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The move could usher in an end to a protracted political crisis in the European Union country following the annulment of a presidential election by a top court. Parliament approved the new administration in a 240-143 vote in Romania’s 466-seat legislature. The new coalition is made up of the leftist Social Democratic Party (PSD) the centre-right National Liberal Party (PNL), the small ethnic Hungarian UDMR party and national minorities. It caps a month-long period of turmoil in which far-right nationalists made significant gains in a parliamentary election on December 1 a week after a first-round presidential race saw the far-right outsider Calin Georgescu emerge as the front-runner. “It will not be an easy mandate for the future government,” Mr Ciolacu, whose PSD party topped the polls in the parliamentary election, said in a statement. “We are aware that we are in the midst of a deep political crisis,” he said. “It is also a crisis of trust, and this coalition aims to regain the trust of citizens, the trust of the people.” Romania’s 16 ministerial positions will be shared among the parties, which will hold a slim majority in the legislature. It is widely seen as a tactical partnership to shut out far-right nationalists whose voices found fertile ground amid high living costs and a sluggish economy. Mr Ciolacu, who came third in the first-round presidential ballot despite polls indicating he would win the most votes, has served as prime minister since June 2023. After parliament’s approval, President Klaus Iohannis swore in the new government and warned the new Cabinet that it is entering a “difficult new period” in which “for many Romanians, there are major concerns”. Romania was plunged into turmoil after Mr Georgescu’s surprise success in the presidential race, after allegations of electoral violations and Russian interference emerged. Days before the December 8 run-off, the Constitutional Court made the unprecedented move to annul the presidential race. “We go through complicated times, but I think we all learned from mistakes of the past,” Mr Ciolacu said. “I hope that together with my colleagues in the coalition, we’ll find the best solutions to get past the challenges we have in front of us.” Mr Ciolacu said that the new government would aim to quickly organise the rerun of the presidential election in which the new coalition has agreed to put forward an agreed common pro-European candidate. Cristian Andrei, a political consultant based in Bucharest, said that the new government made up of the same political parties will likely embrace “soft populist” rhetoric such as economic patriotism, anti-austerity, and a peace solution in neighbouring Ukraine to counter the rise of far-right populism. “This will be a way to answer the concerns of many Romanians who voted for populists... but will not solve the fundamental problem of trust,” he said. “The only decisive factor now will be who and how convincing the pro-European candidates will be against this popular revolt.” George Simion, the leader of the far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, which came second in the parliamentary election, said that all politicians from his party on Monday would vote against the Ciolacu government. In 2021, the PSD and the PNL also formed an unlikely but increasingly strained coalition together with UDMR, which exited the Cabinet last year after a power-sharing dispute.The move could usher in an end to a protracted political crisis in the European Union country following the annulment of a presidential election by a top court. Parliament approved the new administration in a 240-143 vote in Romania’s 466-seat legislature. The new coalition is made up of the leftist Social Democratic Party (PSD) the centre-right National Liberal Party (PNL), the small ethnic Hungarian UDMR party and national minorities. It caps a month-long period of turmoil in which far-right nationalists made significant gains in a parliamentary election on December 1 a week after a first-round presidential race saw the far-right outsider Calin Georgescu emerge as the front-runner. “It will not be an easy mandate for the future government,” Mr Ciolacu, whose PSD party topped the polls in the parliamentary election, said in a statement. “We are aware that we are in the midst of a deep political crisis,” he said. “It is also a crisis of trust, and this coalition aims to regain the trust of citizens, the trust of the people.” Romania’s 16 ministerial positions will be shared among the parties, which will hold a slim majority in the legislature. It is widely seen as a tactical partnership to shut out far-right nationalists whose voices found fertile ground amid high living costs and a sluggish economy. Mr Ciolacu, who came third in the first-round presidential ballot despite polls indicating he would win the most votes, has served as prime minister since June 2023. After parliament’s approval, President Klaus Iohannis swore in the new government and warned the new Cabinet that it is entering a “difficult new period” in which “for many Romanians, there are major concerns”. Romania was plunged into turmoil after Mr Georgescu’s surprise success in the presidential race, after allegations of electoral violations and Russian interference emerged. Days before the December 8 run-off, the Constitutional Court made the unprecedented move to annul the presidential race. “We go through complicated times, but I think we all learned from mistakes of the past,” Mr Ciolacu said. “I hope that together with my colleagues in the coalition, we’ll find the best solutions to get past the challenges we have in front of us.” Mr Ciolacu said that the new government would aim to quickly organise the rerun of the presidential election in which the new coalition has agreed to put forward an agreed common pro-European candidate. Cristian Andrei, a political consultant based in Bucharest, said that the new government made up of the same political parties will likely embrace “soft populist” rhetoric such as economic patriotism, anti-austerity, and a peace solution in neighbouring Ukraine to counter the rise of far-right populism. “This will be a way to answer the concerns of many Romanians who voted for populists... but will not solve the fundamental problem of trust,” he said. “The only decisive factor now will be who and how convincing the pro-European candidates will be against this popular revolt.” George Simion, the leader of the far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, which came second in the parliamentary election, said that all politicians from his party on Monday would vote against the Ciolacu government. In 2021, the PSD and the PNL also formed an unlikely but increasingly strained coalition together with UDMR, which exited the Cabinet last year after a power-sharing dispute.phlboss sign up 。

SINGAPORE, Nov. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Trident Digital Tech Holdings Ltd (“Trident” or the “Company,” NASDAQ: TDTH), a leading digital transformation facilitator in the e-commerce enablement and digital optimization services market for small and medium enterprise (SMEs) in Singapore, today announced its unaudited financial results for the six months ended June 30, 2024. Initial Public Offering On September 11, 2024, the Company closed the initial public offering of 1,800,000 American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”) at a price to the public of US$5.00 per ADS. Each ADS represents eight Class B Ordinary Shares of the Company. Trident’s ADSs began trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market on September 10, 2024, under the symbol “TDTH.” First Half of 2024 Financial Highlights Total revenues were US$378,839, compared to US$481,165 for the six months ended June 30, 2023. Net loss was US$1,927,027, compared to US$1,861,412 for the six months ended June 30, 2023. Soon Huat Lim, Trident’s Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer, commented, “Our recent performance comes as we continue our ongoing business transformation, marked by our successful listing on Nasdaq this September. While we’re pleased with this important milestone in our corporate journey, we’re equally encouraged by the growing momentum of Tridentity, our Web 3.0 e-commerce platform launched in December 2023. As we navigate our business transition, we’re strategically investing in innovation and market expansion while maintaining disciplined resource allocation. The increasing adoption of our solutions across key verticals such as food and beverage, fintech, and retail validates our vision of bridging businesses to a secure and trusted digital commerce ecosystem. Looking ahead, we remain focused on leveraging our position as a U.S.-listed company to accelerate our growth and deliver long-term shareholder value.” Haiyan Huang, Trident’s Chief Financial Officer, added, “Our first half results reflect the ongoing transformation of our business model and the investments we are making to position ourselves for future growth. Our total revenues declined 21.3% year over year as we sought to prioritize the shift towards our Web 3.0 e-commerce platform. Our strategic investments in the business transformation, while impacting our near-term profitability, are essential to ensuring the security, functionality, and overall success of our platform. We remain focused on the disciplined execution of our transition strategy as we seek to become a leader in Web 3.0 enablement.” Key Financial Results Unaudited Financial Results for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2024 Revenues The Company’s revenues decreased by 21.27% from US$481,165 for the six months ended June 30, 2023, to US$378,839 for the six months ended June 30, 2024. The decrease was primarily due to the Company’s strategic shift towards prioritizing its Web 3.0 e-commerce platform, Tridentity, a core growth area for its long-term vision in the future. As a result, the Company allocated fewer resources to its consulting and IT customization business. This realignment allows the Company to concentrate on expanding its presence in Tridentity, positioning Trident to capture new opportunities in a rapidly advancing digital ecosystem. Tridentity, the Company’s flagship product, is a cutting-edge identity app built on blockchain technology, designed to provide secure single sign-on capabilities to integrated third-party systems in various industries, which was launched in December 2023. Tridentity currently includes three primary business modules: Tri-event for NFT (Non-Fungible Token) event ticketing, Tri-food for block-chain powered food delivery, and Tri-verse for virtual community connecting its users. As the platform remains in the development, optimization, and gradual testing stages, the Company generated only US$1,872 in revenue from providing technical support for selling event tickets on behalf of merchants through Tridentity for the six months ended June 30, 2024. Cost of Revenues The Company’s cost of revenues decreased by 7.49% from US$389,569 for the six months ended June 30, 2023 to US$360,390 for the six months ended June 30, 2024, primarily due to a decrease in direct labor cost and miscellaneous costs in total of US$141,141 as a result of a significant reduction in headcount in response to lower business volumes and cost controls, and partially offset by an increase of service fees in the amount of US$111,962 as a result of the fulfillment of slightly increased number of management software solutions projects since the second half of 2023. Gross profit and margin As a result of the factors described above, the Company recorded a gross profit of US$0.09 million and US$0.02 million for the six months ended June 30, 2023 and 2024, representing a gross profit margin of 19.0% and 4.9%, respectively. The decrease in gross profit margin was primarily due to the decrease in IT consulting services with relatively higher gross margin and high proportion of revenues in the first half of 2023, which had no revenue in the first half of 2024. Operating expenses Selling expenses The Company’s selling and marketing expenses slightly increased from US$253,343 for the six months ended June 30, 2023 to US$264,326 for the six months ended June 30, 2024. The increase was primarily due to hiring of additional business development personnel to support the launch, operation and promotion of Tridentity since the second half of 2023, which was partially offset by the decrease in marketing and advertising expenses due to the Company’s strict control over discretionary spending. General and administrative expenses The Company’s general and administrative expenses decreased slightly from US$1,551,710 for the six months ended June 30, 2023 to US$1,528,022 for the six months ended June 30, 2024. The decrease was primarily due to a decrease in professional service fees and other overhead expenses, which was partially offset by an increase in payroll expenses due to additional headcount in management. Research and development expenses The Company’s research and development expenses decreased from US$192,855 for the six months ended June 30, 2023 to US$172,519 for the six months ended June 30, 2024, primarily due to the decrease in system development expenses for which there will be no further related expenses in 2024. This decrease was partially offset by the increase in payroll expenses, outsource service fees and the technical support expenses for Tridentity. Other income, net The Company’s other income, net decreased from US$44,900 for the six months ended June 30, 2023 to US$19,391 for the six months ended June 30, 2024. The decrease was primarily due to the decrease of interest income and the depreciation of the Singapore dollar against the U.S. dollar in the Company’s reporting currency translation from S$1.3523 to US$1.00 for the six months ended June 30, 2023 to S$1.3552 to US$1.00 for the six months ended June 30, 2024, leading to a decrease in unrealized gain as the foreign currency exposures are liabilities. About Trident Trident is a leading digital transformation facilitator in the e-commerce enablement and digital optimization services market for SMEs in Singapore. The Company offers business and technology solutions that are designed to optimize clients’ experiences with their customers by driving digital adoption and self-service. Tridentity, the Company’s flagship product, is a cutting-edge identity app built on blockchain technology, designed to provide secure single sign-on capabilities to third-party integrated systems in industry verticals such as e-commerce, food and beverage, fintech, healthcare and health services, and wholesale and retail. Tridentity endeavors to offer unparalleled security features, ensuring the protection of sensitive information and safeguarding against potential threats, which promises a new and better age in the digital landscape. Orchestrating with and beyond Tridentity, Trident’s mission is to be the leader in Web 3.0 enablement, bridging businesses to a trusted and secure e-commerce platform with curated customer experiences. Safe Harbor Statement This announcement contains statements that may constitute “forward-looking” statements pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “aims,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” “likely to,” and similar statements. The Company may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), in its annual report to shareholders, in announcements and other written materials, and in oral statements made by its officers, directors, or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company’s beliefs, plans, and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: the Company’s strategies, future business development, and financial condition and results of operations; the expected growth of the digital solutions market; the political, economic, social and legal developments in the jurisdictions that the Company operates in or in which the Company intends to expand its business and operations; the Company’s ability to maintain and enhance its brand. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company’s filings with the SEC. All information provided in this announcement is as of the date of this announcement, and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law. For Investor/Media Enquiries Investor Relations Robin Yang, Partner ICR, LLC Email: investor@tridentity.me Phone: +1 (212) 321-0602 * The shares and per share information are presented on a retroactive basis to reflect the reorganization. * The shares and per share information are presented on a retroactive basis to reflect the reorganization.Perceptions of 'making it big' have waned in China, survey shows

New Syria PM calls for 'stability and calm'NonePat King, one of the most prominent figures of the 2022 “Freedom Convoy” in Ottawa, has been found guilty on five counts including mischief and disobeying a court order. A judge in an Ottawa courtroom Friday said the Crown proved beyond a reasonable doubt that King was guilty on one count each of mischief, counselling others to commit mischief and counselling others to obstruct police. He was also found guilty of two counts of disobeying a court order. The Alberta resident was found not guilty on three counts of intimidation and one count of obstructing police himself. King could be facing up to 10 years in prison. The sentencing hearing is scheduled to begin on Jan. 16. The Crown is seeking “significant” incarceration time in a penitentiary while the defence wants King to be sentenced to time served and a period of probation. King’s attorney Natasha Calvinho said right now she is focused on the sentencing hearing and will determine if any other action, such as an appeal, will be pursued at a later date. Calvinho said she and her client are disappointed with the ruling, but she said it was well reasoned. “I think what the more important takeaway here, and what we’ve been saying from the very beginning, Mr. King was acquitted of all charges related to inciting any form of violence, specifically intimidation of Ottawa residents,” Calvinho said outside the courthouse. “So yes, he was convicted, a couple counts of mischief for his social media posts, as the judge found, and will continue to fight another day.” The maximum sentence for mischief in this instance is 10 years. In January 2022 the convoy attracted thousands of demonstrators to Parliament Hill in protest against public-health restrictions, COVID-19 vaccine mandates and the federal government. The event gridlocked downtown streets around Parliament Hill, with area residents complaining about the fumes from diesel engines running non-stop, and unrelenting noise from constant honking of horns and music parties. The federal Liberal government ultimately invoked the Emergencies Act to try and bring an end to the protests, which had expanded to also block several border crossings into the United States. Ottawa Police brought in hundreds of officers from police forces across Canada to force the protest to an end. King’s defence argued that King was peacefully protesting during the three-week demonstration and was not a leader of it. But the Crown alleged he was a protest leader who was instrumental to the disruption the protest caused the city and people who lived and worked nearby. The Crown alleged King co-ordinated the honking, ordering protesters to lay on the horn every 30 minutes for 10 minutes at a time and told people to “hold the line” when he was aware police and the city had asked the protesters to leave. The Crown’s case relied mainly on King’s own videos, which he posted to social media throughout the protest to document the demonstration and communicate with protesters. The court proceedings paused for about 10 minutes when King requested a short “health break” after the first verdicts on the mischief charges were read. Superior Court Justice Charles Hackland described the honking as “malicious conduct” intended to disrupt residents, workers, businesses and others from lawfully enjoying downtown Ottawa. Hackland also said that the videos show King was seen as and accepted the leadership role. He pointed to a quote from King, finding it “hilarious” that residents could not sleep for 10 days as “gleefully” aiding and abetting mischief. This evidence also played a role in determining King’s guilt in disobeying a court order and counselling others to do the same. These charges relate to the original Feb. 7, 2022 injunction against using air and train horns in downtown Ottawa which was launched by residents. The city successfully filed a similar injunction days later. As for counselling others to obstruct police, Hackland found King’s call to “hold the line” was telling people not to move from the protest site despite police orders. The judge said that phrase can be seen as a greeting between supporters of the convoy protest, but said there was no other logical interpretation in the context of King’s videos. In the days before a multi-day police removal operation began, King called on people to link arms and sit down with their backs to police if officers tried to move them. On the intimidation charges, Hackland said that a consistent theme of King’s videos were calls to remain peaceful and non-violent. He said that the target was always the federal government and COVID-19 policies, and specific individuals were not targeted by or through King’s actions. As for an intimidation charge related to blocking highways, Hackland said that finding guilt in this instance would be an “overly broad” interpretation of the Criminal Code as the blockade was done as part of a political protest, which is protected by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. His trial was heard over several weeks between May and July. King still has charges of perjury and obstruction of justice that need to be dealt with which is a separate matter stemming from an April 2022 bail review hearing. Details of the testimony that led to the charges are protected under a publication ban, which exists for all information that arises during a bail hearing.

Amazon Has Cut The Price of The 2024 iMac to a Record Low For Black Friday, Just Like All The Other MacBooksSira Thienou scores 16 points, No. 18 Ole Miss women coast to 89-24 win over Alabama StateOn Saturday, Nov. 23, two of hockey’s most promising youngsters will face off for the first time in the NHL. This matchup, between Connor Bedard of the Chicago Blackhawks and Matvei Michkov of the Philadelphia Flyers, both 19 years old, has been a long time coming. What exactly makes this game, which will be at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, such a special one? Though taken six spots apart in the 2023 NHL Draft, they have been big names for quite some time . This won’t be the first time they’ve played against one another, either. 2021 Under-18 World Championship: Bedard and Michkov Clash for Gold The last time we were exposed to a Bedard and Michkov showdown was during this tournament. But for context, let’s rewind a bit. In their 2020-21 seasons at 15 and 16 years of age, these two were already top-end players for their junior leagues. Bedard was one of the top scorers in the Western Hockey League (WHL) as an exceptional status player . Albeit over a shortened campaign, he put up 12 goals and 16 assists for 28 points in 15 games. Good for a rate of 1.87 points per game, he was already in the 99th percentile for scoring in a league with players up to five years older than him. Bedard’s unprecedented scoring pace made him a generational prospect—nobody has ever touched these numbers. Michkov, on the other hand, lit up Russia’s Junior Hockey League (MHL) to the tune of 38 goals and 56 points in 56 games, putting him first in the goal-scoring category despite being among the minority of players in their age-16 campaign. For reference, only three players in the MHL have scored at least 20 goals at that age: Michkov, 2025 draft-eligible Ivan Ryabkin (29), and reigning Art Ross Trophy winner Nikita Kucherov (24). Additionally, those are the only players with at least five games played to reach a point-per-game pace at 16 years old. This set up the 2021 World Championship for under-18 players, which took place from April 26 to May 6, 2021. How did our two superstar prospects perform, you may ask? The two “rivals” dominated. Connor Bedard says he and Matvei Michkov talk and text sometimes. They'll face each other tomorrow. "It's funny: When you're playing against people, you try to create a rivalry, but usually you're friends or you want to see the other guy succeed. I'm always rooting for him." In the end, the World Championship’s top three scorers were the following: Michkov (16 points; 12 goals, four assists), Bedard (14 points; seven goals, seven assists), and Shane Wright (14 points; nine goals, five assists). Because of their incredible showings, Michkov’s Russian club and Bedard’s Canadian club faced off for a chance at gold to seal what was an amazing tournament. The kids put together one of the most intense hockey games you’ll ever see. In a back-and-forth contest that saw both countries lead, Canada pulled away with the victory, 5-3. Michkov scored the opening goal and tallied two assists for three points, while Bedard answered Michkov’s goal with a beauty of his own and set up Wright for an empty-net heartbreaker in the final minute. While he had to settle for silver, Michkov was still named the tournament’s MVP for his jaw-dropping performances. Bedard led his country to the ultimate prize and put up similar numbers, so both sides showed the world that they’d be a fun duo to go first and second overall in the 2023 NHL Draft. Blackhawks and Flyers Hit the Jackpot Except, the last part didn’t happen. Bedard went first overall to the Blackhawks, a team on a mission to land him , but Michkov wasn’t taken until seventh overall by the Flyers. Why? Well, it certainly wasn’t performance. Bedard cruised to 143 points in 57 games in 2022-23 in the WHL, the highest point-per-game total for a 17-year-old in history. He was a human highlight reel for the Regina Pats, putting on a clinic for a rather underwhelming team (they barely won half of their games). As for Michkov, he moved on to the Supreme Hockey League (VHL), playing with professionals. In 12 games, his 10 goals and four assists for 14 points made him one of the best players in the league despite his young age. Among players with at least 10 games played, he was first in goals per game and second in points per game. Clearly too talented for the VHL, he moved on to Russia’s top league, the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). There, he put up the best point-per-game pace (0.67) of a player in their draft year in history, with 20 points in 30 games. If we just look at the numbers and the talent of Michkov as a player, he probably should’ve been regarded as highly as Bedard. However, there were a variety of reasons why he wasn’t. Russian politics, being under contract through the 2025-26 season in the KHL, seen as a bad teammate , and in a draft class with many high-end talents who had lower risk attached to them, the Flyers got to scoop him up at seventh. But that doesn’t erase the history. In 2023-24, Bedard got a head start on his NHL career, winning the Calder Trophy by putting up 61 points in 68 games with the Blackhawks. Serving his contract in the KHL, Michkov had 41 points in 48 games, putting him in the 96th percentile in points per game (0.85) among forwards with at least 10 appearances. Bedard was pulling ahead, but Michkov was still on a superstar trajectory. Bedard and Michkov in the Present Thankfully for the NHL world, Michkov’s KHL contract was terminated two years early . This meant he was able to join the Flyers in 2024-25, setting us up for where we are today—awaiting his duel with Bedard. Now that they’re in the same league, we can compare the two youngsters. Michkov has been red-hot, putting up six goals and nine assists for 15 points in 18 games with a minus-3 rating. Bedard is right there with him, sitting on three goals and 12 assists for 15 points in 20 games with a minus-6 rating. Both the Flyers (8-10-2 record) and Blackhawks (7-12-1 record) have had underwhelming offenses to this point, but these two have done all they can to fix that. This matchup could be one of many. Though it’s a contest between clubs at the bottom of the standings, there will be eyes on both Bedard and Michkov as they face one another for the first time in over three years. Stats courtesy of QuantHockey This article first appeared on The Hockey Writers and was syndicated with permission.

The presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party(SDP) in the 2023 general elections, Prince Adewole Adebayo, has stressed the need to rehabilitate Nigeria’s political class, tracing election rigging to them. He argued that when the political class is populated by decent characters with integrity, a lot of the problems associated with politics and politicians would be solved. The SDP standard bearer also advocated for an inter-generational rotational presidency between the old and the young. He said: “The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) itself has a bit of connivance, whether for the sustainability of their appointment or whether people have discovered that they can get rich by taking advantage of the desperation of politicians. Most of the problems of an election don’t arise from the INEC. They arise from the political parties. More political parties commit crimes in their primaries than they accuse INEC of. “So, whatever error the INEC commits, the politicians and political parties even commit more. People bribe delegates for elections. Party chairmen and secretaries switch names like the game of domino. “So, the political class is guilty. I agree with the submission that politicians contribute to the problems during elections but INEC is supposed to be a professional class and should not collaborate with the politicians to rig elections.” Adebayo also spoke on the issue of rotational presidency, saying if it must achieve any positive result, it should be at two levels. He noted that much as it is good to rotate it according to the geopolitical zone for peace to reign among the elite, it must also be rotated from the elite to the people for growth and justice to happen in Nigeria. “If you are rotating from North to South and all of that and rotating about the same wasteful elite who have no idea, you will be rotating poverty, insecurity and others. “But if you rotate inter generationally, that is from the old people to the young ones and ideologically from those who follow the International Monetary Fund (IMF) –World Bank, to those who have indigenous, authentic and pro-Nigeria idea, you would have some progress for the country,” he submitted. On Nigeria’s borrowing and the finance minister’s recent statement about it he noted that much as he would wish a good day for Nigeria, it pains him to note that it is not a good day when the finance minister believes the day he goes aborrowing in London is a good day. “How can it be a good day when Nigeria goes overseas to make investments in the capital market from the excess production that we have? No minister that we had in the past will say the day we went aborrowing was a good day,” he said. When reminded that even countries as big as America borrow, he said: “America borrows from within. You borrow from your own currency. I am not quarrelling with them borrowing the currency they issued. When you are borrowing Euro bonds, borrowing currency from other people in other capitals of the world, it’s a sign of a crisis. Yes, you can do it but you don’t say it’s a good day for you. “If you are anaemic and your neighbour comes to donate blood to you, you should be grateful but you don’t say that’s the best day of your life, because you are not supposed to be anaemic in the first place. “They need to run the economy in such a way that we can generate capital for ourselves. Fundamentally, I think they are uncoordinated. Even though the finance minister is supposed to be the coordinator of the economy, he is not coordinated. The thinking isn’t coordinated but if they coordinate well and work with us as a population, we should be able to generate wealth for the country.”MISSOULA — The Montana football team will tackle a schedule unlike any other in recent memory during the 2025 season. The Grizzlies will play 12 consecutive games without a true bye week and will be the first-ever FCS team to play eight regular-season home games. Their bye falls in Week 1, which is a result of scheduling all four nonconference games at home while working around the Big Sky Conference slate. They start with four home games beginning in Week 2 on Sept. 6 and will play six of their first seven games in Washington-Grizzly Stadium. They don't leave the state until they hop on a bus to Pocatello, Idaho, for an Oct. 4 game. They won't get on a plane until their Oct. 25 game in Sacramento, California. The Griz will play just three teams that finished with a winning record in the 2024 season. Only two of those teams are FCS programs as the other one with a record above .500 is from the NCAA Division II level. Only one of those two FCS teams are currently slated to have the same head coach in 2025. Montana Grizzlies running back Eli Gillman (10) runs the ball down the field before scoring a touchdown during a college football game between the Montana Grizzlies and the Weber State Wildcats on Saturday, Oct. 5 in Washington Grizzly Stadium. The Wildcats went 8-4 overall and were eliminated in first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs. They played one FCS team, losing 26-7 on the road against San Diego, which plays in the non-scholarship Pioneer Football League. Chris Fisk has been the head coach since 2019. Montana is 3-0 all-time against Central Washington, last playing in the spring 2021 season. The Fighting Hawks went 5-7 overall and 2-6 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference to finish in a tie for eighth place. They missed the playoffs and will have a new coach with Bubba Schweigert out. They hired Eric Schmidt, an All-American linebacker for UND who most recently was the San Diego State defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. This is the second game in a home-and-home series. The first game took place in 2024 in Grand Forks, North Dakota. The Griz lost 27-24 as they were outscored 20-0 in the second half. They'll have an opportunity for revenge in Missoula. Montana is 15-10-1 all-time against UND. The Sycamores went 4-8 overall and 3-5 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference to finish in a tie for sixth place. They missed the playoffs, but they did win their most games since going 5-6 in 2021. Curt Mallory has been the head coach since 2017. This is the second game of a home-and-home series. The Griz won the first game 49-14 in Terre Haute, Indiana, in 2022. Montana is 1-0 all-time against ISU. The Vandals finished the season 10-4 overall and went 6-2 in the Big Sky to finish in a tie for third place. They lost twice to Montana State (FCS playoff No. 1 seed), once to Oregon (FBS playoff No. 1 seed) and once to UC Davis (FCS playoff No. 5 seed). They were knocked out in the quarterfinals for the second season in a row under third-year head coach Jason Eck. He left the day after the season ended to be the head coach at FBS New Mexico. Idaho hired former assistant Thomas Ford to replace Eck after he spent 2024 at Oregon State. The Vandals lose All-Big Sky first-team defensive linemen Keyshawn James-Newby (graduation) and Dallas Afalava (portal), first-team linebacker Jaxton Eck (portal), All-Big Sky receivers Jordan Dwyer (portal) and Mark Hamper (portal), and starting quarterback Jack Layne (portal). Montana and Idaho didn't play in the 2024 season. The Vandals are the only current Big Sky team the Griz have an all-time losing record against; Montana is 32-55-2. The Bengals went 5-7 overall and 3-5 in the Big Sky to finish in a tie for sixth place. They missed the playoffs under second-year head coach Cody Hawkins. It was their best record since going 6-5 in 2018. Their five wins matched the total number of victories they had across the 2021-23 seasons. All-Big Sky first-team receiver Christian Fredericksen exhausted his eligibility. Montana and Idaho State didn't play in the 2024 season. The Griz are 48-13 against the Bengals and have won 15 consecutive games in the series. The Mustangs went 3-8 overall and 2-6 in the Big Sky to finish in 10th place. They missed the playoffs under second-year head coach Paul Wulff. They've had identical 3-8 records in those two years for a total of 6-16. All-American defensive lineman Elijah Ponder exhausted his eligibility. Montana is 19-5 against Cal Poly and has won four consecutive games in the series. The Pioneers went 5-6 overall and didn't defeat a team that finished the year with a winning record. They missed the playoffs. Mark Nofri has been the head coach since 2012. The 2024 season was their first as an FCS independent after they left the Northeast Conference. Their other sports moved to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, which doesn't sponsor football. This will be the first meeting between Sacred Heart and UM. The Hornets went 3-9 overall and 1-7 in the Big Sky to finish in tie for last place in coach Andy Thompson's second year leading the program. They missed the playoffs after winning a postseason game in 2023. Thompson, a former Griz linebacker on the 2001 national championship team, stepped down with an 11-14 record in two seasons. He joined former Sacramento State coach Troy Taylor at Stanford as the assistant head coach, co-defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach. The Hornets hired UNLV offensive coordinator Brennan Marion to replace Thompson. All-Big Sky honorable mention running back Elijah Tau-Tolliver transferred to Michigan State after the season. The Hornets lost quarterback Kaiden Bennett to the portal; he started in 2023 and two games in 2024 before an injury. Montana and Sacramento State didn't play in the 2024 season. Montana leads the all-time series 21-4. The Griz last won a game in Sacramento, California, in 2013. It's their second-longest road drought against a current Big Sky team. The Wildcats went 4-8 overall and 3-5 in the Big Sky to finish in a tie for sixth place under second-year head coach Mickey Mental. They went 1-5 after upsetting Montana 55-48 in overtime in Missoula and missed the playoffs. It'll be a revenge game for the Griz, who also lost their last road game against Weber 24-21 in 2022. Starting quarterback Richie Munoz, All-Big Sky second-team running back Damon Bankston and all-conference honorable mention defensive end Brayden Wilson entered the transfer portal. Wilson landed at Wyoming. Montana leads the all-time series 40-17 but has lost three consecutive games to Weber State. The Griz last won a game in Ogden, Utah, in 2012. It's their longest road drought against a current Big Sky team. The Eagles went 4-8 overall and 3-5 in the Big Sky to finish in a tie for sixth place. They missed the playoffs under Aaron Best, who has been the head coach since 2017. He has gone 52-40 and has had two seasons with a winning record, most recently in 2021. Two-year starting quarterback Kekoa Visperas, who led the FCS in completion percentage, left via the portal and transferred to Tennessee Tech. He was an All-Big Sky honorable mention in 2023. All-American wide receiver Efton Chism III exhausted his eligibility. Montana leads the all-time series 31-18-1. This past year, the Griz won a game in Cheney, Washington, for the first time since 2008. The Vikings went 3-8 overall and 3-5 in the Big Sky to finish in a tie for sixth place. They missed the playoffs under Bruce Barnum, who is 38-64 as the head coach since taking over in 2015. Portland State has had just one winning record under Barnum, when it went 9-3 in 2015. Three-year starting quarterback Dante Chachere, an All-Big Sky honorable mention in 2024, exhausted his eligibility. Montana leads the all-time series 35-13 and have won five consecutive games against PSU. The Bobcats are 15-0, won the Big Sky title for the second time in three years and are in the FCS national championship game for the second time in four seasons under fourth-year head coach Brent Vigen. They'll play North Dakota State on Jan. 6 in Frisco, Texas. They'll try to become the third-ever D-I team to go 16-0, which would equal records by 2019 NDSU and 1894 Yale. They'll have several key players run out of eligibility after this season, including quarterback Tommy Mellott, the Big Sky offensive player of the year, and defensive end Brody Grebe, the Big Sky defensive player of the year. Whether Vigen returns or parlays his success into another job has yet to seen. His departure could lead to anticipated returners hitting the portal. Montana leads the all-time series 74-43-5 but has gone 2-6 in the previous eight meetings. Frank Gogola is the Senior Sports Reporter at the Missoulian and 406 MT Sports. Follow him on X @FrankGogola or email him at . Get local news delivered to your inbox!SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The president of South Korea early Wednesday lifted the martial law he imposed on the country hours earlier, bending to political pressure after a tense night in which troops surrounded parliament and lawmakers voted to reject military rule. President Yoon Suk Yeol, who appeared likely to be impeached over his actions, imposed martial law late Tuesday out of frustration with the opposition, vowing to eliminate “anti-state” forces as he struggles against opponents who control parliament and that he accuses of sympathizing with communist North Korea. Police and military personnel were seen leaving the grounds of parliament following the bipartisan vote to overrule the president, and the declaration was formally lifted around 4:30 a.m. during a Cabinet meeting. Parliament acted swiftly after martial law was imposed, with National Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik declaring that the law was “invalid” and that lawmakers would “protect democracy with the people.” In all, martial law was in effect for about six hours. The president’s surprising move harkened back to an era of authoritarian leaders that the country has not seen since the 1980s, and it was immediately denounced by the opposition and the leader of Yoon’s own conservative party. Lee Jae-myung , leader of the liberal Democratic Party, which holds the majority in the 300-seat parliament, said the party’s lawmakers would remain in the Assembly’s main hall until Yoon formally lifted his order. Woo applauded how troops quickly left the Assembly after the vote. “Even with our unfortunate memories of military coups, our citizens have surely observed the events of today and saw the maturity of our military,” Woo said. While announcing his plan to lift martial law, Yoon continued to criticize parliament’s attempts to impeach key government officials and senior prosecutors. He said lawmakers had engaged in “unscrupulous acts of legislative and budgetary manipulation that are paralyzing the functions of the state.” Jo Seung-lae, a Democratic lawmaker, claimed that security camera footage following Yoon’s declaration showed that troops moved in a way that suggested they were trying to arrest Lee, Woo and even Han Dong-hoon, the leader of Yoon’s People Power Party. Officials from Yoon’s office and the Defense Ministry did not respond to requests for comment early Wednesday. Seemingly hundreds of protesters gathered in front of the Assembly, waving banners and calling for Yoon’s impeachment. Some protesters scuffled with troops ahead of the lawmakers’ vote, but there were no immediate reports of injuries or major property damage. At least one window was broken as troops attempted to enter the Assembly building. One woman tried unsuccessfully to pull a rifle away from one of the soldiers, while shouting “Aren’t you embarrassed?” Under South Korea’s constitution, the president can declare martial law during “wartime, war-like situations or other comparable national emergency states” that require the use of military force to maintain peace and order. It was questionable whether South Korea is currently in such a state. When martial law is declared, “special measures” can be employed to restrict freedom of press, freedom of assembly and other rights, as well as the power of courts. The constitution also states that the president must oblige when the National Assembly demands the lifting of martial law with a majority vote. Following Yoon’s announcement of martial law, South Korea’s military proclaimed that parliament and other political gatherings that could cause “social confusion” would be suspended, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency said. The military said anyone who violated the decree could be arrested without a warrant. In Washington, the White House said the U.S. was “seriously concerned” by the events in Seoul. A spokesperson for the National Security Council said President Joe Biden’s administration was not notified in advance of the martial law announcement and was in contact with the South Korean government. Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said there was no effect on the more than 27,000 U.S. service members based in South Korea. The South Korean military also said that the country’s striking doctors should return to work within 48 hours, Yonhap said. Thousands of doctors have been striking for months over government plans to expand the number of students at medical schools. Soon after martial law was declared, the parliament speaker called on his YouTube channel for all lawmakers to gather at the National Assembly. He urged military and law enforcement personnel to “remain calm and hold their positions. All 190 lawmakers who participated in the vote supported the lifting of martial law. At one point, television footage showed police officers blocking the entrance of the National Assembly and helmeted soldiers carrying rifles in front of the building. An Associated Press photographer saw at least three helicopters, likely from the military, that landed inside the Assembly grounds, while two or three helicopters circled above the site. The leader of Yoon’s conservative party called the decision to impose martial law “wrong.” Lee, who narrowly lost to Yoon in the 2022 presidential election, said Yoon’s announcement was “illegal and unconstitutional.” Yoon said during a televised speech that martial law would help “rebuild and protect” the country from “falling into the depths of national ruin.” He said he would “eradicate pro-North Korean forces and protect the constitutional democratic order.” “I will eliminate anti-state forces as quickly as possible and normalize the country,” he said, while asking the people to believe in him and tolerate “some inconveniences.” Yoon — whose approval rating dipped in recent months — has struggled to push his agenda against an opposition-controlled parliament since taking office in 2022. His party has been locked in an impasse with the liberal opposition over next year’s budget bill. The opposition has also attempted to impeach three top prosecutors, including the chief of the central Seoul prosecutors’ office, in what the conservatives have called a vendetta against their criminal investigations of Lee, who has been seen as the favorite for the next presidential election in 2027 in opinion polls. During his televised announcement, Yoon also described the opposition as “shameless pro-North Korean anti-state forces who are plundering the freedom and happiness of our citizens.” He did not elaborate. Yoon has taken a hard line on North Korea over its nuclear ambitions, departing from the policies of his liberal predecessor, Moon Jae-in, who pursued inter-Korean engagement. Yoon has also dismissed calls for independent investigations into scandals involving his wife and top officials, drawing quick, strong rebukes from his political rivals. Yoon’s move was the first declaration of martial law since the country’s democratization in 1987. The country’s last previous martial law was in October 1979, following the assassination of former military dictator Park Chung-hee. Sydney Seiler, Korean chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, argued that the move was symbolic for Yoon to express his frustration with the opposition-controlled parliament. “He has nothing to lose,” said Seiler, comparing Yoon’s move to the Hail Mary pass in American football, with a slim chance of success. Now Yoon faces likely impeachment, a scenario that was also possible before he made the bold move, Seiler said. Natalia Slavney, research analyst at the Stimson Center’s 38 North website that focuses on Korean affairs, said Yoon’s imposition of martial law was “a serious backslide of democracy" that followed a “worrying trend of abuse” since he took office in 2022. South Korea “has a robust history of political pluralism and is no stranger to mass protests and swift impeachments,” Slavney said, citing the example of former President Park Geun-hye, the country’s first female president, who was ousted from office and imprisoned for bribery and other crimes in 2017 . Associated Press writers Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul, South Korea, and Matt Lee, Didi Tang and Tara Copp in Washington contributed to this report.

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