lucky 6 numbers today

lucky 6 numbers today Minister lauds SRSP, PATRIP's efforts to boost education in ChitralBrandon Crawford, a two-time World Series champion with the San Francisco Giants , announced his retirement from baseball on social media Wednesday. A three-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove winner, Crawford left his mark on the Bay Area during 13 seasons. In June 2021, he became the franchise’s all-time leader in appearances at shortstop with 1,326, breaking a record held by Hall of Famer Travis Jackson. He also had the third-most hits by a shortstop in franchise history , with 1,392. Advertisement The 37-year-old spent 2024 with the St. Louis Cardinals , but before that had spent his entire career with his hometown team, which drafted him in the fourth round in 2008. He became a fixture in the Giants lineup in 2011, and helped them reach the playoffs in 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2021. “Growing up in the Bay Area and going to games at Candlestick, I always dreamed of playing for the San Francisco Giants,” Crawford wrote in a post on Instagram . “Being drafted by my hometown team and spending most of my career with them far surpassed any dream I had as a kid. I definitely pretended to win a World Series in my backyard – but winning two? That was beyond my wildest dreams. I always dreamed of being the shortstop for the Giants, but never could I have imagined breaking the team record for the most games played at the position. “As a kid sitting in the stands at Pac Bell/SBC/ATST/Oracle Park, I would picture myself playing a game there, but I never imagined I’d end up playing the MOST games there. From a grand slam in my debut, silencing the crowd in Pittsburgh, to two unforgettable parades down Market Street, and more memories than I can fit in a single post, the 13 years in the Bay Area were nothing short of extraordinary.” During his time in San Francisco, he batted .250 with 146 home runs and 744 RBIs. He had arguably his best season towards the end of his Giants stint, when he hit .298 with career highs in home runs (24) and RBIs (90) in 2021. “Watching Brandon play was an absolute privilege for not only me but for Giants’ fans everywhere,” Giants President & CEO Larry Baer said in a news release. “He was an All-Star, Gold Glove and Silver Slugger winner, a two-time World Series champion, and a Lou Gehrig and Willie Mac Award winner, that always carried himself with class, honor and respect. Advertisement “The Giants have been incredibly blessed to have had Brandon as part of the franchise for 16 years — really for his entire 37 years, first as a young fan, who will ever forget that indelible photo of him leaning on the railing at Candlestick Park when there was a possibility that his Giants might leave San Francisco — and as this chapter closes on his career, his legacy in the game will be celebrated by fans, teammates, and future generations of players who look up to him by the example he set.” The Giants announced plans to honor Crawford, who totaled more than 6,300 plate appearances and was worth 30.9 fWAR, at Oracle Park on April 26. “It was an honor to get to know Brandon as a friend and as a teammate,” Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey said in a news release. “From the first day we were both drafted in 2008 to our final year playing together in 2021, it was an honor to play alongside him for 14 years. Whether it was the clutch moments like the grand slam he hit in the 2014 Wild Card Game in Pittsburgh, the franchise-record, seven-hit game he recorded in Miami, or the dazzling defensive plays and acrobatic throws he made over and over again, Brandon made his mark in a way few athletes ever do.” (Photo: D. Ross Cameron / Imagn Images)

Is the World Series champions’ plucking of another starting pitcher bad for baseball? Or should other organizations just try harder?

In a surprising turn of events, the has issued warnings to Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands over excessive public spending, marking a role reversal for the EU’s staunchest proponents of fiscal discipline. As Brussels enforces its revamped austerity framework post-pandemic, these traditionally frugal nations find themselves in the spotlight, alongside countries like Belgium and Bulgaria. Meanwhile, France, Italy, and Greece—once infamous for their budgetary excesses—received Brussels’ approval for their spending plans, showcasing a shift in the bloc’s economic dynamics. Austerity Rules Return: Why It Matters After years of suspension due to COVID-19 and the energy crisis, the EU’s fiscal rules have made a comeback with stricter enforcement. Member states must not only cap deficits below 3% of GDP but also present credible long-term plans for financial stability. Most Read on Euro Weekly News Key Highlights from Brussels’ Latest Review: Germany, despite its leading role in shaping the revised rules, failed to align its expenditure with EU limits and missed deadlines for submitting a medium-term fiscal plan. Austria faces criticism for projecting deficits exceeding 3% in coming years, potentially triggering excessive deficit procedures (EDP). The Netherlands, under its new coalition led by Geert Wilders’ far-right Freedom Party, became the only country to outright fail its medium-term fiscal evaluation. : From Leader to Laggard Germany’s predicament is particularly striking. Finance Minister Christian Lindner had championed the introduction of “automatic rules” and strict compliance metrics during the reform negotiations. Yet, the country now faces censure for overspending and an economic downturn exacerbated by political instability. With national elections looming in February and Lindner’s recent departure from Olaf Scholz’s coalition government, Germany’s fiscal missteps could heavily influence the campaign. “We are dealing with a split government and an innovation crisis,” remarked Stefan Berger, a centre-right MEP, blaming internal discord for Germany’s economic troubles. Austria and the : Political disruptions and rising deficits Austria, still mired in coalition talks, has drawn scrutiny for its continued deficit breaches. Brussels’ Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis warned that additional monitoring might be necessary, underscoring the challenges Vienna faces in regaining fiscal discipline. The Netherlands, often regarded as a paragon of financial prudence, has adopted a defiant stance under its new leadership. Dutch authorities waived their right to submit a revised plan and accepted Commission projections that predict rising deficits. France’s Balancing Act: Approval amid political tensions In a stark contrast to its northern counterparts, France earned a green light from Brussels for its fiscal plans, despite intense domestic turmoil. The government, led by Michel Barnier, faces a precarious minority position in parliament, with far-right leader Marine Le Pen threatening a no-confidence vote over disputes on tax policies and pensions. Claire Fita, a socialist MEP, argued against austerity measures, stating, “The focus should be on skills, jobs, and growth. Austerity is a step in the wrong direction.” Implications for the EU’s Future The divergence between northern and southern EU members in complying with fiscal rules reveals shifting economic realities and political priorities within the bloc. As the Commission tightens its grip on financial discipline, the coming months will test the resilience of Europe’s economic governance framework. For Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands, addressing Brussels’ warnings is not just a matter of compliance—it’s a question of political and economic survival.

Ohio secures 84-68 win against Robert MorrisThe 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.

President-elect Donald Trump has chosen health economist Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, a critic of pandemic lockdowns and vaccine mandates, to lead the National Institutes of Health, the nation’s leading medical research agency. Trump, in a statement Tuesday evening, said Bhattacharya, a 56-year-old physician and professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, will work in cooperation with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., his pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, “to direct the Nation’s Medical Research, and to make important discoveries that will improve Health, and save lives.” “Together, Jay and RFK Jr. will restore the NIH to a Gold Standard of Medical Research as they examine the underlying causes of, and solutions to, America’s biggest Health challenges, including our Crisis of Chronic Illness and Disease,” he wrote. The decision to choose Bhattacharya for the post is yet another reminder of the ongoing impact of the covid pandemic on the politics on public health. Bhattacharya was one of three authors of the Great Barrington Declaration, an October 2020 open letter maintaining that lockdowns were causing irreparable harm. The document — which came before the availability of covid-19 vaccines and during the first Trump administration — promoted “herd immunity,” the idea that people at low risk should live normally while building up immunity to covid-19 through infection. Protection should focus instead on people at higher risk, the document said. “I think the lockdowns were the single biggest public health mistake,” Bhattacharya said in March 2021 during a panel discussion convened by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. The Great Barrington Declaration was embraced by some in the first Trump administration, even as it was widely denounced by disease experts. Then- NIH director Dr. Francis Collins called it dangerous and “not mainstream science.” His nomination would need to be approved by the Senate. Trump on Tuesday also announced that Jim O’Neill, a former HHS official and Silicon Valley investor, will serve as deputy secretary of the sprawling agency. Trump said O’Neill “will oversee all operations and improve Management, Transparency, and Accountability to, Make America Healthy Again,” the president-elect announced. O’Neill is a longtime associate of billionaire entrepreneur Peter Thiel, one of Trump’s leading backers from the tech industry. Thiel and O’Neill co-founded Mithril Capital Management, a venture fund that invests in medical technology and other startup companies. O’Neill previously served in HHS under George W. Bush and was considered to head the Food and Drug Administration during Trump’s first term. He has expressed disdain for federal regulation, including FDA’s approach to regulating emerging drugs and other technologies. O’Neill also worked on some of Thiel’s signature projects, often reflecting his libertarian philosophy. He served on the board of a Thiel-funded nonprofit that aimed to develop man-made islands that would float outside U.S. territory, allowing them to experiment with new forms of government. He also helped form and run the Thiel Fellowship, which awards $100,000 to young entrepreneurs who want to leave school to pursue a business or scientific venture. O’Neill is the only one of Trump’s health picks so far who brings previous experience working inside the HHS bureaucracy. Trump’s previous choices to lead public health agencies — including Kennedy, Dr. Mehmet Oz for Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services administrator and Dr. Marty Makary for FDA commissioner — have all been Washington outsiders who are vowing to shake up the agencies. Bhattacharya, who faced restrictions on social media platforms because of his views, was also a plaintiff in Murthy v. Missouri, a Supreme Court case contending that federal officials improperly suppressed conservative views on social media as part of their efforts to combat misinformation. The Supreme Court sided with the Biden administration in that case. After Elon Musk acquired Twitter in 2022, he invited Bhattacharya to the company’s headquarters to learn more about how his views had been restricted on the platform, which Musk renamed X. More recently, Bhattacharya has posted on X about scientists leaving the site and joining the alternative site Bluesky, mocking Bluesky as “their own little echo chamber.” Bhattacharya has argued that vaccine mandates that barred unvaccinated people from activities and workplaces undermined Americans’ trust in the public health system. He is a former research fellow at the Hoover Institution and an economist at the RAND Corporation. The National Institutes of Health falls under HHS, which Trump has nominated Kennedy to oversee. The NIH’s $48 billion budget funds medical research on vaccines, cancer and other diseases through competitive grants to researchers at institutions across the nation. The agency also conducts its own research with thousands of scientists working at NIH labs in Bethesda, Maryland. Among advances that were supported by NIH money are a medication for opioid addiction, a vaccine to prevent cervical cancer, many new cancer drugs and the speedy development of mRNA covid-19 vaccines.Innovate corp.'s interim CEO Paul Voigt acquires $99,500 in stockSri Lanka ride high on Lahiru Kumara’s fiery arsenal

The Ducks climbed to No. 2 after beating Texas A&M and San Diego State, but Gonzaga held down the top spot. Subscribe to continue reading this article. Already subscribed? To login in, click here.LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Jimmy Carter was honored with a moment of silence before the Atlanta Falcons’ game at the Washington Commanders on Sunday night, hours after the 39th president of the United States died at the age of 100 in Plains, Georgia. Beyond being a Georgia native who led the country from the White House less than 8 miles (12 kilometers) away during his time in office from 1977-81, Carter was the first president to host the NFL's Super Bowl champions there when he welcomed the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1980. Falcons owner Arthur Blank in a statement released by the team before kickoff said he was deeply saddened by the loss of his dear friend and mentor, calling Carter “a great American, a proud Georgian and an inspirational global humanitarian.” “He lived his life with great civic responsibility and took it upon himself to be the change he wished to see amongst other,” Blank said, recalling meeting Carter at The Home Depot. “President Carter’s kind and uniting spirit touched so many lives. He was a man of deep faith, and did everything with principal and grace, doing things the right way for the right reasons." AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflLANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Jimmy Carter was honored with a moment of silence before the Atlanta Falcons’ game at the Washington Commanders on Sunday night, hours after the 39th president of the United States died at the age of 100 in Plains, Georgia. Beyond being a Georgia native who led the country from the White House less than 8 miles (12 kilometers) away during his time in office from 1977-81, Carter was the first president to host the NFL's Super Bowl champions there when he welcomed the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1980. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get updates and player profiles ahead of Friday's high school games, plus a recap Saturday with stories, photos, video Frequency: Seasonal Twice a week

The NFL's security division is warning players to be aware of professional burglars targeting the homes of pro athletes. The Athletic reported Thursday that the NFL sent a memo to teams that outlines the threat. "The homes of professional athletes across multiple sports leagues have become increasingly targeted for burglaries by organized and skilled groups," read the memo, which was obtained by The Athletic. "Law enforcement officials have noted these groups appear to exploit team schedules to target athletes' homes on game days." NBC News reported Wednesday that law enforcement is working to figure out whether an international crime syndicate is involved. The Athletic reported that the memo includes tips for home security and also gives recommendations about the use of social media, such as not posting photos of items that would attract thieves. Players also learned via the memo how homes are targeted and how burglars enter. Mahomes hasn't said much about the burglary, other than to call it "disappointing" and "frustrating." "I can't get into too many of the details because the investigation is still ongoing," he said. "But obviously something that you don't want to happen to really anybody, but obviously yourself." It's not clear what was stolen from Mahomes' home in Belton, Mo., during the Oct. 6 incident. But Kelce apparently lost $20,000 in cash in the burglary at his home in Leawood, Kan., the following day when the Chiefs played the New Orleans Saints on "Monday Night Football," according to a police report. The burglary at the home of Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis in River Hills, Wis., occurred Nov. 2 during the Bucks' home game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, He said the perpetrators "took most of my prized possessions" and is offering a reward for the return of his property. "Any info that leads to the return of any of my belongings will be rewarded handsomely," Portis said. "Let me know, thank you." --Field Level MediaSoccer-Atletico thrash Valladolid 5-0 to provisionally move to second in LaLiga

Mike Hardman trying to help Utica Comets build on recent winsNew Hampshire courts hear two cases on transgender girls playing girls sportsTEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu underwent successful surgery Sunday to have his prostate removed, hospital officials said, a procedure that came as he manages multiple crises including the war in Gaza and his trial for alleged corruption. FILE - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference in Jerusalem, Dec. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo, Pool, File) Netanyahu, who has had a series of health issues in recent years, has gone to great lengths to bolster a public image of himself as a healthy, energetic leader. During his trial this month, he boasted about working 18-hour days, accompanied by a cigar. But as Israel's longest-serving leader, such a grueling workload over a total of 17 years in power could take a toll on his well-being. Netanyahu, 75, is among older world leaders including U.S. President Joe Biden, 82, President-elect Donald Trump, 78, Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, 79, and Pope Francis, 88, who have come under scrutiny for their age and health issues. Netanyahu's latest condition is common in older men, but the procedure has had some fallout. The judges overseeing his trial accepted a request from his lawyer on Sunday to call off three days of testimony scheduled this week. The lawyer, Amit Hadad, had argued that Netanyahu would be fully sedated for the procedure and hospitalized for “a number of days.” Dr. Ofer Gofrit, head of the urology department at Jerusalem's Hadassah Medical Center, said in a video statement late Sunday that the procedure had gone well and “there was no fear” of cancer or malignancy. “We only hope for the best,” he said. In a statement, Netanyahu thanked his doctors. His office said he was "fully alert" and was taken to an underground recovery unit fortified against potential missile attacks. Netanyahu was expected to remain in the hospital for several days of observation. Justice Minister Yariv Levin, a close ally, served as acting prime minister during the operation. With so much at stake, Netanyahu’s health in wartime is a concern for both Israelis and the wider world. A turbulent time in the region As Israel’s leader, Netanyahu is at the center of major global events that are shifting the Middle East. With the dizzying pace of the past 14 months, being incapacitated for even a few hours can be risky. Netanyahu will be in the hospital at a time when international mediators are pushing Israel and Hamas to reach a ceasefire in Gaza and as fighting between Israel and Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels intensifies. Prostate issues are common and in many cases easily treatable. Still, the procedure puts a dent in Netanyahu’s image of vigor at a time when he would want to project strength more than ever, both to an Israeli audience navigating constant threats as well as to Israel’s enemies looking to expose its weaknesses. Previous health issues, including a heart condition Netanyahu insists he is in excellent health. His office releases footage of him touring war zones in full protective gear flanked by military officers, or meeting with defense officials on windswept hilltops in youthful dark shades and puffer jackets. But that image was shattered last year when Netanyahu’s doctors revealed that he had a heart condition, a problem that he had apparently long known about but concealed from the public. A week after a fainting spell, Netanyahu was fitted with a pacemaker to control his heartbeat. Only then did staff at the Sheba Medical Center reveal that Netanyahu has for years experienced a condition that can cause irregular heartbeats. The revelation came as Netanyahu was dealing with massive anti-government protests. The news about a chronic heart problem stoked further anger and distrust during extreme political polarization in Israel. Last year, Netanyahu was rushed to the hospital for what doctors said likely was dehydration. He stayed overnight, prompting his weekly Cabinet meeting to be delayed. Earlier this year, Netanyahu underwent hernia surgery, during which he was under full anesthesia and unconscious. Levin served as acting prime minister during the operation. Recovery can be quick According to Netanyahu’s office, the Israeli leader was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection on Wednesday stemming from a benign enlargement of his prostate. The infection was treated successfully with antibiotics, but doctors said the surgery was needed in any case. Complications from prostate enlargement are common in men in their 70s and 80s, Dr. Shay Golan, head of the oncology urology service at Israel’s Rabin Medical Center, told Israeli Army Radio. Golan spoke in general terms and was not involved in Netanyahu’s care or treatment. He said an enlarged prostate can block proper emptying of the bladder, leading to a build-up of urine that can lead to an infection or other complications. After medicinal treatment, doctors can recommend a procedure to remove the prostate to prevent future blockages, Golan said. In Netanyahu’s case, because the prostate is not cancerous, Golan said doctors were likely performing an endoscopic surgery, carried out by inserting small instruments into a body cavity, rather than making surgical cuts in the abdomen to reach the prostate. The procedure lasts about an hour, Golan said, and recovery is quick. He said that aside from catheter use for one to three days after the procedure, patients can return to normal activity without significant limitations.

Dell reports sales that miss estimates on setback for PC marketNo. 25 Illinois rebounds in big way, blasts UMES 87-40Pakistani 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. Interior minister Mohsin Naqvi told reporters that the Red Zone, which houses government buildings and embassies, and the surrounding areas have been cleared. Leaders from Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, or PTI, have also fled the protest site. 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. Protester Fareeda Bibi, who is not related to Khan’s wife, said people have suffered greatly for the last two years. “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. Mr Naqvi said Khan’s party had rejected a government offer to rally on the outskirts of the city. 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.

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.

Greenland is not for sale, its leader says in response to TrumpLegendary Nebra Sky Disc Creation Method Has Been DiscoveredAndalucía Trade organizes a “trade mission” to the ‘European Hydrogen Week’ in Belgium with six Andalusian companies

This week will see four initial public offerings (IPOs) along with six other companies being listed on the bourses. The year 2024 has been a very strong one for IPOs in general, with a total of 335 companies having launched their public issues, which includes 93 mainboard ones, raising nearly ₹ 1.72 lakh crore, the highest ever in a year, according to a Moneycontrol report . Also Read: 2025 personal finance updates: Key changes in UPI, visa, EPFO, credit card, FD, and others List of upcoming IPOs for the week 1) Indo Farm Equipment This is the only mainboard IPO coming this week. It will open on December 31 and close on January 2, with plans to raise ₹ 260 crore through a fresh issue of ₹ 185 crore and an offer-for-sale (OFS) of around ₹ 75 crore worth of shares, at a price band of ₹ 204-215 per share. 2) Technichem Organics This is the first among the three small and medium enterprise (SME) IPOs coming up this week. It is a ₹ 25.25-crore issue which will open on December 31 with a price band of ₹ 52-55 per share. 3) Leo Dry Fruits and Spices Trading This is a ₹ 25.1 crore issue which will open on January 1 and close on January 3 at The price band of ₹ 51-52 per share. Also Read: Elon Musk says his $1 billion offer to Wikipedia ‘still stands' 4) Fabtech Technologies Cleanrooms This company which makes pre-engineered and pre-fabricated modular panels will have its IPO open for bidding on January 3, closing it on January 7. The price band for the 32.64 lakh shares IPO is however, yet to be announced. IPOs closing this week Anya Polytech & Fertilizers will close its ₹ 45 crore IPO on December 30, which has so far, been subscribed 26.22 times, while Citichem India's ₹ 12.6 crore IPO will be closing on December 31, so far being booked 25.89 times. Also Read: Who is Satoshi Nakamoto, the creator of Bitcoin? New listings this week A total of six companies are scheduled to list this week including three Ventive Hospitality, Senores Pharmaceuticals, and Carraro India from the mainboard segment on December 30, and Unimech Aerospace and Manufacturing on December 31. Meanwhile, Anya Polytech & Fertilizers will be debuting on the NSE Emerge on January 2, and Citichem India on the BSE SME on January 3.