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The news of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu being issued an arrest warrant for Israeli crimes against Palestinian civilians has echoed like a thunderclap. For many, it represents a milestone in pursuing justice and officially acknowledging Palestinian sorrow. However, this development raises numerous concerns. Does this warrant a meaningful step toward ending impunity, or is it merely a symbolic gesture? Why does this question arise? Just imagine... It feels like a game where the referee consistently blows the whistle in favor of the same team. The rules are well known but seem to exist only for appearances. This is the impression international justice sometimes conveys. Today, Netanyahu is in the spotlight with an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC). But this raises another pressing question: will he truly be held accountable, or is this just another symbolic gesture? The ICC was founded with a noble mission: prosecuting war criminals without distinction. However, its track record often resembles a chronicle of unmet promises. The court's history is filled with arrest warrants issued against high-ranking leaders, frequently celebrated as symbolic victories for international justice. Yet, how many of these warrants have been successfully enforced? For instance, the case of former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who was subject to an ICC arrest warrant yet continued to travel freely, was welcomed by several states that, in theory, were obligated to detain him. It was not the ICC but a popular uprising in Sudan in 2019 that ultimately led to his deposition and arrest by his own people. Similarly, while warrants have been issued for African militia leaders and actors in conflicts in Eastern Europe, many of these individuals remain at large. The case of Jean-Pierre Bemba of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is equally revealing. After a decade of detention, he was ultimately acquitted, a reversal that left a bitter taste for those who had hoped for impartial justice. These precedents illustrate that while the issuance of an arrest warrant is significant, it does not guarantee that justice will be delivered. As part of Israel's alleged genocide against the Palestinians, Netanyahu now faces international justice on war crimes charges. For many, this mandate represents a glimmer of hope – a signal that international justice might also scrutinize the powerful allies of great nations. But let’s be realistic: how many Western leaders or strategic allies of the West have ever been brought before the ICC? This glaring disparity has led to frequent criticism of the institution for its apparent bias in selecting the cases it prosecutes. The figures speak for themselves: of the dozens of cases prosecuted by the ICC, the majority target African leaders, creating the impression of a selective geography in international justice. Meanwhile, leaders involved in equally violent conflicts often enjoy near-total impunity. The ICC seems to wear two faces: a strict enforcer for some and a passive observer for others. What explains these double standards? The answer is simple: politics. Despite its professed independence, the ICC is frequently swayed by geopolitical dynamics. Prosecuting an African or Middle Eastern leader without significant international backing is possible. But holding leaders shielded by powerful alliances accountable is an entirely different matter. Take, for example, the case of Russian President Vladimir Putin. A warrant has been issued for what has been labeled "his crimes in Ukraine," but who is actually going to arrest him? While Putin may not be on the best terms with Western leaders, one thing is clear: Russia remains a military superpower. Now, consider Israel, a strategic ally of the United States and several European powers. This relationship complicates the likelihood of this mandate being enforced. In fact, in response to the arrest warrant, White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre rejected the validity of the warrants, emphasizing that the ICC was not competent in this matter since Israel is a non-member state of the ICC. We can also point to Western military actions in the Middle East, particularly in Iraq and Afghanistan. Accusations of war crimes have been made against American and British authorities for abuses in these countries; however, no warrants have been issued to date. Why have the violations committed in Yemen, often with the implicit or explicit support of Western powers, not been subject to similar prosecutions? Why not? The answer is simple again: the powerful do not hold each other accountable. The least that can be said is that international justice appears to wear very selective blinders. These double standards strengthen the perception that international justice is only a political weapon used to serve geostrategic goals. For the Palestinians and several other individuals seeking justice worldwide, this arrest warrant signifies the long-overdue acknowledgment of their suffering. They are more aware than anybody else, nevertheless, that symbolic declarations are insufficient. They suffer the daily effects of occupation, forced relocation and brutality. There needs to be tangible action taken in response to the arrest warrant against Netanyahu. Pointing the finger of blame is insufficient if nothing is done to apprehend him, hold him accountable, and consider restitution. Beyond rhetoric, the international community must strive for the actual implementation of international law. A world where the rules apply to everyone, without exception, shall not be a utopia. Regrettably, Netanyahu's situation also draws attention to the systemic flaws in the international legal system. As a sitting head of state, he can invoke diplomatic immunity, an argument often used to protect leaders from prosecution. What's more, Israel, like other powers, has never signed up to the Rome Statute on which the ICC is founded, which further complicates prosecutions. This impasse reveals a wider problem: international justice lacks coercive means. International institutions cannot function effectively if they depend on the goodwill of states to implement their decisions. Several changes are needed for the ICC to become a genuine instrument of justice. Initially, it is necessary to fortify its autonomy. This entails safeguarding the court from economic and political pressure. Subsequently, it is imperative to establish an international cooperation mechanism in which member states pledge to execute warrants without exception. An equitable and consistent approach must also be adopted by the international community. Justice cannot function with a variable geometry. Every war crime and every human rights violation must be treated with the same rigor, regardless of the country concerned or the status of the leader involved. It is time for the international community to move from words to deeds. Justice devoid of complacency should transcend mere rhetoric and manifest as a tangible reality. The Netanyahu case presents a significant occasion for the ICC to demonstrate its capacity for decisive action rather than mere rhetoric. Ultimately, justice that selectively overlooks circumstances cannot be deemed true justice. It is merely a construct of perception. The world is watching. The ICC has an opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to its stated mission. However, to achieve this, it must demonstrate that no leader, regardless of their power, is exempt from the law. International justice must not persist as a stage where solely the vulnerable face scrutiny. It should evolve into a steadfast foundation, an emblem of equity and veracity. Otherwise, this warrant against Netanyahu will merely represent yet another installment in a protracted narrative of unfulfilled commitments.jolibet register 。

Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Barry McGuigan has opened up about a boxing injury that left him with a replacement plastic nose. During Friday (November 22) night's episode on I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here!, the fighting champion's campmates gathered around to share details of their relationships with the sport. Campmate Coleen Rooney was the first to chime in, revealing to Barry and McFly's Danny Jones that she grew up sparring with her brothers. She told them: "My dad had us, me and my two brothers sparring each other when we were younger. He used to get us in the living room, we’ve got it all on video. I was Big Betty, my brother’s called Jo and he was Little Josie, and we used to have a ring walk." The 63-year-old former boxer then revealed a life-changing injury left him with a plastic nose. He said: “When I had it broken it was flat, so they just took the bone out and replaced it with plastic.” Barry started fighting professionally in 1981 and had an impressive career, during which he held the British and European featherweight titles between 1983 and 1985. The Irish star was also inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2005. Taking the opportunity to learn from the professional, McFly's Danny Jones then asked Barry for the best way to train for body shots, which the boxer was happy to demonstrate. The duo threw punches back-and-forth, with Danny landing five hits on Danny. Later in the program, singer gushed to the Bush Telegraph: "Today my life was made because Barry McGuigan let me hit him in the stomach. I hit him really hard and it was solid, it was like hitting a brick wall." The oldest members of this year's line-up, Barry was confident that he would play a mediator role for the younger campmates. Before entering the jungle, he said: "I’m the consoler when the guys have a hard day in the gym and they haven’t sparred particularly well. "I’d like to think I’d be someone who would act as a ‘calmer downer’ if you like. Or I might get irritated. I really don’t know." I’m A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! returns tomorrow at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVXIt looked like a recipe for disaster. So, when his country's swimmers were being accused of doping earlier this year, one Chinese official cooked up something fast. He blamed it on contaminated noodles. In fact, he argued, it could have been a culinary conspiracy concocted by criminals, whose actions led to the cooking wine used to prepare the noodles being laced with a banned heart drug that found its way into an athlete's system. This theory was spelled out to international anti-doping officials during a meeting and, after weeks of wrangling, finally made it into the thousands of pages of data handed over to the lawyer who investigated the case involving 23 Chinese swimmers who had tested positive for that same drug. The attorney, appointed by the World Anti-Doping Agency, refused to consider that scenario as he sifted through the evidence. In spelling out his reasoning, lawyer Eric Cottier paid heed to the half-baked nature of the theory. "The Investigator considers this scenario, which he has described in the conditional tense, to be possible, no less, no more," Cottier wrote. Even without the contaminated-noodles theory, Cottier found problems with the way WADA and the Chinese handled the case but ultimately determined WADA had acted reasonably in not appealing China's conclusion that its athletes had been inadvertently contaminated. Critics of the way the China case was handled can't help but wonder if a wider exploration of the noodle theory, details of which were discovered by The Associated Press via notes and emails from after the meeting where it was delivered, might have lent a different flavor to Cottier's conclusions. "There are more story twists to the ways the Chinese explain the TMZ case than a James Bond movie," said Rob Koehler, the director general of the advocacy group Global Athlete. "And all of it is complete fiction." In April, reporting from the New York Times and the German broadcaster ARD revealed that the 23 Chinese swimmers had tested positive for the banned heart medication trimetazidine, also known as TMZ. China's anti-doping agency determined the athletes had been contaminated, and so, did not sanction them. WADA accepted that explanation, did not press the case further, and China was never made to deliver a public notice about the "no-fault findings," as is often seen in similar cases. The stock explanation for the contamination was that traces of TMZ were found in the kitchen of a hotel where the swimmers were staying. In his 58-page report, Cottier relayed some suspicions about the feasibility of that chain of events — noting that WADA's chief scientist "saw no other solution than to accept it, even if he continued to have doubts about the reality of contamination as described by the Chinese authorities." But without evidence to support pursuing the case, and with the chance of winning an appeal at almost nil, Cottier determined WADA's "decision not to appeal appears indisputably reasonable." A mystery remained: How did those traces of TMZ get into the kitchen? Shortly after the doping positives were revealed, the Institute of National Anti-Doping Organizations held a meeting on April 30 where it heard from the leader of China's agency, Li Zhiquan. Li's presentation was mostly filled with the same talking points that have been delivered throughout the saga — that the positive tests resulted from contamination from the kitchen. But he expanded on one way the kitchen might have become contaminated, harkening to another case in China involving a low-level TMZ positive. A pharmaceutical factory, he explained, had used industrial alcohol in the distillation process for producing TMZ. The industrial alcohol laced with the drug "then entered the market through illegal channels," he said. The alcohol "was re-used by the perpetrators to process and produce cooking wine, which is an important seasoning used locally to make beef noodles," Li said. "The contaminated beef noodles were consumed by that athlete, resulting in an extremely low concentration of TMZ in the positive sample. "The wrongdoers involved have been brought to justice." This new information raised eyebrows among the anti-doping leaders listening to Li's report. So much so that over the next month, several emails ensued to make sure the details about the noodles and wine made their way to WADA lawyers, who could then pass it onto Cottier. Eventually, Li did pass on the information to WADA general counsel Ross Wenzel and, just to be sure, one of the anti-doping leaders forwarded it, as well, according to the emails seen by the AP. All this came with Li's request that the noodles story be kept confidential. Turns out, it made it into Cottier's report, though he took the information with a grain of salt. "Indeed, giving it more attention would have required it to be documented, then scientifically verified and validated," he wrote. Neither Wenzel nor officials at the Chinese anti-doping agency returned messages from AP asking about the noodles conspiracy and the other athlete who Li suggested had been contaminated by them. Meanwhile, 11 of the swimmers who originally tested positive competed at the Paris Games earlier this year in a meet held under the cloud of the Chinese doping case. Though WADA considers the case closed, Koehler and others point to situations like this as one of many reasons that an investigation by someone other than Cottier, who was hired by WADA, is still needed. "It gives the appearance that people are just making things up as they go along on this, and hoping the story just goes away," Koehler said. "Which clearly it has not." Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Tweet Facebook Mail A suspect stabbed people in the Canadian city of Vancouver and was shot by police officers, police said. There were no immediate details on the status of the suspect or the stabbing victims. Vancouver police said in a post on X that the stabbing happened on Wednesday (Thursday AEDT) near the main library in the downtown area of the city in western Canada. READ MORE: CEO killed in 'brazen, targeted attack' outside New York Hilton Vancouver police officers at the crime scene in a 7-Eleven in the Canadian city. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP) (AP) Evidence markers, debris and blood at the crime scene. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP) (AP) A video seen by The Canadian Press shows police aiming their guns over the counter of a convenience store and firing at least 10 times. Police are heard on the video yelling "move over" as several officers aim their weapons inside the 7-Eleven store. Mainul Islam, a student and part-time delivery worker who captured the scene on video, says he was stopped by police from entering the store before witnessing the shooting of a man he described as "homeless." Other video footage posted online shows a person being taken to an ambulance on a stretcher as paramedics perform chest compressions. DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP : Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play .

"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum." Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" Thanks for your interest in Kalkine Media's content! To continue reading, please log in to your account or create your free account with us.Gavin Newsom and the Democrats' Delusional Recovery

Livewire CEO Donnez Karim sells $4,398 in stock

( MENAFN - EIN Presswire) Generative AI In Retail Global market Report 2024 - Market Size, Trends, And Global Forecast 2024-2033 The Business Research Company's Early Year-End Sale! Get up to 30% off detailed market research reports-for a limited time only! LONDON, GREATER LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, December 9, 2024 /EINPresswire / -- The Business Research Company's Early Year-End Sale! Get up to 30% off detailed market research reports-limited time only! The Generative AI In Retail industry is skyrocketing to noteworthy heights, with its projected market size expected to surge from $0.57 billion in 2023 to $0.79 billion in 2024, indicating a compound annual growth rate CAGR of 39.5%. The expansion during this historical period can be ascribed to the increased availability of big data, e-commerce growth, enhancements in computational power, the rise of mobile commerce, and a decrease in technology costs. What is the anticipated market size and growth rate of Generative AI In Retail? The generative AI in retail market is projected to grow at an accelerated pace over the coming years. The market size is slated to reach $3.01 billion by 2028, charting a compound annual growth rate CAGR of 39.7%. Significant dynamics shaping this forecasted growth include augmented customer personalization, advancements in inventory management, dynamic pricing strategies, optimized fraud detection, and streamlined customer support. Grab Your Exclusive Sample Report At: What are the key drivers for the explosive growth in the Generative AI In Retail market? The rise in e-commerce shopping is expected to be a significant propellant for the growth of the generative AI in retail market going forward. E-commerce shopping is increasingly preferred due to its convenience, diverse product range, and ease of access as compared to traditional retail. Generative AI augments e-commerce shopping by creating personalized product suggestions and enhancing customer interactions with dynamic, context-aware content. Reserve Your Exclusive Full Report At: Who are the industry leaders shaping the Generative AI In Retail market? Industry forerunners exerting their presence in the generative AI market include Google LLC, Microsoft Corporation, Hitachi Ltd., Tencent Holdings Limited, Amazon Web Services AWS, Intel Corporation, Accenture plc, International Business Machines IBM, Oracle Corporation, Fujitsu Limited, Nvidia Corporation, NEC Corporation, Capgemini SE, Baidu Inc., Infosys Limited, Adobe Inc., Wipro Limited, SAS Institute Inc., Tableau Software LLC, C3 inc., DataRobot Inc., ClarifAI inc., H2O inc. What are the emerging trends in the Generative AI In Retail market? The trend of developing advanced generative artificial intelligence-powered tools is picking up steam among major companies in the market. These tools, powered by AI algorithms, are capable of creating, optimizing, and automating tasks such as personalized product recommendations, inventory management, and marketing strategies, enhancing efficiency and promptly aiding decision-making in the retail industry. How is the generative AI in retail market segmented? The generative AI in retail market is segmented based on the following categories: 1 By Technology: Variational Autoencoders, Generative Adversarial Networks, Deep Reinforcement Learning, Recurrent Neural Networks, Transformer Networks, Other Technologies 2 By Deployment: Cloud, On-Premise 3 By Application: Product Design And Development, Visual Merchandising, Demand Forecasting, Personalized Marketing, Fraud Detection, Inventory Management, Supply Chain And Logistics, Other Applications 4 By Industry: Fashion And Apparel, Consumer Electronics, Home Decor, Beauty And Cosmetics, Grocery Shops, Online Platforms What are the regional insights into the generative AI in retail market? North America held the largest market share in the generative AI in retail market in 2023. The Asia-Pacific region, however, is expected to clock the fastest growth throughout the forecast period. Other regions analyzed in the generative AI in retail market report encompass Western Europe, Eastern Europe, South America, the Middle East, and Africa. Browse Through More Similar Reports By The Business Research Company: Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Sports Global Market Report 2024 Generative Artificial Intelligence In Development And Operations (DevOps) Global Market Report 2024 Generative AI Global Market Report 2024 About The Business Research Company Learn More About The Business Research Company. With over 15000+ reports from 27 industries covering 60+ geographies, The Business Research Company has built a reputation for offering comprehensive, data-rich research and insights. Armed with 1,500,000 datasets, the optimistic contribution of in-depth secondary research, and unique insights from industry leaders, you can get the information you need to stay ahead in the game. Contact us at: The Business Research Company: Americas +1 3156230293 Asia +44 2071930708 Europe +44 2071930708 Email us at ... Follow us on: LinkedIn: YouTube: Global Market Model: global-market-model Oliver Guirdham The Business Research Company +44 20 7193 0708 email us here Visit us on social media: Facebook X LinkedIn Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above. MENAFN08122024003118003196ID1108969464 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.NetApp earnings beat by $0.09, revenue topped estimates

Riley Harris of Orange has reeled in plenty of heavyweight bass over the years, but none compare to the bruiser that gobbled up his football jig on the morning of Nov. 22 at Sam Rayburn Reservoir. Harris, 26, was out checking a few waypoints on a chilly Friday when he spotted a few fish on his electronics. The bass were holding around a brush pile in about 22-25 feet of water. “I could tell it was an active pile, so I threw in there to check it out,” Harris said. “She ate it on the second cast. When I set the hook I knew it was a really big fish because I couldn’t move it for like 5-10 seconds, but I had no idea how big until I got it in the boat. It was a giant — way bigger than my previous best 10.80 pounder.” Harris weighed the bass on a Bubba digital scale. It registered a whopping 13.87 pounds. Eager to get a certified weight on the catch, he raced to the Tackle Addict tackle shop in nearby Brookeland. There, the bass weighed an official 13.79 pounds. The angler said he promptly returned the big bass to the exact spot where it was caught. It was released in good shape. Though Harris’ bass is well shy of the lake record mark of 16.80 pounds set in 1997, it’s the biggest fall bass reported since 2015 from the 59-year-old reservoir east of Lufkin. The angler said he plans to enter the big fish in the Texas Parks and Wildlife’s Toyota ShareLunker program as a Lew’s Legend Class entry. The Legend Class is reserved for bass weighing upwards of 13 pounds that are caught outside the Jan. 1- March 31 window for Legacy Lunkers. Legacy fish are 13-plus pounders that are loaned to TPWD for spawning and genetics research at the program headquarters in Athens. TPWD fisheries biologist Dan Ashe says he was somewhat surprised to hear the news about Harris’ November giant, mainly because it was caught at a time of year that typically doesn’t produce many Texas teeners. Most of the true heavyweights are caught during spring, once their ovaries are fully developed. “It’s a good sign for sure,” Ashe said. “It’s only November and we’re seeing near-14 pounders being caught. It makes you wonder what that fish might have weighed if she were caught later on, when she was a little more eggy. That fish could have easily weighed 1-and-a-half pounds more in January or February.” The big fish news on Sam Rayburn comes in the midst of what some anglers are calling one of the best fall fishing seasons in recent times. Harris has been visiting the lake at least once a week since late October. He’s been targeting offshore structure and brush piles most of the time. The angler says it is a big fish pattern that isn’t producing many bites, but the quality has been outstanding. “The fishing has been really good this fall,” he said. “I’ve probably caught 8-10 fish over eight pounds since October. I can catch better numbers fishing other ways, but I’m fishing specifically for big ones. I’m only getting a few bites a day running the patterns I’m running. The bigger fish aren’t hanging around with the smaller ones. It seems like they definitely want their space.” Fishing guide Tommy Martin says he and his clients have been enjoying some excellent fishing for numbers in skinny water, but quality fish have been hard to come by. Martin says he has averaged 50-60 bass per day up to four pounds on his last three trips. He has been targeting the coves and pockets in water ranging 2-5 feet of water. There isn’t much grass around to speak of, but there are hordes of bait fish. Martin’s go to bait has been a 1/2 ounce Strike King Red Eye Shad. He’s been throwing a gold color on cloudy days, silver under clear, sunny skies. “The fact there are so many fish and so much bait tells me that the lake is super healthy right now,” Martin said. “It’s fishing way better this fall than I’ve seen in a long time.” Plenty of the other Texas lakes are fishing pretty good this fall. Here are a few to put on the menu as water temperatures begin to take the tumble: Lake O’ The Pines Size: 18,700 acres The Fishing: Lake O’ the Pines is a lake you don’t hear a lot about, mainly because locals do their best to keep it under the radar of the masses. Jim Tutt of Longview has been chasing bass on the northeast Texas reservoir for decades and ranks it among his favorite lakes for fun fishing. “It’s full of them,” Tutt said. “You don't have a lot of the big weights in fall tournaments that you see during winter and spring, but the numbers can be really good.” Tutt summarized the best plan of attack for late fall largemouths with one word — Rat-L-Trap. Crawfish (red/orange) and shad (chrome or bone) patterns always work best. “A lot of guys think it’s too early to throw one, but I know better,” Tutt said. “They eat it here.” Tutt says the ‘Trap always works best around hydrilla beds. Some of the best stuff north of the Highway 155 bridge. He recommends working a 1/2-ounce bait just fast enough to keep it ticking the tops of scattered grass beneath the surface. Best water depth is 3-5 feet.” Bois ‘D Arc Size: 16,600 acres The Fishing: Located in Fannin County, Bois D’ Arc is Texas’ newest fishing hole and the first major reservoir to open statewide since 1991. The lake opened to recreational traffic in April 2024. It has already produced an official lake record of 9.05 pounds for fishing guide Jason Conn and numerous other fish in the eight-pound class, including an 8.15 pound Toyota Sharelunker, also caught by Conn. Growth rates on stocked bass have obviously been outstanding and certain to continue for a while. Bennett said he believes the lake could challenge the state record mark as early as 2029. This is the first fall for anglers to fish the lake. Conn says it has been a good one. He pointed to flooded bushes and old pond dams east the FM 897 bridge as good bets for numbers and quality. All of the brood ponds (3-7 acres) that were stocked prior to the lake filling are located in that area of the lake. Water depths of 15 feet or less will be best. The fish aren’t everywhere, though. They can be really spot oriented. Conn says Live Scope is a big player on Bois d’ Arc. “At times it can be like crappie fishing. Just scan around with ‘Scope until you find a tree or bush that’s got fish in it. If they are near the top of the tree, that's when they eat really well.” O.H. Ivie Size: 19,000-acres The Fishing: The remote West Texas reservoir east of San Angelo caught fire with big bass following the big freeze in February 2021. It’s been smokin’ ever since. ‘Ivie has been the leading producer of Toyota Legacy Class ShareLunkers for the last three years. It also finished among the Top 2 in Bassmaster’s annual Top 100 Lakes in America three times. The lake was No. 1 in 2023. Conn is a traveling guide who sets up camp at ‘Ivie each fall and winter. He and his clients have caught their share of big ones there, including a 17.03 pounder Conn reeled in during February 2023. Conn says ‘Ivie always produces some heavyweights during fall, many on big crank baits and swim baits. The majority are caught by anglers savvy with forward-facing sonar. He pointed out that the fish won’t be suspended in the water column like they will be later on during the pre-spawn. “A lot of times they’ll be right on bottom with their bellies buried in the mud,” he said. “That can make them a lot harder to see on ‘Scope.” Something anglers need to watch this year is water level. The lake was only 26.3 full (less than 7,500 acres) and falling in mid-August, but has risen more than nine feet to 41% of capacity since September. Fisheries biologist Lynn Wright says he has talked to numerous anglers lately who are finding the best action in shallow water around newly flooded salt cedars using frogs and other topwaters baits. “From what I’ve heard the guys who are fishing deep looking for big ones have been struggling,” he said. “The catch rates for the trophy hunters have really plummeted the last couple of months.” Matt Williams is a freelance writer based in Nacogdoches, mattwillwrite4u@yahoo.com .

With a federal two-month GST holiday set to start later this week, some Calgary businesses say a lack of communication has them worried they are about to face a logistical nightmare. Pending Senate approval, the GST break will start on Dec. 14 and will run through Feb. 15, 2025. Under the exemption, essentially all foods in Canada will be tax-free. The tax break also applies to children's clothing and footwear, car seats and diapers. Liberals, NDP pass bill to enact 2-month GST holiday in House of Commons Upcoming GST break creates headaches for small businesses during holiday season Luz Arellano is the co-owner of Lil Soles Footwear in Market Mall. She says the tax holiday is great for shoppers who are looking to save a bit of money, but it's difficult for a business like hers, which has already paid for the items they stock, and paid GST on those items. "These shoes have been ordered almost one year ahead, so that way we are prepared for the season. We pay the GST in advance," she told CBC News. "So, when we are asked to take that GST off the final purchase, we are losing five per cent of the cost of the shoe." She says it still remains to be seen how she will recover that money, but assumes it will happen when she submits her final GST reports to the federal government. Deborah Yedlin, the president and CEO of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, says the GST holiday is going to be complicated for retailers. (Jo Horwood/CBC) Deborah Yedlin, the president and CEO of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, agrees with Arellano that the GST holiday will be a nice break for consumers, but she says for retailers it's going to get complicated. "It's going to disrupt their inventory systems, it's going to disrupt their accounting systems, they have to make sure that their IT systems can accept this holiday, so ... the logistics are going to be a challenge," Yedlin told CBC News. "I think that's the one piece that wasn't necessarily considered as deeply as it should have been." Arellano expects the process of going through sales receipts and separating out the items that were exempted during the tax holiday is going to be extremely time-consuming and complicated. "It's not like the customers just come in and buy one thing," she said. She says it's also going to be difficult making sure her employees know which items will now be exempt from the tax and which won't. Since the tax holiday only applies to children's shoes, that means GST will still have to be charged on shoes above a certain size. And while it's fairly simple to remove the GST from selected items at the till in her store, removing the tax from items she sells online adds another layer of complexity to the situation. "I think it's going to take us a little bit of time to figure it out," she said. Hossein Piri, an assistant professor at the University of Calgary’s Haskayne School of Business, says in order for the tax holiday to work, customers need to know that it exists. (Jo Horwood/CBC) Hossein Piri, an assistant professor at the University of Calgary's Haskayne School of Business, says that, because of the complexity involved in applying the tax holiday to online sales, one of the effects of the GST break could be to drive more shoppers into physical stores, especially if they are shopping for larger items. "It definitely induces more demand for physical, brick-and-mortar settings than online settings," he told CBC News. The caveat to all of that though, Piri said, is that customers need to know that the tax holiday exists. "Even though I work in this area, I was informed randomly, through the radio in my car. But not all people might be informed about that. So they don't know and they don't take advantage of it," he said. Arellano agrees about the lack of communication. "Honestly, I don't think it has been well communicated because I didn't really know about it until I went online and checked the news," she said. Businesses seek support Yedlin says, because of the additional work that will be required, businesses are asking for support from the federal government to help them adjust their systems so they can implement this holiday. "They don't have a lot of extra time right now. They're already dealing with the postal strike and what the impact of that is, and now this is kind of one more thing on top of that," said Yedlin. Piri says federal policy designers need to think about more than just helping consumers. They need to spend time as well thinking about how the information will be distributed, both to retailers and to shoppers, and how affected businesses will handle the extra work. "Because the amount is low and because of all the variability that it may cause ... like some confusion on the customer side as well as on the retailer side, it may not necessarily be worth it," he said. Another thing concerning Arellano as she prepares to head into the GST exemption period, is how her customers will react. She thinks they will be confused as well, particularly if they are buying one pair of shoes that is included in the tax holiday, along with another pair that isn't. "It's going to cause a little bit of conflict, too," she said. "It's not going to be easy, at all."PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George has a bone bruise on his left knee and will miss two games, the team said Thursday. The 76ers said George did not suffer any structural damage when he injured the same knee that he hyperextended during the preseason in Wednesday night's loss at Memphis. The game marked the first time this season the All-Star trio of George, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey started a game together. George will miss home games Friday against Brooklyn and Sunday against the Los Angeles Clippers, his former team. A nine-time All-Star, the 34-year-old George will be evaluated again on Monday. Wednesday's 117-111 loss to the Grizzlies dropped the Sixers to 2-12, the worst record in the NBA headed into Thursday night's games. George signed a four-year, $212 million contract with Philadelphia after five seasons with the Clippers. He has averaged 14.9 points in eight games this season. Embiid has been out with injuries, load management rest and a suspension, while Maxey was sidelined with a hamstring injury. An expected contender in the Eastern Conference, the Sixers haven't won since an overtime victory against Charlotte on Nov. 10. ___ AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba The Associated Press

Hasbro Inc. stock rises Wednesday, outperforms marketLate United Healthcare chief executive officer Brian Thompson. The Associated Press Brian Thompson led one of the biggest health insurers in the U.S. but was unknown to millions of people his decisions affected. Then Wednesday’s targeted fatal shooting of the UnitedHealthcare CEO on a midtown Manhattan sidewalk thrust the executive and his business into the national spotlight. Thompson, who was 50, had worked at the giant UnitedHealth Group Inc for 20 years and run the insurance arm since 2021 after running its Medicare and retirement business. As CEO, Thompson led a firm that provides health coverage to more than 49 million Americans – more than the population of Spain. United is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans, the privately run versions of the U.S. government’s Medicare program for people age 65 and older. The company also sells individual insurance and administers health-insurance coverage for thousands of employers and state-and federally funded Medicaid programs. The business run by Thompson brought in $281 billion in revenue last year, making it the largest subsidiary of the Minnetonka, Minnesota-based UnitedHealth Group. His $10.2 million annual pay package, including salary, bonus and stock options awards, made him one of the company’s highest-paid executives. The University of Iowa graduate began his career as a certified public accountant at PwC and had little name recognition beyond the health care industry. Even to investors who own its stock, the parent company’s face belonged to CEO Andrew Witty, a knighted British triathlete who has testified before Congress. When Thompson did occasionally draw attention, it was because of his role in shaping the way Americans get health care. At an investor meeting last year, he outlined his company’s shift to “value-based care,” paying doctors and other caregivers to keep patients healthy rather than focusing on treating them once sick. “Health care should be easier for people,” Thompson said at the time. “We are cognizant of the challenges. But navigating a future through value-based care unlocks a situation where the family doesn’t have to make the decisions on their own.” Thompson also drew attention in 2021 when the insurer, like its competitors, was widely criticized for a plan to start denying payment for what it deemed non-critical visits to hospital emergency rooms. “Patients are not medical experts and should not be expected to self-diagnose during what they believe is a medical emergency,” the chief executive of the American Hospital Association wrote in an open letter addressed to Thompson. “Threatening patients with a financial penalty for making the wrong decision could have a chilling effect on seeking emergency care.” United Healthcare responded by delaying rollout of the change. Thompson, who lived in a Minneapolis suburb and was the married father of two sons in high school, was set to speak at an investor meeting in a midtown New York hotel. He was on his own and about to enter the building when he was shot in the back by a masked assailant who fled on foot before pedalling an e-bike into Central Park a few blocks away, the New York Police Department said. Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said investigators were looking at Thompson’s social media accounts and interviewing employees and family members. “Didn’t seem like he had any issues at all,” Kenny said. “He did not have a security detail.”