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Jaland Lowe flirted with a triple-double as Pitt improved to 6-0 with a 74-63 win over LSU on Friday afternoon at the Greenbrier Tip-Off in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. Lowe finished with a game-high 22 points to go along with eight rebounds and six assists for the Panthers, who have won their first six games of a season for the first time since the 2018-19 campaign. It would have been the second straight triple-double for Lowe, who had 11 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists against VMI Monday. Ishmael Leggett chipped in 21 points and Cameron Corhen supplied 14, helping Pitt outshoot the Tigers (4-1) 44.4 percent to 37.3 percent overall. Vyctorius Miller and Jalen Reed recorded 14 points apiece for LSU, with Reed also snatching seven boards. Cam Carter contributed 11 points. Pitt took control in the first four-plus minutes of the second half, opening the period on a 13-0 run to build a 40-28 lead. The Tigers were held scoreless following the break until Carter converted a layup with 13:13 to go. It was still a 12-point game after Zack Austin hit a pair of free throws with 12:50 remaining, but LSU then rallied. Corey Chest, Reed and Jordan Sears each had a bucket down low for the Tigers during an 8-1 spurt that made it 43-38. However, Lowe stemmed the tide, answering with back-to-back 3-pointers to put the Panthers up 49-38 with 9:31 left. Miller did everything he could to keep LSU in contention, scoring eight points in a span of 1 minute, 23 seconds, with his four-point play getting the Tigers within 56-52 with 6:03 to play. But Pitt never let LSU get the upper hand, and it led by at least six for the final 5:05 of the contest. The Tigers had a 28-27 edge at intermission after ending the first half on an 8-2 run. LSU overcame a quick start by the Panthers, who raced out to a 12-6 advantage and led by as many as eight in the first 20 minutes of action. --Field Level MediaMUMBAI: Senior NCP leader Dhananjay Panditrao Munde is facing the heat as leaders from the opposition as well as ruling parties are making a series of allegations against him, for his close aide’s alleged involvement in the murder of a sarpanch in Beed. The 49-year-old was initially groomed by his uncle, former deputy chief minister and BJP leader late Gopinath Munde. During Munde’s tenure as state deputy chief minister, Dhananjay had kicked up controversies over his high-handedness in Beed, which he used to look after. Following the rise of Gopinath Munde’s daughter Pankaja as his heir apparent, an irked Dhananjay started looking for options beyond his uncle. He was encouraged to stand up to his uncle by a few top leaders in Maharashtra BJP who wanted to keep Munde under control. As he felt that his uncle would not allow him to grow within the party, Dhanajay joined NCP. Keen to build a strong non-Maratha leadership in Marathwada, both Sharad Pawar and his nephew Ajit encouraged Dhanajay. They made him a member of legislative council and later leader of the Opposition in the upper house after the Congress-NCP lost power in 2014. During this tenure, Dhananjay steadily grew as a politician. He managed to take political control of Munde’s Parli constituency and won assembly elections in 2019 by defeating Pankaja and in 2024 opposite an NCP (SP) candidate. He also soon earned the trust of Ajit and became his close aide. After the 2019 assembly election, when Ajit first made the attempt to split NCP, it was Dhananjay who was working the phone to get MLAs on their side. In 2023, when Ajit finally managed to split the NCP, Dhananjay played a key role. He, however, has a penchant for controversies. During his tenure as agriculture minister in the Mahayuti government, he drew flak for forcing the transfer of agriculture secretary who refused certain plans of his department, citing a loss for the exchequer. In 2021, a singer Renu Sharma accused him of rape but later withdrew her complaint. In this episode, Dhananjay confessed that he was in a relation with Renu’s sister Karuna and they have children together. Back home in Beed, he managed to establish his control. He has been a minister in three successive governments (MVA, Mahayuti and Mahayuti 2.0) and guardian minister of Beed. Opposition leaders as well as elected representatives in Beed allege that Dhananjay’s bid to control the district politically has led to the current turmoil in the district. There have been allegations of grabbing land and properties, cornering all government contracts, extortion and murders against certain groups. Walmik Karad, a former head of Parli municipal council and a close aide of Dhananjay is accused of being a mastermind behind the murder of sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh. On Saturday, thousands of political workers and other people came out on the streets of Beed demanding arrest of Karad and sacking of Munde as a minister. Dhanajay’s boss and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar as well as chief minister Devendra Fadnavis are increasingly finding it difficult to defend him as elected representatives from all parties including BJP and NCP are gunning for his head. Pawar is aware of the impact the current controversy is having on his and his party’s image. There is also a strong Maratha undertone in the case as Deshmukh was Maratha and Karad-Munde come from Vanjari caste in the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. During Manoj Jarange Patil-led agitation for Maratha quota, Beed saw a bitter tussle between Maratha and Vanjari communities. According to NCP insiders, Pawar has not asked Dhananjay to step down but he is not stopping NCP leaders from Beed such as MLA Prakash Solanke from attacking the latter. The next few days could decide whether Dhananjay Munde manages to save his chair or is asked to take a step back, in the interest of his party and the Mahayuti government.
An indomitable spirit As it evolves into Next Generation Air Force, PAF draws strength from its rich history and lessons learned from past challenges Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the esteemed architect of Pakistan, stands as an enduring beacon of hope and resolute determination. As the nation commemorates his birthday on 25 December, it reflects on his bold declaration that Muslims were not merely a minority but a distinct nation deserving of their own homeland. His impactful assertion, “India is not a nation; it is a subcontinent composed of nationalities”, illuminated the profound differences among communities and laid the foundation for the Two Nation Theory. Through tireless negotiations with both British authorities and the Indian National Congress, the Quaid transformed this theory into a political reality, culminating in the birth of Pakistan on 14 August 1947. In a world fraught with challenges, the Quaid astutely recognised the vital role of air power in securing the future of our fledgling nation, understanding that it was not just about military might but about safeguarding our very sovereignty. With fierce determination, he championed the establishment of Pakistan Air Force in 1947, a bold testament to his visionary leadership and an indelible mark on our national identity. Today, Pakistan Air Force stands as a proud embodiment of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah's vision and the indomitable spirit of Pakistan. With its head held high, PAF soars with purpose and determination. Quaid’s resonant words, "a country without a strong air force is at the mercy of any aggressor. Pakistan must build up her air force as quickly as possible. It must be an efficient Air Force, second to none", continue to echo, motivating our Shaheens to perform their duties with utmost dedication. These words serve as a cornerstone of persistence, upholding his legacy while safeguarding national interests which has been the driving force behind PAF's evolution into the formidable guardian of Pakistan's skies. As it evolves into a Next Generation Air Force, PAF draws strength from its rich history and the lessons learned from past challenges. Quaid-e-Azam was an exceptional leader whose exemplary conduct set a powerful precedent for others to follow, inspiring those around him to unite towards a common goal and establishing himself as a lasting source of motivation for leaders worldwide. His visionary ideals for Pakistan Air Force were firmly anchored in an unrelenting dedication to professionalism, integrity and an unyielding sense of duty. The leadership of the Pakistan Air Force has been pivotal in steering PAF towards a transformative journey of self-reliance and indigenisation, in the last three years, empowering its personnel to confront challenges with courage and perseverance. Motivated by Quaid-e-Azam's exhortation that “I charge you to remember that only with discipline and self-reliance can Pakistan Air Force be worthy of Pakistan”, the present leadership of PAF has actively catalysed significant advancements in technology and operational capabilities. At the forefront of this visionary initiative is the National Aerospace Science and Technology Park (NASTP), a ground breaking endeavour that bridges the divide between academia and industry while diminishing reliance on foreign suppliers. NASTP is not just a hub for innovation; it is a dynamic ecosystem that nurtures research and development across vital sectors, including aviation, space, information technology and cyber technologies. By spearheading advancements through its Software Development House and fostering local talent, NASTP empowers start-ups and SMEs to thrive. It also plays a crucial role in a comprehensive modernisation drive that integrates cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning, positioning Pakistan to tackle contemporary challenges head-on. With NASTP facilitating the creation of pioneering products and services, the PAF stands poised to transform strategic foresight into unmatched operational prowess, driving forward a vision where innovation and modernisation converge to herald a new era of technological advancement and sustainable economic growth. Quaid-e-Azam expressed profound reverence for the martyrs of Pakistan, stating, "The sacrifices of our martyrs are the foundation of our freedom. We must always remember their courage and dedication, for they laid down their lives for our future", emphasising the essential role their courage and dedication played in shaping the nation's identity and progress. This sentiment profoundly reflects the legacies of valiant figures of the 1965 and 1971 wars such as Squadron Leader Sarfaraz Rafiqui, Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas and many more, who displayed extraordinary bravery and selflessness in defending the homeland. Each of these PAF heroes epitomised the qualities of unity and devotion that underpin the remarkable achievements of Pakistan Air Force. The Quaid urged the nation to honour their legacy by upholding the values for which they fought, reminding us that these martyrs stand as enduring symbols of courage and sacrifice, inspiring generations to safeguard our skies and sovereignty. Quaid-e-Azam’s influence on Pakistan is both profound and enduring. He not only forged the nation from struggle but also instilled values of democracy, equality and justice that resonate today. The Quaid’s vision for the Pakistan Air Force as a formidable and unparalleled fighting force underscores his understanding of the crucial role air power plays in modern warfare and national defence. His foresight in establishing a strong, independent air force not only aimed to safeguard Pakistan’s sovereignty but also to instill a sense of pride and resilience in its people. By emphasising professionalism, innovation and a commitment to excellence, Quaid-e-Azam laid the foundation for an air force that continues to evolve and adapt, ensuring that it remains ‘second to none’ in all aspects. The writer is a freelance contributor.Cadiz Inc. Declares Quarterly Dividend for Q4 2024 on Series A Cumulative Perpetual Preferred StockTrae Young is taking on a new role with the Hawks, on and off the court
Conor McGregor is certainly acting as if he’ll be boxing Logan Paul in India. The UFC superstar, who hasn’t competed in the octagon in nearly four years, claimed earlier this month that before he returns to UFC competition, he’s actively pursuing an exhibition boxing match against the WWE star, claiming he was “in preliminary agreements with the Ambani family.” The Dec. 17 social media post seemed to be the end of things, but an unconfirmed report from Fightbook MMA on Sunday says the bout is set to take place at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, with each fighter expected to make an astronomical $250 million each, per the report. McGregor seemed to almost confirm the report on Twitter, responding with a pair of emojis. ❤️ https://t.co/oz7jZg3Ts9 The Ambani family, most notably Mukesh Ambani — who has a net worth of over $96 billion — certainly has deep enough pockets to pull of an event of this magnitude, but they would need everybody, and not just the fighters involved, on board. As of now, there has been no mention of the idea from Paul’s side, nor the UFC — who will have to give their blessing for McGregor to take part in a non-UFC bout. Paul’s younger brother Jake Paul did issue a statement on the matter saying the only way he would face McGregor is if Dana White and the UFC were at the negotiation table, but then said his brother would beat a “washed” McGregor if they were to compete. Now it all makes sense why Conor Mcgregor & his management team have been desperately trying to get MVP to negotiate for a fight between us. As we told them them privately & I’m now saying it publicly...the only way we’re willing to explore me vs Conor in a pro boxing / mma fight... McGregor was scheduled to return to the octagon to face Michael Chandler in the main event of UFC 303 in June before a toe injury forced the former two-division champion to withdraw. “The Notorious” suffered a gruesome leg injury in a first-round TKO loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021 in his most recent fight.He just can’t be stopped. With No. 4 Penn State trailing by six at Minnesota in the third quarter , the Nittany Lions offense turned to their go-to guy, star tight end Tyler Warren. He had three straight catches for 30 yards, topped off by a Nicholas Singleton score to re-take the lead. More Penn State Football News Key Penn State starter suffers injury, leaves game at Minnesota No. 4 Penn State extends lead over Minnesota on 4th-quarter field goal: Live updates Penn State could be without veteran skill player today vs. Minnesota
Freshly baked goods are an essential for every holiday season. Get right into the holiday spirt with various ganja holiday treats. Everybody loves to indulge in a sweet treat when the holidays come around. Bake your holiday treats with cannabis infused butter to make any get together a little more fun. Cannabis can also soothe symptoms of anxiety, insomnia, and treat pain. It can help aid with social anxiety symptoms, making it helpful for family get togethers. To activate the cannabinoids in cannabis, decarboxylate your buds by lightly toasting them in an oven or air fryer at 220-240°F (104-116°C) for 30 to 40 minutes. The heat will activate the THC in your cannabis, giving you the desired effect. The quickest way is to use a grinder to break down the cannabis, but breaking up cannabis with your hands works as well. Be careful not to grind up the cannabis too small, because it will be strained later. Melt 1 cup of butter in a pan. (a good ratio is approximately 1:1 but can be changed based on your tolerance). Add 1 cup of water, which helps regulate the temperature and prevents burning. When the butter is melted, add in the cannabis. Simmer on low heat at about 160-200 oF. Simmer for 2 to 3 hours, making sure the mixture never comes to a boil. Place a mesh strainer or cheesecloth over a jar and pour the butter/cannabis mixture through it. Discard the plant material. Dosing is crucial when cooking with cannabis. Start with 1 cup of ground cannabis (around 7 to 10 grams, and adjust based on your tolerance). Take your favorite gingerbread cookie recipe and substitute the butter for freshly made cannabutter. Not only do the cookies look good, the cannabis will keep you warm during the holiday season. Turn your favorite cookie into a cannabis infused holiday treat. Substitute the butter for cannabutter. Ingredients include sugar, baking powder, canna-butter, flower, eggs, salt and vanilla. For added flair, use a cannabis leaf cookie cutter and green icing. Try this modern take on the classic brownie. Add melted cannabutter and sugar together and then add eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla. Stir in oil and cocoa powder. Combine flour, cornstarch, and salt until combined. Stir in chocolate chips and then bake for 30 minutes. The cannabis-infused butter will add richness to this treat. After baking, use your favorite cookie-cutter to add to the fun. Cannabutter is just one way to cook with cannabis. Try making olive oil infused cannabis for your holiday recipes that aren’t as sweet. The olive oil can add moisture to baked goods and blends well with the cannabis taste. Coconut oil can also add flavor and sweetness to your baked goods. Freeze your cannabutter or your baked treat to enjoy them after the holiday season. Be sure to keep your treats out of children’s reach, homemade treats are always enticing to little ones.
Ange Postecoglou relishing Tottenham’s key run of fixtures before ChristmasNew Year's Eve 2024 falls on Tuesday, December 31. Music is the soul of any New Year party, setting the mood and creating an atmosphere of excitement and celebration. Whether you're hosting a cosy get-together or throwing a grand bash, the right playlist can transform your event into an unforgettable experience. From pulsating beats that get everyone dancing to sing-along hits that bring everyone together, music has the power to elevate your party to the next level. As you bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new one, your choice of songs can reflect the joy, anticipation, and optimism of the moment. To help you curate the perfect playlist, we at LatestLY have compiled a collection of five must-have Hindi and English tracks that will keep your guests entertained and the energy soaring. New Year’s Eve 2024 Date: Know The Rituals, Celebrations and Significance of December 31 To Ring in Joyous New Year 2025 . "Subha Hone Na De" - Desi Boyz (Hindi): A party anthem that guarantees everyone will hit the dance floor. "Uptown Funk" - Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars (English): A global hit that adds energy and style to any celebration. "London Thumakda" - Queen (Hindi): A peppy Bollywood song that brings infectious vibes to the party. "Shape of You" - Ed Sheeran (English): A crowd favourite that combines melody and rhythm perfectly. "Kala Chashma" - Baar Dekho (Hindi): This Bollywood hit ensures the dance floor stays packed all night. A great playlist is the heartbeat of any New Year party. With these tracks, you’re guaranteed to create an electric atmosphere and make the night unforgettable. Here’s to dancing into 2025 with joy and celebration! (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 30, 2024 01:19 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com ).FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump promised on Tuesday to “vigorously pursue” capital punishment after President Joe Biden commuted the sentences of most people on federal death row partly to stop Trump from pushing forward their executions. Trump criticized Biden’s decision on Monday to change the sentences of 37 of the 40 condemned people to life in prison without parole, arguing that it was senseless and insulted the families of their victims. Biden said converting their punishments to life imprisonment was consistent with the moratorium imposed on federal executions in cases other than terrorism and hate-motivated mass murder. “Joe Biden just commuted the Death Sentence on 37 of the worst killers in our Country,” he wrote on his social media site. “When you hear the acts of each, you won’t believe that he did this. Makes no sense. Relatives and friends are further devastated. They can’t believe this is happening!” Presidents historically have no involvement in dictating or recommending the punishments that federal prosecutors seek for defendants in criminal cases, though Trump has long sought more direct control over the Justice Department's operations. The president-elect wrote that he would direct the department to pursue the death penalty “as soon as I am inaugurated,” but was vague on what specific actions he may take and said they would be in cases of “violent rapists, murderers, and monsters.” He highlighted the cases of two men who were on federal death row for slaying a woman and a girl, had admitted to killing more and had their sentences commuted by Biden. On the campaign trail, Trump often called for expanding the federal death penalty — including for those who kill police officers, those convicted of drug and human trafficking, and migrants who kill U.S. citizens. “Trump has been fairly consistent in wanting to sort of say that he thinks the death penalty is an important tool and he wants to use it,” said Douglas Berman, an expert on sentencing at Ohio State University’s law school. “But whether practically any of that can happen, either under existing law or other laws, is a heavy lift.” Berman said Trump’s statement at this point seems to be just a response to Biden’s commutation. “I’m inclined to think it’s still in sort of more the rhetoric phase. Just, ‘don’t worry. The new sheriff is coming. I like the death penalty,’” he said. Most Americans have historically supported the death penalty for people convicted of murder, according to decades of annual polling by Gallup, but support has declined over the past few decades. About half of Americans were in favor in an October poll, while roughly 7 in 10 Americans backed capital punishment for murderers in 2007. Before Biden's commutation, there were 40 federal death row inmates compared with more than 2,000 who have been sentenced to death by states. “The reality is all of these crimes are typically handled by the states,” Berman said. A question is whether the Trump administration would try to take over some state murder cases, such as those related to drug trafficking or smuggling. He could also attempt to take cases from states that have abolished the death penalty. Berman said Trump's statement, along with some recent actions by states, may present an effort to get the Supreme Court to reconsider a precedent that considers the death penalty disproportionate punishment for rape. “That would literally take decades to unfold. It’s not something that is going to happen overnight,” Berman said. Before one of Trump's rallies on Aug. 20, his prepared remarks released to the media said he would announce he would ask for the death penalty for child rapists and child traffickers. But Trump never delivered the line. One of the men Trump highlighted on Tuesday was ex-Marine Jorge Avila Torrez, who was sentenced to death for killing a sailor in Virginia and later pleaded guilty to the fatal stabbing of an 8-year-old and a 9-year-old girl in a suburban Chicago park several years before. The other man, Thomas Steven Sanders, was sentenced to death for the kidnapping and slaying of a 12-year-old girl in Louisiana, days after shooting the girl's mother in a wildlife park in Arizona. Court records show he admitted to both killings. Some families of victims expressed anger with Biden's decision, but the president had faced pressure from advocacy groups urging him to make it more difficult for Trump to increase the use of capital punishment for federal inmates. The ACLU and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops were some of the groups that applauded the decision. Biden left three federal inmates to face execution. They are Dylann Roof, who carried out the 2015 racist slayings of nine Black members of Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina; 2013 Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev ; and Robert Bowers, who fatally shot 11 congregants at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life Synagogue in 2018 , the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S history. _______ Associated Press writers Jill Colvin, Michelle L. Price and Eric Tucker contributed to this report.
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NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Jalon Moore scored 16 of his 22 points in the second half, freshman star Jeremiah Fears added 19 and No. 12 Oklahoma remained one of the four unbeaten teams in Division I men's basketball by putting away a pesky Prairie View squad, 89-67 on Sunday. Prairie View cut the Oklahoma lead to single digits on several occasions in the second half, but could get no closer than eight before the Sooners (13-0) eventually pushed the lead above 20 points in the closing minutes. Oklahoma took a 43-32 halftime lead despite hitting only one field goal in the final 10 minutes. The Sooners compensated for that drought by hitting 18 of 19 free throws in the first 20 minutes. Duke Miles was 7 for 7 at the foul line and hit both field goal attempts, both 3-pointers, scoring 13 of his 17 points in the first half. Fears, twice the SEC freshman of the week this season, shot 7 of 11 to eclipse his average of 18 points per game. The loss was the 12th straight for Prairie View (1-12), with its only win this season coming against a non-NCAA team. Tanahj Pettaway scored 22 points and Marcel Bryant had 14. Oklahoma couldn’t put the Panthers away despite taking double-digits leads on several occasions in the game. Prairie View will finally return home for the first time in two months after playing 12 straight road games. Prairie View cut the Sooners' lead to nine for the final time with 8 minutes to play, before Moore sparked a 22-9 finish to clinch the victory. Oklahoma shot 35 free throws, hitting 32. Prairie View was just 5 for 7. The Sooners open the new year and SEC play at Alabama on Saturday afternoon. Prairie View hosts Grambling in its SWAC opener Saturday afternoon. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and College Basketball News: Rankings, Scores, Stats & MoreStrictly Come Dancing fans flocked to social media minutes into the semi-final to complain about the fact that Pete Wicks was still there - before he'd even set foot on the dance floor. Viewers argued that the ex-TOWIE celebrity hasn't displayed enough dancing prowess to justify his place in the closing stages of the BBC series, especially when more talented competitors have been sent home. Just moments into the episode on Saturday, December 7, which also showcased talents like Chris McCausland, Tasha Ghouri, JB Gill, and Sarah Hadland, audiences were voicing their disapproval at Pete's inclusion with some even saying they'd quit watching Strictly altogether should Pete get through to next weekend's final. One viewer vented on X: "If pete doesn't leave this week im actually never watching strictly again." Echoing the sentiment, another said: "Well let's go, although I'm sure the great voting public will let me down again," reports the Mirror . Someone else weighed in with: "There is not one couple who should go home over Pete." Another added: "PETE DOES NOT DESERVE TO MAKE THE FINAL." While one more simply asserted: "Let's stop messing about now, it's time for Pete and Jowita to go." Nevertheless, Pete did receive backing with one stating: "I'll be voting for Pete and Chris tonight. Strictly is an entertainment show. Those two men came into the show with no dancing experience and they for me, is what the show is all about. I really hope they both make the final." The semi-final opened with Tasha and Aljaz Skorjanec as the first to perform, causing alarm amongst fans who think of the opening slot as the "death slot". Viewers took to social media to express their concerns, with one fan stating: "Reading that Tasha is in the death slot... F*** THIS SHOW man. Why are they doing everything to protect Pete." Another commented: "Tasha in the death slot? Interesting." One viewer speculated: "Why have they dressed Tasha up stupidly? Hope they aren't setting her up." The semi-final followed last weekend's results show when Olympian Montell Douglas and partner Johannes Radebe's were eliminated after facing Tasha and Aljaz in a surprise dance-off. Strictly Come Dancing is on BBC One and BBC iPlayerBy Matt O’Brien | Associated Press CLONDALKIN, Ireland — Dozens of massive data centers humming at the outskirts of Dublin are consuming more electricity than all of the urban homes in Ireland and starting to wear out the warm welcome that brought them here. Now, a country that made itself a computing factory for Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft and TikTok is wondering whether it was all worth it as tech giants look around the world to build even more data centers to fuel the next wave of artificial intelligence. Fears of rolling blackouts led Ireland’s grid operator to halt new data centers near Dublin until 2028. These huge buildings and their powerful computers last year consumed 21% of the nation’s electricity , according to official records. No other country has reported a higher burden to the International Energy Agency. Not only that, but Ireland is still heavily reliant on burning fossil fuels to generate electricity, despite a growing number of wind farms sprouting across the countryside. Further data center expansion threatens Ireland’s goals to sharply cut planet-warming emissions. Ireland is a “microcosm of what many countries could be facing over the next decade, particularly with the growth of AI ,” said energy researcher Paul Deane of University College Cork. Dublin’s data center limits Twenty-six-year-old activist Darragh Adelaide lives in a working-class Dublin suburb just across a busy motorway from Grange Castle Business Park, one of Ireland’s biggest data center clusters. It could get even bigger were Adelaide not a thorn in the side of Google’s expansion plans. “It’s kind of an outrageous number of data centers,” Adelaide said. “People have started to make the connection between the amount of electricity they’re using and electricity prices going up.” Ireland has attracted global tech companies since the “Celtic Tiger” boom at the turn of the 21st century. Tax incentives, a highly skilled, English-speaking workforce and the country’s membership in the European Union have all contributed to making the tech sector a central part of the Irish economy . The island is also a node for undersea cables that extend to the U.S., Britain, Iceland and mainland Europe. Nearly all of the data centers sit on the edge of Dublin, where their proximity to the capital city facilitates online financial transactions and other activities that require fast connections. Data center computers run hot, but compared to other parts of the world, Ireland’s cool temperatures make it easier to keep them from overheating without drawing in as much water. Still, buildings that for years went mostly unnoticed have attracted unwanted attention as their power demands surged while Irish householders pay some of Europe’s highest electricity bills. Ireland’s Environmental Protection Agency has also flagged concerns about nitrogen oxide pollution from data centers’ on-site generators — typically gas or diesel turbines — affecting areas near Dublin. A crackdown began in 2021, spurred by projections that data centers are on pace to take up one third of Ireland’s electricity in this decade. Regulators declared that Dublin had hit its limits and could no longer plug more data centers into its grid. The government urged tech companies to look outside the capital and find ways to supply their own power. “What’s happening in Ireland is the politics of basically what happens when you build too many of these things,” said University College Dublin researcher Patrick Brodie. “Even though people have recognized for a while that data centers are energy hogs, there hasn’t really been so many of these moments where, effectively, Ireland issued a red alert.” Adelaide was a child when Microsoft opened Grange Castle’s first data center in 2009, but enormous complexes built by Amazon, Google, Microsoft and other companies have since expanded around the ruined castle that anchors the business park. They have their own modern fortifications of high fences, surveillance cameras and guard houses, and don’t display their corporate logos. In June, Adelaide’s campaign against data centers helped get him elected to a seat on the South Dublin County Council for the leftist People Not Profits Party. The council soon after rejected Google’s plan to build another data center. Google appealed the decision in September. “It was only going to employ around 50 people,” Adelaide said. “It would have been a massive cost to the local area and to Ireland in general with very little benefit, which is kind of how the tax haven system works.” The backlash from Dublin-area local planning authorities — combined with stricter, if sometimes contradictory, guidance from the national government — has frustrated data center developers. One fully-built data center from Texas-based Digital Realty is sitting idle at Grange Castle while it awaits permission to connect to the electricity grid. The company sells space within its data centers for clients such as banks, email providers and social media platforms. It says it lacks a grid connection despite contracting for enough renewable energy to power all of its Irish data centers. “When we look at artificial intelligence, when we look at new technologies coming along the line, the basic requirement for all of those is power infrastructure,” said Dermot Lahey, who directs Digital Realty’s data center implementation in Ireland, speaking inside a cavernous empty data hall. Ireland has all the elements to make it a “great home for AI expansion,” he said. “What’s preventing us from being able to leverage that is the fact that the power constraints that we have, or the power moratorium that we have, is greatly impacting our ability to provide space for customers,” Lahey said. Moving to the boglands? Once colder weather sets in, the smoky fragrance of fireplaces burning briquettes of peat lingers over County Offaly, just over an hour’s drive west of Dublin in a region known as the Midlands. It’s places like this where some data center developers, thwarted by Dublin’s constraints, now see opportunity. A report commissioned by County Offaly’s government pitches the bog-dotted region as a place to “create thousands of green jobs” and rival “Dublin, Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam and Paris in being an anchor for data centres powered by renewable energy.” Farmer and conservationist Brian Sheridan, 83, is doubtful. He’s seen this region transformed once before, from a vast wetland known as the Bog of Allen to barren pockets of brownfields as people cut away trenches of dense peat soil, or turf – first with spades and later with tractors at an industrial scale to create homegrown fuel. “The bog started disappearing and it wasn’t being replaced,” said Sheridan, walking along a boardwalk over carpets of moss and sedges in the now-protected Clara Bog Nature Reserve. Decades of rapid extraction fostered Ireland’s energy independence and employed scores of workers in turf-cutting, briquette factories and power plants. But it also polluted the air and devastated a delicate environment. Bogs that naturally trapped large amounts of carbon dioxide were stripped down to the bedrock, contributing to global warming. When burned, peat is dirtier than coal. Ireland has largely banned the sale of peat and shuttered the last remaining peat-fired power plants. But the state-supported company at the helm of peat extraction, Bord na Móna, still controls vast tracts of former bogland. It has refashioned itself as a renewable energy provider, laying down wind turbines and solar farms and partnering with Amazon to build a data center near the village of Rhode. Bord na Móna declined multiple interview requests about its plans, and some residents feel left in the dark. “Bord na Móna, as far as I’m concerned, are a law unto themselves,” Sheridan said. “Now that the turf-cutting is all finished, they should be gone. But it’s still the same Bord Na Móna and they won’t answer questions.” Amazon declined to talk about specific projects and has repeatedly signaled it may shift its new data center investments away from Ireland. But an executive said the company is still working closely with the Irish government and characterized Ireland’s challenges as mostly about transmission — building the infrastructure to get new clean energy where it needs to go. “Ireland has tremendous opportunity for additional renewable energy,” said Kevin Miller, Amazon Web Services’ vice president of global data centers. “However, they also need quite a bit more capacity on the grid to tap into that generation.” Could wind save Ireland’s data centers? A tech-driven race is on to harness the region’s wind. Backed by a power purchase agreement with Microsoft, the Norwegian wind energy company Statkraft is building nine towering wind turbines in remote former boglands along County Offaly’s eastern edge. Statkraft’s managing director for Ireland, Kevin O’Donovan, said data centers are actually helping to accelerate Ireland’s clean energy transition. “For a lot of the mainland European countries, demand is going down and that’s actually leading to a challenge to roll out renewables,” O’Donovan said. “Whereas in Ireland we have demand that’s increasing because the country is growing economically and obviously a part of that is the data center growth.” On the other side of Offaly, a group of residents who live along the Lemanaghan Bog near the site of a 7th-century monastery are skeptical of such claims. They are opposed to what a proposed Bord Na Móna wind farm will do to its cultural heritage and ecology. KK Kenny took his concerns to Dublin this fall in a meeting with the country’s taoiseach, or prime minister, Simon Harris. Kenny wants to see the bog preserved for biodiversity. He’d be happy to see data center developers follow through with their pledge to look to other European countries. “They say, oh, they’re going to pull out,” Kenny said. “That would be a great thing. We can’t sustain them.” Some neighbors of Amazon’s proposed data center in Rhode are more open to the idea. One village resident already commutes all the way to Dublin to work at a data center. Another is hoping it will employ people who’d want to buy new homes. “We’re all for change,” said Gerard Whelan. “I’ll get work because I build houses. It’s a domino effect.” Related Articles World News | ‘It’s Silicon Valley’s turn’: Bay Area VC David Sacks pulled into Trump’s close orbit World News | OpenAI whistleblower found dead in San Francisco apartment World News | San Jose, SJSU announce collaboration with NVIDIA to further workforce development, AI innovation World News | Nvidia strikes deal for big San Jose lease, hinting at tech expansion World News | Google forges ahead with its next generation of AI technology while fending off a breakup threat At a village pub, the Rhode Inn, Whelan points to a photograph of the old peat-burning power plant where his father worked the control room. Its cooling towers loomed over the village before their demolition two decades ago. Another nearby plant only stopped burning peat a year ago. What happens next for Ireland’s data centers could depend in part on the new national government coming into power early next year. Data centers were not a top issue for Irish voters who showed up to the polls on Nov. 29. But analysts expect the two center-right parties forming a new coalition government to face industry pressure to ease limits on data center expansion. Ossian Smyth, an outgoing minister of state for the Irish government whose Green Party lost nearly all its parliamentary seats, said it would be a mistake to slow down Ireland’s climate commitments. But he also sees the limits on data center growth set by his outgoing government as having resolved most people’s concerns. What other countries can learn from Ireland’s experience, he added, is to carefully manage the effect of data centers on the stability of the electricity system — and make sure their benefits are much more than income or foreign investment. “Don’t see them as a necessary evil or something that you just have to put up with because it makes money and it gets taxes,” Smyth said.Boogie Chillen Into 2025: John Lee Hooker Legacy Spirits Celebrates A Year Of Unprecedented Success & Ponders The Future
Minister asks Kabul to rein in anti-Pakistan elements Amir Muqam says Pakistan hosted Afghan refugees for four decades and it was largest population of refugees in world HARIPUR: Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Amir Muqam on Saturday asked the Afghan government to rein in those involved in terrorist activities in Pakistan. He urged Afghanistan to stop hosting the anti-Pakistan elements. “It becomes difficult for us to defend them [refugees] in the wake of the anti-Pakistan activities,” he said speaking to Afghan refugees of Haripur camp here. He said that it was the responsibility of Afghanistan to stop the elements crossing into Pakistan for terrorist activities. The federal minister said that the government functionaries took notice of the anti-state activities of Afghan refugees who burned Pakistan’s flag and disrespected its national anthem. “I would ask the Afghans to avoid indulging in anti-Pakistan activities and politics at the cost of their refugee brothers as such behaviour creates difficulties for refugees,” he said. He urged the Afghan government to stop the youth from promoting anti-Pakistan agenda on social media as they were doing disservice to their own community. The minister said that Pakistan had always respected the freedom and solidarity of Afghanistan as it believed that a strong Afghanistan was in the favour of Pakistan and its people. He said that Pakistan had been hosting Afghan refugees for four decades and it was the largest population of refugees in the world and utilized its best efforts for providing them basic facilities. He said the majority of Afghans were doing business in Pakistan. “We respect and are happy that they are doing business and enjoying their stay in Pakistan but the Afghan government must now realize to desist from creating hardships for Afghans living in Pakistan and make sincere plans for their permanent repatriation to their homeland as their actual home is in Afghanistan and they have to return to their country one day,” he said. The federal minister asked the UN organizations to stop discrimination against Pakistan and extend generous financial support for Afghan refugees. About the stay of registered Afghan refugees in Pakistan, he said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had already announced a one-year extension for them. Commissioner Afghan Refugees Shakeel Muhammad Khan also addressed the participants and said that the government was making all-out efforts for providing basic facilities to the Afghan refugees. He said that Haripur was hosting a population of 77000 refugees with 21 primary schools, six Basic Health Units and other road infrastructure for them while the tube-wells meant for water supply to camps were being solarized.JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered its position in shares of iShares U.S. Technology ETF ( NYSEARCA:IYW – Free Report ) by 6.2% in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 3,106,276 shares of the exchange traded fund’s stock after selling 205,520 shares during the quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s holdings in iShares U.S. Technology ETF were worth $470,974,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Magnus Financial Group LLC lifted its position in iShares U.S. Technology ETF by 0.6% in the 3rd quarter. Magnus Financial Group LLC now owns 11,845 shares of the exchange traded fund’s stock worth $1,796,000 after buying an additional 67 shares during the last quarter. Marino Stram & Associates LLC boosted its stake in shares of iShares U.S. Technology ETF by 3.7% in the 3rd quarter. Marino Stram & Associates LLC now owns 1,902 shares of the exchange traded fund’s stock valued at $288,000 after purchasing an additional 67 shares in the last quarter. Investment Advisory Group LLC grew its holdings in shares of iShares U.S. Technology ETF by 1.0% during the 3rd quarter. Investment Advisory Group LLC now owns 7,583 shares of the exchange traded fund’s stock valued at $1,150,000 after purchasing an additional 73 shares during the last quarter. Great Valley Advisor Group Inc. lifted its stake in iShares U.S. Technology ETF by 1.9% in the third quarter. Great Valley Advisor Group Inc. now owns 3,963 shares of the exchange traded fund’s stock worth $600,000 after purchasing an additional 73 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Saxony Capital Management LLC boosted its position in iShares U.S. Technology ETF by 5.4% during the third quarter. Saxony Capital Management LLC now owns 1,473 shares of the exchange traded fund’s stock valued at $223,000 after buying an additional 76 shares during the period. iShares U.S. Technology ETF Price Performance Shares of IYW stock opened at $162.96 on Friday. The business has a 50-day moving average of $159.76 and a 200 day moving average of $152.44. iShares U.S. Technology ETF has a 1-year low of $117.19 and a 1-year high of $166.47. The stock has a market capitalization of $20.02 billion, a PE ratio of 38.84 and a beta of 1.43. iShares U.S. Technology ETF Company Profile iShares U.S. Technology ETF, formerly iShares Dow Jones U.S. Technology Sector Index Fund (the Fund) is a non-diversified fund. The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Dow Jones U.S. Technology Index (the Index). Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding IYW? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares U.S. Technology ETF ( NYSEARCA:IYW – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for iShares U.S. Technology ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares U.S. Technology ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
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