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fortune ox bg NoneMontana transgender lawmaker on Capitol Hill's bathroom ban: 'Do not cede ground'Prominent candidates who won and lost in Jharkhand electionsNorthern elders reject tax reform bill, warn of socio-economic crisis

Harris dismisses ‘project fear’ approach to Sinn FeinKinzinger has ‘absolutely no worries’ Trump will try to put him in jail

Michael Buttstedt - Chief Financial Officer and Board Member of Allianz Partners Tomas Kunzmann , CEO of Allianz Partners, commented : "We are thrilled to welcome Michael as our new Chief Financial Officer and Board Member. His deep risk and financial acumen coupled with his rich management experience and very good understanding of Allianz Group, make him the right choice to steer our financial strategy, manage risks and investments as we continue to transform and retain our #1 market position." Michael replaces Damien Ladous, who has taken on the role of Head of Group Performance Steering, the strategic and financial steering unit of Allianz Group and part of H2 division at Allianz SE, reporting directly to the CFO of Allianz Group, Claire-Marie Coste-Lepoutre . About Allianz Partners Allianz Partners is a world leader in B2B2C insurance and assistance, offering global solutions that span international health and life, travel insurance, mobility and assistance. Customer driven, our innovative experts are redefining insurance services by delivering future-ready, high-tech high-touch products and solutions that go beyond traditional insurance. Our products are embedded seamlessly into our partners' businesses, sold through intermediary channels or directly to customers through the Allianz brand. Present in over 75 countries, our 21,900 employees speak 70 languages, handle over 72.5 million cases each year, and are motivated to go the extra mile to offer peace of mind to our customers around the world. For more information, please visit: www.allianz-partners.com Social media Follow us on X @AllianzPartners Follow us on LinkedIn Allianz Partners Follow us on Youtube /allianzpartners Follow us on Instagram @allianzpartners

The Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF) on Saturday reaffirmed its rejection of the Tax Reform Bill, describing it as a policy “conceived in bad faith” and warning that it threatens national cohesion. The group criticised the manner of its implementation, alleging that key stakeholders, including members of the National Economic Council, were sidelined during the process. The Convener of NEF, Professor Ango Abdullahi, in a communiqué after the Forum Board of Trustees’ second bi-annual meeting in Abuja, warned against dubious policies that could further marginalize the North’s resource potential. The Forum lauded the Northern States Governors’ Forum and the Northern Nigeria Council of Traditional Rulers for opposing the bill, dubbing their stance “patriotic,” while urging Northern politicians in the National Assembly to speak out against it. He said: “The meeting seriously maintained that, in its present form, the Tax Reform Bill is conceived in bad faith, poorly packaged, and is a palpable threat to our unity and national cohesion. “The meeting proceeded by drawing attention to the brazen, cavalier way and suspicious manner in which the Tax Reform Bill was imposed on the nation, without allowing the inputs of critical stakeholders, even as it kept members of the National Economic Council in the dark, thus confirming the sinister intentions of those promoting this outrageous bill. “The Board-in-session condemned in very strong terms the conspicuous loss of voice on this burning issue by the overwhelming number of elected politicians in the National Assembly from the region and fiercely warned that, indeed, the days are fast gone when such conspiratorial connivance against the vital and strategic interest of the region, either by those within or outside the region, would be condoned or even tolerated. “In consideration of the deteriorating situation in the education sector in the country in general and the North in particular, the Board-in-session was alarmed by the high percentage—now about 60%—of students in Northern Nigeria who involuntarily were not able to return to their institutions of higher learning, universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and legal studies, due to high costs of tuition fees and unaffordable daily transportation to and from schools. “The meeting went on to discuss the explosive crisis of out-of-school children now estimated to be 20 million in the whole country, of which over 80% comes from the North. Against this troubling reality, the Board-in-session expressed serious doubt about the viability and efficacy of the much-touted Federal Students Loan Scheme as a panacea to this malignant malady. “The Board-in-session unanimously frowned at the surreptitious move being masterminded by the Ministry of Mines and Solid Minerals to sponsor dubious mining policies in collusion with certain political actors, with the sole aim of stifling the investment opportunities of the huge mineral resource potentials linked to the vast Northern region. “The meeting spiritedly decried the prevalence of the condescending attitude being exhibited by some powerful political actors in the region, who more often than not behave arrogantly and disdainfully like rulers rather than leaders fully committed to the plight of their people. “The Board-in-session urgently called on the people of the North to stay resolute and remain vigilant in defense of their inalienable rights, particularly their voting rights, and to desist from allowing themselves to be deceived yet again through subterfuge, use of ill-gotten wealth, and religious manipulation by some unscrupulous elements whose past records did not portray them to be persons of integrity, character, and probity.” The NEF urged Northerners to remain vigilant in defending their rights, particularly during elections and warned against falling victim to manipulation by unscrupulous leaders with questionable records. The group stressed the importance of safeguarding the unity and resisting attempts to divide the region.2025 Porsche Macan review

NoneEagles seek 7th straight win while Rams try to keep pace in crowded NFC West raceBusiness is booming as demand for remote identity verification leads to an array of integrations, partnerships and alliances across industries. Idemia continues to grow its portfolio with a new high-assurance integration. Stripe, authID, Sekura ID and IDVerse are also posting new moves. says its digital identity offerings will be integrated with CertiPath’s TrustVisitor product to improve identity verification and prevent identity fraud in high-assurance environments, and to enable verification of mobile driver’s licenses (mDL). A release from the French identity giant specifies that provides high-assurance identity, credential, and access management services for highly regulated environments, and that TrustVisitor is a “web-based visitor management solution designed for federal agencies utilizing high-assurance credentials for physical access, ensuring they are compliant.” High assurance environments include federal buildings and premises, critical infrastructures, military bases and other sensitive facilities. For thorough security, Idemia’s Identity & Verification (ID&V) tech incorporates document authentication with digital tampering detection, document identification, font anomaly detection, liveness detection and face capture. It is certified by the as compliant with NIST SP 800-63 rev. 3 Component Service at Identity Assurance Level 2 (IAL2). “With the digital revolution leading to a significant rise in , it is great to see companies like CertiPath investing in next-generation technology that verifies the physical and digital IDs of individuals wanting to access government buildings and highly regulated environments,” says Donnie Scott, CEO of Public Security North America. “Visitor management is a crucial component of a comprehensive security posture, and we are thrilled to be supporting CertiPath’s critical mission to ensure the highest levels for validation for identities.” A key point of the partnership is that it lets Certipath leverage the mobile identity proofing and credential verification capabilities of Idemia’s Mobile ID (miD) Verify SDK in TrustVisitor, enabling the latter to verify (mDLs). Verify SDK is certified to the Part 5: Mobile driving license (mDL) application standard. “Existing ID Document capture methods represent too much friction and undermine an otherwise easy process,” says CertiPath CEO Jeff Nigriny. “Integrating with both Idemia’s service and their mDL verification capability allows us to upgrade our visitor identity confidence before they arrive without sacrificing visitor user experience.” The “authentication, consumer experience and signal harnessing” organization Berify is the newest customer and original equipment manufacturing (OEM) partner for New York biometric identity verification provider . A release says will “secure its global user base with authID’s Proof and Verified solutions for onboarding and authenticating, and will OEM authID’s as a part of its platform to solve multiple enterprise use cases in the Asia Pacific market.” Berify, which combines blockchain, security and marketing for brand engagement through a digital identity that can be bound to a device and used with vendors, says authID stood out among other potential partners because of the strength of its identity assurance and its seamless and authentication processes. According to Berify CTO Thomas Chen, “authID’s perfectly complements our vision to provide a verifiable, reusable identity that functions across any number of platforms, and their ability to recognize duplicate identities is a critical feature in our commitment to prevent identity fraud.” Rhon Daguro, CEO of authID, says “this win demonstrates our ability to outperform several industry competitors, and the signing of this latest multi-year agreement is not only a testament to the strength of our offering but represents substantial progress in our efforts to increase bookings throughout the coming year.” Other authID news includes an integration of the Proof and Verify products with AI customer service software , with the aim of increasing account security, expediting authentication and reducing call center fraud. Customer contact centers, says a release, are “a prime target for (ATO) fraud, which resulted in nearly $13 billion in losses in 2023.” By implementing authID’s selfie-based identity verification and authentication tools, Zendesk hopes to crack down on ATO fraud while maintaining “a human connection” – and staying within the bounds of data protection laws like the GDPR, CCPA and . Tim Marsden, senior director of technology alliances at Zendesk, says that “with this enhancement to customer workflows, live agents are better equipped to deterministically verify and authenticate that the user is who they claim to be. Together, we’re making it possible in the age of deepfakes and to stop fraud at the contact center while providing a great customer experience.” Noting that “over 100,000 brands with hundreds of millions of customers rely on Zendesk,” authID’s Daguro says his firm’s digital ID verification integration will enable the platform to maintain the delicate balance between managing fraud risk and reducing customer friction. Making sure the person staying in your house is who they say they are is among the more plainly obvious use cases for mobile identity verification. Ireland’s is providing IDV for Australian home exchange platform People Like Us, which a release says aims to offer “greater peace of mind to members as they exchange homes with like-minded travelers across the globe.” “Our mission has always been to create the most trusted home exchange community in the world,” says Drew Seitam, CEO of . “By implementing identity verification, we’re giving our members the extra layer of security they’ve been asking for, without compromising the friendliness and openness that define our community.” A blog post by ’s head of global marketing, Matt Cooper, says the English mobile verification and security firm has secured a strategic partnership with Mumbai-based , which provides enterprise comms and marketing automation through SMS, voice, email and WhatsApp Business API. The integration will bring Sekura.id’s robust, low-code SAFr Auth technology to Dove Soft’s growing market to deliver “superior and identity verification solutions to businesses across diverse industries.” These might include BFSI, retail, healthcare, and e-commerce – all among the clientele of Dove Soft, which is presently looking to expand its footprint across sectors in Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa. SAFr Auth protects against and fraud, with built-in detection of man-in-the-middle attacks. EVP of Strategic Partnerships at Sekura.id, Vijay Nair, says “together, Sekura.id and Dove Soft are setting new benchmarks for mobile identity and authentication, ensuring businesses can operate with confidence in today’s fast-evolving digital landscape.” , London-based providers of generative AI identity verification, has partnered with KYC/KYB/AML software provider NorthRow to make compliant onboarding more efficient and secure. A release says the partnership will allow and IDVerse to deliver a “seamless, user-friendly platform that covers almost any identity document worldwide across 140+ languages and typesets for both individual and business verification.” According to Libby Robinson, head of partnerships at IDVerse, the collaboration demonstrates its commitment to deliver “cutting-edge identity infrastructure that helps partners safeguard online experiences, particularly in ID and .” “What sets our approach apart is the modular flexibility that allows platforms to tailor their verification processes. By integrating advanced computer vision and neural network technologies, we ensure each verification step for NorthRow’s customers are both precise and adaptable.” | | | | | | | | |

No. 2 Ohio State takes control in the 2nd half and runs over No. 5 Indiana 38-15 COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Will Howard passed for two touchdowns and rushed for another, TreVeyon Henderson ran for a score and No. 2 Ohio State beat previously undefeated No. 5 Indiana 38-15. All Ohio State has to do now is beat Michigan at home next Saturday and it will earn a return to the Big Ten championship game for the first time since 2020 and get a rematch with No. 1 Oregon. The Ducks beat Ohio State 32-31 in a wild one back on Oct. 12. Man City routed 4-0 by Tottenham in fifth-straight defeat as crisis deepens for Pep Guardiola What started as an evening of celebration for Manchester City ended with the four-time defending Premier League champion falling to a fifth-straight loss in all competitions and facing a deepening crisis in a season that is threatening to unravel. A 4-0 defeat to Tottenham left City five points behind league leader Liverpool, having played a game more. Two goals from James Maddison inside 20 minutes at the Etihad Stadium stunned the home crowd. Pedro Porro scored a third for Tottenham after halftime. Brennan Johnson added a fourth in the third minute of stoppage time. City manager Pep Guardiola signed a two-year contract extension this week. Chelsea, Arsenal and Brighton all won and closed the gap on Liverpool to six points. Florida knocks No. 9 Ole Miss out of College Football Playoff contention, 24-17 in the Swamp GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — DJ Lagway threw two touchdown passes, Montrell Johnson ran for 127 yards and a score, and Florida upset No. 9 Mississippi 24-17 on Saturday to knock the Rebels out of College Football Playoff contention. The Gators beat ranked teams in consecutive weeks for the first time since 2008 and became bowl eligible. The late-season spurt provided another vote of confidence for coach Billy Napier, who is expected back for a fourth season. Ole Miss lost for the first time in four games and surely will drop out of the 12-team playoff picture. Jennings has 3 TDs as No. 13 SMU routs Virginia 33-7 to clinch a spot in the ACC title game CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Kevin Jennings threw for a career-high 323 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another, and No. 13 SMU clinched a spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game by routing Virginia 33-7. Isaiah Smith and Jared Harrison-Hunte each had two sacks to help the Mustangs extend their winning streak to eight. They would earn an automatic bid into the expanded College Football Playoff by beating 11th-ranked Miami or 17th-ranked Clemson in the ACC title game on Dec. 7 in Charlotte, North Carolina. UVa must beat rival Virginia Tech next week to become bowl eligible. No. 11 Miami pulls away late to beat Wake Forest 42-14 and move one win from the ACC title game MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Cam Ward passed for 280 yards and threw two touchdowns to Jacolby George on another record-breaking day, Mishael Powell ran an interception back 76 yards for a touchdown and No. 11 Miami pulled away late to beat Wake Forest 42-14. The 10-1 Hurricanes can clinch a berth in the ACC title game with a win at Syracuse next weekend. Ward completed 27 of 38 passes, plus ran for a score. Demond Claiborne had a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown for 4-7 Wake Forest. No. 24 Illinois stuns Rutgers on Bryant's 40-yard TD reception with 4 seconds left PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) — Luke Altmyer found Pat Bryant for a catch-and-run, 40-yard touchdown pass with 4 seconds left, sending No. 24 Illinois to a wild 38-31 victory over Rutgers. Illinois was down 31-30 when it sent long kicker Ethan Moczulski out for a desperation 58-yard field goal with 14 seconds to go. Rutgers coach Greg Schiano then called for a timeout right before Moczulski’s attempt was wide left and about 15 yards short. After the missed field goal was waved off by the timeout, Illinois coach Bret Bielema sent his offense back on the field. Altmyer hit Bryant on an in cut on the left side at the 22, and he continued across the field and scored untouched. Andy Murray will coach Novak Djokovic through the Australian Open Recently retired Andy Murray will team up with Novak Djokovic, working with him as a coach through the Australian Open in January. Murray’s representatives put out statements from both players on Saturday. Djokovic is a 24-time Grand Slam champion who has spent more weeks at No. 1 than any other player in tennis history. Murray won three major trophies and two Olympic singles gold medals who finished 2016 atop the ATP rankings. He retired as a player after the Paris Summer Games in August. Jannik Sinner and Matteo Berrettini lift Italy past Australia and back to the Davis Cup final MALAGA, Spain (AP) — Top-ranked Jannik Sinner and Matteo Berrettini won their singles matches to lift defending champion Italy past Australia 2-0 and back into the Davis Cup final. Sinner extended his tour-level winning streak to 24 sets in a row by beating No. 9 Alex de Minaur 6-3, 6-4 on Saturday on an indoor hard court in Malaga, Spain. That came after Berrettini came back to defeat Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-7 (6), 6-3, 7-5. Italy will meet first-time finalist Netherlands on Sunday for the title. The Dutch followed up their victory over Rafael Nadal and Spain in the quarterfinals by eliminating Germany on Friday. Argentina's Racing wins its first Copa Sudamericana championship by beating Brazil's Cruzeiro 3-1 ASUNCION, Paraguay (AP) — Gaston Martirena and Adrian Martinez scored first-half goals as Argentina’s Racing won its first Copa Sudamericana championship by beating Brazil’s Cruzeiro 3-1 in the final on Saturday. Martirena opened the scoring in the 15th minute and Martinez added a goal five minutes later to help give “La Academia” its first international title since 1988 when it won the Supercopa Sudamericana. Roger Martinez sealed the victory with a goal in the 90th. “Maravilla” Martinez scored 10 goals in 13 matches and finished as the top scorer in the competition. Kaio Jorge scored in the 52nd for Cruzeiro. Formula 1 expected to expand grid to 11 teams as early as next week for Cadillac to enter in 2026 LAS VEGAS (AP) — Formula 1 is expected to approve grid expansion for an 11th team originally started by Michael Andretti as early as next week. The team will be called Cadillac F1 and powered by Ferrari engines when it enters the sport in 2026. General Motors is expected to complete its own Cadillac power unit ahead of the 2028 season. Multiple industry insiders spoke to The Associated Press about the grid expansion on condition of anonymity because an announcement ahead of Saturday night’s Las Vegas Grand Prix could potentially steal the spotlight from the showcase event on the F1 calendar.

Novak Djokovic says his rivalry with Andy Murray has “one final chapter” after his long-time adversary joined him as his coach for the upcoming Australian Open. Murray – Britain’s greatest ever player – retired after this summer’s Olympics at the age of 37 after finally admitting defeat in his battle against his body. Many in the game expected the Scot would one day return to tennis and become a coach, particularly due to his love of the sport, hard work and his tactical acumen. He never liked retirement anyway. 🙌 pic.twitter.com/Ga4UlV2kQW — Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) November 23, 2024 But it came with some degree of shock on Saturday afternoon when a social media post from Djokovic, playing on Murray’s light-hearted tweet upon his departure, read: “He never liked retirement anyway”. The attached video announced Murray, who he lost to in two Slam finals but beat in four Australian showpieces, would coach him over the winter and through January’s Open in Melbourne. “We played each other since we were boys, 25 years of pushing each other to our limits. We had some of the most epic battles in in our sport. They called us gamechangers, risk-takers, history-makers,” Djokovic said. “I thought our story may be over. Turns out it has one final chapter. It’s time for one of my toughest opponents to step into my corner. Welcome aboard, coach Andy Murray.” Murray, who beat Djokovic to win the US Open in 2012 and Wimbledon in 2013, says he wants to help the 24-time grand slam champion achieve his goals. “I’m going to be joining Novak’s team in the off-season, helping him to prepare for the Australian Open, he said. “I’m really excited for it and looking forward to spending time on the same side of the net as Novak for a change, helping him to achieve his goals.” Djokovic, a week younger than his new coach, added: “I am excited to have one of my greatest rivals on the same side of the net, as my coach. “Looking forward to the start of the season and competing in Australia alongside Andy with whom I have shared many exceptional moments on the Australian soil.” Djokovic beat Murray in the 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2016 Australian Open finals as well as the French Open final in 2016. It was after he unseated Djokovic at the top of the rankings in 2016 that Murray suffered the hip injury which ultimately derailed his career. Since his retirement, Murray has been playing golf with the same dedication he pursued his tennis but will now return to his natural habitat. Djokovic, who split with coach Goran Ivanisevic earlier this year, hopes that adding Murray to his team will help him get back to the top of the game after he went through a calendar year without winning a grand slam for the first time since 2017. Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have developed a stranglehold at the top of the men’s game and Djokovic, who has seen Murray, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal all retire in recent years, is still hoping to move clear of the record 24 grand slams he shares with Margaret Court.

Ousted Syrian leader Assad flees to Moscow after fall of Damascus, Russian state media say DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Russia media say ousted Syrian leader Bashar Assad has fled to Moscow and received asylum from his longtime ally. The reports came hours after a stunning rebel advance swept into Damascus to cheers and ended the Assad family’s 50 years of iron rule. Thousands of Syrians poured into streets echoing with celebratory gunfire, joyful after a stifling, nearly 14-year civil war. But the swiftly moving events raised questions about the future of the country and the wider region. The rebels face the daunting task of healing bitter divisions in a country still split among armed factions. One rebel commander said “we will not deal with people the way the Assad family did." Analysis: Collapse of Syria's Assad is a blow to Iran's 'Axis of Resistance' MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) — For Iran’s theocratic government, it keeps getting worse. Its decadeslong strategy of building an “Axis of Resistance” supporting militant groups and proxies around the region is falling apart. Hamas has been batttered by Israel's campaign in Gaza. In Lebanon, Israeli bombardment has crippled Iran’s most powerful ally, Hezbollah, even as Israel has launched successful airstrikes openly inside of Iran for the first time. And now Iran’s longtime stalwart ally and client in Syria, President Bashar Assad, is gone. Who is Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the leader of the insurgency that toppled Syria's Assad? BEIRUT (AP) — Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the militant leader who led the stunning insurgency that toppled Syria’s President Bashar Assad, has spent years working to remake his public image and that of his fighters. He renounced longtime ties to al-Qaida and depicts himself as a champion of pluralism and tolerance. The extent of that transformation from jihadi extremist to would-be state builder is now put to the test. The 42-year-old al-Golani is labeled a terrorist by the United States. He has not appeared publicly since Damascus fell early Sunday. But he and his insurgent force, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, stand to be a major player in whatever comes next. Trump says he can't guarantee tariffs won't raise US prices and won't rule out revenge prosecutions WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump says he can’t guarantee his promised tariffs on key U.S. foreign trade partners won’t raise prices for American consumers. And he's suggesting once more that some political rivals and federal officials who pursued legal cases against him should be imprisoned. The president-elect made the comments in a wide-ranging interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” that aired Sunday. He also touched on monetary policy, immigration, abortion and health care, and U.S. involvement in Ukraine, Israel and elsewhere. Trump often mixed declarative statements with caveats, at one point cautioning “things do change.” The hunt for UnitedHealthcare CEO's elusive killer yields new evidence, but few answers NEW YORK (AP) — Police don’t know who he is, where he is, or why he did it. As the frustrating search for UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s killer got underway for a fifth day Sunday, investigators reckoned with a tantalizing contradiction: They have troves of evidence, but the shooter remains an enigma. One conclusion they are confident of, however: It was a targeted attack, not a random one. On Sunday morning, police declined to comment on the contents of a backpack found in Central Park that they believe was carried by the killer. Thompson was shot and killed Wednesday outside of a hotel in Manhattan. Trump calls for immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and says a US withdrawal from NATO is possible WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump is pushing Russian leader Vladimir Putin to act to reach an immediate ceasefire with Ukraine. Trump describes it as part of his active efforts as president-elect to end the war despite being weeks from taking office. Trump also said he would be open to reducing military aid to Ukraine and pulling the United States out of NATO. Those are two threats that have alarmed Ukraine, NATO allies and many in the U.S. national security community. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says any deal would have to pave the way to a lasting peace. The Kremlin's spokesman says Moscow is open to talks with Ukraine. Gaza health officials say latest Israeli airstrikes kill at least 14 including children DEIR AL BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Palestinian health officials say Israeli airstrikes in central Gaza have killed at least 14 people including children, while the bombing of a hospital in northern Gaza has wounded a half-dozen patients. Israel’s military continues its latest offensive against Hamas militants in northern Gaza, whose remaining Palestinians have been almost completely cut off from the rest of the territory amid a growing humanitarian crisis. One airstrike flattened a residential building in the urban Bureij refugee camp Sunday afternoon. That's according to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the nearby city of Deir al-Balah, where the casualties were taken. South Korea's democracy held after a 6-hour power play. What does it say for democracies elsewhere? SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A short-lived martial law decree by South Korea's leader last week raised worries about budding authoritarianism around the world. In the end, though, democracy prevailed. President Yoon Suk Yeol announced that he was declaring martial law and giving his government sweeping powers to crack down on protesters, ban political parties and control the media. Members of the military blocked lawmakers from using the legislature's constitutional power to cancel the power grab. But the National Assembly within hours unanimously voted to do so. Trump's return may be a boon for Netanyahu, but challenges abound in a changed Middle East TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is jubilant about President-elect Donald Trump's return to the White House. Trump's first term policies skewed heavily in favor of Israel, and he has picked stalwart Israel supporters for key positions in his administration. But much has transpired since Trump left office in early 2021. The turmoil in the Middle East, the lofty ambitions of Netanyahu’s far-right governing coalition and Netanyahu’s own personal relationship with the president-elect could dampen that enthusiasm and complicate what on the surface looks like a seamless alliance. College Football Playoff's first 12-team bracket is set with Oregon No. 1 and SMU in, Alabama out SMU captured the last open spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff, bumping Alabama to land in a bracket that placed undefeated Oregon at No. 1. The selection committee preferred the Mustangs, losers of a heartbreaker in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game, who had a far less difficult schedule than Alabama of the SEC but one fewer loss. The inaugural 12-team bracket marks a new era for college football, though the Alabama-SMU debate made clear there is no perfect formula. The tournament starts Dec. 20-21 with four first-round games. It concludes Jan. 20 with the national title game in Atlanta.

Kemi Badenoch: Tories could strip migrants of access to benefits

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BOONE, N.C. (AP) — South Carolina offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains has been hired as head coach at Appalachian State and will receive a five-year contract, athletic director Doug Gillin announced Saturday. The 44-year-old Loggains replaces Shawn Clark, for their first losing season since 2013. Loggains was South Carolina’s offensive coordinator for two seasons and an assistant at Arkansas, his alma mater, for two seasons before that. He spent 16 years in the NFL as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for Tennessee, Cleveland, Chicago, Miami and the New York Jets. “He brings experience as a leader and play-caller at the highest levels of professional and college football,” Gillin said. “He is a great recruiter and believes strongly in building relationships. He is aligned with our core values of academic integrity, competitive excellence, social responsibility and world-class experience. This is a great day for App State.” Loggains’ offense at South Carolina featured LaNorris Sellers, one of the nation’s top dual-threat quarterbacks, and running back Raheim “Rocket” Sanders. Sellers and Sanders led the Southeastern Conference’s third-ranked rushing offense. Loggains spent the 2021 and 2022 seasons as Arkansas’ tight ends coach, and he worked with Sam Darnold, Jay Cutler, Mitchell Trubisky, Brian Hoyer and Vince Young during his time in the NFL. The Mountaineers, the preseason favorites in the Sun Belt Conference’s East Division, tied for fifth with a 3-5 record in league play. App State was 40-24 under Clark, but the Mountaineers have failed to reach a bowl game two of the past three seasons. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up . AP college football: and

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Virginia Beach School Board member Jennifer Franklin's election loss was an unjust response to her principled service, former Del. Karen Greenhalgh writes in a guest column. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Click to share on X (Opens in new window) Most Popular Cause of underground fire at Williamsburg Premium Outlets still unknown — and may stay that way, fire chief says Cause of underground fire at Williamsburg Premium Outlets still unknown — and may stay that way, fire chief says Hampton’s superintendent just got a massive raise. Here’s how it compares. Hampton’s superintendent just got a massive raise. Here’s how it compares. John Hinckley Jr. nixes plans to open Williamsburg music store John Hinckley Jr. nixes plans to open Williamsburg music store Poquoson’s Carter Jones, Lafayette’s Baum Hogge are sophomore stars in state semis Poquoson’s Carter Jones, Lafayette’s Baum Hogge are sophomore stars in state semis Amber Alert canceled for 3 children last seen at Augusta County bus stop Amber Alert canceled for 3 children last seen at Augusta County bus stop Naval Academy can continue using race in admissions, federal judge rules Naval Academy can continue using race in admissions, federal judge rules Williamsburg-area Democrats announce candidacy for House seats Williamsburg-area Democrats announce candidacy for House seats Digging resumes in the search for a woman in a Pennsylvania sinkhole Digging resumes in the search for a woman in a Pennsylvania sinkhole Federal appeals court upholds law requiring sale or ban of TikTok in the U.S. Federal appeals court upholds law requiring sale or ban of TikTok in the U.S. An appeals court ruled there were issues with a man’s sentencing. Then the Norfolk judge increased it. An appeals court ruled there were issues with a man’s sentencing. Then the Norfolk judge increased it. Trending Nationally Killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO spotlights complex challenge companies face in protecting top brass MAGA influencer Nick Fuentes charged with battery of woman he maced: report ‘America’s Got Talent’ comedian Kabir ‘Kabeezy’ Singh dead at 39 Police may search a vehicle based on the smell of raw cannabis, Illinois Supreme Court rules ‘Oppenheimer’ actor Emma Dumont comes out as transmasculine, changes name

WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats reelected Chuck Schumer as party leader on Tuesday as the party moves into a deeply uncertain time, with no real consensus on a strategy as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office. From left, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of N.Y., Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., gather after Senate Democratic leadership elections for the next session of Congress on Tuesday in Washington. Schumer faced no opposition in the party leadership elections, in which Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin was also reelected to the No. 2 spot and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar became the new No. 3. In a statement, Schumer, of New York, said he was honored to move the party forward “during this crucial period for our country.” “Our preference is to secure bipartisan solutions wherever possible and look for ways to collaborate with our Republican colleagues to help working families,” Schumer said. “However, our Republican colleagues should make no mistake about it, we will always stand up for our values.” While Schumer remains popular with his colleagues, it is a bleak moment for Senate Democrats, who were hopeful they could hold the majority for the third election in a row. Instead they lost four seats and will be in the minority, 53-47, as Trump takes office. Trump dialed in Tuesday with Senate Republicans as they began laying the groundwork for control of government. The brief call was more celebratory than a prescriptive policy agenda, according to those attending the private GOP retreat, urging senators to confirm his Cabinet nominees as they launch an agenda of tax cuts, deportations and other priorities. "It was a love fest," said Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo. “There was a real sense of unity in the room.” Republicans want to notch an early accomplishment after Trump’s inauguration Jan. 20. Incoming Senate Republican leader John Thune of South Dakota outlined a potential roadmap during the private retreat at the Library of Congress, detailing a potential strategy that would have senators working on an initial legislative package — energy, border security and defense priorities — that could be approved in the first 30 days of the new administration. Next, he explained that the senators would turn to reviving the expiring tax cuts from Trump's first term. The new Congress convenes Jan. 3, and the Senate expects to quickly begin holding confirmation hearings for Trump’s top Cabinet nominees. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., also addressed the GOP senators — noting his slim majority in the House. He “emphasized the need for unity heading into the first 100 days agenda,” his spokesman Taylor Haulsee said. Unlike eight years ago, when opposition to Trump’s narrow election win fueled enthusiasm in their party, Democratic lawmakers and many of their voters are exhausted and looking for answers. So far, Democrats stayed relatively quiet on Trump’s nominees and plans for office. Schumer declined to comment on specifics of any nominees, instead allowing Republican reaction to dominate the conversation. On Monday, Schumer wrote a public letter to Thune, asking him to resist Trump’s pressure to allow him to appoint some of his nominees without a Senate vote and to insist on full FBI background checks for all nominees. But he has said little else about Trump’s upcoming presidency. While some have been more aggressive — Washington Sen. Patty Murray, a former chairwoman of the Senate Health, Labor, Education and Pensions Committee, said that Trump’s nomination of Robert Kennedy Jr. to lead the Health and Human Services Department is “dangerous” and “nothing short of disaster” — several Democratic senators say they are saving their strength and figuring out a focus. “Everybody’s in kind of a wait-and-see mode right now,” said Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, part of Schumer’s leadership team. “Under the previous Trump administration, there was chaos all the time, all the time. And I do think it is important to pick your battles.” It’s still unclear which battles they will pick, and Democrats have differing opinions on how to fight them. Hawaii Sen. Brian Schatz, who is also in Democratic leadership, says “anyone who has a grand strategy is full of crap” but thinks Democrats, for now, “need to keep things simple.” “We need to talk about people, protect people, advocate for people,” he said. “Do not talk about protecting institutions. Do not talk about advocating for institutions. It’s a not just a rhetorical shift, but an attitudinal shift. We have to remind ourselves, that we’re not fighting for programs and projects and line items and agencies or norms. We’re fighting for people.” Virginia Sen. Mark Warner said he’s spent a lot of time reflecting, and “I don’t think anyone can claim this was a policy election,” and Democrats need to look at cultural issues. Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman says Democrats just need to “pace ourselves” and avoid the “massive freakout” of Trump's last term. Democrats should be preparing, says Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal. He says Schumer is picking his battles “very thoughtfully and strategically.” “We’re thinking about how we protect against using the FBI, or the prosecutorial authority of the Justice Department for retribution against critics,” Blumenthal said. “How we elevate these issues in a way that American people understand them.” Democrats know better now “the extraordinary challenges we’re going to face,” Blumenthal said. Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the U.S. compete in the ice dance rhythm dance program at the Grand Prix of Figure Skating series competition in Tokyo, Japan, Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae) A discarded plastic bag floats in the waters of Botafogo beach in Rio de Janeiro, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado) China's President Xi Jinping, left center, and Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, walk into the Alvorada palace after attending a welcoming ceremony in Brasilia, Brazil, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres) Slovakia's Rebecca Sramkova competes against Great Britain's Katie Boulter during a Billie Jean King Cup semi-final match at Martin Carpena Sports Hall in Malaga, southern Spain, on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., closes a door to a private meeting with Vice President-elect JD Vance and Republican Senate Judiciary Committee members, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) A surfer rides on an artificial wave in the river 'Eisbach' at the 'Englischer Garten' (English Garden) downtown in Munich, Germany, Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) A woman carries a gift basket as she arrives at a park to attend a friend's birthday party, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Kampala, Uganda. (AP Photo/David Goldman) Tania hugs her brother-in-law Baruc after rescuing some of their belongings from their flooded house after the floods in Paiporta, Valencia, Spain, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti) Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris looks at a monitor backstage, just before taking the stage for her final campaign rally, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) President-elect Donald Trump listens during an America First Policy Institute gala at his Mar-a-Lago estate, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) President Joe Biden meets with President-elect Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) A resident returns to his burned village, Monday Nov. 25, 2024, one day after a fire broke out leaving about 2,000 families homeless at a slum area in Manila, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila) Isaac Young rests his cheek on the family horse Rusty's forehead during farm chores before homeschooling, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024, in Sunbury, Ohio. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Students from anti-discrimination movements attack an Awami League supporter in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu) A young girl holds a "Black Voters for Harris-Walz" sign outside of Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris' election night watch party at Howard University, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams) A man looks from a damaged building a day after it was hit by a rocket fired from Lebanon, in Ramat Gan, central Israel, Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty) Visitors walk through the 'Cathedral' on the Christmas light trail as it returns for its12th year with a showcase of new installations set within the UNESCO World Heritage Site landscape of Kew Gardens in London, England, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Venezuelan migrant Alvaro Calderini carries his niece across a river near Bajo Chiquito, Panama, after walking across the Darien Gap from Colombia on their way north to the United States, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix) An aerial view shows a packed parking lot at Citadel Outlets in Commerce, Calif., Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024, as early Black Friday shoppers arrive at the mall. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) Israeli soldiers holding their weapons bathe with residents in a hot water pool coming from a drilling project which exposed a subterranean hydrothermal spring near Mount Bental in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights, on the first day of the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg) Voters stand in line outside a polling place at Madison Church, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Phoenix, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York) Molten lava flows on the road to the Blue Lagoon, Grindavik, after the volcanic eruption that started Wednesday, on the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland, Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco di Marco) Firefighters and sheriff's deputies push a vintage car away from a burning home as the Mountain Fire burns in Camarillo, Calif., on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) Supporters of the Frente Amplio (Broad Front) celebrate the victory of candidate Yamandú Orsi in the presidential run-off election in Montevideo, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) People gather at the site where former Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah was killed by Israeli airstrikes late September during a memorial ceremony in Dahiyeh, in the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla) Katia, 11, with her grandmother and mother sit in an armored minivan during en evacuation by the "White Angels" police unit in Kurakhove, Donetsk region, Ukraine, on Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Anton Shtuka) People clean mud from a house affected by floods, in Algemesi, Spain, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Cattle stand on a heap of textile waste at the Old Fadama settlement of Accra, Ghana, Oct. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Misper Apawu) Family members accompany the coffin that contain the remains of Mexican actress Silvia Pinal, during a memorial service at the Palacio de Bellas Artes, in Mexico City, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. Pinal, an actress from Mexico's Golden Age of cinema in the 1940s and 50s, died Thursday. She was 93. (AP Photo/Aurea Del Rosario) A family arrive to cross into Lebanon through the Jousieh border crossing, between Syria and Lebanon, Nov. 28, 2024, following a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah that went into effect on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki) Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.Drake accuses record company of using bots to ‘artificially inflate’ Kendrick Lamar’s song ‘Not Like Us’ on SpotifyVANCOUVER, BC , Dec. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- (TSX: LUC) (BSE: LUC) (Nasdaq Stockholm: LUC) Lucara Diamond Corp. ("Lucara" or the "Company") is pleased to provide operating guidance for 2025. All amounts are in USD unless otherwise stated. View PDF William Lamb , Lucara's President and CEO, commented on the 2024 progress noting that, "To date in 2024, Lucara achieved remarkable milestones at its Karowe Mine in Botswana , successfully meeting and exceeding all production targets. The Company's strategic focus on the underground mining project showed significant advancement, with shaft depths reaching new records. Further, our innovative extraction technologies are once again proving the quality of the resource through the recovery of two exceptional diamonds larger than 1,000 carats, including the epic 2,488-carat diamond and the 1,094-carat diamond. We have also demonstrated substantial progress in reducing operational costs and improving sustainable mining practices." 2025 OUTLOOK This section provides management's production and cost estimates for 2025. These are "forward-looking statements" and subject to the cautionary note regarding the risks associated with forward-looking statements. Karowe Mine Full Year 2025 Diamond revenue ($ million) 195 – 225 Diamond sales (carats) 400,000 – 420,000 Diamonds recovered (carats) 360,000 – 400,000 Ore mined (million tonnes) 1.6 – 2.0 Waste mined (tonnes) Up to 200,000 Ore processed (million tonnes) 2.6 – 2.9 Total cash operating costs ($ per tonne processed) 28.50 – 31.00 Underground project ($ million) Up to 115 Sustaining capital ($ million) Up to 13 Average exchange rate (Botswana Pula per United States Dollar) 13.0 REVENUE AND SALES CHANNELS For 2025, the Company's revenue forecast assumes that 79% of the carats recovered will come from the higher value M/PK(S) and EM/PK(S) units within the South Lobe, the sale of its diamond inventory, and the remaining carats recovered come from the Centre Lobe in accordance with the mine plan, generating revenue between $195 and $225 million . South Lobe material, while lower grade than the Centre and North Lobes, has a higher weight percentage of stones greater than 10.8 carats in size ("Specials"). MINING AND PROCESSING ASSUMPTIONS In 2025, the Company expects to mine between 1.8 and 2.2 million tonnes of combined ore and water, which will be processed in combination with stockpiled materials in 2025. The assumptions for carats recovered and sold as well as the number of ore tonnes processed are consistent with achieved plant performance in recent years. Stockpiled material (North, Centre, South Lobe) from working stockpiles and life-of-mine stockpiles should provide uninterrupted mill feed until 2027 when Karowe underground project ("UGP") development ore is scheduled to start offsetting stockpiles with high-grade ore from the underground development. Full scale underground production is planned for H1, 2028. UNDERGROUND AND SUSTAINING CAPITAL EXPENDITURES The underground development is expected to extend Karowe's mine life to beyond 2040. In 2024, significant progress was made in shaft sinking and lateral development connecting the production and ventilation shafts, with the critical path ventilation shaft being ahead of the July 2023 rebase schedule. In 2025, capital costs for the UGP are expected to be up to $115 million and will focus predominantly on shaft sinking activities to final depth, equipping of the production shaft and station development. Surface works will focus on permanent winders being installed and cold commissioned. Tendering the underground lateral development contract along with underground equipment purchases will also be completed in 2025. Sustaining capital are expected to be up to $13 million with a focus on the replacement and refurbishment of key asset components, in addition to expansion of the tailings storage facility and pit steepening activities which will extend the mine's ability to extract South lobe material from the pit in 2025. On behalf of the Board , William Lamb President and Chief Executive Officer Follow Lucara Diamond on Facebook , Instagram and LinkedIn ABOUT LUCARA Lucara is a leading independent producer of large exceptional quality Type IIa diamonds from its 100% owned Karowe Diamond Mine in Botswana . The Karowe Mine has been in production since 2012 and is the focus of the Company's operations and development activities. Lucara has an experienced board and management team with extensive diamond development and operations expertise. Lucara and its subsidiaries operate transparently and in accordance with international best practices in the areas of sustainability, health and safety, environment, and community relations. Lucara is certified by the Responsible Jewellery Council, complies with the Kimberley Process, and has adopted the IFC Performance Standards and the World Bank Group's Environmental, Health and Safety Guidelines for Mining (2007). Accordingly, the development of the Karowe underground expansion project ("UGP") adheres to the Equator Principles. Lucara is committed to upholding high standards while striving to deliver long-term economic benefits to Botswana and the communities in which the Company operates. The information is information that Lucara is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. This information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out above, on December 3, 2024 , at 2 p.m. Pacific Time . CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS Certain statements made and contained herein and elsewhere constitute forward-looking statements as defined in applicable securities laws. Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "potential", "possible" and similar expressions, or statements that events, conditions or results "will", "may", "could" or "should" occur or be achieved. These statements relate to future events or our future performance. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made, and they are subject to a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are difficult to predict, and which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievement expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company believes that expectations reflected in this forward-looking information are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be accurate. Forward-looking information should not be unduly relied upon. This information speaks only as of the date of this press release, and the Company will not necessarily update this information, unless required to do so by securities laws. In particular, forward-looking information and forward-looking statements in this news release may include, but are not limited to, the Company's revenues, sales, diamond recoveries, mine life, expectations regarding the updated schedule and budget for the Karowe underground expansion project (the "Karowe UGP"), ore and waste mined, ore processed, cash costs and expenses, anticipated total capital expenditures for the Karowe UGP and the schedule to develop and complete the Karowe UGP, and the Company's ability to continue as a going concern, the ability to meet its obligations under the Rebase Amendments with its Lenders, the Company's ability to fill the COF, the size distribution model, including expectations regarding +10.8ct and specials production, forecast cost at completion, expectations regarding construction and production, expectations regarding the project economics and recovery, expectations regarding the first years of the Karowe UGP recovery and production, including by source, estimated capital to reach project completion, expectations regarding the sufficiency of surface stockpiles, estimates regarding after-tax cash flow, economic risks, expectations regarding longer-term market fundamentals and price growth, the impact of supply and demand of rough or polished diamonds, expectations regarding top-up values and processing, the benefits to the Company of the diamond supply agreement with HB Antwerp and the ability to generate better prices from the sale of the Company's +10.8 carat production as polished stones, projected capital costs associated with the Karowe UGP, estimated capital costs, expectations regarding the sales changes and margin capture, the timing, scope and cost of additional grouting events, whether expected cash flow from operations, combined with external financing will be sufficient to complete construction of the Karowe UGP, sufficient stockpiled ore will be available to generate revenue prior to the achievement of commercial production of the Karowe underground mine, that the estimated timelines to achieve mine ramp up and full production from the Karowe UGP can be achieved, the economic potential of a mineralized area, the size and tonnage of a mineralized area, anticipated sample grades or bulk sample diamond content, expectations that the Karowe UGP will extend mine life, forecasts of additional revenues, future production activity, the future price and demand for, and supply of, diamonds, expectations regarding the scheduling of activities for the Karowe UGP, future forecasts of revenue, estimation of mineral resources, exploration and development plans, cost and timing of the development of deposits and estimated future production, interest rates, currency exchange rates, rates of inflation, requirements for and availability of additional capital, operating costs, timing of drill programs, timing of completion of technical reports and studies, tax rates, government regulation of operations, environmental risks and ability to comply with all environmental regulations and internationally recognized standards, and macro-economic and geopolitical risks. There can be no assurance that such forward looking statements will prove to be accurate, as the Company's results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in this forward-looking information as a result of those factors discussed in or referred to under the heading "Risks and Uncertainties" in the Company's most recent MD&A and Annual Information Form, both available on the Company's website and under its profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca , as well as changes in general business and economic conditions, the ability to continue as a going concern, changes in interest and foreign currency rates, changes in inflation, the supply and demand for, deliveries of and the level and volatility of prices of rough diamonds, costs of power and diesel, impacts of potential disruptions to supply chains, acts of foreign governments and the outcome of legal proceedings, inaccurate geological and recoverability assumptions (including with respect to the size, grade and recoverability of mineral reserves and resources), and unanticipated operational difficulties (including failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate in accordance with specifications or expectations, cost escalations, unavailability of materials and equipment, government action or delays in the receipt of government approvals, industrial disturbances or other job actions, adverse weather conditions, and unanticipated events relating to health safety and environmental matters). For further information, please contact: Vancouver : Hannah Reynish , Investor Relations & Communications, +1 604 674 0272, info@lucaradiamond.com ; Sweden : Robert Eriksson , Investor Relations & Public Relations, +46 701 112615, reriksson@rive6.ch ; UK Public Relations: Charles Vivian / Jos Simson, Tavistock , +44 79 772 97903, lucara@tavistock.co.uk