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Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara , has attributed the state’s triumph over recent political crises to divine intervention, acknowledging God as the ultimate liberator of the state and its people. Governor Fubara shared these reflections during the Christmas Ballad hosted by former Governor Dr. Peter Odili at his residence in Old GRA, Port Harcourt, on Friday evening. Reflecting on the political challenges, Governor Fubara stated that the crisis provided him with new insights into leadership. He added that the unwavering support of Rivers people strengthened his resolve to view the challenges as stepping stones rather than obstacles. “ And not just because I want to accept it, I get stronger in this course every day when I look at the support I am getting from the true Rivers people. “So, it is not me being strong. My strength is drawn from every one of you that is here. You gave me encouragement; you do the work for me; you make the calls for me. So, why won’t I stand up for you. “But we also believe strongly that the ultimate game changer, the ultimate liberator, and the ultimate fighter remains God Almighty. And because we have Him on our side, victory is assured,” Fubara said. The governor expressed optimism for 2025, assuring citizens of a prosperous year marked by progress and better governance. He noted the recent Christmas celebrations as a sign of brighter days ahead for Rivers State. Governor Fubara also emphasized the importance of maintaining integrity in governance, pledging to avoid actions that could tarnish the state’s reputation. He recognized the steadfastness of true leaders and well-meaning citizens who resisted pressures to surrender to tyranny. “ I want to thank everyone, and I assure you that we will continue to run a government that will uplift the image of the State. We will not be tyrants. “We will remember that what we are doing here today is a shift job and that one day, our time will be up, and we’ll leave for another person to take over. “And what is important is to allow the machine to keep running effectively so that when the other person comes, he continues with that steam for progress in the state. So, I thank everyone of you for your support, ” he said. Former leaders and key figures at the event praised Governor Fubara’s leadership. Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Victor Oko-Jumbo , credited the governor for inspiring resilience during the political turmoil that rocked the assembly. Similarly, former Minister of Transport, Dr. Abiye Sekibo , applauded Fubara for blending his leadership style with the qualities of Dr. Peter Odili, making Rivers people proud. Dr. Peter Odili , in his welcome address, commended Governor Fubara for demonstrating fortitude and leadership during what he described as an unnecessary fight over the soul of the state. He said Fubara’s leadership had restored governance stability and improved the lives of civil servants and citizens, akin to the period before he left office in 2007. Justice Mary Odili presented gifts to Governor Fubara and his family, acknowledging his significant contributions as an emancipator for Rivers State. She pledged her family’s continued support for his administration. In a vote of thanks, Justice Adolphus Enebeli (retired), Chairman of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), praised the Odili family for fostering unity through the gathering. He also commended Governor Fubara’s humility and dedication to the state, calling on leaders to continue supporting his administration for the collective progress of Rivers State.

Hidalgo leads No. 6 Notre Dame over JuJu Watkins and third-ranked USC 74-61 in big matchup out West

The cost of building a home in NSW and Victoria has jumped by more than 25 per cent in four years, after completion times blew out during the pandemic. The national average construction cost for a home – including houses, townhouses and apartments – rose from $345,410 to $443,828 between 2019-20 and 2023-24, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics data published last week. The cost of building a home in Australia has increased by almost $100,000 in four years. Credit: Louie Douvis Costs surged across all states during the period, rising by 25.5 per cent in Victoria and 30.2 per cent in NSW. The biggest leap took place in Queensland, with a 44 per cent rise. The cost of building a home soared during the pandemic due to higher demand, boosted by record low interest rates and government grants such as HomeBuilder. At the same time, disruptions to global supply chains pushed up material and freight costs, and worsened labour shortages. Housing Industry Australia chief economist Tim Reardon said construction costs grew at the fastest rate in June 2022 as supply chain disruptions filtered through to the building process. “You only need one disruption to disrupt everything else and the whole dynamic,” Reardon said. “If you’re missing one component, like the glue for a benchtop, you can’t manufacture that product, you can’t complete the kitchen, and you can’t sell the house.” Reardon said timber prices have fallen about 20 per cent over the past year as global supply chains improve, but other costs – particularly for energy-intensive materials such as aluminium, glass and cement – continue to rise. “The further we get away from the pandemic, the more settled those price changes will be,” he said. AMP deputy chief economist Diana Mousina said construction costs were among the fastest rising components of inflation. “It has moderated a lot over the past six to nine months, but it’s still growing faster compared to headline inflation,” she said. “It started off as a supply issue, but the problem became worse because people were demanding materials to do renovations or to build their home.” The influx has created a bottleneck: the number of houses under construction nearly doubled from 56,000 in June 2020 to 104,315 in March 2023, a number 48 per cent higher than the pre-pandemic record of 70,000 six years ago. This figure dropped to 87,149 in June 2024, but building times remain long, increasing from six months and three weeks in September 2019 to nine months and four weeks in June 2024, the ABS reported. Reardon said the ABS data was likely coming in with a lag. “Build times are now less than what they were pre-pandemic, though only by a week or two,” he said. However, labour shortages would remain constant for at least the next two years, Reardon said, because of the large volume of government construction work under way that is taking up any excess capacity in the labour market. Mousina said construction cost inflation, while down from its peak, could remain higher than overall inflation for some time, partly due to competing government infrastructure projects. Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis from Jacqueline Maley. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter here.Future of Workflow App Market: Analysis and Leadership by Exalate, Mobile Text Alerts, Content Snare, Paymoapp, ClickUp, Zapier, Scribe, Asana

Louis-Jacques scores 17, Colgate defeats Vermont 65-60

BOSTON — By the end of a game that is supposed to be a reward for a season well played, North Carolina looked like a football program in such perilous straits it would be willing to pay someone like Bill Belichick something like $50 million to fix things. QED. As the new coach might say, the Tar Heels are on to Belichick. Saturday’s 27-14 loss to Connecticut in the Fenway Bowl started poorly and fizzled to the end, not unlike the Tar Heels’ season, one that began with reasonable optimism and a win at Minnesota before descending into a series of trials and tribulations that saw Mack Brown fired before the regular season was over en route to a 6-7 finish and fifth straight bowl loss. On Friday, J.J. Jones took pains to make sure Brown wasn’t forgotten, reminding people that he was the reason why every player on the roster was here even if things hadn’t worked out the way they had planned. But just as Brown’s final game at North Carolina saw N.C. State dancing on the Kenan Stadium turf instead, the season’s final game under interim coach Freddie Kitchens — who will remain on Belichick’s new staff — was nothing to remember. “It’s a disappointing result for us,” Kitchens said. “I thought our guys kept fighting all the way to the very end. We just kind of ran out of time there but we never gave up. These guys have been through a lot these last three weeks. The ability to show up for work every day has been unbelievable to see with these guys. I commend them for everything they’ve done these last few weeks.” With all the injuries and critical opt-outs, including offensive lineman Willie Lampkin on the eve of the game after practicing all month, the Tar Heels weren’t exactly at full strength to start. When quarterback Jacolby Criswell went down clutching at his shoulder after a seven-yard scramble in the first quarter, they were left with true freshman Michael Merdinger, who not only had yet to take a snap this season but is currently in the transfer portal. It took North Carolina 29 minutes and 37 seconds to achieve a first down, and only Chris Culliver’s 95-yard kickoff return prevented a first-half shutout. By the time UNC figured out, midway through the fourth quarter, that its best offensive play was a direct snap to running back Caleb Hood — a quarterback in high school who became, essentially, the Tar Heels’ fifth quarterback of the season — it was too late for anything but a consolation touchdown pass to John Copenhaver. That 17-yard strike from the Richmond County product was the third completion and first passing TD of Hood’s career, to go with two rushing and one receiving, and Copenhaver’s 10th and final TD catch at UNC. Of the Tar Heels’ 206 yards of offense, 139 came in the fourth quarter. Still, not only was this postscript to the Brown Era a third straight loss — and UNC’s second debacle in the Boston area in six weeks — it ended the Triangle’s football winning streak against UConn, a seven-game run going back 17 years to Duke’s 45-14 home loss to open a 1-11 season. Kitchens is now the other half of the answer to a trivia question, with Ted Roof. The ACC also had won the first two editions of the Fenway Bowl, a run noted on the manual scoreboard on the Green Monster, one of several nice touches that capitalized on the historic venue. (Although they don’t dump clam chowder on the winning coach. Yet.) Which is good, because the football wasn’t particularly picturesque. Connecticut opened with a leadoff double to right — a 47-yard run down the first-base line on the first play from scrimmage — and never really looked back. Defense, in a statement that tests the bounds of obvious, was never this North Carolina’s team strength. Shorn of offense with Criswell hurt and Omarion Hampton preparing for the draft, the Tar Heels struggled to keep up. Any thoughts Jones and others might have harbored of winning one for Mack evaporated quickly on both sides of the ball. “At the end of the day, we need to do a little better than that, in my opinion,” defensive lineman Beau Atkinson said. You could say things didn’t end well, but they rarely do. A program in dramatic transition looked very much the part on Saturday. The players probably deserved better than this, for sticking it out to the bitter end of a season racked with disappointment and loss, but even their minds were clearly preoccupied with what happens next, whether that’s in Chapel Hill or elsewhere. Why wouldn’t they be? They’re only human. “I’m definitely ready for the offseason now that this game is over,” said Atkinson, who is eligible to return. “And just ready to go to work and try to get me and the rest of the D-line and this defense as a whole better. That’s my main focus now.” If they weren’t looking forward before, there’s nothing else left now. The final punctuation has been applied to Brown’s second stint at UNC. It’s officially the Belichick Era. They’re on to TCU. ©2024 The News & Observer. Visit at newsobserver.com . Distributed at Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Thomas scores 27 as Morgan State downs Campbell 86-76On Thursday the Irish Times revealed that in February 2022 a private and previously undisclosed dinner meeting took place at an upmarket Dublin restaurant involving Mr Donohoe and Mr O’Leary. Mr Donohoe’s spokeswoman said it was a private dinner and that no business matters were discussed, and neither were matters of policy or regulation. It was not included in his ministerial diary – which his spokeswoman said was “used predominantly to log official events”. No lobbying return was made by Ryanair regarding the dinner. The airline said: “Since this was a social setting (in a public place) no lobbying took place and no lobbying return was required or necessary.” Mr Donohoe was minister for finance and president of the Eurogroup at the time. On Friday Mr Donohoe insisted it was possible for a person holding those roles to have a purely social meeting with the boss of Europe’s biggest airline. Mr Harris agreed with this on Saturday. He said that he does not think that he himself has ever met Mr O’Leary, adding “not that there’s any problems with meeting Michael O’Leary”. Asked if he had similar private meetings with other executives from multinational companies, Mr Harris said: “I’m not aware of any such dinners that I’ve had.” He said: “Of course people in this country come into contact with each other in social environments on a very regular basis. “There are very clear rules, introduced by Fine Gael ... in relation to issues around lobbying and the like and I’m assured that this dinner didn’t fall into that category at all.” Asked if the dinner meeting between Mr Donohoe and Mr O’Leary was an example of Fine Gael being too close to big business, he said: “My party is proudly pro-enterprise. It’s proudly pro-foreign direct investment and pro-backing small business and there are policies in relation to both that we are putting forward in this election.” Mr Donohoe has said he and Mr O’Leary discussed “general matters” at the dinner, adding: “if any issue in relation to Government business, regulation or policy had been dealt with that would have been recorded and it would have been dealt with in the same way that every other engagement that I do is dealt with.” Fine Gael faced a significant political backlash after comments made by Mr O’Leary at the launch of Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke’s campaign just after the general election was called. A video of his remarks that surfaced after the event showed he said he would not employ teachers “to go out and get things done”, saying that the Dáil was “full of teachers”. Cormac McQuinn is a Political Correspondent at The Irish Times

World number one Luke Humphries continued his bid for back-to-back World Championship titles after easing through to the last 16. While there was high drama in Alexandra Palace on the first day back after the Christmas break, where Damon Heta threw a nine-dart finish, Humphries enjoyed a serene evening. He beat Nick Kenny 4-0 to set up a mouth-watering fourth-round meeting with two-time champion Peter Wright. THE WORLD NUMBER ONE KICKS ON! Luke Humphries comfortably books his spot in the Last 16 with a 4-0 whitewash victory over Nick Kenny, averaging 98.59! 📺 https://t.co/pIQvhqYxEj #WCDarts pic.twitter.com/XAADalXD4Q — PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) December 27, 2024 Kenny was unable to produce the form that saw him beat Raymond van Barneveld in the previous round and Humphries did not need to be anywhere near his best. “It was one of those games I didn’t want to take for granted,” he said. “I expected a tough game and I wasn’t firing, I felt there is so much more to give, I felt there was more to come out of me. “I didn’t want to give anyone an inch because they can take a mile. “I’m not going to give up this world title without a fight, I wasn’t at my best but when someone pushes me I know I can come up with the goods.” Earlier in the day Heta set the tournament alight on its resumption with a stunning nine-dart finish before bowing out. The Australian, seeded ninth, achieved darting perfection in the second set of his match with Luke Woodhouse to earn a cool £60,000 payday. However, his joy was short-lived as Woodhouse won a thrilling battle 4-3, having trailed 3-1. HEROIC HETA HITS THE NINE! 🔥 UNBELIEVABLE SCENES! 🤯 Damon Heta lands the second nine-darter of the tournament to raise the roof at Alexandra Palace! #WCDarts pic.twitter.com/DW6rhvFqez — PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) December 27, 2024 Heta was millimetres away from throwing a nine-darter in the previous round when he missed the double 12, but he made no mistake this time in the first match after the Christmas break. Heta’s feat was the second time a nine-darter has been thrown in the 2025 tournament and the 16th of all time at the World Championship, following Christian Kist’s effort before Christmas. As well as landing the Australian a hefty payday, it also saw a lucky fan in Ally Pally win a £60,000, with £60,000 also being donated to Prostate Cancer UK. There were several other titanic battles, none better than Gerwyn Price’s sudden-death leg victory over Joe Cullen. Price looked like he was going to have an easy night when he coasted into a 3-0 lead, but Cullen hit back to send it to a decider, which went all the way. Cullen landed a ‘Big Fish’ 170 checkout to send the tie to a sudden-death leg on his throw but Price hit some big numbers to steal victory. “That was tough, I just wanted to get over the winning line,” he said during his on-stage interview. PRICE WINS A THRILLER! That might just be the game of the tournament so far! 💥 Gerwyn Price manages to break the Rockstars throw in the final leg of the game, and beats Joe Cullen 4-3 and books his place in the Last 16! 📺 https://t.co/pIQvhqYxEj #WCDarts pic.twitter.com/VnjnJxP0T0 — PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) December 27, 2024 “He kept coming back, the crowd were way behind him. “I thought I was going to lose, but I kept in there right to the end and got the win. “He played some good darts at the right times. I put myself in that position, I got myself out of it and I’m still in.” Seventh seed Jonny Clayton also battled to victory after squandering a 3-0 lead against Daryl Gurney. Gurney then had six darts to send the decider to a tiebreaker but lost his nerve and Clayton stole a 4-3 win. Stephen Bunting and Peter Wright, who was suffering from a chest infection, enjoyed much more safe passages with routine wins over Madars Razma and Jermaine Wattimena respectively.

Two senior members of the federal cabinet were in Florida Friday pushing Canada’s new border plan with Donald Trump’s transition team, a day after Trudeau himself appeared to finally push back at the president-elect over his social media posts about turning Canada into the 51st state. Both Trudeau and former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney, who Trudeau has been courting to become Canada’s next finance minister, shared posts on X Thursday, a day after Trump’s latest jab at Canada in his Christmas Day message. It isn’t clear if Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc, who has repeatedly insisted Trump’s 51st state references are a joke, will raise the issue with Trump’s team when he and Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly meet with them in Palm Beach. The two are there to discuss Canada’s new $1.3 billion border plan with just under four weeks left before Trump is sworn in again as president. He has threatened to impose a new 25 per cent import tariff on Canada and Mexico the same day over concerns about a trade imbalance, as well as illegal drugs and migration issues at the borders. The broad strokes of Canada’s plan were made public Dec. 17, including a new aerial intelligence task force to provide round-the-clock surveillance of the border, and improved efforts using technology and canine teams to seek out drugs in shipments leaving Canada LeBlanc’s spokesman, Jean-Sébastien Comeau, said the ministers will also emphasize the negative impacts of Trump’s threatened tariffs on both Canada and the U.S. Comeau said the ministers will build on the discussions that took place last month when Trudeau and LeBlanc met Trump at Mar-a-Lago just days after Trump first made his tariff threat. It was at that dinner on Nov. 29 when Trump first raised the notion of Canada becoming the 51st state, a comment LeBlanc has repeatedly since insisted was just a joke. But Trump has continued the quip repeatedly in various social media posts, including in his Christmas Day message when he said Canadians would pay lower taxes and have better military protection if they became Americans. He has taken to calling Trudeau “governor” instead of prime minister. Trudeau had not directly responded to any of the jabs, but on Thursday posted a link to a six-minute long video on YouTube from 2010 in which American journalist Tom Brokaw “explains Canada to Americans.” The video, which originally aired during the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, explains similarities between the two countries, including their founding based on immigration, their trading relationship and the actions of the Canadian Army in World War 2 and other modern conflicts. “In the long history of sovereign neighbours there has never been a relationship as close, productive and peaceful as the U.S. and Canada,” Brokaw says in the video. Trudeau did not expand about why he posted a link to the video, posting it only with the words “some information about Canada for Americans.” Carney, who is at the centre of some of Trudeau’s recent domestic political troubles, also called out Trump’s antics on X Thursday, calling it “casual disrespect” and “carrying the ‘joke’ too far.” “Time to call it out, stand up for Canada, and build a true North American partnership,” said Carney, who Trudeau was courting to join his cabinet before Chrystia Freeland resigned as finance minister last week. Freeland’s sudden departure, three days after Trudeau informed her he would be firing her as finance minister in favour of Carney, left Trudeau’s leadership even more bruised than it already was. Despite the expectation Carney would assume the role, he did not and has not made any statements about it. LeBlanc was sworn in as finance minister instead the same day Freeland quit. More than two dozen Liberal MPs have publicly called on Trudeau to resign as leader, and Trudeau is said to be taking the holidays to think about his next steps. He is currently vacationing in British Columbia.

Aussie singer and has shared with fans that he's currently in rehab after being readmitted for the fifth time. The shared a heartbreaking video on Boxing Day saying he felt "embarrassed" to be posting the update, but that he's committed to sharing his journey. "It's hard to find the words for how disappointed I am in myself right now and the shame I'm feeling. This isn't how I wanted to spend my Christmas but I'm grateful to be in a safe place," Jack, 27, captioned the video. "This is a really hard time of year for so many. Please hold each other tightly and check in on those you think may be struggling. I feel embarrassed to be posting this but also am committed to sharing my journey, even through the slip-ups. Relapse is part of recovery." In his video, Jack addressed his social media absence, saying he felt a lot of "shame and guilt" about relapsing. “I relapsed about three weeks ago and I’m back in rehab. It’s Boxing Day today, the day after Christmas and I just wanted to give you an update about where I’m at,” he said. “I know I’ve been MIA on socials for a few weeks and that’s why. I don’t have a whole lot to say, I feel a lot of shame and guilt and I don’t really have the words right now." He also disclosed that he's started going through withdrawals “Withdrawals are starting now, it’s f**king hectic. So, that’s where I’m at. But I love you, and thank you always for the support," he said. Many people left supportive comments for Jack on TikTok and Instagram, including some other famous faces. "A relapse does not erase your success at being sober. Recovery is there, just start again with this new knowledge about yourself. Sending love," one fan commented. "No shame, Jack. This is a one day at a time!!!!! We will get there," star Colin Fassnidge said. "Respect for you. You can do this," Aussie singer Tones and I wrote, with Aussie Actress commenting, "Sending you all my love babe, one day at a time, you got this." "New start bro! I’ve had a fair few of these. New day we start again, you will look back one day and think there goes a few years! You will get a year, 10 years, rest of your life, keep up what you’re already doing with your sober peers and I promise you will get there," former Bachelor Jed McIntosh commented. "I’ve had a few set backs and the main thing is making the decision to reset which you have! I learnt something new and became stronger through my setbacks. Praying for you and the best is yet to come in your life." The singer, who was propelled to fame in 2011 at the age of 14 after winning , has also been open about his issues with alcohol abuse over the years, checking into a rehab facility in 2020. At one point he said he 'essentially overdosed' and then stayed sober for six months. “I’ve never been an alcoholic, but it always starts (with alcohol) for me, and it doesn’t end there," he said. In an Instagram Q&A last year, Jack said the music industry had left him 'traumatised'. “I’m kind of traumatised by the industry and really lost my love for it all again,” he said. “It’s slowly coming back though." The singer previously told magazine that he fell out of love with singing, citing burnout as a reason. "I stopped singing five years ago," he said in the 2019 interview. “I think I just burnt out."

Nebraska's Dylan Raiola talks key late hit on day he sets school freshman season passing markGophers football adds Nebraska wideout Malachi Coleman via portal

Boston College’s offense had its moments on Saturday, converting 6 of 13 third downs and amassing 296 passing yards. BC caught Nebraska’s aggressive, blitzing defense with a few screens, coach Matt Rhule said, and Eagles’ quarterback Grayson James kept plays alive with timely scrambles. But Rhule said the Huskers' defense found its footing in the red zone — inside NU’s own 20 — by twice denying the Eagles points when they reached the Nebraska 9 and Nebraska 2. The Huskers, coordinated by John Butler, were trying to make BC attempt field goals. Boston College only attempted four all season, and missed its fifth try early in Saturday’s game. From thereon, BC went for its fourth downs in NU territory. It did not successfully convert one. “They missed the first one, so we felt pretty good about our opportunity — hey, they’re not going to kick one, it’ll be four downs,” Rhule said. “We knew how to address it.” Eight of BC’s drives reached Nebraska territory, producing just 13 of BC’s 15 points. “We were having trouble kicking the ball, so I didn't want to kick it,” Boston College coach Bill O’Brien said. “We were in that area where you're either going to plus-50 and punt it — which we could have done, but we're not great at that — or tried to kick a 50-yard field goal, which we're definitely not ready to do that. “I went for it on 4th down and probably put the defense in a couple tough positions. Look, Nebraska did a good job. We had trouble running the ball, had trouble scoring in the red area. We moved the ball. I think at halftime we had the time of possession, we had yardage, but didn't have the score.” Get local news delivered to your inbox!

The AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here . EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. (AP) — Ray’Sean Taylor had 18 points in SIU-Edwardsville’s 100-52 win over Eureka on Sunday. Taylor finished 6 of 9 from 3-point range for the Cougars (7-4). Jordan Pickett shot 4 of 7 from the field, including 3 for 6 from 3-point range, and went 6 for 7 from the line to add 17 points. Ring Malith had 16 points and shot 6 for 7, including 3 for 3 from beyond the arc. Raymond Bandzoumouna Jr. led the way for the Red Devils with 10 points. Sam DeJesus added eight points. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

Pittsburgh Steelers: Report Reveals Potential Fate Of Russell Wilson With TeamAP News Summary at 6:07 p.m. EST