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how to get bonus code in 711bet Isaac Brown, Duke Watson each rush for 2 TDs, Louisville gets 5 turnovers in 41-14 rout of KentuckyBACK in May, President Biden issued a pointed tweet. Writing on the platform now known as X, the post read simply: “No one is above the law”. The comment was about his ­predecessor in the Oval Office — President Trump . The former (and future) President was undergoing a set of trials at the time, which Trump’s supporters believe to be entirely politically motivated. Joe Biden and the Democrat party machine set prosecutors after Trump in multiple states, all the time in search of a crime . As is the way of prosecutors in the US, if they look for a crime they will find one. Sure as anything. Read More on Opinion But wow, how six months seems able to change things. Enriched themselves Because yesterday President Biden announced, on the way out of office, that he is going to pardon his son, Hunter, of every charge that he has faced to date , as well as any charges that might still be brought. This is in spite of him swearing in the past that he would do no such thing. The specific charges that Hunter Biden was awaiting sentence for related to tax evasion and ownership of a gun which he had lied about on purchase. Most read in The Sun He is now going to be pardoned of these charges. But it is the pardoning of him for other potential charges which rankles many Americans most. Thanks to the investigative work of Miranda Devine, the New York Post and others, it has been clear for years that the Biden family — mainly his brother James and son Hunter — have been running a business off the person they called “the big guy”. For years members of the family enriched themselves thanks to their closeness to the man who was Vice President before he became President. Most notoriously, Hunter sat on the board of an energy company in Ukraine called Burisma . The company paid him millions of dollars to sit on their board. Despite Hunter having precisely zero knowledge or expertise in gas. Or in anything much. But Hunter Biden’s exploits finally came to a head in 2020 when a laptop he left at a repair shop found its way into the hands of the New York Post. Drug of choice Hunter was a drug addict at the time. His chosen drug of choice appeared to be crack. And perhaps it was for this reason that he dropped his computer off at a repair shop then never picked it up. Before the Trump-Biden election in 2020, the story of the “laptop from hell” was published. It showed a lot of things. Some of the media that did pick up the story focused on Hunter’s bizarre behaviour. He was so self-destructive that he seems to have been in the habit of taking photos of himself smoking illegal drugs and ­having sex with prostitutes. This was salacious stuff. Salacious stuff But much more important — and what got buried — was the influence-peddling. The laptop had thousands of emails and other messages to and from Hunter that showed the way in which he and other members of the Biden family were making money by using their famous relative. This showed a seriously ­corrupt family. But the story was literally suppressed. The New York Post had its Twitter and other social media pages locked. This was pre- Elon Musk Twitter. Other media ­pretended that the whole story was what the Americans call “a nothing-burger”. Worse still, there was an organised attempt to discredit the story. More than 50 former US intelligence agents signed a letter claiming that the story bore the hallmarks of a Russian intelligence operation. This was during the time when the Democrats were obsessed with the idea that Russia had somehow got Trump into the White House . They had spent four years saying ­“Russia Russia Russia”, despite never ­producing any evidence. In fact, the real election interference was by those US intelligence sources. It was they who colluded to suppress the Hunter Biden story. It was they who decided without even having seen the contents of the laptop that it was a tool to push the election Trump’s way. Crack-smoking During the years since it is those ­intelligence agents and others who showed that they were not just wrong, but part of a cover-up. It was a disgraceful piece of interference — on the free Press and on a US election. Hunter Biden knew that what he had already been charged with would hover over him. And he knew — as did his father — that there was every chance that charges much more serious than crack-smoking would come to light. The Democrats weaponised the justice system against Trump. And pretended that nobody was above the law. READ MORE SUN STORIES Now they are heading out of office, we learn that things are quite otherwise. It turns out that some people can be above the law. But your surname has to be “Biden”.

EXCLUSIVE Aussie's whinge about new rules for Victorian landlords spectacularly backfires: 'Wow' Victorian government introduce new reforms for rentals Under the bill, rentals must meet minimum standards READ MORE: Dire warning Albo's plan to solve rental crisis could backfire By ANTOINETTE MILIENOS FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA Published: 22:59, 29 December 2024 | Updated: 23:19, 29 December 2024 e-mail View comments A landlord has been slammed after voicing his concern over new laws protecting tenants and ensuring rentals meet the basic standards of living. The Victorian Labor government introduced the Consumer and Planning Legislation Amendment (Housing Statement Reform) Bill set to strengthen the rights of renters. Premier Jacinta Allan and minister for consumer affairs Gabrielle Williams explained the bill would deliver a raft of sweeping reforms that crack down on rental providers and dodgy rentals. Under the bill, rental providers and their agents could face fines of more than $11,000 for individuals and $59,000 for companies if the property they have rented does not meet minimum standards. Ms Allan said too often tenants move into properties that still require urgent repairs or maintenance to comply with the minimum standards of a rental. 'New tenants should be able to focus on where they put their couch, not worrying about if they need to go to VCAT because the mould in the bathroom that was supposed to be removed after the inspection is still there,' Ms Allan said. Rental activist Jordan van den Lamb, founder of the s***rentals.org website and known online as PurplePingers, mocked one landlord after he shared his concern. The landlord claimed older properties would become too costly to repair if they were forced to meet minimum standards under the new laws. The Victorian Labor Government has introduced sweeping new reforms cracking down on rental providers and dodgy rentals 'Property managers would be required to audit all their properties,' he posted on Facebook. 'Holes in carpets, a gate not working, windows nailed shut and cracked concrete paths will all be utterly unacceptable. 'Jacinta has introduced these laws to keep the trades in work. My concern is numerous older properties will simply become to costly to get up to standard. 'Around suburbs like Colliingwood, Footscray and Dandenong, literally every second rental property will fail badly. 'There would be another way of rental properties being sold.' Mr van den Lamb shared a screenshot of the landlord's post to his X account on Saturday, mocking him for his absurd complaints. 'Next year we'll have to make sure our investment properties comply with the law and that's a bad thing,' Mr van den Lamb wrote. 'We'll have to provide state of the art rentals with things like WINDOWS THAT AREN'T NAILED SHUT and if I have to do that I'm gonna sell my third investment property.' Rental activist Jordan van den Lamb (pictured) mocked one landlord after he shared claimed it would be too costly to bring older properties up to minimum standards under the new reforms Read More Shocking moment real estate boss 'says the quiet part out loud' in online stoush with renters Social media users also slammed the landlord with many claiming the minimum standard was an easily achievable goal to make something liveable. 'If your property is not up to scratch, you can’t rent it out. Simple,' one person commented. 'Wow! Rentals that are code compliant?' another person wrote. 'An authority that ensures they are? Could it possibly be real? Is my open air and not fitting the frame front door code complaint?' 'Human rights are quite a frightening concept to property investors,' a third chimed. A fourth added: 'The minimum standard should be: if the landlord wouldn’t live in it for a year as it is, you can’t expect the tenant to'. Under the new reforms landlords will face penalties if they withhold a tenants bond and fail to provide photographic evidence of damaged property along with a receipt outlining the cost of repairs. Landlords will also lose the right to evict a tenant without a genuine reason and real estate agents will be banned from charging prospective tenants with the cost of conducting a background check on their rental history. Hidden fees and charges which exist on third-party apps used by tenants to pay their rent will also be removed. The cost of breaking a lease will also be capped, with renters paying one week's rent for each remaining month of their contract - and only up to a maximum of four weeks. The Victorian parliament is set to introduce the reforms in stages over the next 12 months, with legislation to ban unreasonable evictions coming into effect this year. Landlords will still maintain the power to evict a tenant if they cause damage, fail to pay their rent or if the owner wants to move back into the property. Facebook Jacinta Allan Share or comment on this article: Aussie's whinge about new rules for Victorian landlords spectacularly backfires: 'Wow' e-mail Add comment

Toronto Sceptres open PWHL season with 3-1 comeback win over Boston Fleet TORONTO — Hannah Miller scored a power-play goal with 1:38 remaining in the game, lifting the Toronto Sceptres to a 3-1 victory over the Boston Fleet in the Professional Women's Hockey League season opener on Saturday. Tim Wharnsby, The Canadian Press Nov 30, 2024 1:59 PM Nov 30, 2024 2:05 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Toronto Sceptres' Hannah Miller (34) celebrates her goal with teammates on the bench Boston Fleet during late third period PWHL hockey action in Toronto on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn TORONTO — Hannah Miller scored a power-play goal with 1:38 remaining in the game, lifting the Toronto Sceptres to a 3-1 victory over the Boston Fleet in the Professional Women's Hockey League season opener on Saturday. With Boston standout Hilary Knight in the penalty box for a vicious boarding penalty on Sceptres defender Renata Fast, Miller made good on her rebound attempt on a Daryl Watts shot with a half-open net. Fast recovered for an assist on the winner before 8,089 fans at Coca-Cola Coliseum. The Fleet (0-1-0) challenged the goal, but video review deemed Miller's shot was good. Sarah Nurse got Toronto (1-0-0) on the board with a short-handed tally 11:50 into the first period and Emma Maltais added an empty-net strike to seal the score at 3-1 with 12 seconds left on the game clock. Boston's Hilary Knight opened the scoring at the 3:00 mark of the opening frame, sending a slap shot past Toronto goalie Kristin Campbell, who registered 18 stops on the night. Toronto outshot Boston 41-19. Boston goalie Aerin Frankel, a big reason why her team advanced to the Walter Cup final last spring, was outstanding with 38 saves. Frankel made a significant glove-hand stop on Toronto defender Jocelyne Larocque with 6:36 remaining in the third period. Larocque was alone when a rebound caromed to her in front. But the puck was rolling, and she could only lift her shot straight into Frankel's glove. Nurse's goal tested the league's new jailbreak rule that sees a minor penalty — in this case, Izzy Daniel's tripping infraction — wiped out when a team scores a short-handed goal. . Takeaways Sceptres: Billie Jean King MVP Natalie Spooner missed the season opener. The PWHL scoring champion underwent left knee surgery last June after getting injured in Game 3 of Toronto's first-round series against Minnesota. Fleet: Defender Emma Greco of Burlington, Ont., played her first game for Boston. She was part of the Walter Cup-winning Minnesota team that defeated Boston in a three-game series last spring. Greco is one of five Ontario-born players on the Fleet roster. Key moment With the game tied 1-1, the Sceptres failed to score during a 59-second 5-on-3 advantage midway through the second period. Boston blocked five shots during the span. Key stat Last year, Toronto enjoyed an 11-game win streak en route to its regular-season championship, including three wins against Boston. Up next Toronto visits Ottawa on Tuesday. Boston will play its home opener on Wednesday, a rematch with the Walter Cup-champion Minnesota. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 30, 2024. Tim Wharnsby, The Canadian Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message More National Sports Kakko's late goal lifts Rangers past Canadiens 4-3 Nov 30, 2024 1:31 PM Mikaela Shiffrin is alert and being evaluated after crashing in final run of World Cup giant slalom Nov 30, 2024 12:30 PM Canada's Weidemann takes 3,000-metre bronze in World Cup speedskating Nov 30, 2024 10:28 AM Featured Flyer

Outside of Sarnia’s Inn of the Good Shepherd, client Wyatt Mitchell said he’s come to depend on the in-house food bank. “I come here monthly. Sometimes I have to come here four or five times a week for lunch because they offer a meal a day,” said Mitchell. But the food bank itself is struggling. Right now, it serves about 2,200 people per month. And according to Executive Director Myles Vanni, it’s experienced a 20 per cent increase in usage, while at the same time a 20 per cent decrease in food donations. On top of that, Vanni said cash donations aren’t keeping pace with food costs. “Prior to COVID we would spend roughly maybe $5,000 a month on purchasing food. Now we’re finding months it’s maybe as high as $25,000 just to make sure we’ve got enough on stock. And even with that, there are mornings when we have to close the food bank early just because the number of people lined up to come in exceeds the food that we’ve got on the shelves,” explained Vanni. The Inn of the Good Shepherd is certainly not alone. According to a new report by Feed Ontario, Ontario’s largest collective of hunger relief organizations, food banks across the province are cutting services as demand outpaces resources. The report says more than one million people accessed a food bank between April 1, 2023, and March 31, 2024, an increase of 25 per cent over last year and 86 per cent since 2019-2020. In addition, Ontario food banks were visited more than 7.6 million times throughout the year, an increase of 31 per cent over last year. And further, two in five visitors had never accessed a food bank before, representing an increase of 43 per cent. The smaller of Sarnia’s two food banks is also facing increased pressure. River City Vinyard community shelter in Sarnia on Dec. 2, 2024. (Bryan Bicknell/CTV News London) River City Vinyard serves between 300 and 450 people per month, according to manager Audrey Kelway. But last month came a situation she said they had never experienced before. “So, we did have to close it a few times in November because we had nothing to give,” said Kelway. She said she hesitated to reach out to the community for donations, knowing there are many others struggling, themselves. In the meantime, both Sarnia food banks say they’re counting on the holidays to bring out the spirit of giving. “Now people have started. Usually at Christmas people get pretty generous, so we will start to get some more things,” said Kelway. Shopping Trends The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us. 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US President-elect Donald Trump made it clear on Saturday that he expects BRICS member countries—Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—to refrain from creating a new currency or supporting any alternative to the US Dollar. Trump, using his Truth Social platform, demanded a commitment from these countries that they would not undermine the global dominance of the US Dollar in international trade. Trump’s warning was stark: if BRICS countries attempt to challenge the US Dollar, they will face extreme economic consequences, including a 100% tariff on goods exported to the United States. He emphasized the seriousness of his threat, writing, “We require a commitment from these countries that they will neither create a new BRICS Currency, nor back any other currency to replace the mighty US Dollar or, they will face 100% Tariffs, and should expect to say goodbye to selling into the wonderful US Economy.” The suggestion is that these countries would no longer be able to freely trade with the US if they pursue such initiatives. No Chance for BRICS to Replace the US Dollar In his post, Trump stated unequivocally, “There is no chance that the BRICS will replace the US Dollar in international trade, and any country that tries should wave goodbye to America.” This comment reflects his belief in the US Dollar’s unshakable status as the world’s most widely used reserve currency, an essential tool in global commerce. Despite ongoing efforts by countries like China and Russia to reduce dependence on the Dollar, Trump remains confident that such alternatives are unlikely to succeed. In recent years, the BRICS nations have been discussing ways to reduce their reliance on the US Dollar, driven by geopolitical tensions and the desire for more economic sovereignty. Among the proposals considered is the possibility of creating a shared BRICS currency or conducting trade using national currencies. While these discussions have gained attention, they have also faced skepticism about their feasibility, given the diverse economies and political interests within BRICS. Economic Independence vs. US Dominance Trump’s statement highlights the ongoing struggle between economic independence and the entrenched power of the US Dollar. While BRICS countries seek greater autonomy, particularly in the face of US sanctions and the Dollar’s role in global finance, Trump’s position underscores the United States’ determination to maintain its economic leadership on the world stage. Trump’s remarks signal potential future tensions between the US and BRICS nations if they continue to push for alternatives to the US Dollar. As global financial systems evolve, this debate over currency supremacy could lead to significant economic and diplomatic challenges for both the US and the BRICS bloc. Read More : Joe Rogan Weighs In On Claims Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs ‘Poisoned’ Jamie Foxx

Ascent Pickleball showcased its state-of-the-art indoor facility with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday at Shenango Commons. The 24,000-square-foot facility features six professionally designed, cushioned courts — installed by the same company that puts down the tennis surface for the U.S. Open — as well as such cutting-edge technology as electronic scoring and instant replay. The pro shop at Ascent Pickleball Frank Augustine got to be one of the first persons to experience all of that earlier this week. “It was easy on my legs,” the Shenango Township supervisor chairman said. “I’ve played on other surfaces. This is easy on my legs. Whatever they used for these courts, I enjoyed it, it was great. “Plus the fences here (around each court), the ball doesn’t go to far when I miss it. I don’t have to chase it so far.” Does that mean his game is about to step up? “Nothing’s going to improve my game,” he said. That’s OK. Ascent is open to players of all levels, from the casual to the serious. And you don’t have to be a member to use the courts. Prior to Friday’s ribbon-cutting, owner Tim Kelly was beaming as he watched various players get their first taste of the facility. “They’re here because they enjoy playing pickleball, they’re pickleball players, and they’re now experiencing taking things to a whole other layer that they didn’t even know existed,” Kelly said. “We’re the only place in the tri-state area that has the electronic scoring and the instant replay. You’ve got to go to Richmond, Virginia, to get the next facility that has anything like what we’ve got here.” Kelly should know. He traveled the country seeking the best ideas to infuse into Ascent. Story continues below video “I’ve been able to visit 27 facilities across the U.S., everything from small locals to big facilities that have indoor and outdoor courts, plus multiple bar/restaurants all within the same complex,” he said. “I’ve been able to take and pick pieces of each one of those experiences and meld them all together.” The result is everything that he had envisioned. “Being that I was involved not only with the design but all the actual drawings and the CAD work and spacing...I’ve had many experiences where what I envisioned was not what really came to fruition, was not exactly what I had envisioned,” he said. “But this is exactly what we envisioned.” He credited Wish Development, owner of a section of the former Lawrence Village Plaza in which Ascent is located, and Shenango Township officials with bringing that dream about. “Without those two entities, this does not happen,” he said. In addition to pickle ball, Ascent offers a pro shop, a sports bar/restaurant called the Golden Pickle and rooms that can be rented for parties or other gatherings. And it’s not finished yet. There’s a Phase Two coming in 2025. “There will be courts outside (at the rear of the facility, next to the park),” Kelly said, adding that at least some of those will be covered. “Plus we will have cornhole areas, we will have fire pits with lounge seating. We will have cabanas you can sit under with TVs up in the corner. And we hope – we don’t know for sure yet – but we hope to create a sand volleyball area.” Augustine, for one, couldn’t be more excited about what’s already at Ascent, and what is still to come. “You don’t know you’re in Lawrence County when you walk in here,” he said. “Lawrence County’s great, but this is a Western Pennsylvania destination for people to come to. We’re going to get people from everywhere.” d_irwin@ncnewsonline.com The Golden Pickle sports bar inside Ascent Pickleball is open to all. Owner Tim Kelly embraces his wife, Sharon and daughter, Alissa, moments before a ribbon cutting to officially open Ascent Pickleball. Other family members are Tim’s son, Travis, holding the other pair of large scissors along with Tim’s brother and partner, John Kelly, and Travis’ wife, Marissa, who is standing behind him. Tim Kelly, left, talks to Frank Moses of Forward Lawrence and state Rep. Marla Brown about Ascent Pickleball. Tim Kelly, left, talks to visitors about Ascent Pickleball prior to Friday's ribbon cutting. Tim Kelly explains Ascent Pickleball's Legacy Lounge, an area for members who had comprised the Shenango Pickleball Association. Tim Kelly, left, talks to state Rep. Marla Brown and other visitors about Ascent Pickleball. The pro shop at Ascent Pickleball Players get some game time in on the cushioned courts of Ascent Pickleball. The ribbon is cut to officially open Ascent Pickleball. A courtside screen provides electronic scoring and instand replay at Ascent Pickleball. On the far side of the fence is the Ascent pro shop. The Golden Pickle sports bar inside Ascent Pickleball is open to all. Owner Tim Kelly embraces his wife, Sharon and daughter, Alissa, moments before a ribbon cutting to officially open Ascent Pickleball. Other family members are Tim’s son, Travis, holding the other pair of large scissors along with Tim’s brother and partner, John Kelly, and Travis’ wife, Marissa, who is standing behind him. Tim Kelly, left, talks to Frank Moses of Forward Lawrence and state Rep. Marla Brown about Ascent Pickleball. Tim Kelly, left, talks to visitors about Ascent Pickleball prior to Friday's ribbon cutting. Tim Kelly explains Ascent Pickleball's Legacy Lounge, an area for members who had comprised the Shenango Pickleball Association. Tim Kelly, left, talks to state Rep. Marla Brown and other visitors about Ascent Pickleball. The pro shop at Ascent Pickleball Players get some game time in on the cushioned courts of Ascent Pickleball. The ribbon is cut to officially open Ascent Pickleball. A courtside screen provides electronic scoring and instand replay at Ascent Pickleball. On the far side of the fence is the Ascent pro shop.Jonathan Finer’s Less-Than-Fine Moment

India News | .SURAT/VADODARA BOM23 GJ-BULLET TRAIN-VAISHNAW Vaishnaw Inspects Bullet Train Track Slab Manufacturing Factory in GujaratMENLO PARK, Calif. — Evan Williams did not want to start another startup. He had already enjoyed the kind of rare, unfathomable success most entrepreneurs only dream of, starting tech companies that made products used by millions — the early blogging site Blogger, the social media giant Twitter, the publishing platform Medium. Along the way, Williams had grappled with corporate turmoil and angst. His last company, Medium, was a decade-long slog that never lived up to its $600 million valuation or lofty mission of solving the internet’s ugliest problems. By the time he stepped down as CEO in 2022, he had no desire to do it again, he said. But he was lonely. He had gotten divorced and moved cross-country twice in a few years. Before his 50th birthday in 2022, he realized he had “underinvested” in his friendships, he said. Post-pandemic, he did not even know where many of his friends were living. “I was doing a lot of reflecting,” Williams said. “In this stage of life, I really wanted to focus on relationships.” Pouring so much energy into his startups was one reason he had this problem. But maybe a startup could also help fix it. In 2022, Williams began working on a Rolodex app that would tell him where his friends were living and traveling. It would be more “social” than “social media,” with none of the comments, stories, posts, likes, hearts or follows that made his previous creations so addicting. But Williams still didn’t want to run a company. Through mutual friends, he met Molly DeWolf Swenson, an entrepreneur, who became a co-founder and the CEO. Last month, they raised $6 million in funding from Obvious Ventures, an investment firm co-founded by Williams, as well as WndrCo and BBG Ventures. This week, they plan to unveil their app, Mozi, which is aimed at helping people foster in-person connections with their social circle. It lets people tell their friends about upcoming plans that may overlap. Those who join the app will see a private friend list based on their phone contacts. They get notifications if a contact plans to visit their city or attend the same event. Profiles include user-supplied information such as dietary restrictions, relationship status, family members and pet names. Organizing contacts by location and travel plans may appeal to a certain type of jet-setting tech worker whose friends are spread around the world. Mozi’s founders hope it will be just as useful for people who don’t travel but want to know when their friends are in town. The company also plans to promote itself around events like music festivals and business conferences. Williams views Mozi as an attempt to return to social media’s original intention, which was about interacting with people you already knew. Over the years, social media companies evolved into just plain media — a place for watching videos from influencers and professional entertainers, reading links to news stories, sharing memes or impulse shopping via highly targeted ads. Many of the apps are optimized to get users hooked on an endless scroll of new information. Williams once spoke out about how wrong he had been about the promise and benefits of social media like Twitter and how he was determined to address thorny problems such as harassment, misinformation and extremism at Medium. He is now more at peace with the role of the internet and its trade-offs. “The internet did make us more connected,” he said in an interview in Menlo Park, California. “It just also made us more divided. It made us more everything.” Mozi is meant to be a utility. If a user wants to message a friend in the app to make plans, the app directs them to the phone’s texting app. “We’re not trying to keep people on the app,” said DeWolf Swenson, 37, who was a founder of RYOT, a virtual reality startup, and was head of global partnerships at Community, an app that allows public figures and brands to text their fans. “If we’re doing our job well, you’re finding that information as quickly as possible and then getting off the app.” As a power networker who created an elaborate spreadsheet tracking her friends and business contacts, DeWolf Swenson was Mozi’s ideal user. But even the best system could not tell her if someone would be home when she visited their city, she said. Consumer apps like Mozi are out of step with the tech zeitgeist, which has centered most recently on artificial intelligence. But James Joaquin, a co-founder of Obvious Ventures, said he was compelled to invest in Mozi after talking to its early testers. They shared stories about reconnecting with old friends via the app — moments that seemed valuable enough that customers might pay for it, he said. Mozi is free, but plans to charge for premium features it develops. Other founders also see the potential of using online tools to help people connect in person. Andy Dunn, a founder of the e-commerce company Bonobos, raised $24 million over the past four years for Pie, an app that lets creators organize events like running clubs and game nights with the goal of helping people make new friends. The app, available in Chicago and San Francisco, took off this year with 50,000 monthly users, he said. “Even people who love social media or use it frequently know it’s not necessarily that social,” Dunn said. “Mostly it’s an experience we do alone.” Williams also invested in Pie. The two entrepreneurs spent time together last year in Brazil, where they debated social media’s future at the beach. Williams wore a T-shirt that said “More social less media,” Dunn recalled. They determined that the challenges created by social media wouldn’t be solved by making a better social media product. Williams said he decided Mozi was worth building after reflecting on the importance of relationships. Looking back, he said, “everything that had gone really well, even in work, was about relationships, and everything that went poorly was mismanaging relationships.” He added that he was not raised with good relationship models. “I learned late in life what a healthy relationship and conflict resolution looked like, and that was a cause of a lot of my pain and suffering,” he said. When Williams turned 50, his son called it “halftime.” The analogy made him feel optimistic, he said, since “a lot can be determined in the second half of the game.” This article originally appeared in .Walmart Walmart CFO, John David Rainey , has outlined the company's bold vision for a transformation in the retail landscape, following a year of navigating the challenges because of rising inflation in the US economy. Despite these economic pressures, Rainey revealed that Walmart successfully attracted a broader consumer base, marking a shift in its strategy to appeal to a more diverse demographic than ever before. Speaking to Fox Business, Rainey painted a picture of a revamped Walmart, one that contrasts with its past image. "appeal to a much broader demographic than what we have historically," he said. The retail giant has unexpectedly become a destination for affluent shoppers this year, prompting significant changes such as sleek store designs and large-scale remodels. Walmart has consistently renovated around 700 stores annually, but Rainey noted plans to increase these efforts moving forward. "When you walk into one of these remodeled stores, it's a very, very different experience from what you've thought about historically," he stated. Investment in customer experience has been a key focus, with revamped layouts, modernised checkout areas, and advanced support technology enhancing the shopping environment. However, Rainey reassured loyal customers that these updates aim to serve all shoppers, not just upscale ones, as per The Mirror US. Some regulars may already have noticed the addition of premium products, including Apple gadgets and Bose audio equipment. "If you're a supplier or a vendor, you actually want to sell your product where the people are, where the eyeballs are coming. And so that's really helping us right now," Rainey explained, highlighting Walmart's ongoing efforts to expand its product range in response to shifting consumer demand. Despite these positive strides, Walmart acknowledged that it will miss its environmental goals for 2025 and 2030, particularly regarding emissions reductions. Rainey attributed this shortfall to challenges posed by energy policies and technological limitations. While the store remodels and new products may not be the most environmentally friendly initiatives, Walmart continues to maintain a lower carbon footprint per sales unit than more polluting competitors. Nevertheless, the company faces hurdles in reducing emissions amid its ongoing store expansions and the growing volume of goods it ships.National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Friday there are "early indications" that Russian air defenses may have been involved in the Azerbaijan Airlines crash on Christmas Day, killing 38 and injuring 29. The Washington Post reports Kirby emphasized these findings are preliminary, as investigations into the crash remain ongoing. What Happened: The flight, en route from Baku to Grozny, diverted midflight before ultimately crashing in Kazakhstan. Kirby highlighted that the evidence extends beyond images of the damaged aircraft, though he declined to provide further details, according to WaPo. Azerbaijani officials have also cited "external interference" as the likely cause, with initial investigations showing the wreckage bore marks consistent with an air-defense missile. Passengers and crew reported hearing three explosions near Grozny, with cutting debris injuring those onboard. Azerbaijani Minister of Digital Development and Transport Rashad Nabiyev confirmed that the injuries were caused by objects piercing the fuselage, The Post reports. Azerbaijani Airlines has since suspended flights to multiple Russian cities, citing ongoing safety concerns. Also Read: ExxonMobil Stock Navigates Death Cross: Market Signals Turn Bearish For Oil Giant Why It Matters: The suggestion of Russian involvement has amplified geopolitical tensions in a region already fraught with conflict. If confirmed, the incident would deepen mistrust between Azerbaijan and Moscow, raising broader questions about the safety of air travel in conflict zones. The U.S. has offered to assist Azerbaijani and Kazakh officials in the investigation, underscoring the international significance of the findings. Russian authorities initially blamed weather conditions and bird strikes but later mentioned drone activity near Grozny, which had triggered radar jamming. But survivors described an external impact according to The Post. “We felt a blow from outside,” a flight attendant said, noting the plane broke apart on impact. Read Next: Veteran Investor Bets Big On S&P 500 Hitting 7,000 By End Of 2025: These Sectors Could Lead The Charge Photo: EvrenKalinbacak/Shutterstock.com © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

German politicians criticise Elon Musk for backing AfD ahead of electionLetters Dec. 21: Judicious spending of public funds; electrical safety at Christmas; lifetime residents The Times Colonist Dec 21, 2024 4:24 AM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message When setting up Christmas lights, pay attention to electrical safety, a letter-writer says. Shutterstock Listen to this article 00:08:53 Social deficits and a worldwide pandemic A recent writer to the Times Colonist equating budget deficits exclusively with the NDP requires a response, and a dose of reality. All provinces, as well as the federal government experienced budget deficits as a result of runaway inflation due to the pandemic. This was a reality around the world. People were crying out for support from their governments and this certainly was not unique to jurisdictions where the NDP hold government. Specifically, in B.C.’s case, the previous B.C. Liberal government left the incoming NDP with dreadful infrastructure and social deficits that required attention both before and after the pandemic. A shocking backlog of school, hospital and road construction simply had to be addressed. As well, the recruitment of doctors, nurses and other health-care professionals, now being hired in the thousands, is being successfully undertaken. Well, surprise! These objectively essential things, all cost money. All governments have a duty to judiciously manage public funds but those of us who believe in a civil society with good public services, agree that this is money well spent. Dan Rowe Sidney Spending comes first, ahead of the economy It’s become painfully obvious that David Eby, his precursor and the NDP in general have an addiction to overspending. Too bad they don’t have the same addiction to generating a strong economy to support this spending. Eby claims he’s going to be more business friendly in the future. He’s got a long way to go to fix this ridiculous current deficit. He might want to start with the forest industry. We’ll see. Mike Briggs Comox Electrical safety at Christmas time Re: “Kids, be careful with Christmas displays,” letter, Dec. 19. The writer is rightly concerned about the potential shock hazard of power cords running over wet ground and the risks associated with touching the lights. In the interests of the safety of both the children and the writer, may I strongly recommend that all the lights be plugged into a GFCI outlet. Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter technology is designed to detect the smallest current that has gone astray, such as from a bulb through the body of someone standing on wet ground, and if such a current is detected, automatically shuts the power off. GFCI outlets are commonly used in outside outlets (and bathrooms) and they may be identified because they will have a Test and a Reset button. Before using, the operation of the outlet should always be checked by pushing the Test button, which should shut off the power, after which the Reset button can be used to restore the power. Several outside outlets may be controlled by the same GFCI circuit although they may not be marked as such. Use a test light to make sure they also turn off when the main GFCI outlet is tested. In older homes, the outside outlets may not be similarly protected. In that case I suggest purchasing a GFCI extension cord, available at any hardware store. The Christmas lights plug into the GFCI extension cord and only that cord should be plugged into the unprotected exterior outlet. Doing so does not negate the advice to the children, but it will give peace of mind. John Coenraads Victoria Lifetime residents should come first Re: “Health care in B.C. is appalling,” ­letter, Dec. 18. The letter made valid points, although one statement needs further review: “Meanwhile poor seniors who have worked hard all their lives and contributed greatly to our province...” Many of the people our age (retired) who we know have come to B.C. after having spent their working lives paying taxes and “contributing” in a different jurisdiction. Perhaps ready access to health care should put lifetime B.C. seniors ahead of those parachuting into B.C. for their retirement years. Ken Allen Colwood Colwood health clinic a great new idea I applaud my neighbours, the City of Colwood, for thinking outside the box re local health care services. It seems all levels of government have been stuck in the never-ending loop of trying to solve today’s problems with yesterday’s solutions. The issue has become clear that modern-day GPs don’t want to have the burden of running a business added to challenge of providing health care to their patients. The concept of running primary care clinics from government-run operations with doctors on salaries (with corresponding benefits) is an excellent option. The administrative infrastructure is already in place with government-run clinics and takes that “business” (i.e. rent, staff, taxes, etc.) burden off of the practising physician. I believe it’s a win win win for government and healthcare professionals to provide a much-needed service to a growing sector of the population who have no access to family doctors. Well done, Colwood. Let’s expand on this novel new approach. Len Jansen Langford Disingenuous Oak Bay missed housing chances Oak Bay failing to meet housing growth targets is all excuses with nothing valid about it. Followers of housing construction activity on Vancouver Island can attest to most municipalities dispensing with resistance and just getting with the program. Undoubtedly Oak Bay could have contributed a municipally owned property for someone to put up a four-storey 46-unit affordable housing building. Voila, housing target met. But Oak Bay has chosen to continue funding its own pet priorities — like having the police service tasked with checking on residential estate properties while homeowners are on vacation. Joanne Thibault Victoria Encourage moving to smaller towns The B.C. government is calling for increased density in our urban areas. They believe that this will lead to affordable housing, but just look at the cost of housing in any large city. We know that population growth will increase crime, pollution, traffic congestion, litter, noise, violence and health issues. Why not provide incentives for people to move to small towns? Affordable housing is abundant throughout rural Canada. Small towns are dying and with them, a way of life that prioritizes social connections over amenities. People are flocking to the cities, but such urbanization is hazardous to everyone’s well-being. Mary-Anne Neal Saanichton Things to remember in pool referendum Those who are eligible to vote in the Crystal Pool Referendum in February should be aware of the following: 1. Grants, some of which have already been applied for, are dependent on the Referendum being a yes vote. 2. Cost overruns have been budgeted for in the pool replacement budget. 3. Final design will depend on which site Victoria council chooses. Voters’ choice is sought, but is non-binding. Pauline McCullagh Victoria Pedestrians have responsibility, too Lowering speed limits in Victoria will do nothing to prevent pedestrian car incidents if pedestrians won’t be aware of their surroundings crossing the street. Take out the ear buds and make eye contact with drivers before crossing to ensure the approaching driver can actually see you. Many can’t. John L. Krysa Oak Bay SEND US YOUR LETTERS • Email: [email protected] • Mail: Letters to the editor, Times Colonist, 201-655 Tyee Rd., Victoria, B.C. V9A 6X5 • Aim for no more than 250 words; subject to editing for length and clarity. Provide your contact information; it will not be published. Avoid sending your letter as an email attachment. See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message More Opinion Adrian Raeside cartoon: Somebody is prowling in our backyard Dec 21, 2024 4:20 AM Comment: Tackling pervasive health inequity and racism requires more from our leaders Dec 21, 2024 4:16 AM Editorial: More strategy, more friendship would see us through a trade dispute Dec 20, 2024 4:17 AM Featured Flyer

Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. Buys 92,217 Shares of Range Resources Co. (NYSE:RRC)WASHINGTON (AP) — Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said her agency will need to start taking “extraordinary measures,” or special accounting maneuvers intended to prevent the nation from hitting the debt ceiling , as early as January 14, in a letter sent to congressional leaders Friday afternoon. "Treasury expects to hit the statutory debt ceiling between January 14 and January 23," Yellen wrote in a letter addressed to House and Senate leadership, at which point extraordinary measures would be used to prevent the government from breaching the nation's debt ceiling — which has been suspended until Jan. 1, 2025. The department has in the past deployed what are known as “extraordinary measures” or accounting maneuvers to keep the government operating. But once those measures run out the government risks defaulting on its debt unless lawmakers and the president agree to lift the limit on the U.S. government’s ability to borrow. "I respectfully urge Congress to act to protect the full faith and credit of the United States," she said. The news comes after President Joe Biden signed a bill into law last week that averted a government shutdown but did not include President-elect Donald Trump’s core debt demand to raise or suspend the nation’s debt limit. The bill was approved by Congress only after fierce internal debate among Republicans over how to handle Trump's demand. “Anything else is a betrayal of our country,” Trump said in a statement. After a protracted debate in the summer of 2023 over how to fund the government, policymakers crafted the Fiscal Responsibility Act, which included suspending the nation's $31.4 trillion borrowing authority until Jan. 1, 2025. Notably however, Yellen said, on Jan. 2 the debt is projected to temporarily decrease due to a scheduled redemption of nonmarketable securities held by a federal trust fund associated with Medicare payments. As a result, “Treasury does not expect that it will be necessary to start taking extraordinary measures on January 2 to prevent the United States from defaulting on its obligations," she said. The federal debt currently stands at roughly $36 trillion — which ballooned across both Republican and Democratic administrations. And the spike in inflation after the coronavirus pandemic pushed up government borrowing costs such that debt service next year will exceed spending on national security. Republicans, who will have full control of the White House, House and Senate in the new year, have big plans to extend Trump's 2017 tax cuts and other priorities but debate over how to pay for them.

UConn head coach Dan Hurley insists he's not overvaluing Wednesday night's game between his 25th-ranked Huskies and No. 15 Baylor in Storrs, Conn. Sure, it comes on the heels of the two-time reigning national champion Huskies (5-3) responding to losing all three games during the Maui Invitational with a blowout victory over Maryland Eastern Shore on Saturday.Imbalance

Over the weekend, Blake Lively elevated herself into the pantheon of famous Hollywood women who have taken monumental, #MeToo-inspired stands against sexual predation in the entertainment industry. The 37-year-old star not only publicly detailed her own painful experience with sexual harassment on the set of her movie, “It Ends With Us,” in a legal complaint and in , she also chronicled the way she was allegedly targeted by a sophisticated social media “smear campaign” during the film’s release in August. The purpose of this campaign, allegedly orchestrated by cunning and craven Hollywood publicists, was to damage her reputation for the sake of advancing the career and the personal brand of her alleged harasser, co-star and director Justin Baldoni. In a statement to the New York Times, Lively valiantly said, “I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct and helps protect others who may be targeted.” Nearly seven years ago, during the rise of the #MeToo movement. But unlike now, Lively’s purported advocacy for women speaking up against sexual misconduct was met with skepticism and even backlash. That’s because Lively had chosen to publicly support one of the industry’s most famous alleged predators, Woody Allen. Among other things, Lively praised Allen for his “very empowering” direction after she co-starred in his 2016 film “Cafe Society.” During press interviews for the film, she also refused to address the sexual assault allegations made against him by his own daughter, Dylan Farrow. Indeed, one prominent person speaking out against Lively in late 2017 and early 2018 was Dylan Farrow, who originally accused the filmmaker of molesting her in 1992, when she was 7 years old. While Dylan Farrow praised women in the industry for “taking a stand” to effect change in Hollywood, that Lively and other celebrity #MeToo advocates who had worked with her father were actually complicit “in the culture they are fighting against.” “The people who join this movement without taking any kind of personal accountability for the ways in which their own words and decisions have helped to perpetuate the culture they are fighting against, that’s hard for me to reconcile,” Dylan Farrow said When Lively was initially cast in Allen’s “Cafe Society” in 2015, the former TV actor no doubt relished the chance to gain serious acting credibility by working with Allen, then still revered as one of world cinema’s best-loved auteurs. A year later, after “Cafe Society” premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, Lively gushed about joining an elite class of actresses who could be considered Allen “muses,” telling that it was “really cool to work with a director who’s done so much.” But it was during the 2016 Cannes Film Festival that public opinion began to turn against Allen, and Lively began to feel some heat. The change was led by Allen’s own son, journalist Ronan Farrow, whose later reporting on the alleged sex crimes of producer Harvey Weinstein helped spur the #MeToo movement. In for The Hollywood Reporter, Farrow reminded movie fans — and A-list stars like Lively — that his father had allegedly “groomed” his sister with inappropriate touching as a young girl and sexually assaulted her when she was 7. The allegations against Allen first became public in the 1990s, amid his stormy break-up from longtime girlfriend Mia Farrow, Ronan and Dylan’s mother. As Allen vehemently denied the molestation allegations involving Dylan, his “PR engine revved into action,” Ronan Farrow explained in his op-ed. Similar to what Lively would say about Baldoni, Allen had savvy and aggressive publicists working on his behalf to spin a narrative to the public that was favorable to him and harmful to his alleged victim, according to Ronan Farrow. In Allen’s case, this narrative sought to enlist journalists and news outlets in discrediting his own daughter’s account of being molested, Ronan Farrow said. Also similar to Baldoni, Allen’s aim was to salvage his reputation and to continue his career as a filmmaker. Ronan Farrow described how this narrative held power for more than 20 years, largely because media outlets, fearful of Allen’s power in the industry, didn’t want to consider his sister’s side of the story. The journalist described his sister’s “agony in the wake of powerful voices sweeping aside her allegations” and “the press often willing to be taken along for the ride.” He said that it also hurt his sister to see A-list actors, some of whom were personal heroes, line up to star in his movies. The day after Ronan Farrow published his op-ed piece, on being one of the actors who presumably hurt Dylan Farrow by lining up to star in her father’s movies. She demurred, saying she hadn’t read the piece. “I think that’s dangerous,” she said. “I don’t want to speak about something I haven’t read.” Lively also that any news coverage of Allen’s personal life didn’t register with her when she was making the movie. “I could (only) know my experience,” she said. “And my experience with Woody is he’s empowering to women.” Lively came to Allen’s defense in other ways by ripping into a Cannes official who made a joke about Dylan Farrow’s allegations before the “Cafe Society” screening, She said film festivals are meant to be “beautiful” events for the purpose of celebrating movies and artists, and they shouldn’t be tarnished by someone making jokes about “something (like sexual abuse) that wasn’t funny.” More than a year later, Ronan Farrow, writing for the New Yorker, joined New York Times reporters Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor in publishing investigative stories that revealed Harvey Weinstein’s decades-long history of alleged sexual harassment and assault against scores of women. The Weinstein revelations quickly spurred many other women to come forward about sexual misconduct perpetrated by powerful men in media. As the #MeToo movement took off, Dylan Farrow gained a new platform to re-litigate her claims against her father in the court of public opinion. She in which she called out Lively, Kate Winslet and Greta Gerwig for choosing to work with her father but then refusing to “answer questions about it.” Now in 2024, Lively has become a #MeToo-style hero by going public with her allegations against Baldoni. That status was helped by the fact that her claims were detailed by the New York Times report, in a report co-authored by Twohey, one of the reporters who originally broke the Weinstein story. As with Lively’s bombshell legal complaint filed in California, the Times story also focuses on the alleged efforts by Baldoni and his publicists to damage Lively’s reputation, in order to pre-empt her claims about his sexually inappropriate behavior on set. But over the years, Lively still has not addressed her support for Allen or her refusal to discuss Dylan Farrow’s allegations. Unlike Greta Gerwig and some other actors, she also has not voiced regret for choosing to work with Allen, even after Ronan Farrow presented evidence of his father’s P.R. efforts to discredit his own daughter. But given Lively’s recent, allegedly harrowing experience with Baldoni, maybe she’ll finally feel willing to speak up about whether she regrets working for Allen.

Judge dismisses wrongful death lawsuit Gabby Petito's parents filed against Moab police