ssbet77.net

ssbet77.net A cluster of fireballs streaked across the Southern sky late Saturday night, sparking widespread astonishment and concern among witnesses. The occurrence, noted from New Orleans to Missouri, sparked initial conjecture regarding possible drone operations, particularly in light of reports of enigmatic drone appearances in New Jersey and other northeastern regions. Nonetheless, specialists have recently explained the reason: an abandoned Chinese satellite re-entering Earth's atmosphere. The satellite, a retired space probe utilized by the Beijing company SpaceView, re-entered the atmosphere over New Orleans at around 10 p.m. Its blazing fall persisted over Mississippi, Arkansas, and Missouri, fragmenting into smaller fireballs as it broke apart. Astronomer Jonathan McDowell from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics verified the occurrence on X, highlighting that the satellite's return had produced a spectacular light display in the nighttime sky. Videos posted by witnesses across social media platforms, particularly X, captured the spectacle. One user described it as “huge,” noting the incredible trail left behind in Mobile, Alabama. Another witness jokingly believed the event was caused by “strange Christmas lights up on a hill.” The footage depicted the satellite breaking apart into several fireballs, similar to a giant meteor fragmenting. The satellite, utilized for imaging, was said to be out of operation. Although it happens frequently, the re-entry of space debris into Earth’s atmosphere is usually a rare and mesmerizing spectacle for observers in its trajectory. Although the majority of space debris incinerates harmlessly before hitting the ground, some items may stay intact, presenting possible dangers. The satellite's re-entry, nonetheless, did not cause any reported injuries or damages. The phenomenon has also ignited discussions about the increasing worries over space debris. Despite the designation of the satellite's descent as "benign space debris," concerns have been raised regarding the growing prevalence of Chinese technology in American airspace. "Chinese satellites and Chinese drones over American soil—what could go wrong?" one person posted, reflecting fears that such incidents could become more frequent. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reports that space debris re-enters the atmosphere on a regular basis, with an estimated 200 to 400 objects coming back annually. Most break apart before hitting the ground, and most larger fragments end up in the ocean. NOAA additionally stated that there are roughly 30,000 chunks of space debris larger than a softball in orbit, with about 1,000 pieces comparable in size to spacecraft. NASA observes space debris via its Space Surveillance Network, utilizing both space-based and terrestrial equipment to follow objects in Earth's orbit. This system assists in reducing the hazards that debris can present, as it may occasionally be perilous if it endures the extreme heat and pressure during re-entry. Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from US News, World and around the world.

“Please can you drop the charges against my mum and dad so that I can keep living with my cat brothers and sisters?” That was the plea from the woman at the centre of a sensational starvation trial in a letter sent to state prosecutors. The trial ended last week, with the woman’s parents remanded in custody after being found guilty. The girl’s parents outside court last month. Credit: 9News Perth The woman – now 20, and whose identity is protected by a court order – did not want her parents to go to prison and, from what she wrote, did not think they needed to be punished. But a jury thought otherwise, last week finding them both guilty of not just starving the girl – leading to a dangerous level of malnutrition – but also of emotional abuse, due to their treatment of her as if she were a small child. The case, which was first reported exclusively by WAtoday last year , features elements of infantalisation, a “complex” psychological behaviour that is often rooted in the parents’ own emotional needs, according to Perth clinical psychologist Donna Stambulich. “Common drivers include fear of abandonment, unresolved personal trauma, anxiety about their child’s independence, and difficulty accepting the natural progression of child development,” Stambulich said. “In some cases, narcissistic personality traits may lead parents to view their children as extensions of themselves rather than independent individuals.” So what do we know about the parents, who will be sentenced over the offences early next year? The woman’s father, aged in his 40s, is a senior IT professional, who has held management-level positions in several Perth companies. He became the breadwinner of the family when his daughter was born and his wife gave up her career to be the girl’s full-time carer. A dance school teacher told Perth District Court the girl was small, even by the standard of other students. The family moved to Floreat five years ago and purchased a four-bedroom house for almost $2 million. Department of Communities staff told the court that when they visited the home to check on the girl, it looked “cluttered” and cockroaches were seen scuttling out of the front door where they stood speaking to the father. The father refused to allow them inside and, away from the jury, the court was told the house was filthy and unhygienic, with piles of used sanitary towels sitting in corners. Despite this, the father tried to convince the jury he suffered from obsessive-compulsive disorder. While the husband was earning good money, the wife’s family were also wealthy, and the girl’s grandfather wanted to pay for her to attend a prestigious girls’ school which commands fees of up to $28,000 a year. But the parents refused, instead choosing to homeschool the girl. The mother’s relationship with the girl’s grandfather was rocky. She claimed he was abusive to her when she was a child, and would not allow him to be left alone with her daughter. However, the girl was later placed in his care by the Department of Communities, where she stayed until her 18th birthday, when she returned home to live with her parents. The mother also testified that she had little to do with her siblings, and claimed her daughter was hospitalised in part because her sister and their father had both spoken to the department about the girl’s emaciated appearance. When the mother’s sister raised those concerns with her, she cut off contact. The girl was also, for some time after her parents were arrested, placed into the care of her uncle, who soon after relinquished that care because of the parents’ “ongoing involvement”. Outside court, it was also mentioned that the girl was unable to do much for herself and needed constant care and help with day-to-day activities, such as washing and taking care of her hygiene. She was 17 years old at the time. Prosecutors said that after the woman’s own mother died, she isolated herself and her daughter from the rest of the family. None of her family came to court throughout the four-week trial. The girl was hospitalised after the Department of Communities investigated concerns from a dance studio. What the jury weren’t allowed to hear One element of the case that was kept from the jury was the suggestion the girl was wearing nappies as a teenager. Both the prosecution and defence agreed to withhold the information, but some witnesses almost blurted it out on a number of occasions. The jury was also not allowed to hear why the girl herself did not enter the courtroom to give evidence, and that seeing her so distressed almost brought District Court Judge Linda Black to tears. On November 14, the girl’s mother’s lawyer called her as a witness to tell her side of the story. It was a much-anticipated moment, but she did not make it into the courtroom. The jury was told the girl had “changed her mind”. After coming to court with a “support person”, the 20-year-old had a panic attack and could not give evidence. Black went out of the courtroom to speak with her and, on her return, confronted the mother’s lawyer Michael Perella, asking whether he had ensured the girl received her own legal advice before coming to court. He replied that he had only recommended she did. Black asked Perella whether the girl was told what to wear for the occasion by her mother , and noted she was wearing a “relatively child-like dress” and ballet flats. Perella denied that was the case, and attempted to apply to have the trial aborted because of the turn of events. Black fought back tears as she blasted the lawyer for suggesting such a vulnerable person be brought to court in the first place. “If she was shocked that her daughter was in floods of tears, [the mother] must not know her daughter very well at all,” the judge said. She refused to allow the trial to be vacated. The impacts of infantilisation “can be profound and far-reaching”, Stambulich said. “In the short term, children may experience delayed emotional development, poor self-esteem, and significant difficulties in peer relationships,” she said. “They often struggle with basic decision-making skills and age-appropriate social interactions. “The long-term consequences can be even more severe, potentially leading to chronic dependency, persistent relationship difficulties, anxiety and depression, and significant challenges in managing adult responsibilities. “Many adults who experienced infantilisation struggle with boundary setting and may have difficulty establishing their own independent identity.” During the trial The girl was 14 when this photo was taken. The trial itself may have been arduous for the jury, who were initially told it would be finished in seven days. Instead, it dragged on for weeks, in part due to attempts by the mother to have the trial thrown out twice – midway through proceedings, the court was told the woman was too unwell to attend and listen to the evidence. She was given a brief reprieve to recover, but Black insisted she return and could keep a sick bag at her side in case she needed it. They couple sat side-by-side for four weeks but did not appear to communicate once. As the jury read out their guilty verdicts, the father sat straight-faced, as he had the entire trial, while his wife sobbed, even after bring asked to stop by the judge because of the noise. Their relationship had been examined throughout the trial, with accusations of manipulation, control and verbal abuse from the husband to the wife. He didn’t deny that on the stand. But it was accepted throughout the trial that both parents loved their daughter very much. Stambulich said parents who infantilised their children often had limited insight into their behaviour and its impact. “They typically rationalise their actions as necessary protection or expressions of love and care,” she said. “ These parents may minimise or completely deny any harmful effects of their parenting style, viewing their actions as beneficial rather than potentially damaging to their child’s development.” The mother told the jury her daughter would always be her little girl. She had made sure of that by limiting her ability to grow in height and mature like a girl of her age should have, and limiting her ability to mix with other girls her age, to develop age-appropriate interests and have any level of independence. When the father of the girl was presented with photos of her looking small, frail, sick and severely underweight, he told the prosecutor she was thin but not overly so . “Do you have problems with your eyesight?” he was asked. “No,” he replied. Knowing that they were neglecting and damaging their daughter was at the heart of ensuring there was a guilty plea, state prosecutor Jehna Winter told the court. Their education, ability to comprehend when someone looks healthy and well, and their choice to ignore repeated concerns were what led to them being charged and ultimately convicted. The pair will be sentenced in January and face a maximum penalty of 20 years each.

By Ricardo Brito BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil's top public prosecutor is not likely to issue any indictments until next year for former President Jair Bolsonaro, members of his government and military officers who allegedly planned a coup after his 2022 election defeat, four sources told Reuters. That is because General Prosecutor Paulo Gonet is planning to merge three Federal Police investigations into Bolsonaro's actions against Brazil's democratic system and produce one single global indictment against him, they said. On Thursday, Federal Police formally accused Bolsonaro and 36 others of the crimes of attempted coup d'état, violent abolition of the democratic state of law and participation in a criminal organization. The 884-page report was handed to the Supreme Court, which will send it to Gonet next week. Bolsonaro plotted to overturn his 2022 election defeat, along with dozens of ex-ministers and senior aides, including active duty military officers, in a conspiracy that included plans for assassinations, the police said. The police report capped a nearly two-year investigation into Bolsonaro's role in the election-denying movement that culminated in riots by his supporters that swept Brasilia, the capital, in January 2023, just a week after his rival, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, took office. Gonet is expected to take time to carefully analyze the documents of the three investigations that propose indicting dozens of people. "Gonet is very technical. In addition to the investigation itself, there is all the legal basis for the indictments to be analyzed. This will take time," a source with knowledge of the situation said. Another source close to the prosecutor said the criminal indictments should come down "all at once" and that it would be a solid case. A fourth source at the prosecutor's office, known as the PGR in Portuguese, said he expects that to happen only in 2025. Federal police finished two separate criminal probes of Bolsonaro and his associates earlier this year formally accusing them of tampering with COVID-19 vaccination cards while in office and of embezzling jewelry gifted by the Saudi government. Brazilian court cases can take years to reach final judgment and even then they are subject to appeals and reversals. Even as his legal woes have mounted, Bolsonaro remains the central figure of a right-wing movement driving Brazilian politics for the past six years. His party is the largest in the lower house of Congress and made strides in municipal elections last month. (Reporting by Ricardo Brito, writing by Anthony Boadle, editing by Sandra Maler)Former Head of State, Yakubu Gowon, has expressed concern over crisis facing Nigeria, saying that the country can’t experience another civil war anymore. Speaking at the Unity Christmas Carols and Praise Festival in Jos, Plateau State, on Friday, Gowon expressed displeasure over insecurity challenges in some parts of Nigeria. He prayed that God will touch hearts of people fueling crisis in various places in Nigeria. Gowon said: “All the various crises that we are having in Nigeria are so disturbing. This is something that God knows we should not be having after our Civil War. READ MORE: ‘Prioritise National Interest, Not Partisan, Regional Politics’ – Gowon Tells Northern Leaders “I have said and I prayed to God that I hope Nigeria will not go through another period of crisis that we went through. “Let us pray to God that we are now beginning to see the end of all these crises. “Pray to God so that God can touch the hearts of all those who are that way inclined to create problems. “For Nigeria, pray to God, for God to touch their hearts, change them, reform them and make them contribute to peace and well-being of one another, of Nigerians.” Recall that there was Civil War in the country, between 1967 and 1970 and claimed millions of lives. INFORMATION NIGERIA reports that insecurity challenges have been affecting many areas of the country, especially the Northern region and the South East.

Murdoch loses 'Succession' battle for son's control of media empire: reportTrump transition says Cabinet picks, appointees were targeted by bomb threats, swatting attacks (copy)

Washington — Former New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez asked a federal court in New York on Wednesday to throw out his conviction in a sprawling bribery scheme and grant him a new trial after prosecutors disclosed that the jury was inadvertently provided information during deliberations that it should not have been given. The request from Menendez's lawyers came in response to a letter prosecutors sent to the court on Nov. 13 revealing they had unintentionally loaded onto a laptop given to the jury during deliberations the incorrect versions of nine exhibits. Prosecutors said neither they nor Menendez's lawyers, who inspected the exhibits on the laptop, noticed the error at the time. Government lawyers told U.S. District Judge Sidney Stein that they did not believe the inclusion of the nine exhibits warranted upsetting Menendez's guilty verdict, in part because "there is no reasonable likelihood any juror ever saw any of the erroneously less-redacted versions." But Menendez's lawyers told Stein in a separate filing that the improper disclosure was a "serious breach" by prosecutors and said a new trial was "unavoidable." The exhibits, they said, "exposed the jury to a theory of criminality that the government was barred from presenting under the Speech or Debate Clause — namely, that Senator Menendez made specific decisions with respect to military sales to Egypt in exchange for bribes." Under the Speech or Debate Clause of the Constitution, senators or House members "shall not be questioned" for "any speech or debate" in either chamber of Congress. Stein had ruled that certain material referencing arms sales and military aid to Egypt were legislative acts shielded by the clause. Menendez's defense team said the information disclosed to the jury contained the only evidence that tied him to the provision of military aid to Egypt, which was at the center of the bribery scheme the New Jersey Democrat was accused of engaging in. They also lambasted prosecutors for attempting to "shift the blame," calling it "factually and legally outrageous." Prosecutors said the court had "expressly prohibited" evidence of past legislative activity, including actions Menendez allegedly took as a senator about foreign aid to Egypt, and said the evidence at issue "squarely crossed that line ... and allowed the jury to infer bribery from Senator Menendez's legislative acts — exactly what the Speech or Debate Clause is meant to prevent." Prosecutors claimed that Menendez helped orchestrate a corrupt agreement through which he would work to secretly benefit the Egyptian government in exchange for lavish gifts including cash, gold bars, a Mercedes-Benz convertible, furniture and mortgage payments from three New Jersey businessmen. He was convicted on 16 felony counts in July, including bribery, fraud and acting as a foreign agent. Menendez's two co-defendants in the case, Fred Daibes and Wael Hana, also separately asked the court to grant them new trials and toss out their convictions. Menendez faced immense pressure to resign after he was indicted on federal bribery charges last year but resisted doing so until he was convicted. He stepped down from the Senate in August, a stunning capstone to a lengthy career in the upper chamber that included a position atop the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The former senator is set to be sentenced Jan. 29. Melissa Quinn is a politics reporter for CBSNews.com. She has written for outlets including the Washington Examiner, Daily Signal and Alexandria Times. Melissa covers U.S. politics, with a focus on the Supreme Court and federal courts.

The rivalry between California and Florida reached a high mark in November 2023 when Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, faced off against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, on Fox News over which state held a better model for the country. Thirteen months later, DeSantis has left the national stage after an aborted presidential run. But his state is winning the political war. The nation under President-elect Donald Trump will look far more like Trump's adopted home state of Florida, after he defeated Vice President Kamala Harris by painting her as an out-of-touch California liberal . Trump is stocking his Cabinet with Floridians. And his plans to reverse California's policies on the environment, crime, homelessness and education are facing far less pushback than they did during his first term, thanks to the state's diminishing clout in Congress and a system of checks on Trump's power that has eroded. "These are all folks born and raised in our state and are going to show America our type of leadership," said Brian Ballard, a powerful Florida lobbyist and Republican fundraiser whose firm previously employed Trump's incoming chief of staff, Susie Wiles, and still employs his nominee for attorney general, Pam Bondi, Florida's former attorney general. (Ballard's expanded footprint now includes offices in Washington and West Los Angeles, opened two years ago, another sign of his state's incursion.) Other high-level Floridians likely to be in Trump's inner circle include Sen. Marco Rubio, Trump's pick for secretary of State, and Rep. Mike Waltz, his choice as national security adviser. Two prominent people in Trump's orbit with California ties, advisors Elon Musk and Stephen Miller, are sharp critics of the state's business and immigration policies, which they have pledged to help Trump reverse. Their unified efforts are expected to unleash a continuation of fights that began eight years ago during Trump's first term, when he sought to halt California's policies providing sanctuary for immigrants who came to the country illegally, slash its authority to set environmental policies such as automobile fuel standards, alter water policy to benefit farmers and suspend aid after wildfires. He was thwarted in many of those efforts by regulators, advisers who found ways to change his mind, courts and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the San Francisco Democrat who proved his most formidable adversary. Democratic attorneys general filed a record 155 lawsuits against the first Trump administration, winning 83% of cases, according to a tally by Paul Nolette, a political science professor at Marquette University. California was involved in more than 100 such lawsuits. But Trump has picked staffers for his second term who are less likely to push back against his wishes. The Supreme Court has grown more deferential to Trump, who appointed three of its nine members. And Pelosi is no longer leading her party, while Republicans won control of both the House and Senate in last month's election. California Democrats' best defense appears to be Republican dysfunction, as demonstrated by the party's struggles last week to pass a bill in the GOP-controlled House that would avoid a government shutdown. Trump, meanwhile, has vowed to fight the state this time on a variety of fronts, including its homeless policies, its resistance to a border wall, its electric car mandate and over his plans to begin mass deportations that would disproportionately affect California, a border state with the nation's largest Latino population. Newsom, who declined an interview request, has vowed to continue the fight against Trump's policies but without what he called "a resistance brand" that defined his earlier clashes. Other Democrats have approached Trump's second term with more conciliatory rhetoric as the party struggles to coalesce around strategy. Former Sen. Barbara Boxer, a Democrat who helped define the party's liberal wing for decades, argues that Trump will incite his own backlash by overreaching. "Bring it on," she said. "People just decided they weren't feeling happy about things," she added. "They didn't vote on the issues that are now going to hit them in the face," she said, citing a list of policies from Trump's allies that could lead to workers losing overtime and residents losing breathable air. But even if Trump's policies help Democrats politically, they may have a deep impact on Californians. Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta, who began preparing potential lawsuits months before the election, said he expects to battle the incoming administration over immigration, climate, reproductive rights, gun safety, democracy-related issues and civil rights. He acknowledged the Supreme Court's rightward turn, but pointed out that most decisions are made by trial and circuit court judges. "We can and will prevail, and we have prevailed in front of the U.S. Supreme Court," he said. Bonta, who is considering a run for governor in 2026, argued that voters were choosing Trump the man — narrowly — rather than a single state's governing model. "The Florida model? You mean Matt Gaetz or DeSantis or Pam Bondi?" he said, referring to the former House member who withdrew from consideration as attorney general over allegations of sexual misconduct with minors, along with the governor and current attorney general nominee. "I don't think they're a model for the future of our country. What else is the Florida model? 'Don't say gay' — just absolutely exclusionary and discriminatory? A formal program sending immigrants across the country as political pawns?" But Bonta and other Democrats concede the party just lost an election and that Trump, even as he lost California by 20 percentage points, gained about 10 percentage points over his 2016 and 2020 margins in the state. Much of that growth came among the state's Latino population, which makes up a large proportion of Democrats' traditional working-class base. "It's all centered around affordability. California is the least affordable state when you factor in housing costs," said Mike Madrid, an anti-Trump Republican pollster who conducted surveys of Latino voters after the election and has focused on their evolving views for decades. "The idea of California values is specific to cultural issues. It is essentially ignoring economic issues." Madrid pointed to policies like Newsom's plan to phase out sales of new gas-powered vehicles by 2035 as an example of a policy that does not speak to working-class voters. Most Latinos in the state have to live farther from their jobs, because of the high cost of housing, and pay more for gas, but they cannot afford a new EV or benefit from a Biden administration rebate. The majority of their income is spent on housing costs, which have grown in part because of costly building regulations. New census estimates released Thursday show California gaining 232,570 residents between 2023 and 2024 after pandemic-era declines. But the state lost more residents (239,575) to other parts of the country than any other state, and saw an increase only because of immigrants from other countries, according to the newest estimates. Florida had one of the largest population gains, 467,347 more residents, comprising both immigrants and domestic migrants. California's long-beleaguered Republicans are gloating as they promise to work with Trump to dismantle Democratic-led projects and environmental regulations. Rep. Vince Fong, a Bakersfield Republican who won an election to succeed former Republican Speaker Kevin McCarthy earlier this year, said he will file legislation to halt funding on California's high-speed rail project and work with Trump to build a border wall in the state, blaming a porous border for allowing fentanyl smuggling from China. In an interview, he praised Florida effusively as a better model for business, regulation, environmental policy and housing costs and welcomed the state's influence at the national level. "It's ironic to me that Gov. Newsom and the Democrats in the state Legislature are now concerned about affordability," he said. "You hear them talking about it, but it's their policies." He accused Newsom of waging war with Florida and the Trump administration for his own personal gain. "He is trying to elevate himself for his own political purposes and at the expense of Californians," he said. Newsom's office said the state maintains the world's fifth largest economy and ranks first in new business starts and private sector jobs. Brandon Richards, a spokesman, said Newsom is traveling the state to expand economic opportunity. But many of the nation's biggest business titans are making their own pilgrimages — to visit Trump at his home in Florida. ©2024 Los Angeles Times. Visit latimes.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Trump taps his attorney Alina Habba to serve as counselor to the president

SEC Chair Gary Gensler, who led US crackdown on cryptocurrencies, to step down

NoneAndrew Luck returns to Stanford as the GM of the football programHAMILTON, N.Y. (AP) — Dejour Reaves' 20 points helped Iona defeat Colgate 79-73 on Sunday. Reaves also contributed nine rebounds and six steals for the Gaels (4-8, 1-1 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference). Yaphet Moundi added 13 points while finishing 6 of 8 from the floor while they also had five rebounds. Adam Njie had 12 points and shot 5 of 11 from the field, including 1 for 4 from 3-point range, and went 1 for 4 from the line. The Raiders (3-10) were led in scoring by Nicolas Louis-Jacques, who finished with 27 points. Jalen Cox added 16 points, four assists and two steals for Colgate. Parker Jones also had seven points and two steals. Reaves scored 11 points in the first half for Iona, who led 36-32 at the break. Iona used a 7-0 run in the second half to build an eight-point lead at 43-35 with 16:42 left in the half before finishing off the win. Up next for Iona is a matchup Sunday with Harvard at home. Colgate hosts Army on Thursday. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

The Liberal candidate in a federal byelection in British Columbia says she is applying for Métis membership after a local group questioned her claims of Indigenous identity. Madison Fleischer says in a written statement that she self-identifies as Métis based on what she knows about her great-grandmother's heritage and is "collecting the necessary documentation to go through the application process" for citizenship with B.C.'s Métis Nation. In the meantime, Fleischer, who is the candidate in the Dec. 16 byelection in Cloverdale-Langley City, says she has removed "Métis" from her social media profile descriptions to ensure there is "no confusion" about her Indigenous status. Her response comes after the Waceya Métis Society — which describes itself as a chartered community representing Métis people in the Langley and White Rock regions of B.C.'s Lower Mainland — said in a release that it "wishes to distance itself from Madison’s claims of Métis identity." The society says it met with Fleischer over the weekend to discuss her claims of Métis identity but was "disappointed that she could not provide any evidence to support her Métis heritage." The attention on Fleischer comes after Edmonton Centre Liberal MP Randy Boissonnault left cabinet last week amid questions about his shifting claims of Indigenous heritage and his business dealings. In her statement, Fleischer says she has "always been vocal about not yet holding Métis Nation British Columbia citizenship." The Waceya Métis Society says it has asked Fleischer to "properly research and verify her Indigenous heritage before making any further public assertions." "In this meeting, Madison was unable to substantiate her claims with any documentation or historical connections to Métis communities," the society says about their Nov. 23 meeting with Fleischer. "The integrity of Métis identity is not to be taken lightly, especially in public office, where the representation of our community must be accurate, respectful, and legitimate." Cloverdale-Langley City was previously held by Liberal John Aldag, who resigned to run for MLA with the B.C. New Democrats. Aldag was defeated by B.C. Conservative candidate Harman Bhangu in the Langley-Abbotsford seat in the Oct. 19 provincial election. Fleischer, whose Liberal party biography calls her a small-business owner who operates a public relations firm in Langley, is going up against candidates including federal Conservative Tamara Jansen, who held the seat from 2019 to 2021 before losing a close race to Aldag. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 27, 2024. Chuck Chiang, The Canadian Press

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump said Wednesday that he has chosen Keith Kellogg, a highly decorated retired three-star general, to serve as his special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, who is one of the architects of a staunchly conservative policy book that lays out an “America First” national security agenda for the incoming administration, will come into the role as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine enters its third year in February. Trump, making the announcement on his Truth Social account, said, “He was with me right from the beginning! Together, we will secure PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH, and Make America, and the World, SAFE AGAIN!” Kellogg, an 80-year-old retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as national security adviser to Vice President Mike Pence , was chief of staff of the National Security Council and then stepped in as an acting security adviser for Trump after Michael Flynn resigned. As special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Kellogg will have to navigate an increasingly untenable war between the two nations. The Biden administration has begun urging Ukraine to quickly increase the size of its military by drafting more troops and revamping its mobilization laws to allow for the conscription of those as young as 18. The White House has pushed more than $56 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the start of Russia’s February 2022 invasion and expects to send billions more before Biden leaves office in less than two months. The U.S. has recently stepped up weapons shipments and has forgiven billions in loans provided to Kyiv. Trump has criticized the billions the Biden administration has spent in supporting Ukraine and has said he could end the war in 24 hours, comments that appear to suggest he would press Ukraine to surrender territory that Russia now occupies. As a co-chairman of the American First Policy Institute’s Center for American Security, Kellogg wrote several of the chapters in the group’s policy book. The book, like the Heritage Foundation’s “Project 2025,” is designed to lay out a Trump national security agenda and avoid the mistakes of 2016 when he entered the White House largely unprepared. Kellogg in April wrote that “bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties.” Trump's proposed national security adviser , U.S. Rep. Michael Waltz of Florida, tweeted Wednesday that “Keith has dedicated his life to defending our great country and is committed to bringing the war in Ukraine to a peaceful resolution.” Kellogg featured in multiple Trump investigations dating to his first term. He was among the administration officials who listened in on the July 2019 call between Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy in which Trump prodded his Ukrainian counterpart to pursue investigations into the Bidens. The call, which Kellogg would later say did not raise any concerns on his end, was at the center of the first of two House impeachment cases against Trump, who was acquitted by the Senate both times. On Jan. 6, 2021, hours before pro-Trump rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol, Kellogg, who was then Pence’s national security adviser, listened in on a heated call in which Trump told his vice president to object or delay the certification in Congress of President Joe Biden ’s victory. He later told House investigators that he recalled Trump saying to Pence words to the effect of: “You’re not tough enough to make the call.” Baldor reported from Washington. AP writer Eric Tucker in Washington contributed to this report.

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. , Nov. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Charles & Colvard, Ltd. ("Charles & Colvard" or the "Company") (Nasdaq: CTHR) today announced that on November 21, 2024 , it received a letter from the Listing Qualifications Department of the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC ("Nasdaq") notifying the Company that it was not in compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250(c)(1), which requires the timely filing of all required periodic reports (the "Listing Rule"), as a result of not having timely filed its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2024 (the "Form 10-Q"), and because the Company remains delinquent in filing its Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2024 (the "Form 10-K"), with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). The Form 10-Q was due on November 14, 2024. The Company filed a Notification of Late Filing on Form 12b-25 with the SEC on November 15, 2024. The Notice has no immediate effect on the listing or trading of the Company's common stock on Nasdaq. Under Nasdaq rules, the Company has until December 17, 2024 , to regain compliance with the Listing Rule or to submit to Nasdaq a plan to regain compliance with the Listing Rule (the "Plan"). If Nasdaq accepts the Company's Plan, then Nasdaq may grant the Company up to 180 calendar days from the Form 10-K filing due date, or until April 14, 2025 to file its Form 10-K and Form 10-Q and regain compliance. If Nasdaq does not accept the Company's Plan, then the Company will have the opportunity to appeal that decision to a Nasdaq Hearings Panel. The Company is working diligently to complete its Form 10-K and Form 10-Q and plans to file its Form 10-K and Form 10-Q as promptly as practicable to regain compliance with the Listing Rule. About Charles & Colvard, Ltd. Charles & Colvard, Ltd. (Nasdaq: CTHR) believes that fine jewelry should be as ethical as it is exquisite. Charles & Colvard is the original creator of lab grown moissanite (a rare gemstone formed from silicon carbide). The Company brings revolutionary gems and fine jewelry to market by using exclusively Made, not MinedTM above ground gemstones and a dedication to 100% recycled precious metals. The Company's Forever OneTM moissanite and Caydia ® lab grown diamond brands provide exceptional quality, incredible value and a conscious approach to bridal, high fashion, and everyday jewelry. Charles & Colvard was founded in 1995 and is based in North Carolina's Research Triangle Park region. For more information, please visit https://www.charlesandcolvard.com/ . Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains a number of forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Words such as "plan," "expect," "will," "working," and variations of such words and similar future or conditional expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the expected filing of its Form 10-K and ability to regain compliance under the Nasdaq listing rule. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and beyond our control. Actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors detailed in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the risks and uncertainties described in more detail in our filings with the SEC, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023 and subsequent reports filed with the SEC. For example, there can be no assurance that the Company will regain compliance with the Listing Rule during any compliance period or in the future, or otherwise meet Nasdaq compliance standards. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. The Company disclaims and does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement in this press release, except as required by applicable law or regulation and you are urged to review and consider disclosures that we make in the reports that we file with the SEC that discuss other factors relevant to our business. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/charles--colvard-ltd-receives-non-compliance-letter-from-nasdaq-302317543.html SOURCE Charles & Colvard, Ltd.

The police comments came as part of their annual update on the investigation, a month before the 28th anniversary of JonBenet’s killing.None