and if it wants to prevent an economic crisis akin to what occurred in 2022, industrialisation is the only way forward. There is no alternative.

Fabian Hurzeler wants honest communication with Evan Ferguson over his immediate future. But the first task is to get the Irish striker back on the pitch. Ferguson missed the home draw with Brentford due to an ankle injury. He has not looked sharp in recent outings and the January window offers the possibility of him going out on loan. He is also likely to be speculatively linked with interest from other clubs. Albion boss Hurzeler said: “First of all, he needs to get back on the pitch. “The rumours, I won’t discuss them in public. SOLLY MARCH OPENS UP ON HIS 14-MONTH INJURY BATTLE “I think it is very important that the player knows our idea, that we know the idea from the player. “And then it is most important to be honest to each other, to find the right solution for the club and also for the player. “I am really happy that Evan is in our squad and I am hoping that he will be back on the pitch as soon as possible.” Both Ferguson and Danny Welbeck are expected to miss the game at Aston Villa on Monday evening. Joao Pedro led the attack against Brentford on Friday with Julio Enciso in close support before being replaced by Georginio Rutter.Murray State beats Loyola Chicago 71-68 for 7th place at the Diamond Head Classic

20 years of tsunami tragedy, UNESCO unites its member states to protect people from such disasterATLANTA (AP) — Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who won the presidency in the wake of the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, endured humbling defeat after one tumultuous term and then redefined life after the White House as a global humanitarian, has died. He was 100 years old. The longest-lived American president died on Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care , at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died at 96 in November 2023 , spent most of their lives, The Carter Center said. “Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia,” the center said in posting about his death on the social media platform X. It added in a statement that he died peacefully, surrounded by his family. As reaction poured in from around the world, President Joe Biden mourned Carter’s death, saying the world lost an “extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian” and he lost a dear friend. Biden cited Carter’s compassion and moral clarity, his work to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless and advocacy for the disadvantaged as an example for others. “To all of the young people in this nation and for anyone in search of what it means to live a life of purpose and meaning – the good life – study Jimmy Carter, a man of principle, faith, and humility,” Biden said in a statement. “He showed that we are a great nation because we are a good people – decent and honorable, courageous and compassionate, humble and strong.” Biden said he is ordering a state funeral for Carter in Washington. Businessman, Navy officer, evangelist, politician, negotiator, author, woodworker, citizen of the world — Carter forged a path that still challenges political assumptions and stands out among the 45 men who reached the nation’s highest office. The 39th president leveraged his ambition with a keen intellect, deep religious faith and prodigious work ethic, conducting diplomatic missions into his 80s and building houses for the poor well into his 90s. “My faith demands — this is not optional — my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can, with whatever I have to try to make a difference,” Carter once said. A moderate Democrat, Carter entered the 1976 presidential race as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad smile, outspoken Baptist mores and technocratic plans reflecting his education as an engineer. His no-frills campaign depended on public financing, and his promise not to deceive the American people resonated after Richard Nixon’s disgrace and U.S. defeat in southeast Asia. “If I ever lie to you, if I ever make a misleading statement, don’t vote for me. I would not deserve to be your president,” Carter repeated before narrowly beating Republican incumbent Gerald Ford, who had lost popularity pardoning Nixon. Carter governed amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over racism, women’s rights and America’s global role. His most acclaimed achievement in office was a Mideast peace deal that he brokered by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at the bargaining table for 13 days in 1978. That Camp David experience inspired the post-presidential center where Carter would establish so much of his legacy. Yet Carter’s electoral coalition splintered under double-digit inflation, gasoline lines and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. His bleakest hour came when eight Americans died in a failed hostage rescue in April 1980, helping to ensure his landslide defeat to Republican Ronald Reagan. Carter acknowledged in his 2020 “White House Diary” that he could be “micromanaging” and “excessively autocratic,” complicating dealings with Congress and the federal bureaucracy. He also turned a cold shoulder to Washington’s news media and lobbyists, not fully appreciating their influence on his political fortunes. “It didn’t take us long to realize that the underestimation existed, but by that time we were not able to repair the mistake,” Carter told historians in 1982, suggesting that he had “an inherent incompatibility” with Washington insiders. Carter insisted his overall approach was sound and that he achieved his primary objectives — to “protect our nation’s security and interests peacefully” and “enhance human rights here and abroad” — even if he fell spectacularly short of a second term. Ignominious defeat, though, allowed for renewal. The Carters founded The Carter Center in 1982 as a first-of-its-kind base of operations, asserting themselves as international peacemakers and champions of democracy, public health and human rights. “I was not interested in just building a museum or storing my White House records and memorabilia,” Carter wrote in a memoir published after his 90th birthday. “I wanted a place where we could work.” That work included easing nuclear tensions in North and South Korea, helping to avert a U.S. invasion of Haiti and negotiating cease-fires in Bosnia and Sudan. By 2022, The Carter Center had declared at least 113 elections in Latin America, Asia and Africa to be free or fraudulent. Recently, the center began monitoring U.S. elections as well. Carter’s stubborn self-assuredness and even self-righteousness proved effective once he was unencumbered by the Washington order, sometimes to the point of frustrating his successors . He went “where others are not treading,” he said, to places like Ethiopia, Liberia and North Korea, where he secured the release of an American who had wandered across the border in 2010. “I can say what I like. I can meet whom I want. I can take on projects that please me and reject the ones that don’t,” Carter said. He announced an arms-reduction-for-aid deal with North Korea without clearing the details with Bill Clinton’s White House. He openly criticized President George W. Bush for the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He also criticized America’s approach to Israel with his 2006 book “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid.” And he repeatedly countered U.S. administrations by insisting North Korea should be included in international affairs, a position that most aligned Carter with Republican President Donald Trump. Among the center’s many public health initiatives, Carter vowed to eradicate the guinea worm parasite during his lifetime, and nearly achieved it: Cases dropped from millions in the 1980s to nearly a handful. With hardhats and hammers, the Carters also built homes with Habitat for Humanity. The Nobel committee’s 2002 Peace Prize cites his “untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” Carter should have won it alongside Sadat and Begin in 1978, the chairman added. Carter accepted the recognition saying there was more work to be done. “The world is now, in many ways, a more dangerous place,” he said. “The greater ease of travel and communication has not been matched by equal understanding and mutual respect.” Carter’s globetrotting took him to remote villages where he met little “Jimmy Carters,” so named by admiring parents. But he spent most of his days in the same one-story Plains house — expanded and guarded by Secret Service agents — where they lived before he became governor. He regularly taught Sunday School lessons at Maranatha Baptist Church until his mobility declined and the coronavirus pandemic raged. Those sessions drew visitors from around the world to the small sanctuary where Carter will receive his final send-off after a state funeral at Washington’s National Cathedral. The common assessment that he was a better ex-president than president rankled Carter and his allies. His prolific post-presidency gave him a brand above politics, particularly for Americans too young to witness him in office. But Carter also lived long enough to see biographers and historians reassess his White House years more generously. His record includes the deregulation of key industries, reduction of U.S. dependence on foreign oil, cautious management of the national debt and notable legislation on the environment, education and mental health. He focused on human rights in foreign policy, pressuring dictators to release thousands of political prisoners . He acknowledged America’s historical imperialism, pardoned Vietnam War draft evaders and relinquished control of the Panama Canal. He normalized relations with China. “I am not nominating Jimmy Carter for a place on Mount Rushmore,” Stuart Eizenstat, Carter’s domestic policy director, wrote in a 2018 book. “He was not a great president” but also not the “hapless and weak” caricature voters rejected in 1980, Eizenstat said. Rather, Carter was “good and productive” and “delivered results, many of which were realized only after he left office.” Madeleine Albright, a national security staffer for Carter and Clinton’s secretary of state, wrote in Eizenstat’s forward that Carter was “consequential and successful” and expressed hope that “perceptions will continue to evolve” about his presidency. “Our country was lucky to have him as our leader,” said Albright, who died in 2022. Jonathan Alter, who penned a comprehensive Carter biography published in 2020, said in an interview that Carter should be remembered for “an epic American life” spanning from a humble start in a home with no electricity or indoor plumbing through decades on the world stage across two centuries. “He will likely go down as one of the most misunderstood and underestimated figures in American history,” Alter told The Associated Press. James Earl Carter Jr. was born Oct. 1, 1924, in Plains and spent his early years in nearby Archery. His family was a minority in the mostly Black community, decades before the civil rights movement played out at the dawn of Carter’s political career. Carter, who campaigned as a moderate on race relations but governed more progressively, talked often of the influence of his Black caregivers and playmates but also noted his advantages: His land-owning father sat atop Archery’s tenant-farming system and owned a main street grocery. His mother, Lillian , would become a staple of his political campaigns. Seeking to broaden his world beyond Plains and its population of fewer than 1,000 — then and now — Carter won an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating in 1946. That same year he married Rosalynn Smith, another Plains native, a decision he considered more important than any he made as head of state. She shared his desire to see the world, sacrificing college to support his Navy career. Carter climbed in rank to lieutenant, but then his father was diagnosed with cancer, so the submarine officer set aside his ambitions of admiralty and moved the family back to Plains. His decision angered Rosalynn, even as she dived into the peanut business alongside her husband. Carter again failed to talk with his wife before his first run for office — he later called it “inconceivable” not to have consulted her on such major life decisions — but this time, she was on board. “My wife is much more political,” Carter told the AP in 2021. He won a state Senate seat in 1962 but wasn’t long for the General Assembly and its back-slapping, deal-cutting ways. He ran for governor in 1966 — losing to arch-segregationist Lester Maddox — and then immediately focused on the next campaign. Carter had spoken out against church segregation as a Baptist deacon and opposed racist “Dixiecrats” as a state senator. Yet as a local school board leader in the 1950s he had not pushed to end school segregation even after the Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education decision, despite his private support for integration. And in 1970, Carter ran for governor again as the more conservative Democrat against Carl Sanders, a wealthy businessman Carter mocked as “Cufflinks Carl.” Sanders never forgave him for anonymous, race-baiting flyers, which Carter disavowed. Ultimately, Carter won his races by attracting both Black voters and culturally conservative whites. Once in office, he was more direct. “I say to you quite frankly that the time for racial discrimination is over,” he declared in his 1971 inaugural address, setting a new standard for Southern governors that landed him on the cover of Time magazine. His statehouse initiatives included environmental protection, boosting rural education and overhauling antiquated executive branch structures. He proclaimed Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the slain civil rights leader’s home state. And he decided, as he received presidential candidates in 1972, that they were no more talented than he was. In 1974, he ran Democrats’ national campaign arm. Then he declared his own candidacy for 1976. An Atlanta newspaper responded with the headline: “Jimmy Who?” The Carters and a “Peanut Brigade” of family members and Georgia supporters camped out in Iowa and New Hampshire, establishing both states as presidential proving grounds. His first Senate endorsement: a young first-termer from Delaware named Joe Biden. Yet it was Carter’s ability to navigate America’s complex racial and rural politics that cemented the nomination. He swept the Deep South that November, the last Democrat to do so, as many white Southerners shifted to Republicans in response to civil rights initiatives. A self-declared “born-again Christian,” Carter drew snickers by referring to Scripture in a Playboy magazine interview, saying he “had looked on many women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times.” The remarks gave Ford a new foothold and television comedians pounced — including NBC’s new “Saturday Night Live” show. But voters weary of cynicism in politics found it endearing. Carter chose Minnesota Sen. Walter “Fritz” Mondale as his running mate on a “Grits and Fritz” ticket. In office, he elevated the vice presidency and the first lady’s office. Mondale’s governing partnership was a model for influential successors Al Gore, Dick Cheney and Biden. Rosalynn Carter was one of the most involved presidential spouses in history, welcomed into Cabinet meetings and huddles with lawmakers and top aides. The Carters presided with uncommon informality: He used his nickname “Jimmy” even when taking the oath of office, carried his own luggage and tried to silence the Marine Band’s “Hail to the Chief.” They bought their clothes off the rack. Carter wore a cardigan for a White House address, urging Americans to conserve energy by turning down their thermostats. Amy, the youngest of four children, attended District of Columbia public school. Washington’s social and media elite scorned their style. But the larger concern was that “he hated politics,” according to Eizenstat, leaving him nowhere to turn politically once economic turmoil and foreign policy challenges took their toll. Carter partially deregulated the airline, railroad and trucking industries and established the departments of Education and Energy, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He designated millions of acres of Alaska as national parks or wildlife refuges. He appointed a then-record number of women and nonwhite people to federal posts. He never had a Supreme Court nomination, but he elevated civil rights attorney Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the nation’s second highest court, positioning her for a promotion in 1993. He appointed Paul Volker, the Federal Reserve chairman whose policies would help the economy boom in the 1980s — after Carter left office. He built on Nixon’s opening with China, and though he tolerated autocrats in Asia, pushed Latin America from dictatorships to democracy. But he couldn’t immediately tame inflation or the related energy crisis. And then came Iran. After he admitted the exiled Shah of Iran to the U.S. for medical treatment, the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun in 1979 by followers of the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Negotiations to free the hostages broke down repeatedly ahead of the failed rescue attempt. The same year, Carter signed SALT II, the new strategic arms treaty with Leonid Brezhnev of the Soviet Union, only to pull it back, impose trade sanctions and order a U.S. boycott of the Moscow Olympics after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. Hoping to instill optimism, he delivered what the media dubbed his “malaise” speech, although he didn’t use that word. He declared the nation was suffering “a crisis of confidence.” By then, many Americans had lost confidence in the president, not themselves. Carter campaigned sparingly for reelection because of the hostage crisis, instead sending Rosalynn as Sen. Edward M. Kennedy challenged him for the Democratic nomination. Carter famously said he’d “kick his ass,” but was hobbled by Kennedy as Reagan rallied a broad coalition with “make America great again” appeals and asking voters whether they were “better off than you were four years ago.” Reagan further capitalized on Carter’s lecturing tone, eviscerating him in their lone fall debate with the quip: “There you go again.” Carter lost all but six states and Republicans rolled to a new Senate majority. Carter successfully negotiated the hostages’ freedom after the election, but in one final, bitter turn of events, Tehran waited until hours after Carter left office to let them walk free. At 56, Carter returned to Georgia with “no idea what I would do with the rest of my life.” Four decades after launching The Carter Center, he still talked of unfinished business. “I thought when we got into politics we would have resolved everything,” Carter told the AP in 2021. “But it’s turned out to be much more long-lasting and insidious than I had thought it was. I think in general, the world itself is much more divided than in previous years.” Still, he affirmed what he said when he underwent treatment for a cancer diagnosis in his 10th decade of life. “I’m perfectly at ease with whatever comes,” he said in 2015 . “I’ve had a wonderful life. I’ve had thousands of friends, I’ve had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence.” Sanz is a former Associated Press reporter.

Fox News Flash top sports headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. Former Indianapolis Colts punter Pat McAfee scorched his old team on Sunday after watching them get eliminated from playoff contention in a loss to the New York Giants. Indianapolis had three turnovers and allowed four Drew Lock touchdown passes in the 45-33 defeat. The Colts dropped to 7-9 on the season and were officially out of contention. McAfee wrote a scathing post on X, criticizing the organization, ripping those who tried to get him "booed out of the city" and announcing he will not renew his season tickets. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM Pat McAfee sits on the ESPN College GameDay set at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pa., on Nov. 2, 2024. (IMAGN) "A blind person could see the red flags on this team.. Work ethic questions, NEVER happens on good teams.. Preparation commitment questions, NEVER happens on good teams.. Late to meetings, NEVER happens on good teams.. Late to/skipping treatment, NEVER happens on good teams.. The franchise QB (Anthony Richardson) tapped out of a game.. on 3rd down.. in the red zone.. because he was tired... NEVER HAPPENED in the history of the NFL," McAfee wrote. "That’s literally the only thing you need to tell someone (who knows ball) and they could tell you everything about this team..." He wrote that if a franchise quarterback left in the middle of a game because he was tired, the "immediate response" would be that the team has "no chance." "And to the surprise of nobody.. that was the response by everybody who’s ever played/coached the game before but.. Colts blogs and fans who have been covering the Colts since 2020 and more recent knew better than everybody... Started personally attacking me and trying to kick me out of town," McAfee continued. BAKER MAYFIELD'S 5 TOUCHDOWNS KEEP BUCS' PLAYOFF HOPES ALIVE IN WIN OVER PANTHERS New York Giants quarterback Drew Lock celebrates with wide receiver Malik Nabers after Lock ran for a touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts in the second half, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) "When I said Joe Flacco gives us a better chance to win than AR immediately after the tap out.. I would’ve said whatever backup QB we had on the roster. That can’t be what the face of your team is doing.. just can’t be.. and to a bigger aspect of it all, somehow AR thought it was ok to do that. That’s a locker room issue.. that’s a culture issue.. thats an indicator of a loser attitude radiating thru a building that was built by greats. "I have no idea how they fix it.. I don’t think it’s like a light switch. "Alright, we’re gonna become Pros now" but... maybe it is, but what do I know? "Oh wait..... how this was all gonna work out. I knew that." McAfee added that he wouldn’t be renewing his season tickets and hoped the team returned to its winning ways. "As a multiple year season ticket holder (not renewing).. and someone who has actively, daily, attempted to be an additive to this beautiful city. I hope they become a good franchise again.. this city deserves it.. the OGs in the Colts building deserve it (equipment managers, trainers, ticketing, PR, sales).. and on the flip side the players/coaches in that building deserve whatever happens to them. Your unwarranted arrogance, laziness, and lack of professionalism has lead you to ANOTHER early vacation... which is probably what most of you entitled bums have been hoping for. "I don’t speak for the city.. and I don’t speak for all ex Colts players because I was only a punter.. nominated for the HOF 3 times now but nonetheless.. I speak from my own perspective.. I’ve never seen a group waste opportunities/talent/money more than this group." Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor scores a touchdown against the New York Giants in the second half, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Corey Sipkin) CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP McAfee was a two-time Pro Bowl punter with the Colts from 2009 to 2016. Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter . Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

While there was high drama in Alexandra Palace on the first day back after the Christmas break, where Damon Heta threw a nine-dart finish, Humphries enjoyed a serene evening. He beat Nick Kenny 4-0 to set up a mouth-watering fourth-round meeting with two-time champion Peter Wright. THE WORLD NUMBER ONE KICKS ON! Luke Humphries comfortably books his spot in the Last 16 with a 4-0 whitewash victory over Nick Kenny, averaging 98.59! 📺 https://t.co/pIQvhqYxEj #WCDarts pic.twitter.com/XAADalXD4Q — PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) December 27, 2024 Kenny was unable to produce the form that saw him beat Raymond van Barneveld in the previous round and Humphries did not need to be anywhere near his best. “It was one of those games I didn’t want to take for granted,” he said. “I expected a tough game and I wasn’t firing, I felt there is so much more to give, I felt there was more to come out of me. “I didn’t want to give anyone an inch because they can take a mile. “I’m not going to give up this world title without a fight, I wasn’t at my best but when someone pushes me I know I can come up with the goods.” Earlier in the day Heta set the tournament alight on its resumption with a stunning nine-dart finish before bowing out. The Australian, seeded ninth, achieved darting perfection in the second set of his match with Luke Woodhouse to earn a cool £60,000 payday. However, his joy was short-lived as Woodhouse won a thrilling battle 4-3, having trailed 3-1. HEROIC HETA HITS THE NINE! 🔥 UNBELIEVABLE SCENES! 🤯 Damon Heta lands the second nine-darter of the tournament to raise the roof at Alexandra Palace! #WCDarts pic.twitter.com/DW6rhvFqez — PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) December 27, 2024 Heta was millimetres away from throwing a nine-darter in the previous round when he missed the double 12, but he made no mistake this time in the first match after the Christmas break. Heta’s feat was the second time a nine-darter has been thrown in the 2025 tournament and the 16th of all time at the World Championship, following Christian Kist’s effort before Christmas. As well as landing the Australian a hefty payday, it also saw a lucky fan in Ally Pally win a £60,000, with £60,000 also being donated to Prostate Cancer UK. There were several other titanic battles, none better than Gerwyn Price’s sudden-death leg victory over Joe Cullen. Price looked like he was going to have an easy night when he coasted into a 3-0 lead, but Cullen hit back to send it to a decider, which went all the way. Cullen landed a ‘Big Fish’ 170 checkout to send the tie to a sudden-death leg on his throw but Price hit some big numbers to steal victory. “That was tough, I just wanted to get over the winning line,” he said during his on-stage interview. PRICE WINS A THRILLER! That might just be the game of the tournament so far! 💥 Gerwyn Price manages to break the Rockstars throw in the final leg of the game, and beats Joe Cullen 4-3 and books his place in the Last 16! 📺 https://t.co/pIQvhqYxEj #WCDarts pic.twitter.com/VnjnJxP0T0 — PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) December 27, 2024 “He kept coming back, the crowd were way behind him. “I thought I was going to lose, but I kept in there right to the end and got the win. “He played some good darts at the right times. I put myself in that position, I got myself out of it and I’m still in.” Seventh seed Jonny Clayton also battled to victory after squandering a 3-0 lead against Daryl Gurney. Gurney then had six darts to send the decider to a tiebreaker but lost his nerve and Clayton stole a 4-3 win. Stephen Bunting and Peter Wright, who was suffering from a chest infection, enjoyed much more safe passages with routine wins over Madars Razma and Jermaine Wattimena respectively.

The Association of Ghana Startups has called on the President-Elect, John Dramani Mahama, to prioritize the passage of the Ghana Innovation and Startup Bill. In a statement issued by the association, its President, Solomon Adjei, appealed to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to fulfill its campaign promise of fostering innovation, economic growth, and job creation through Fintech, Agritech, and other sectors within the tech ecosystem—as outlined in its 2024 Manifesto. He continued that the passage of the bill would be one of the critical transformative steps the John Mahama administration will have to embark on to promote the growth of startups and foster entrepreneurship. The policy document aligns with the aspirations of the youth, entrepreneurs, and small business owners nationwide. “The Startup Act is an innovative strategy most countries adopt to create an enabling environment that supports innovative start-ups and drives local economic growth.” The statement said. “Ghana’s bill will serve as a path for building a vibrant innovation and startup ecosystem. The bill’s objectives and functions, including capacity building, funding access, research and development, as well as local and international market linkages, will directly contribute to achieving the goals outlined in the NDC’s manifesto, particularly in addressing youth unemployment, promoting technology-driven development, and supporting SMEs.” Due to the proliferation of Startups across many African countries, the African Union (AU) earlier this year released a policy framework on startup development, urging all African countries to, among others, enact Startup bills and other policies needed to support the startup ecosystem. Tunisia was the first African country to pass a startup act in 2018 that supports the development of tech-enabled ventures, followed by Senegal, Nigeria, and Togo. Countries like Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, South Africa, Rwanda, and Uganda are at various stages of drafting a bill that would foster the growth of startups in their countries. In August 2020, a technical working committee made up of representatives of multi-stakeholders: National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program (NEIP), Association of Ghana Startups, Ghana Hubs Network, Young Entrepreneurs Chamber, Accra Digital Center, and the Private Enterprise Federation was inaugurated to draft Ghana’s version of a Startup Bill. The team has worked extensively to produce a draft document that has undergone a series of reviews, regional and national stakeholder consultations, and key stakeholder engagements. The bill is currently in the final stage, pending submission to the Ministry responsible for submitting it to the cabinet. The Ghana Innovation and Startup Bill aims to create a supportive framework to promote the growth and sustainability of startups in the country. By providing a clear definition and labeling of startups, the bill seeks to clarify their identity for policymakers, development partners, and stakeholders, ensuring tailored support and eliminating ambiguity. The bill also proposes the establishment of the Ghana Innovation and Startup Fund to provide patient capital for early-stage ventures. Additionally, it emphasizes business support through training, mentorship, and research to enhance startup competitiveness globally. Employment support and failure relief mechanisms are also incorporated to bolster resilience during economic challenges, ensuring startups can sustain growth even in difficult times. Solomon concluded by urging President Mahama to prioritize the passage of the Ghana Innovation and Startup Bill within the first 6-months of his tenure in office as President of Ghana. “The Association of Ghana Startups is committed to collaborating with the next administration to ensure the passage and implementation of this bill, which will position Ghana as a leading hub for entrepreneurship and innovation in Africa”, he said. “We are confident that, with the passage and implementation of this bill, Ghana will experience unprecedented growth in innovation and startup development,” he added. DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.

Running back Jace Clarizio flipped his commitment from his local team, Michigan State, to Alabama. The decision, announced by Clarizio on social media Tuesday, comes after the East Lansing (Mich.) High standout visited head coach Kalen DeBoer's Crimson Tide on Nov. 16. "Great program," Clarizio told On3. "Playing on the biggest level. ... All the people and coaches I met and interacted with were all great people. The atmosphere was crazy." The 5-foot-11, 195-pounder is ranked as the No. 33 running back by On3 and tabbed No. 35 in their industry ranking. In May, he had verbally committed to the Spartans, where his father, Craig Johnson, was a running back and defensive back who was a member of the 1987 Rose Bowl-winning squad under coach George Perles. --Field Level MediaIndia surpasses 73,000 startups with women directors: Commerce Ministry