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Israel strikes Houthi rebels in Yemen's capital while the WHO chief says he was meters away JERUSALEM (AP) — A new round of Israeli airstrikes in Yemen has targeted the Houthi rebel-held capital of Sanaa and multiple ports. The World Health Organization’s director-general said Thursday's bombardment took place just “meters away” as he was about to board a flight in Sanaa. He says a crew member was hurt. The strikes followed several days of Houthi attacks and launches setting off sirens in Israel. Israel's military says it attacked infrastructure used by the Houthis at the airport in Sanaa, power stations and ports. The Israeli military later said it wasn’t aware that the WHO chief was at the location in Yemen. At least three people were reported killed and dozens injured in the Sanaa airport strike. An uneasy calm settles over Syrian city of Homs after outbreak of sectarian violence HOMS, Syria (AP) — Syria’s new security forces checked IDs and searched cars in the central city of Homs a day after protests by members of the Alawite minority erupted in gunfire and stirred fears that the country’s fragile peace could break down. A tense calm prevailed Thursday after checkpoints were set up throughout the country’s third-largest city, which has a mixed population of Sunni and Shia Muslims, Alawites and Christians. The security forces are controlled by the former insurgent group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which led the charge that unseated former President Bashar Assad. The US says it pushed retraction of a famine warning for north Gaza. Aid groups express concern. WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials say they asked for — and got — the retraction of an independent monitor's warning of imminent famine in north Gaza. The internationally Famine Early Warning System Network issued the warning this week. The new report had warned that starvation deaths in north Gaza could reach famine levels as soon as next month. It cited what it called Israel's “near-total blockade” of food and water. The U.S. ambassador to Israel, Jacob Lew, criticized the finding as inaccurate and irresponsible. The U.S. Agency for International Development, which funds the famine-monitoring group, told the AP it had asked for and gotten the report's retraction. USAID officials tell The Associated Press that it had asked the group for greater review of discrepancies in some of the data. Powerful thunderstorms rumble across Texas, delaying holiday travel DALLAS (AP) — Severe thunderstorms are firing up in parts of Texas and could trigger high winds, hail and potential tornadoes. More than 100 flights were delayed and dozens more were canceled Thursday at airports in Dallas and Houston. The National Weather Service says the greatest weather risk stretched from just east of Dallas, and between Houston and portions of southern Arkansas and western Louisiana. The risk includes the possibility of tornadoes, wind gusts between 60 and 80 miles per hour and large hail. The National Weather Service issued a tornado watch for several counties in southeast Texas, including the Houston area. Trump has pressed for voting changes. GOP majorities in Congress will try to make that happen ATLANTA (AP) — Republicans in Congress plan to move quickly in their effort to overhaul the nation’s voting procedures, seeing an opportunity with control of the White House and both chambers of Congress. They want to push through long-sought changes such as voter ID and proof-of-citizenship requirements. They say the measures are needed to restore public confidence in elections. That's after an erosion of trust that Democrats note has been fueled by false claims from Donald Trump and his allies of widespread fraud in the 2020 election. Democrats say they are willing to work with the GOP but want any changes to make it easier, not harder, to vote. Americans are exhausted by political news. TV ratings and a new AP-NORC poll show they're tuning out NEW YORK (AP) — A lot of Americans, after an intense presidential election campaign, are looking for a break in political news. That's evident in cable television news ratings and a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The poll found nearly two-thirds of Americans saying they've found the need recently to cut down on their consumption of political and government news. That's particularly true among Democrats following President-elect Donald Trump's victory, although a significant number of Republicans and independents feel the same way. Cable networks MSNBC and CNN are really seeing a slump. That's also happened in years past for networks that particularly appeal to supporters of one candidate. Aviation experts say Russia's air defense fire likely caused Azerbaijan plane crash as nation mourns Aviation experts say that Russian air defense fire was likely responsible for the Azerbaijani plane crash the day before that killed 38 people and left all 29 survivors injured. Azerbaijan is observing a nationwide day of mourning on Thursday for the victims of the crash. Azerbaijan Airlines’ Embraer 190 was en route from Azerbaijan’s capital of Baku to the Russian city of Grozny in the North Caucasus on Wednesday when it was diverted for reasons yet unclear and crashed while making an attempt to land in Aktau in Kazakhstan. Cellphone footage circulating online appeared to show the aircraft making a steep descent before smashing into the ground in a fireball. Ukraine's military intelligence says North Korean troops are suffering heavy battlefield losses KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine's military intelligence says North Korean troops are suffering heavy losses in Russia's Kursk region and face logistical difficulties as a result of Ukrainian attacks. The intelligence agency said Thursday that Ukrainian strikes near Novoivanovka inflicted heavy casualties on North Korean units. Ukraine's president said earlier this week that 3,000 North Korean troops have been killed and wounded in the fighting in the Kursk region. It marked the first significant estimate by Ukraine of North Korean casualties several weeks after Kyiv announced that North Korea had sent 10,000 to 12,000 troops to Russia to help it in the almost 3-year war. Ex-Sen. Bob Menendez, citing 'emotional toll,' seeks sentencing delay in wake of wife's trial NEW YORK (AP) — Former U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez is asking a federal judge to delay his end-of-January sentencing on bribery charges, saying his family would suffer a “tremendous emotional toll” if the New Jersey Democrat was sentenced during his wife's trial. His lawyers told Judge Sidney H. Stein in a letter that Nadine Menendez would face a jury that might find it impossible not to hear about her husband's sentencing if it occurred eight days into her trial. The 70-year-old Menendez was convicted in July of 16 charges, including bribery. His wife, whose trial was postponed when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, faces much of the same evidence as her husband. How the stock market defied expectations again this year, by the numbers NEW YORK (AP) — What a wonderful year 2024 has been for investors. U.S. stocks ripped higher and carried the S&P 500 to records as the economy kept growing and the Federal Reserve began cutting interest rates. The benchmark index posted its first back-to-back annual gains of more than 20% since 1998. The year featured many familiar winners, such as Big Tech, which got even bigger as their stock prices kept growing. But it wasn’t just Apple, Nvidia and the like. Bitcoin and gold surged and “Roaring Kitty” reappeared to briefly reignite the meme stock craze.East Carolina's Rahjai Harris broke off a dazzling 86-yard touchdown in the final two minutes of a record-setting night, and the Pirates snapped a three-game losing streak to the North Carolina State Wolfpack with a 26-21 win in the Military Bowl in Annapolis, Md., on Saturday. With East Carolina trailing 21-20, Harris zipped around the left end, cut back and outran the Wolfpack secondary at 1:33 to give the Pirates (8-5) their fifth win in six games. The Pirates' Dontavius Nash intercepted a deflected pass by quarterback CJ Bailey as the Wolfpack (6-7) attempted a rally past midfield. A short brawl broke out between the teams with 38 seconds left. Harris, a senior, set his career high and a Military Bowl record with 220 rushing yards on 17 carries. "Just so proud of Rahjai and the way those guys fought. Those guys have been here for five years," Pirates coach Blake Harrell said, referring to his seniors. "I don't know how much we'll see that in college football anymore." Quarterback Katin Houser went 18-of-29 passing for 147 yards and two interceptions. He rushed for 84 yards on 13 attempts with two touchdowns. Bailey completed 19 of 26 passes for 230 yards with three scores and an interception, while Hollywood Smothers rushed for 139 yards on 15 carries. Tamarcus Cooley recorded two interceptions for the Wolfpack, who lost for the third time in four games. Wolfpack coach Dave Doeren wasn't happy with how his team handled the closing seconds as the Pirates were running out the clock. "First, congratulations to ECU on the win, they earned it. And I'd also like to apologize for our football team for how that ended. I'm embarrassed as a coach and I know our players are, too." On third-and-6 on ECU's opening series after stopping NC State on a fourth-and-1 at the Pirates' 24, Houser called his own number and rumbled in untouched from 19 yards to cap a 75-yard drive for a 7-0 lead with 4:43 remaining in the first quarter. Smothers' 44-yard run put NC State in position for its first points, but Kanoah Vinesett pulled a 34-yard field goal wide left at 13:34 of the second. East Carolina kicker Noah Perez answered on the next possession by drilling a 24-yard field goal with 7:17 to go for a 10-0 advantage. The Wolfpack finally capitalized with their best drive of the half by going 78 yards in 11 plays. Bailey ended it with a pass of 8 yards to Dacari Collins with 1:58 left, but Perez booted a 42-yarder with six seconds left for a 13-7 halftime lead. In the third, Houser kept the Pirates a perfect 4-for-4 in scoring on their possessions by dashing in from 4 yards at 9:17 for a 20-7 lead while the defense continued to hassle Bailey. However, Bailey fired two scoring passes early in the fourth quarter, striking from 15 yards to Justin Joly on fourth-and-2, and then using a trick play to hit Smothers for a 33-yard score to take the one-point lead at the 9:49 mark. --Field Level Media

PAY ATTENTION: Follow our WhatsApp channel to never miss out on the news that matters to you! Outgoing US President Joe Biden on Tuesday branded his successor Donald Trump's economic plans a "disaster," in a speech hailing his own legacy. Biden said Trump's threats to slap huge tariffs on imports were a "major mistake" and challenged Trump to build on what he said were the successes of his own administration. The lame-duck president's speech comes after Trump won a second term largely on the back of US voters' anger at high costs of living under Democrats. "I pray to God the president-elect throws away Project 2025. I think it'd be an economic disaster for us and the region," Biden said at the Brookings Institution in Washington, referring to a conservative blueprint for a second Trump administration. Coughing frequently because of a cold, Biden said US consumers would pay the price for the tariffs that Trump has vowed to slap on US neighbors Mexico and Canada and on Asia-Pacific rival China. Read also Most markets down as traders assess crises in S.Korea, France Together they are the three biggest US trading partners. PAY ATTENTION: Follow us on Instagram - get the most important news directly in your favourite app! "I believe this approach is a major mistake," Biden added. At a separate event Tuesday, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Trump's tariffs could "derail the progress that we've made on inflation, and have adverse consequences on growth." She warned at the Wall Street Journal's CEO Council Summit that sweeping tariffs could raise prices significantly for US consumers and pile pressure on companies which rely on imports. Shadow president The White House touted Biden's speech as a "major address on his economic legacy" as the 82-year-old looks to the history books with fewer than six weeks left in office. Biden dropped out of the 2024 presidential race against Trump in July due to concerns about his age and passed the torch to Vice President Kamala Harris, whom Trump comfortably defeated at the November polls. Trump's inauguration is not until January 20, but he has already become something of a shadow president, making pronouncements on the economy and foreign policy and being feted by world leaders. Read also South Korea stocks drop, won stable as Asian markets fluctuate Biden has kept a relatively low profile, but he came out swinging in defense of his own record before an audience of economists. He contrasted his "middle-out, bottom-up economic playbook" with what he called Trump's failed promise of "trickle-down economics" in which tax cuts for the wealthy are supposed to boost incomes. Biden also touted achievements including the US economy's recovery from the Covid pandemic and his huge investments in green technology and industry. "President-elect Trump is receiving the strongest economy in modern history," said Biden. But the departing president said he regretted not signing his name to Covid stimulus checks sent out to Americans, like Trump had done. Biden ended his speech with a broader plea for US leadership in a troubled world, even as Trump has repeatedly signaled his intention to take a more isolationist stance. "If we do not lead the world, what nation leads the world?" he said. PAY ATTENTION: Сheck out news that is picked exactly for YOU ➡️ find the “Recommended for you” block on the home page and enjoy! Source: AFPIsrael strikes Houthi rebels in Yemen's capital while the WHO chief says he was meters away JERUSALEM (AP) — A new round of Israeli airstrikes in Yemen has targeted the Houthi rebel-held capital of Sanaa and multiple ports. The World Health Organization’s director-general said Thursday's bombardment took place just “meters away” as he was about to board a flight in Sanaa. He says a crew member was hurt. The strikes followed several days of Houthi attacks and launches setting off sirens in Israel. Israel's military says it attacked infrastructure used by the Houthis at the airport in Sanaa, power stations and ports. The Israeli military later said it wasn’t aware that the WHO chief was at the location in Yemen. At least three people were reported killed and dozens injured in the Sanaa airport strike. An uneasy calm settles over Syrian city of Homs after outbreak of sectarian violence HOMS, Syria (AP) — Syria’s new security forces checked IDs and searched cars in the central city of Homs a day after protests by members of the Alawite minority erupted in gunfire and stirred fears that the country’s fragile peace could break down. A tense calm prevailed Thursday after checkpoints were set up throughout the country’s third-largest city, which has a mixed population of Sunni and Shia Muslims, Alawites and Christians. The security forces are controlled by the former insurgent group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which led the charge that unseated former President Bashar Assad. The US says it pushed retraction of a famine warning for north Gaza. Aid groups express concern. WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials say they asked for — and got — the retraction of an independent monitor's warning of imminent famine in north Gaza. The internationally Famine Early Warning System Network issued the warning this week. The new report had warned that starvation deaths in north Gaza could reach famine levels as soon as next month. It cited what it called Israel's “near-total blockade” of food and water. The U.S. ambassador to Israel, Jacob Lew, criticized the finding as inaccurate and irresponsible. The U.S. Agency for International Development, which funds the famine-monitoring group, told the AP it had asked for and gotten the report's retraction. USAID officials tell The Associated Press that it had asked the group for greater review of discrepancies in some of the data. Powerful thunderstorms rumble across Texas, delaying holiday travel DALLAS (AP) — Severe thunderstorms are firing up in parts of Texas and could trigger high winds, hail and potential tornadoes. More than 100 flights were delayed and dozens more were canceled Thursday at airports in Dallas and Houston. The National Weather Service says the greatest weather risk stretched from just east of Dallas, and between Houston and portions of southern Arkansas and western Louisiana. The risk includes the possibility of tornadoes, wind gusts between 60 and 80 miles per hour and large hail. The National Weather Service issued a tornado watch for several counties in southeast Texas, including the Houston area. Trump has pressed for voting changes. GOP majorities in Congress will try to make that happen ATLANTA (AP) — Republicans in Congress plan to move quickly in their effort to overhaul the nation’s voting procedures, seeing an opportunity with control of the White House and both chambers of Congress. They want to push through long-sought changes such as voter ID and proof-of-citizenship requirements. They say the measures are needed to restore public confidence in elections. That's after an erosion of trust that Democrats note has been fueled by false claims from Donald Trump and his allies of widespread fraud in the 2020 election. Democrats say they are willing to work with the GOP but want any changes to make it easier, not harder, to vote. Americans are exhausted by political news. TV ratings and a new AP-NORC poll show they're tuning out NEW YORK (AP) — A lot of Americans, after an intense presidential election campaign, are looking for a break in political news. That's evident in cable television news ratings and a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The poll found nearly two-thirds of Americans saying they've found the need recently to cut down on their consumption of political and government news. That's particularly true among Democrats following President-elect Donald Trump's victory, although a significant number of Republicans and independents feel the same way. Cable networks MSNBC and CNN are really seeing a slump. That's also happened in years past for networks that particularly appeal to supporters of one candidate. Aviation experts say Russia's air defense fire likely caused Azerbaijan plane crash as nation mourns Aviation experts say that Russian air defense fire was likely responsible for the Azerbaijani plane crash the day before that killed 38 people and left all 29 survivors injured. Azerbaijan is observing a nationwide day of mourning on Thursday for the victims of the crash. Azerbaijan Airlines’ Embraer 190 was en route from Azerbaijan’s capital of Baku to the Russian city of Grozny in the North Caucasus on Wednesday when it was diverted for reasons yet unclear and crashed while making an attempt to land in Aktau in Kazakhstan. Cellphone footage circulating online appeared to show the aircraft making a steep descent before smashing into the ground in a fireball. Ukraine's military intelligence says North Korean troops are suffering heavy battlefield losses KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine's military intelligence says North Korean troops are suffering heavy losses in Russia's Kursk region and face logistical difficulties as a result of Ukrainian attacks. The intelligence agency said Thursday that Ukrainian strikes near Novoivanovka inflicted heavy casualties on North Korean units. Ukraine's president said earlier this week that 3,000 North Korean troops have been killed and wounded in the fighting in the Kursk region. It marked the first significant estimate by Ukraine of North Korean casualties several weeks after Kyiv announced that North Korea had sent 10,000 to 12,000 troops to Russia to help it in the almost 3-year war. Ex-Sen. Bob Menendez, citing 'emotional toll,' seeks sentencing delay in wake of wife's trial NEW YORK (AP) — Former U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez is asking a federal judge to delay his end-of-January sentencing on bribery charges, saying his family would suffer a “tremendous emotional toll” if the New Jersey Democrat was sentenced during his wife's trial. His lawyers told Judge Sidney H. Stein in a letter that Nadine Menendez would face a jury that might find it impossible not to hear about her husband's sentencing if it occurred eight days into her trial. The 70-year-old Menendez was convicted in July of 16 charges, including bribery. His wife, whose trial was postponed when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, faces much of the same evidence as her husband. How the stock market defied expectations again this year, by the numbers NEW YORK (AP) — What a wonderful year 2024 has been for investors. U.S. stocks ripped higher and carried the S&P 500 to records as the economy kept growing and the Federal Reserve began cutting interest rates. The benchmark index posted its first back-to-back annual gains of more than 20% since 1998. The year featured many familiar winners, such as Big Tech, which got even bigger as their stock prices kept growing. But it wasn’t just Apple, Nvidia and the like. Bitcoin and gold surged and “Roaring Kitty” reappeared to briefly reignite the meme stock craze.

On Oct. 1, Indiana County Technology Center officials announced, the River Valley School District filed a lawsuit against the ICTC and its six other member districts to officially withdraw from its longstanding contract with ICTC . The suit came after every other district partnered with ICTC rejected River Valley’s request to withdraw from the technical school at their September board meetings. The ICTC and its six other member districts, Indiana Area, Marion Center Area, United, Homer-Center, Penns Manor Area and Purchase Line, have all contracted with Ira Weiss, of Weiss Burkardt Kramer LLC, as their legal counsel for the withdrawal process. River Valley’s suit claims the district has the right to withdraw from the jointure despite the jointure agreement requiring approval from every ICTC member district, which River Valley did not secure, according to an ICTC news release. “It’s River Valley’s contention that the court should apply a termination date to this agreement, that there can be no agreement without an end date,” Weiss said. “The defendants argue the agreement is very plain, there’s no ambiguity, and in order to withdraw, all the sending districts would have to approve.” As one-seventh owner of the technical school, River Valley’s suit is also seeking for ICTC and its member schools to either: 1.) pay River Valley for its share of ownership of the ICTC, or 2.) force a sale of ICTC’s property to be distributed equally among its member districts. “Both of these scenarios create situations where (ICTC and its programming are) in jeopardy,” Weiss said. Weiss said he’s not yet sure how much River Valley’s share of ICTC would be worth, as ICTC’s assets and property along Hamill Road in White Township would first need appraised. He said selling the technical school’s property isn’t really an option, however, because closing ICTC’s doors would hurt students across the county. “(Selling ICTC’s property) is really not an acceptable solution because this is a vital program for the students of Indiana County,” Weiss said. River Valley Superintendent Philip Martell has said ICTC has a healthy budget surplus and the technical school can survive without River Valley’s support or participation. He added the move to withdraw from ICTC is to protect River Valley taxpayers, as the district is currently paying roughly $29,000 per student to attend ICTC, when including state subsidy, because of River Valley’s drastic decline in student enrollment at ICTC. “(ICTC Administrative Director Michael) McDermott and the other districts left us no choice but to secure our freedom and protect our taxpayers,” Martell said. “The other districts have talked about protecting each one’s own taxpayers, and why is it any different for us? Mr. McDermott again is being disingenuous with Indiana County’s parents, students and taxpayers.” Martell also stated that no contract lasts forever in the state of Pennsylvania and that the separation between River Valley and ICTC could have been amicable. “The solution was simple,” Martell said. “Clearly just let us walk away, and we can all move on to educating students and giving them the resources they need to succeed. “We just have big differences on what that looks like, and I stand behind the fact the River Valley STEAM Academy is a pathway for students to the future and not a doorway to the past.” Weiss pushed back on Martell’s arguments that ICTC left River Valley with no other choice but to withdraw. “River Valley claims its cost-per-student is higher, and that is because it has chosen to take its students out of (the ICTC) for the most part and assign them to (the STEAM Academy),” Weiss said. “So, any financial advantage River Valley may claim is self-inflicted. “This is like starting a fire and wanting everybody else to pay to put the fire out. I mean, you don’t shoot your parents and claim to be an orphan.” Weiss also said he disagreed with Martell’s analysis that River Valley’s withdrawal wouldn’t impact ICTC’s ability to maintain its programming. Weiss said River Valley’s withdrawal wouldn’t create any material reduction to operating costs; the only difference would be six districts would have to pay for what seven districts used to pay. “It’s unfortunate River Valley has chosen to create its own career education program and use that as a pretext to place in jeopardy a very worthwhile program for all the students and families of Indiana County,” Weiss said. McDermott elaborated on the financial strains River Valley’s lawsuit and withdrawal could put on school districts across the county. “It is disappointing that River Valley has chosen this path requiring taxpayer dollars to be spent by all districts rather than working to continue the quality programming here, at ICTC,” McDermott said. “This suit jeopardizes the future of this center and its member districts. The ICTC will respond to this suit through counsel to ensure our outstanding programming continues. The students and families of Indiana County deserve no less.” River Valley officially filed the suit against ICTC and its member districts Monday, Sept. 23, according to Weiss. ICTC’s member districts were served Monday, Sept. 30. Weiss said ICTC’s next steps include filing a responsive pleading to the lawsuit and resolving legal issues before a trial can occur, such as determining whether selling ICTC’s property is an appropriate remedy. o o o As was reported Sept. 21, how River Valley, ICTC and its six other sending schools got to this stage is a point of contention between River Valley administration and every other district partnered with ICTC . Martell said he wants to pull the district out of ICTC due to the school’s high enrollment costs and antiquated programming. He also believes River Valley’s STEAM Academy at the district’s Saltsburg campus, which has some overlapping programs with ICTC like electrical and welding, successfully serves River Valley students and gives his district more control over curriculum and instruction. But administrators from ICTC and the six other sending schools claim Martell presents inaccurate and misleading information about ICTC’s enrollment costs and that River Valley’s financial concerns are a result of its own actions. Those administrators also stated ICTC effectively serves all students in Indiana and that River Valley should consider its contractual obligations as well as how its actions will negatively impact students, taxpayers and educational opportunities throughout the county. History of ICTC River Valley’s history with ICTC began when the technical school opened in 1980 with a mission to provide trade and industry entry level skills to students across the county. At the time, River Valley went by Blairsville-Saltsburg School District, and ICTC went by Indiana County Vocational Technical School. The technical school changed its name to ICTC on July 1, 1999, to better reflect its mission, and Blairsville-Saltsburg changed its name to River Valley after the schools in Blairsville and Saltsburg consolidated in 2021. River Valley, then Blairsville-Saltsburg, was one of the founding members of the ICTC, along with Homer-Center, Indiana Area, Marion Center and United school districts. Penns Manor became a member December 2011, and Purchase Line joined the consortium in July 2014. Like many county technical centers across the Commonwealth, the purpose of ICTC was to serve as a central organization other Indiana County school districts could utilize to benefit workforce development, according to Homer-Center Superintendent Ralph Cecere Jr. in a June 14 meeting with the Indiana Gazette. By sharing costs and resources among member schools and working collaboratively to make decisions, ICTC’s member districts provide technical education to their students, including smaller districts that may not have funding or resources to develop technical programs on their own, according to Penns Manor Superintendent and ICTC Superintendent of Record Daren Johnston. “At Penns Manor, we cannot (create our own technical school),” Johnston said at the same June 14 meeting. “We’re a small school district. That can’t happen. So, what’s the next best step? Working collaboratively with everybody else in the (county).” Collaboration among the seven member schools, which are each part owner of the ICTC, went well. Although the contributing schools didn’t always see eye to eye, every district helped finance the operation and worked together to make decisions about the ICTC and its programming — that is, until Martell became River Valley’s superintendent in December 2020. History of River Valley STEAM Academy In a July 23 interview with Martell, STEAM Academy Workforce Development Consultant Jeff Geesey and River Valley Director of Public Relations Jeanine Buell, Martell said he agreed to take the superintendent role at River Valley under two conditions: 1.) the Blairsville-Saltsburg school district had to consolidate, and 2.) the former Saltsburg middle-high school had to be converted into a STEAM Academy. “It was the only way I agreed to take the job,” Martell said. Martell said his goal with the STEAM Academy was to provide career pathways, workforce development opportunities and industry credentials in high-demand fields such as welding, which, at ICTC, required going through a wait list before students could enter the program. The STEAM Academy officially opened in the 2022-23 school year with four programs of study: cybersecurity, esports, electrical occupations and sports medicine and rehabilitation therapy (SMaRT). The STEAM Academy added biomedical engineering, a powerline component to electrical occupations, pathways to health professions, rising educators and welding technology to its curriculum in 2023-24.{div id=”highlighter--hover-tools” style=”display: none;”} {/div}SEOUL: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim arrived in Seoul on Sunday (Nov 24) for a three-day official visit to South Korea to further strengthen bilateral relations between Malaysia and South Korea. Both countries will be celebrating the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2025. The special aircraft carrying Anwar touched down at Seoul Air Base at about 9.55pm (8.55pm Malaysian time), where he was received by South Korea's Public Affairs Ministry spokesman and Deputy Minister, Lee Jaewoong, Korean Ambassador to Malaysia Yeo Seung Bae and Malaysian Ambassador to South Korea Datuk Mohd Zamruni Khalid. Anwar was accompanied by Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan; Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz; Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Chang Lih Kang; National Unity Minister Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang and senior government officials. The Prime Minister was later accorded an official welcome at the air base. According to Mohd Zamruni, the visit is at the invitation of President Yoon Suk-yeol. "On Monday (Nov 25), the Prime Minister will hold a bilateral meeting with President Yoon at the Yongsan Presidential Office. "Both leaders will take stock of Malaysia-Republic of Korea bilateral relations that have significantly progressed, both in scope and substance, since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1960. "They are also expected to discuss regional and international issues of mutual concern, and exchange views on Malaysia’s Chairmanship of Asean and the Republic of Korea’s Chairmanship of Apec, both in 2025,” he said. The two leaders will also witness the exchange of three memoranda of understanding on Cooperation in the Field of Higher Education, Cooperation in the Field of Carbon Capture and Storage and Cooperation in Cooperative Approaches Under Article 6, Paragraph 2 of the Paris Agreement. Another key highlight of the official visit is the Malaysia-Republic of Korea Business Forum and one-on-one meetings with Korean Conglomerates, in which the Prime Minister will engage with prominent business leaders to explore economic opportunities in Malaysia. The curated session will provide insights into Malaysia's strategic priorities and initiatives, focusing on economic and fiscal growth, as well as trade and investment opportunities. On Tuesday (Nov 26), the Prime Minister will also deliver a special address titled "Strategic Partners in a Complex World: Malaysia, Korea, and the Future of Asia” at Seoul National University. - BernamaNEW ORLEANS (AP) — A scruffy little fugitive is on the lam again in New Orleans, gaining fame as he outwits a tenacious band of citizens armed with night-vision binoculars, nets and a tranquilizer rifle. Scrim, a 17-pound mutt that's mostly terrier, has become a folk hero, inspiring tattoos, T-shirts and even a ballad as he eludes capture from the posse of volunteers. And like any antihero, Scrim has a backstory: Rescued from semi-feral life at a trailer park and adopted from a shelter, the dog broke loose in April and scurried around the city until he was cornered in October and brought to a new home. Weeks later, he'd had enough. Scrim leaped out of a second-story window, a desperate act recorded in a now-viral video. Since then, despite a stream of daily sightings, he's roamed free. The dog’s fans include Myra and Steve Foster, who wrote “Ode to Scrim” to the tune of Ricky Nelson’s 1961 hit, “I’m a Travelin’ Man.” Leading the recapture effort is Michelle Cheramie, a 55-year-old former information technology professional. She lost everything — home, car, possessions — in Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and in the aftermath, found her calling rescuing pets. “I was like, ‘This is what I should be doing,’” Cheramie said. “I was born to rescue.” She launched Zeus’ Rescues, a nonprofit shelter that now averages 600 cat and dog adoptions a year and offers free pet food to anyone who needs it. She helped Scrim find the home he first escaped from. It was Cheramie's window Scrim leaped from in November. She's resumed her relentless mission since then, posting flyers on telephone poles and logging social media updates on his reported whereabouts. She's invested thousands of dollars on wildlife cameras, thermal sensors and other gear. She took a course offered by the San Diego Zoo on the finer points of tranquilizing animals. And she's developed a network of volunteers — the kind of neighbors who are willing to grid-search a city at 3 a.m. People like writer David W. Brown, who manages a crowd-sourced Google Map of all known Scrim sightings. He says the search has galvanized residents from all walks of life to come together. As they search for Scrim, they hand out supplies to people in need. “Being a member of the community is seeing problems and doing what you can to make life a little better for the people around here and the animals around you,” Brown said. And neighbors like Tammy Murray, who had to close her furniture store and lost her father to Parkinson's disease. This search, she says, got her mojo back. “Literally, for months, I’ve done nothing but hunt this dog,” said Murray, 53. “I feel like Wile E. Coyote on a daily basis with him.” Murray drives the Zeus' Rescues' van towards reported Scrim sightings. She also handles a tactical net launcher, which looks like an oversized flashlight and once misfired, shattering the van's window as Scrim sped away. After realizing Scrim had come to recognize the sound of the van's diesel engine, Murray switched to a Vespa scooter, for stealth. Near-misses have been tantalizing. The search party spotted Scrim napping beneath an elevated house, and wrapped construction netting around the perimeter, but an over-eager volunteer broke ranks and dashed forward, leaving an opening Scrim slipped through. Scrim's repeated escapades have prompted near-daily local media coverage and a devoted online following. Cheramie can relate. “We’re all running from something or to something. He's doing that too,” she said. Cheramie's team dreams of placing the pooch in a safe and loving environment. But a social media chorus growing under the hashtag #FreeScrim has other ideas — they say the runaway should be allowed a life of self-determination. The animal rescue volunteers consider that misguided. “The streets of New Orleans are not the place for a dog to be free,” Cheramie said. “It’s too dangerous.” Scrim was a mess when Cheramie briefly recaptured him in October, with matted fur, missing teeth and a tattered ear. His trembling body was scraped and bruised, and punctured by multiple projectiles. A vet removed one, but decided against operating to take out a possible bullet. The dog initially appeared content indoors, sitting in Cheramie's lap or napping beside her bed. Then while she was out one day, Scrim chewed through a mesh screen, dropped 13 feet to the ground and squeezed through a gap in the fence, trotting away. Murray said Cheramie's four cats probably spooked him. “I wholeheartedly believe the gangster-ass cats were messing with him,” Murray said. Cheramie thinks they may have gotten territorial. Devastated but undeterred, the pair is reassessing where Scrim might fit best — maybe a secure animal sanctuary with big outdoor spaces where other dogs can keep him company. Somewhere, Murray says, “where he can just breathe and be.” Brook is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Brook on the social platform X: @jack_brook96Neal Maupay: Whenever I’m having a bad day I check Everton score and smile

NoneThe yen hovered near a five-month low to the dollar on Friday as the U.S. Federal Reserve's hawkish messaging contrasted with the Bank of Japan 's cautious approach to further policy tightening. The yen traded at 157.725 per dollar as of 0030 GMT, edging up 0.1% from Thursday, but still close to the low of that session at 158.09 per dollar, the yen's weakest level since July 17. A summary of opinions from the BOJ's December policy meeting, released Friday, showed some officials becoming more confident about a near-term rate increase, while others remained wary amid uncertainties over the trend for wages and the policies of the incoming Donald Trump administration. Inflation data for Tokyo in December, also released Friday, was supportive of further rate hikes. BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda said last week, after the central bank held rates steady, that it would take "considerable time" to fully gauge the outlooks for wages and overseas economies, particularly the United States. Stock Trading Value & Valuation Masterclass By - The Economic Times, Get Certified By India's Top Business News Brand View Program Stock Trading Market 104: Options Trading: Kickstart Your F&O Adventure By - Saketh R, Founder- QuickAlpha, Full Time Options Trader View Program Stock Trading Technical Analysis for Everyone - Technical Analysis Course By - Abhijit Paul, Technical Research Head, Fund Manager- ICICI Securities View Program Stock Trading Stock Markets Made Easy By - elearnmarkets, Financial Education by StockEdge View Program Stock Trading Renko Chart Patterns Made Easy By - Kaushik Akiwatkar, Derivative Trader and Investor View Program Stock Trading Market 101: An Insight into Trendlines and Momentum By - Rohit Srivastava, Founder- Indiacharts.com View Program Stock Trading Markets 102: Mastering Sentiment Indicators for Swing and Positional Trading By - Rohit Srivastava, Founder- Indiacharts.com View Program Stock Trading Dow Theory Made Easy By - Vishal Mehta, Independent Systematic Trader View Program Stock Trading Market 103: Mastering Trends with RMI and Techno-Funda Insights By - Rohit Srivastava, Founder- Indiacharts.com View Program Stock Trading ROC Made Easy: Master Course for ROC Stock Indicator By - Souradeep Dey, Equity and Commodity Trader, Trainer View Program Stock Trading Heikin Ashi Trading Tactics: Master the Art of Trading By - Dinesh Nagpal, Full Time Trader, Ichimoku & Trading Psychology Expert View Program Stock Trading RSI Made Easy: RSI Trading Course By - Souradeep Dey, Equity and Commodity Trader, Trainer View Program Stock Trading Introduction to Technical Analysis & Candlestick Theory By - Dinesh Nagpal, Full Time Trader, Ichimoku & Trading Psychology Expert View Program By contrast, Fed Chair Jerome Powell said earlier this month that U.S. central bank officials "are going to be cautious about further cuts" following an as-expected quarter-point rate reduction. Trump's mooted looser regulation, tax cuts, tariff hikes and tighter immigration are seen as both pro-growth and inflationary by economists. The dollar is on track for a 5.4% gain this month against the yen, and an 11.9% advance for the year. "The upward trend is strong, but there's a feeling that the strong dollar-weak yen movement we've seen to now is overdone and there's the risk of pullbacks," Mizuho Securities analysts Masafumi Yamamoto and Masayoshi Mihara wrote in a client note. "There's also the possibility of firmer intervention warnings from Japanese officials." On Dec. 20, both Japan's finance minister and its top FX diplomat said at separate media briefings that officials are alarmed by "excessive" currency moves and stand ready to take "appropriate action". The U.S. dollar index, which measures the currency against the yen, euro, Sterling and three other major rivals, was steady at 108.09 and has been essentially in a holding pattern around that level all week. For the month, it is up 2.2%. Many traders are on holiday around Christmas and the New Year. The euro was flat at $1.0421, down 1.5% so far in December. Sterling was little changed at $1.25275 on the day, and down 1.7% for the month. Leading cryptocurrency bitcoin was steady at $95,660, slipping 1.2% this month, but after touching a record high of 108,379.28 on Dec. 17. It has surged about 125% so far this year. (You can now subscribe to our ETMarkets WhatsApp channel )

Dr Manmohan Singh was one of those rare people who achieved greatness by dint of hard work and merit, and then found grander greatness thrust upon him. He became the Prime Minister, because the then Congress president, Sonia Gandhi , needed someone trustworthy and capable to occupy the position that was rightfully hers as leader of the majority group after the 2004 general elections but she deemed politic to renounce, for assorted reasons. He thus did not have direct authority from the people, but enjoyed delegated authority, granted by the political party that had won the largest number of seats. ET Year-end Special Reads Corporate Kalesh: Top family disputes of India Inc in 2024 The world of business lost these eminent people in 2024 Fast, faster, fastest: How 2024 put more speed into your shopping Also Read: Manmohan Singh passes away at 92; PM Modi, Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and others mourn former PM's demise Also Read: Remembering Dr. Manmohan Singh: A legacy of economic reforms and leadership It is commonplace for people to describe Manmohan Singh as the author of India's economic reforms . This is naive. Narasimha Rao brought in Singh as his finance minister, true. But reform is a political task, not a technocratic one. Rao might have had some margin for shifting blame to a finance minister, in case reform turned politically too hot to handle, but there was no way he could have escaped responsibility for whatever policies his government pursued. Prime ministers are the authors of large systemic changes, not finance ministers, finance secretaries, economic advisers or anyone else. They are the ones accountable to the people. 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This he did by doggedly pursuing the nuclear deal with the US. President George W Bush had clarity that India was the only power in Asia that could possibly countervail a rising China, and wanted to free India from the technology denial regime into which post-nuclear test sanctions had caged India. Within the political class, few understood the significance of the nuclear deal beyond its potential to ease supplies of uranium for nuclear power plants. Singh had clarity that India needed the deal to end technology denial and be free to acquire the strategic capability it needed to emerge a significant power. Within the political class, only the Congress supported the deal. The BJP vehemently opposed the deal. When the Left withdrew support, and the continuance of the government came into question, most Congressmen, too, were willing to abandon the deal. Only Singh defended the deal stoutly. To her credit, Sonia Gandhi chose to back him. Then, the Congress machinery got to work and got the numbers to sail through the vote of no confidence. India became a quasi-member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group. It joined the Missile Technology Control Regime, the Wassenaar Arrangement on dual technologies and the Australia Group on chemical weapons and precursor chemicals. Large US companies like Boeing felt confident to invest in India and accept Indian companies as partners. Strategic cooperation with the US began, in the wake of the nuclear deal. By having clarity on what was at stake, and choosing to exercise his delegated authority to the hilt, Singh got the nuclear deal through, and opened the door to India's rise as a major power centre. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )

AP News Summary at 6:42 p.m. EST

LeBron James is going to have to make room for the NFL. Wednesday's doubleheader on Netflix set records as the most-streamed NFL games in U.S. history, with numbers nearly five times more than the NBA. The Baltimore Ravens' 31-2 victory over the Houston Texans averaged 24.3 million while Kansas City's 29-10 win at Pittsburgh averaged 24.1 according to early viewer figures released by Nielsen on Thursday. Nielsen also said there were 65 million U.S. viewers who tuned in for at least one minute of one of the two games. The NBA's five-game slate averaged about 5.25 million viewers per game across ABC, ESPN and its platforms, according to the league and Nielsen. “I love the NFL,” James said in his televised postgame interview Wednesday night. “But Christmas is our day.” While the NBA's Christmas lineup has its best viewer numbers in five years, the NFL has made Christmas one of its tentpole events during the regular season, joining Kickoff Weekend and Thanksgiving. “The numbers speak for themselves and LeBron can have his own view, and I’m sure more people will look at that because of this," said Hans Schroeder, the executive vice president of NFL Media. "But, you know, we’re focused on the NFL and we’re thrilled with the results this year with the Christmas on Netflix and we’re excited to continue to build that over the next couple of years.” Both NFL games surpassed the previous mark of 23 million for last season’s AFC wild-card game between the Miami Dolphins and Chiefs on Peacock. Viewership for Ravens-Texans peaked with the Beyoncé Bowl. The 20-minute halftime performance averaged over 27 million viewers. The viewer figures include the audience on Netflix, mobile viewership on NFL+ and those who tuned in on CBS stations in Pittsburgh, Kansas City, Baltimore and Houston. Global ratings and final U.S. numbers are expected to be available on Tuesday. The NFL's Christmas numbers decreased from last season, but not at the rate that usually happens when something goes from broadcast to streaming. Last year’s three games averaged 28.68 million viewers. The early afternoon contest between the Las Vegas Raiders and Chiefs led the way, averaging 29.48 million on CBS. Once global and Netflix's first-party data is released, both Christmas games should surpass 30 million. The NBA's lineup saw an 84% rise over 2023. One reason for the increase is that all five games were on ABC, compared to two last year. The Los Angeles Lakers’ 115-113 victory over the Golden State Warriors — a game pitting Olympic teammates LeBron James and Stephen Curry — averaged 7.76 million viewers and peaked with about 8.32 million viewers toward the end of the contest, the league said. Those numbers represent the most-watched NBA regular season game in five years. The NBA said all five Christmas games on its schedule — San Antonio at New York in Victor Wembanyama's holiday debut, Minnesota at Dallas, Philadelphia at Boston, Denver at Phoenix and Lakers-Warriors — saw year-over-year viewership increases. Wednesday's numbers pushed NBA viewership for the season across ESPN platforms to up 4% over last season. The league also saw more than 500 million video views on its social media platforms Wednesday, a new record. For the NBA, those are all good signs amid cries that NBA viewership is hurting. “Ratings are down a bit at beginning of the season. But cable television viewership is down double digits so far this year versus last year," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said earlier this month. “You know, we’re almost at the inflection point where people are watching more programing on streaming than they are on traditional television. And it’s a reason why for our new television deals, which we enter into next year, every game is going to be available on a streaming service.” Part of that new package of television deals that the NBA is entering into next season also increases the number of regular season games broadcast on television from 15 to 75. AP NBA: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NBA