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LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Austin Seibert choked back tears taking responsibility for missing the extra point that would have tied the score in the final minute. Jeremy Reaves choked back tears blaming himself for a missed assignment that led to a kickoff return touchdown. And John Bates choked back tears talking about moving forward from his costly fumble. All of those late mistakes contributed to the Washington Commanders' third consecutive loss , 34-26 to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday in a game that was wholly unremarkable until fourth quarter chaos. The teams combined to score 31 points in the final four minutes, the most in an NFL game in more than a decade, and the Commanders (7-5) came out on the wrong end of it in a defeat that further endangers their playoff chances. “Any time you lose a game or you lose a game in that type of fashion, it’s very difficult and it’s tough, but it never comes down to one play,” rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels said. “There’s plays throughout the game where little things add up to big things.” There were a lot of little things. After Bates fumbled, the Cowboys (4-7) took an 11-point lead and the Commanders made a 2-point conversion to cut the deficit to three, Dallas' KaVonte Turpin returned the ensuing kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown. “I didn’t make the play when it was there to make, and it cost us,” said Reaves, one of the league’s top special teams players and the All-Pro pick for that two seasons ago. “No excuse, man. I’ve made that play 100 times, and I didn’t make it today and it cost us the game. It’s unacceptable. It’s solely on me. It’s going to sting for a while. It’s going to hurt.” After Seibert made a 51-yard field goal, Daniels connected with Terry McLaurin on an 86-yard TD that made it 27-26 with 21 seconds left. Coach Dan Quinn said no thought was given to going for 2 in that situation. Seibert, who missed the past two games with a right hip injury, was wide left on the point-after attempt. “I just wasn’t striking it well,” said Seibert, who added he felt fine and did not blame a low snap for his miss. "It didn’t make a difference at all. It was on me.” Juanyeh Thomas returned the onside kick immediately after 43 yards for a touchdown to put Dallas up eight with 14 seconds left. The 31 combined points are the second most in a game since at least 2000, behind only Minnesota and Baltimore's 36 in their game Dec. 8, 2013. Cowboys-Commanders was the first game in the Super Bowl era to have two missed extra points, two kickoff return touchdowns and a blocked punt. “We got down to the end there and it was a game-situational extravaganza,” Dallas coach Mike McCarthy said. “It was like Yahtzee. Everything was in there." While Washington's skid continued, the Cowboys ended their losing streak at five thanks to strong play from QB Cooper Rush, a defense that forced two turnovers and, of course, special teams success. Rush was 24 of 32 for 247 yards and TD passes to Jalen Tolbert and Luke Schoonmaker. “Lot of games left,” Rush said. “We’re sitting at 4-7. This is why you play them.” The Commanders have some soul-searching to do after losing as a 10 1/2-point favorite in the meeting of NFC East rivals and doing so in a way that left players so emotional. “The crazy games, I know they feel a little bit better whenever you win them,” punter and holder Tress Way said. “But that’s a tough pill to swallow.” Cowboys: LG Tyler Smith was inactive with ankle and knee injuries. ... RG Zack Martin (ankle), CB Trevon Diggs (groin/knee) and TE Jake Ferguson (concussion) were ruled out prior to game day and did not travel for the game. Commanders: RB Austin Ekeler was concussed on a kickoff return in the final seconds and taken to a hospital for further evaluation. ... RB Brian Robinson Jr. left with an ankle injury in the first half, returned and then left again. ... RT Andrew Wylie was concussed in the third quarter and did not return. ... C Tyler Biadasz was evaluated for a concussion in the fourth. ... CB Marshon Lattimore (hamstring) missed a third consecutive game since being acquired at the trade deadline from New Orleans. Cowboys: Host the New York Giants on Thursday in the traditional Thanksgiving Day game in Dallas. Commanders: Host the Tennessee Titans next Sunday in Washington’s final game before its late bye week. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflBritish Columbia business owner Joe Chaput will spend $5,500 a month on security guards during the holiday season and plans on upgrading his store’s video camera system for around $5,000 more. He’s not selling luxury brands or expensive jewels. Chaput sells cheese, and at Christmas, cheese is a hot commodity. He is the co-owner of specialty cheese store les amis du Fromage, with two locations in Vancouver. While cheeselifting is rare in their Kitsilano store, the outlet in East Vancouver is hit in waves, with nothing happening for a month, then three of four people trying to steal their inventory within a week. “Sometimes, you miss it. Sometimes, you catch it. The way shoplifters behave ... they tend to gravitate toward expensive things,” said Chaput. Expensive cheese is on shoplifters’ Christmas list, he said. “They tend to do the classic examples of staying away from customer service and trying to go to a different part of the store so they can be left alone to steal.” Chaput isn’t alone. Police say food-related crimes on are the rise in Canada and as prices climb for items such as cheese and butter, they become lucrative on the black market for organized crime groups, not to mention theft for local resale. Sylvain Charlebois, the director of Dalhousie University’s Agri-food Analytics Lab, said a black market tends to emerge as soon as food prices surge. “Organized crime will steal anything (if) they know they can sell it and so, they probably would have known who their clients are before even stealing anything at all, and that’s how a black market is organized,” said Charlebois. He said he believes there are two categories of people shoplifting — those who do so out of desperation because they can’t afford the food, or organized criminals, profiting from sales on the black market. Mounties in North Vancouver made cheesy headlines when they ran into a man with a cart of stolen cheese in the middle of the night in September. The cheese, valued at $12,800, was from a nearby Whole Foods Store. While the cheese was recovered, it had to be disposed of because it hadn’t been refrigerated. Const. Mansoor Sahak, with the North Vancouver RCMP, said officers believe cheese is targeted because it’s “profitable to resell.” “If they are drug addicts, they will commit further crimes with that or feed their drug habits. It’s a vicious cycle,” said Sahak. Sahak said meat is also a top target for grocery thieves, with store losses sometimes in the thousands. “So, we’re not surprised that this happened,” said Sahak. Police in Ontario have been chasing down slippery shoplifters going after butter. Scott Tracey, a spokesman with Guelph Police Service, said there have been eight or nine butter thefts over the last year, including one theft last December worth $1,000. In October, two men walked into a local grocer and filled their carts with cases of butter valued at $936, and four days later a Guelph grocer lost four cases valued at $958. Tracey said he has looked at online marketplaces and found listings by people selling 20 or 30 pounds of butter at a time. “Clearly, somebody didn’t accidentally buy 30 extra pounds of butter. So, they must have come from somewhere,” said Tracey, “I think at this point it appears to be the black market is where it’s headed.” He said the thefts seem to be organized, with two or three people working together in each case. Police in Brantford, Ont., are also investigating the theft of about $1,200 worth of butter from a store on Nov. 4. Charlebois said retailers could invest in prevention technologies like electronic tags, but putting them on butter or cheese is rare. He said up until recently grocery store theft has been a “taboo subject for many years.” Stores didn’t wanted to talk about thefts because they didn’t want to alarm people but now they feel they need to build awareness about what is “becoming a huge problem,” said Charlebois. Chaput, the cheese store owner, said he had been running the East Vancouver store for 15 years while managing the store in Kitsilano for 30 years, and he loves his customers. “It’s really one of the best parts of our businesses, seeing familiar faces and making new customers. It’s why we come to work, really. Partly it’s the cheese, and partly it’s the people,” said Chaput. He said his strategy to combat would-be thieves is to give them extra customer service to make it harder for them to steal. He admits, however, that the shoplifting causes him stress. “It’s challenging. You’re busy trying to run your business day to day and take care of customers and take care of employees. Having to deal with criminals, just kind of scratches away. It can be a bit exhausting,” said Chaput.None
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Mohali: There is no shortage of funds for the School of Eminence at Kharar, said Kharar MLA Anmol Gaggan Mann . She added that additional Rs 5.9 crore had been sanctioned for the development of the school. According to the revised plan, modular labs, an athletics track, a volleyball court, and a badminton court are to be developed soon, she said. There is no shortage of funds for the upcoming School of Eminence at Kharar, and funds amounting to Rs 1.56 crore were already released in the previous month to resume the pending civil, electric, and public health works, said MLA Mann. Revealing the details, the Kharar MLA said the estimate to establish the School of Eminence was revised from the existing Rs 10.94 crore to Rs 16.84 crore to provide the new building with state-of-the-art facilities . For this, in addition to the already spent Rs 10.94 crore, a revised administrative approval of Rs 5.90 crore was granted to the executive agency public works department by the state govt, she added. She further stated that as per the commitment of the Bhagwant Mann govt, the building of a new School of Eminence would be completed soon to provide quality education to the students of the area. MLA Anmol Gagan Mann said as per the revised plan, the new building would have modular labs, an athletics track, a volleyball court, a badminton court, and signage, besides the completion of other civil, electrical, and public health works. She assured the Kharar residents of prompt completion of the new building of the School of Eminence so that the students of a govt school could compete with those of private schools. We also published the following articles recently Eminent orthodontist passes away Dr. US Krishna Nayak, the esteemed principal of AB Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences and a renowned orthodontist, passed away at 63 due to pneumonia complications. A celebrated figure in dentistry, Dr. Nayak, son of pioneering dentist Dr. US Mohandas Nayak, held various prestigious positions, including national president of the Indian Dental Association. Electricity to be back in 25K schools as state govt approves Rs 11 crore funds Over 25,000 Maharashtra zilla parishad schools, previously without electricity due to unpaid bills, will soon have power restored. The state government approved Rs 11.11 crore to clear dues with the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited. This follows a survey by the state's primary education directorate, which identified the affected schools. Funds pending for restoration of school compound walls Monsoon rains wreaked havoc on 297 government schools in Mangaluru, damaging buildings and boundary walls. While the district administration disbursed Rs 4.6 crore to repair 244 schools with structural and meal room damage, 53 schools with damaged walls were left without funding. These schools are now tasked with finding alternative resources like MGNREGA for repairs, leaving their future uncertain. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , and Mini Crossword .Nvidia's stock dips after China opens probe of the AI chip company for violating anti-monopoly laws
Real-Time Payments Market: Surge to $270.5B by 2031, 35.5% CAGR
Sunday's inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff bracket reveal officially set the stage for the most anticipated postseason the sport has ever seen. Eight more spots in the playoff field have created two extra rounds to determine a national champion, which could come from the Big Ten, the Southeastern Conference or even the Mountain West! Now that the initial matchups are set, it's time to examine the FanDuel odds for the first-round games and, of course, the latest national championship odds. CFP Bracket: Odds for First-Round Games Oregon's win over Penn State in the Big Ten championship locked the Ducks into the No. 1 seed, while Georgia's overtime triumph over Texas for the SEC crown moved the Bulldogs up to No. 2. Boise State slotted in at No. 9 in the final CFP rankings but is the No. 3 seed thanks to its win over UNLV in the Mountain West championship. With SMU losing to Clemson in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game, No. 12-ranked Arizona State is the four seed after it throttled Iowa State to win the Big 12. The top four teams get a bye, with the 5-12 seeds meeting in the first round. 12-seed Clemson (+330) vs. 5-seed Texas (-11.5) Texas was favored to win the SEC and lock down a top-four seed, but Clemson was not expected to beat SMU for the ACC title. The Longhorns will therefore hunt redemption, while Dabo Swinney's team is essentially playing with house money. The winner will face Arizona State in the Peach Bowl. 9-seed Tennessee (+215) vs. 8-seed Ohio State (-7.5) The third-highest-ranked team from the SEC (No. 7 Tennessee) will face off with the third-highest-ranked squad from the Big Ten (No. 6 Ohio State). This game brings the Buckeyes a chance at redemption for their embarrassing loss to Michigan to end the regular season. The winner will travel to the Rose Bowl to play Oregon. 11-seed SMU (+240) vs. 6-seed Penn State (-7.5) Concerns over strength of schedule dog both teams. Both have 11-2 records and were runners-up in their respective conferences. Penn State's only win over a ranked opponent was against then-No. 19 Illinois in Week 4, while SMU has knocked off then-No. 22 Louisville and then-No. 18 Pittsburgh. The winner will meet Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl. 10-seed Indiana (+230) vs. 7-seed Notre Dame (-7.5) The Hoosiers may be the biggest surprise in college football this season, although their inclusion came with a few concerns over the strength of their schedule. After falling flat in a potential statement game against then-No. 2 Ohio State on Nov. 23, Indiana can prove its might against a Fighting Irish squad that won its last 10 games. The winner will take on Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. National Championship Odds and Picks Oregon was the betting favorite (odds via FanDuel) prior to the final rankings reveal at +230. Post-reveal, Texas and Georgia are co-favorites at +360, followed by Oregon at +380, Ohio State at +500 and Penn State at +600. Boise State is the biggest long shot at +7500 despite having a first-round bye. Like Boise State, Arizona State saw its odds go from +3500 to +6000 even though it doesn't play until the quarterfinals. The Picks are In... First-Round Best Bet: Indiana-Notre Dame UNDER 51.5-both teams have solid offenses but will find it difficult to move the ball against the other's defense. Upset Special: Clemson (+340) over Texas-Cade Klubnik will have his hands full against the Texas secondary, but the Clemson defense could be up for the challenge against Quinn Ewers and the Longhorns offense. National Championship Winner: Favorite-Oregon +380; Dark Horse-Notre Dame +1200; Long Shot-Arizona State +6000 --Field Level MediaNEW YORK , Dec. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The global styrene butadiene (sb) latex market size is estimated to grow by USD 1.50 billion from 2024 to 2028, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 3.68% during the forecast period. For comprehensive forecast and historic data on regions,market segments, customer landscape, and companies- Click for the snapshot of this report Region Outlook 1. APAC - APAC is estimated to contribute 52%. To the growth of the global market. The Styrene Butadiene (SB) Latex Market report forecasts market growth by revenue at global, regional & country levels from 2017 to 2027. The Styrene Butadiene (SB) latex market in Asia Pacific is experiencing significant expansion due to the thriving construction, pulp and paper, paints and coatings, and packaging industries. Key consumers of SB latex in the region include China , Japan , India , and South Korea . The expanding wood and furniture industry, as well as the packaging industry, are major contributors to the increasing demand for SB latex-based adhesives and sealants. These industries' continued growth is driving market expansion in the region. Additionally, the increasing demand for adhesive and sealant products from various industries, such as construction, furniture, and footwear, is expected to further fuel market growth throughout the forecast period. For more insights on APAC's significant contribution along with the market share of rest of the regions and countries - Download a FREE Sample Segmentation Overview 1.1 Low 1.2 Medium 1.3 High 2.1 Paper processing 2.2 Fiber and carpet processing 2.3 Glass fiber adhesives 2.4 Adhesives 2.5 Others 3.1 APAC 3.2 Europe 3.3 North America 3.4 Middle East and Africa 3.5 South America Get a glance at the market contribution of rest of the segments - Download a FREE Sample Report in minutes! 1.1 Fastest growing segment: Styrene Butadiene (SB) latex is a hydrocarbon compound used extensively in various industries for adhesive and coating applications. SB latex with low butadiene content is gaining popularity due to its environmental benefits. It helps reduce volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions, contributing to a smaller carbon footprint. In certain applications, this type of SB latex offers enhanced mechanical properties, such as improved tensile strength and abrasion resistance, making it suitable for industries where durability is crucial. The increasing demand for eco-friendly and high-performing products is driving the growth of the global SB latex market. Specifically, low butadiene SB latex is preferred due to its superior chemical and UV resistance, resulting in more durable coatings and adhesives. This trend is expected to continue during the forecast period. Research Analysis The Styrene Butadiene (SB) Latex market refers to the global trade of styrene butadiene latex, a type of elastomeric dispersion. This market encompasses various applications, including paper processing, mortar additives, adhesives, coatings, sealants, and paper coatings. SB latex is produced through the polymerization reaction of butadiene and styrene monomers, with the assistance of emulsifiers. In the paper processing segment, SB latex is used for coating and sizing paper. In the mortar additives segment, it enhances the plasticity and workability of mortar. In the adhesives industry, it is used in the production of pressure-sensitive adhesives. In the coatings segment, SB latex is utilized in paints and coatings to improve their elasticity and durability. The carpet industry also uses SB latex as a binder in the production of carpet backing. In the sealants segment, it is used to produce high-performance sealants with excellent adhesion and flexibility. The sealants find applications in construction, automotive, and other industries. SB latex is also used in the impregnation of fiber materials, such as glass fiber processing, to improve their strength and durability. The feedstock for SB latex production includes butadiene and styrene, which are obtained from refineries and petrochemical plants. The production process requires refrigeration equipment to maintain the temperature during the polymerization reaction. Market Overview Styrene Butadiene (SB) Latex is a versatile elastomeric material derived from the polymerization of Styrene and Butadiene monomers. It is widely used in various industries due to its excellent properties such as print quality, water resistance, film-forming properties, and adhesion. In the paper processing segment, SB Latex is used as binders for coated paper and impregnation for improving stability and reducing fraying. In the construction industry, it is used as mortar additives for enhancing bonding adhesion, compressive strength, and tensile strength. SB Latex finds extensive applications in adhesives, coatings, sealants, paper coatings, and packaging materials. It is used in the automotive industry for producing lightweight automotive materials and in the renewable energy sector for manufacturing eco-friendly and sustainable latex-based products. The textile, furniture, and e-commerce industries also use SB Latex for producing durable and resilient products. SB Latex is produced through a polymerization reaction involving Styrene, Butadiene, and an emulsifier. The resulting Styrene Butadiene copolymers exhibit excellent properties such as water resistance, abrasion resistance, and adhesion. SB Latex alternatives are also available in the market, offering similar benefits but with different chemical compositions. In the paper industry, SB Latex is used for producing high-quality coated paper, while in the carpet industry, it is used for back coating tufted carpets to improve their stability and durability. The adhesives industry uses SB Latex for producing pressure-sensitive adhesives and bonding adhesives. In the fiber processing industry, SB Latex is used for glass fiber processing and in the production of non-woven fabrics. SB Latex is also used in the production of acrylic, vinyl, and polyurethane coatings, offering improved properties such as print quality, water resistance, and durability. In the automotive industry, SB Latex is used for manufacturing lightweight automotive materials, while in the construction industry, it is used for producing green building materials. The properties of SB Latex make it an ideal choice for various applications, including residential complexes, commercial spaces, and architectural projects. Architects and developers use SB Latex-based products for their excellent bonding properties, durability, and resistance to environmental factors. The production of SB Latex involves the use of refrigeration equipment to maintain the temperature during the polymerization reaction. The resulting latex is a viscoelastic material with plasticity, making it easy to handle and apply. The monomers used in the production of SB Latex include Styrene, Butadiene, and carboxylic acid. The polymerization reaction results in the formation of Styrene Butadiene copolymers, which exhibit excellent properties such as adhesion, abrasion resistance, and water resistance. In summary, Styrene Butadiene Latex is a versatile material with a wide range of applications in various industries, including paper processing, construction, automotive, textile, furniture, e-commerce, renewable energy, and adhesives. Its excellent properties, such as print quality, water resistance, film-forming properties, and adhesion, make it an ideal choice for various applications. The production of SB Latex involves the use of refrigeration equipment and the polymerization reaction of Styrene, Butadiene, and carboxylic acid to form Styrene Butadiene copolymers. Start exploring market insights by Download a FREE Sample Report in minutes! Key Topics Covered: 1 Executive Summary 2 Market Landscape 3 Market Sizing 4 Historic Market Size 5 Five Forces Analysis 6 Market Segmentation 7 Customer Landscape 8 Geographic Landscape 9 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends 10 Venodr Landscape 11 Vendor Analysis 11.1 Rockwood Lithium 11.2 AkzoNobel 11.3 Chemtura 11.4 Bridgestone 11.5 MICHELIN 11.6 China Petroleum & Chemical 11.7 Reliance Industries Limited 11.8 Zeon Corporation 11.9 Goodyear Rubber Company. 12 Appendix About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. Contacts Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media & Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: [email protected] Website: www.technavio.com/ SOURCE TechnavioATLANTA — Hulu is tackling the Murdaughs, a prominent South Carolina family embroiled in cases of fraud and murder, in a new scripted series that is set to begin production in Atlanta in March. The series will be at shooting out of Doraville’s Assembly Studios, according to an email sent to members of IATSE 479, the union representing most crew members in the area. The tentative production dates are March 3 through June 13, 2025. Assembly is currently home to the upcoming NBC series “Grosse Pointe Garden Society” and a CBS soap opera, “Beyond the Gates.” Jason Clarke, known for his roles in “Oppenheimer” and HBO’s ‘Winning Time,” will play Alex Murdaugh, who is serving a life sentence for the killings of his wife and son in 2021. He also stole millions from his law firm and clients in wrongful death and serious injury cases. While admitting to the thefts, he has vehemently denied the killings and is appealing his murder convictions. Oscar-winning actor Patricia Arquette will play Murdaugh’s wife, Maggie. Arquette starred in the TV series “Medium” from 2005 to 2011 and the current Apple TV+ series “Severance” as well as dozens of films such as “Boyhood” and “True Romance.” The Murdaughs were an influential family in the Lowcountry region of South Carolina, wielding legal and political power. But over a span of a decade, the family was accused of a variety of crimes. The family has already been the focus of a popular 2023 Netflix documentary “The Murdaugh Murders” and a Lifetime movie “The Murdaugh Murders: A Movie” starring Bill Paxton. This Hulu limited series is based on reporting by Mandy Matney, a journalist and creator of the popular “Murdaugh Murders Podcast.” ——— ©2024 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Visit at ajc.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
NoneIn the fortnight between the assembly election results and the swearing-in of the new chief minister, the BJP sent a clear signal to its allies —Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led NCP— that the party was the big brother in the alliance. After the results, then chief minister Shinde had wanted to retain his job, and Pawar too was keen to get a bigger share of power. However, after union home minister Amit Shah met the duo and Fadnavis in Delhi where the broad structure of the government was discussed, none of the top leaders of the party entertained the duo even though both wanted to have a word with top bosses in Delhi. Two days before the swearing-in, Pawar even reached Delhi apparently seeking a meeting with Shah but to no avail. Both were told to coordinate with Fadnavis and sort out whatever disputes they have in Mumbai. Meanwhile, as he gave interviews to some television channels last week, Fadnavis stressed the point that Mahayuti registered a landslide victory due to BJP’s Hindutva push. While Shinde has been insisting that the Ladki Bahin Yojna was a game changer, Fadnavis said it was one of the factors that prepared the base for Mahayuti’s victory. His overture to Raj Thackeray’s MNS that the party could be an ally in the civic elections is also a clear signal to Shinde that BJP has options. Leaders from the Mahayuti consider this as a signal to allies that the BJP will not compromise on certain issues. It is also a sign that Fadnavis’s tenure will be different than the last two and a half years when BJP played second fiddle to its allies. *Did BJP keep plan B ready? While Shinde was insisting on the home portfolio and not confirming whether he would join the government, BJP leaders had reached out to some of his MLAs. During his first tenure as chief minister, Fadnavis had maintained good relations with several legislators and ministers of then undivided Shiv Sena. A few of them are now senior leaders of Shinde’s Sena and have always been in touch with him. “If needed, it would not have been difficult for us to get them on our side,” said a close aide of the chief minister. “However, we did not want to take extreme steps since we value Shinde for helping us pull down the MVA government. Therefore, we waited patiently,” he said. *Breaking the dy CM jinx As he returns as chief minister, Devendra Fadnavis managed to break a jinx in Maharashtra politics: No deputy chief minister had managed to become chief minister before him. There were several deputy chief ministers who wanted to climb a step further but could not fulfil their ambition—late Gopinath Munde, Chhagan Bhujbal, late R R Patil and Ajit Pawar. When Fadnavis took up the job in 2022, it was being said he would join the club of such deputy CMs. He has now proved to be an exception and managed to break the jinx. His elevation, has probably revived the hopes of another deputy chief minister, Ajit Pawar, who still harbours dreams of the top job. *Somaiya then and now As a Delhi tribunal on benami properties released Ajit Pawar and his family’s properties in Mumbai, Delhi and Goa, mediapersons wanted the reaction of BJP leader Kirit Somaiya who alleged in 2021 that Pawar had benami properties of over ₹ 1,000 crore. Soon after Somaiya’s allegations, Pawar’s properties were attached by the Income Tax department. In 2023, Ajit Pawar split the NCP and joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government in Maharashtra. On Thursday, he got relief from the tribunal which ruled that the properties were not benami. When mediapersons finally caught up with Somaiya, he shrugged, “The court’s decision is final. We respect the court.” *Sagar bungalow in demand Sagar bungalow on Malabar Hill was never considered as one of the most sought after government bungalows among ministers. While Varsha bungalow is the official residence of the chief minister, the bungalows known as top choices were Ramtek at Malabar Hill which has a seafront, Royalstone which is a colonial bungalow off Peddar Road as well as other bungalows at Malabar Hill such as Devgiri and Agradoot. However, the relatively smaller Sagar is now in demand as two occupants of the bungalow have become chief minister. First it was Ashok Chavan who was industries minister when he became chief minister in 2008. Now it is Fadnavis. The word is that Shinde, who will be vacating Varsha, now wants Sagar.There are few sights more unappealing than watching the mob goad the neighbourhood bully. As Donald Trump accepted his Patriot of the Year award from Fox Nation last week, he spoke about threatening Justin Trudeau with 25-per-cent tariffs at Mar-a-Lago the previous weekend. “That’s just the beginning,” the president-elect said. Some in the crowd began to chant: “51! 51!” , in reference to the comment Trump is reported to have made to Trudeau — that if Canada couldn’t survive such high tariffs, it could become the 51st state and Trudeau could become its governor. Trump laughed at the chanting, saying: “That’s an interesting statement.” He was at it again in an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press that aired Sunday, in which he said the U.S. is “subsidizing” Canada to the tune of over US$100 billion. “If we are subsidizing them, let them become a state,” he said. Some people, like former Trudeau adviser Gerry Butts, are urging calm, saying Trump made similar comments when he was in power last time and nothing came of them. Former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen (who was convicted of lying to Congress) thinks the president-elect will march the U.S. military into Canada and Mexico , after seeing Russia and China amassing new empires. That would seem highly unlikely, but not because the idea doesn’t appeal to Trump. He wants to renegotiate the world and leave it a very different place. His biggest concerns are border security and the trade deficits he has with Canada, Mexico and China. But fighting isn’t his style. He’s a bully who uses coercion, threats and teasing as a way of dominating or intimidating. More likely, he will use mercantilism as an economic weapon to try to get what he wants. There are plenty of historic precedents of countries using economic pressure for political ends. Scotland voluntarily gave up nearly 400 years of independence, in part to escape the mercantilist Navigation Acts imposed by England. Those laws ensured only English ships could carry tobacco and sugar from the North American colonies, badly damaging the Scottish economy and leading directly to the act of political union in 1707. Similarly, Trump is intent on “winning” the trade relationship with Canada. But the U.S. is not “losing” to Canada, far less subsidizing it. Many factors influence trade flows. Demand for imports is robust if the government is spending more (which Washington has been), if a strong dollar makes imports cheaper, and if the economy is going at full throttle, which it is in the U.S. (where the labour market is healthy and consumer spending increased 3.7 per cent in the third quarter). The bilateral relationship with Canada is also heavily skewed by the fact that 60 per cent of U.S. oil imports come from north of the border and the oil price is double what it was four years ago. Canada’s exports to the U.S. totalled $594 billion in 2023, while we imported $373.7 billion from the States, according to Statistics Canada. The trade deficit is not in itself a problem but for Trump, deficit means defeat and the U.S. is the victim. Paul Krugman, the U.S. economist, argued recently that Trump may be able to reduce the trade deficit but would likely crater the amount of foreign investment coming into America in doing so, making everyone worse off. He pointed out that the North American auto industry is so integrated that tariffs would raise production costs and that they would invite substantial retaliation. “My guess is that the Trump people have an exaggerated sense of U.S. economic power — similar in a way to the exaggerated sense of military power that was so widespread before we invaded Iraq,” he said. Krugman pointed to an exhaustive study of the impact of tariffs that argued they lead to statistically significant declines in output and productivity, and result in more unemployment and appreciation in the real exchange rate. “To the extent Trump succeeds, it will be for bad, economically disruptive reasons, damaging the world trading system and international capital markets,” Krugman concluded. The results from the first attempt to tariff the U.S. to prosperity were not encouraging. Trump imposed tariffs on US$350 billion of Chinese goods and put duties of 10 to 25 per cent on imports of steel and aluminum. At the same time, he lowered taxes. Rather than narrowing, the U.S. trade deficit actually increased by around 50 per cent between 2016 and 2020. To ignore the lessons of such recent history suggests the same tunnel vision as communists who believe that Marxist utopianism has only failed because it hasn’t been implemented properly. Canadian markets have been remarkably sanguine in the face of Trump’s comments: the TSX index has gone up several points since November 5th. Investors don’t seem to be taking the tariff threat seriously, confident that the administration would not risk rising gas, lumber and food prices (three-quarters of the U.S.’s frozen French fries come from Canada). But Trump said on Meet the Press that he doesn’t believe that tariffs are paid for by consumers. “They cost Americans nothing,” he said. The president-elect and his mercantile evangelists like Peter Navarro, who will be back in the White House as his trade adviser, see trade deficits as a threat to national security that can only be defended against by building a fortress, literal and figurative, along America’s borders. To Navarro, the U.S. has no trade allies , “only competitors that cheat and dump.” Taking that thinking to its logical conclusion, it casts a new and chilling light on the AI generated image of Trump standing on a mountain range next to a Canadian flag and the caption: “Oh Canada.” No-one should be freaking out, but neither should we be laughing at the bully kicking sand in our faces. The joke isn’t funny anymore. jivison@criffel.ca Get more deep-dive National Post political coverage and analysis in your inbox with the Political Hack newsletter, where Ottawa bureau chief Stuart Thomson and political analyst Tasha Kheiriddin get at what’s really going on behind the scenes on Parliament Hill every Wednesday and Friday, exclusively for subscribers. Sign up here .
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