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How Trump's bet on voters electing him managed to silence some of his legal woes
DOHA: Cristiano Ronaldo struck twice for Al Nassr as they continued to thrive in the AFC Champions League Elite, with the Saudi champions defeating Al Gharafa 3-1 in Qatar on Monday. The 39-year-old helped move Al Nassr to the brink of the last 16 in Asia’s premier continental club competition, needing just two points from their final three group games. Only Al Shorta, who have two points with four games to play, can deny Ronaldo’s side a place in the next round, after Persepolis drew 1-1 at Al Rayyan. Al Nassr captain Ronaldo had looked destined to endure a hugely frustrating game following a series of missed opportunities in the first half at Al Bayt Stadium. However, the Portugal star finally opened the scoring little more than 50 seconds into the second half, when he headed home Sultan Al Ghannam’s cross from close range. Al Nassr then doubled their advantage through Angelo Gabriel, a summer signing from Chelsea, on 58 minutes, before the Brazilian turned provider six minutes later to tee up Ronaldo for his second. The goal took the former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus forward to four goals in this season’s rebranded competition before he was replaced on 74 minutes. Al Gharafa did pull one back through Joselu, a former team-mate of Ronaldo at Madrid. Yet their hopes of an unlikely late rally disappeared when Seydou Sano was sent off six minutes from the end of normal time for a second bookable offence. The win ensures Al Nassr remain unbeaten through five matches in the Western side of the draw, and move second in the 12-team table. The top eight in the standings go into the last 16 knockout stages along with the top eight from the 12-team East Zone table. The Riyadh club now sit behind only Saudi Arabian counterparts Al Ahli, who maintained their 100 percent record thanks to a double from substitute Ivan Toney to see off Asian champions Al Ain 2-1 in the UAE and reach the knockouts for the first time. The England international was left on the bench for the match at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium, however having been introduced on 65 minutes, he scored within five minutes. First, he headed home Riyad Mahrez’s deep free-kick. — AFP A late window signing from English Premier League club Brentford in August, Toney struck what proved to be the winner four minutes later. This time, he met a superb long pass from former Manchester City winger Mahrez to finish past Al Ain goalkeeper Khalid Essa. Al Ain, who in April defeated Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds to win the title, pulled one back late on through Kaka’s sublime volley. Al Ahli have won all five matches in the rebranded competition and lead the Western standings on 15 points. Also in that section, Iran’s Esteghlal were held to a goalless draw by Uzbekistan side Pakhtakor Tashkent in Dubai. — AFPKnight stops 20 shots, Florida rolls past Carolina 6-0 for 2nd win over 'Canes in as many daysMusk has until Monday to respond to SEC Twitter settlement, source says
Moody’s upgrades Sri Lanka’s rating to Caa1; outlook stable
Pakistani security forces have launched an operation to disperse supporters of imprisoned former prime minister Imran Khan who had gathered in the capital to demand his release from prison. The latest development came hours after thousands of his supporters, defying government warnings, broke through a barrier of shipping containers blocking off Islamabad and entered a high-security zone, where they clashed with security forces, facing tear gas shelling, mass detentions and gunfire. Tension has been high in Islamabad since Sunday when supporters of the former PM began a “long march” from the restive north-west to demand his release. Khan has been in a prison for more than a year and faces more than 150 criminal cases that his party says are politically motivated. Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, led the protest, but she fled as police pushed back against demonstrators. Hundreds of Khan’s supporters are being arrested in the ongoing night-time operation. Police fired shells in an attempt to disperse activists during a protest demanding Imran Khan’s release (Maaz Awan/AP) Earlier on Tuesday, Pakistan’s army took control of D-Chowk, a large square in the Red Zone, where visiting Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is staying. Since Monday, Mr Naqvi had threatened that security forces would use live fire if protesters fired weapons at them. “We have now authorised the police to respond as necessary,” Mr Naqvi said Tuesday while visiting the square. Before the operation began, protester Shahzor Ali said people had taken to the streets because Khan had called for them. “We will stay here until Khan joins us. He will decide what to do next,” Mr Ali said. Supporters board vehicles as they start a rally for Islamabad to demand Khan’s release (Muhammad Sajjad/AP) “We have really suffered for the last two years, whether it is economically, politically or socially. We have been ruined. I have not seen such a Pakistan in my life,” she said. Authorities have struggled to contain the protest-related violence. Six people, including four members of the security services, were killed when a vehicle rammed them on a street overnight into Tuesday. A police officer died in a separate incident. Dozens of Khan supporters beat a videographer covering the protest for the Associated Press and took his camera. He sustained head injuries and was treated in hospital. By Tuesday afternoon, fresh waves of protesters made their way unopposed to their final destination in the Red Zone. Supporters of jailed former premier Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party throw stones towards police during clashes in Islamabad (Anjum Naveed/AP) Information minister Atta Tarar warned there would be a severe government reaction to the violence. The government says only the courts can order Khan’s release. He was ousted in 2022 through a no-confidence vote in Parliament. In a bid to foil the unrest, police have arrested more than 4,000 Khan supporters since Friday and suspended mobile and internet services in some parts of the country. Messaging platforms were also experiencing severe disruption in the capital. Khan’s party relies heavily on social media and uses messaging platforms such as WhatsApp to share information, including details of events. The X platform, which is banned in Pakistan, is no longer accessible, even with a VPN. Last Thursday, a court prohibited rallies in the capital and Mr Naqvi said anyone violating the ban would be arrested. Travel between Islamabad and other cities has become nearly impossible because of shipping containers blocking the roads. All education institutions remain closed.COSTCO has promised continued deals through a hidden membership opportunity shoppers might not know about. The exclusive offering was recently highlighted by the warehouse retailer's CEO, Ron Vachris. Vachris explained that the "benefits" would come from Costco Next , a direct-to-consumer (DTC) program with discounts just for members that include only merchandise highly reviewed by previous buyers. To become a member at Costco and take advantage of Costco Next, you must purchase one of two membership options — Gold Star or Executive. Gold Star is the base level membership for a fee of $65 annually, and Executive comes with extra benefits and bonuses for $130 per year. Costco Next was first introduced in 2017 but later expanded in 2021, per Food & Wine . Read More on Costco Costco Next effectively helps members get connected with its suppliers by purchasing products they want directly through their websites. They still get the Costco prices, though. "Costco Next is our marketplace," Vachris noted during a recent earnings call . "This is an exclusive Costco member-only marketplace." Most read in Money "It's fully curated by our buyers, so everything that's on the site has been reviewed by our buyers but is exclusive to Costco members," he added. The CEO said Costco made the move to continue improving the connection between it and its members. "So, we think it's just going to enhance the relationship we have with our members and give more options for their shopping needs," he told investors. While Costco Next remains a smaller portion of the warehouse retailer's operations, it is growing in popularity. OUTLOOK BRIGHT Costco seeks to continue expanding its e-commerce presence along with its in-person shopping experiences, and Costco Next is assisting that goal. CFO Gary Millerchip said on the call that the marketplace even "achieved record sales over the Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday sales period" this year. Costco has strict rules for membership use that shoppers must follow and they've been cracking down on offenders in recent years. Primary Member Use : Only the primary cardholder can use this Costco membership card. Sharing it for purchases is not allowed as the photo on the card must match the person using it. Household Card : Each primary member can add one free household cardholder who lives at the same address. This person will receive their own membership card and can shop at Costco independently. Guest Policy : Members can bring up to two guests per visit to Costco. However, only the member can make purchases. Guests must be accompanied by the member. Authorized Cardholder : For an additional fee, you can add an authorized cardholder, such as a family member or friend, who doesn't reside at your address. They will receive their own card and can shop independently. Credit: Costco "To use a baseball analogy, we are very much in the early innings with retail media, but we continue to believe this represents a significant growth opportunity in the future," Millerchip said. The CFO also noted that suppliers were happy with the recent results of Costco Next. "Our retail media team is now working with over 25 suppliers who are eager to participate in our next wave of offsite campaigns," he said. VERIFICATION REQUIRED The positive outlook for Costco Next comes after the warehouse retailer faced some significant backlash over its membership-sharing crackdown in recent months. A new policy implemented earlier this summer has members stop at the entrance to scan their cards and have them matched with a photograph and government-issued ID to enter. Some members have claimed the new measure has caused long lines outside the front doors. "A line of 40 people was standing outside in 30-degree weather in East Peoria [Illinois]," someone wrote in a post on X this month. "Unacceptable service. May consider dropping for Sam's Club." Read More on The US Sun Others claimed the policy left them feeling "harassed" and demanded Costco make changes. The membership verification is required at checkout as well, leaving one customer crying that it was "too much." Costco has unveiled membership scanners at its store entrances. In August 2024, the retailer released a statement about the scanners on its website . "Over the coming months, membership scanning devices will be used at the entrance door of your local warehouse," it wrote. "Once deployed, prior to entering, all members must scan their physical or digital membership card by placing the barcode or QR Code against the scanner. "Guests must also be accompanied by a valid member for entry. "If you have any questions or concerns, there will always be an attendant at the door to assist you! "If your membership is inactive, expired, or you would like to sign up for a new membership, the attendant will ask that you stop by the membership counter prior to entering the warehouse to shop. "Additionally, if your membership card does not have a photo, please be prepared to show your valid photo ID. "We encourage you to stop by the membership counter to have a photo taken to have on your card."
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