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slot online casino President Joe Biden's Sunday move to pardon his son Hunter weeks before he was set to be sentenced for his federal convictions served as Jon Stewart's comedy fodder this week. During Monday's episode of "The Daily Show," the guest host said that while he respects Biden's decision to protect his son, the sweeping pardon is a knock for Democrats because they framed Biden's prior insistence on respecting the outcome of his son's trial as their "Mason-Dixon line of morality." "Hypocrisy isn't illegal. Nor is it particularly unusual in politics," Stewart said. "It's not like he's ever going to run again, so why not take care of your kid, even if you said weren't gonna. I respect it, I don't have a problem with it. "The problem is the rest of the Democrats made Biden's pledge to not pardon Hunter the foundation of their defense of America, this grand experiment," he added before playing several clips of Democratic lawmakers using Biden's promise as a moral threshold. Stewart then showed news clips that he said depicted "the dance Democrats have to do" in response to Biden's switch-up. "Be honest, the only reason why they went after Hunter the way they did — and I've talked to many federal prosecutors about this — is because he's the president's son," Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., said in one of the clips. Biden used a similar defense in a Sunday statement explaining his decision to issue the pardon, which effectively rolled back his son's convictions in two federal cases relating to gun ownership and taxes. "I believe in the justice system, but as I have wrestled with this, I also believe raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice," he said. "I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision." Later in his opening monologue, Stewart also joked about the timing of Biden's announcement, which came over Thanksgiving weekend. Stewart did not reserve his digs for the Democrats, whom he conceded "have a tougher road of defending our institutions and systems as being flawed, but still valuable." Whereas, Republicans, he said, "just run on blowing this s— up." He also mocked President-elect Donald Trump's response to Biden's pardon. Trump asked on his social media platform Truth Social if Biden's decision also includes Jan. 6 insurrection "hostages." He also characterized Biden's decision as "an abuse and miscarriage of Justice." "Oh, you pardoned your son?" Stewart said, pantomiming the former president. "Well, what about the people who tried to help me overthrow the government? That's kind of a leap there. It's like going, you know, 'Oh you're going to let the kids stay up to watch "SNL," but you're not even going to try to help me burn the neighbor's house down?'" Along with Stewart, several other late-night hosts chimed in with their own pardon-related jabs Monday night. "It was a big shopping weekend, and millions of people got great deals," Jimmy Fallon said on "The Tonight Show." "But nobody got a better deal than Hunter Biden." Fox News contributor Tyrus kept the holiday theme going on "Gutfield," quipping, "Christmas came early for this guy." ©2024 Los Angeles Times. Visit latimes.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.CBC resurrects plans for live New Year's Eve broadcast specials

Last month, some local credit unions hosted a forum, and I served as one of the panelists. An audience member asked the group to describe ourselves in just one word; a question which I often struggle with so you can imagine my stress when I was handed the mic to answer the question first. After some hemming and hawing, I finally said “resilient.” At first, I regretted this choice as other panelists gave what I thought were superior answers. But the more I’ve thought about this moment, the more I stand by it – and the more I believe it extends beyond myself. Building resilience in our communities is a broad goal of mine as I look to the next two years. I am honored and grateful that the people of Biddeford re-elected me, and I take very seriously the responsibility which comes with that vote. It should come as no surprise that I am worried about actions the federal government may take or fail to take in the coming months and years. Many of these concerns are linked to decisions which could negatively impact funds Maine receives to provide services to people, particularly when it comes to health care. This will present the state with budget challenges and force the Legislature to be disciplined in how we prioritize funds and policies. With this in mind, we must focus on protecting folks’ access to health care and enhance their ability to afford it. A healthier community is a more prosperous community. We must lock in the progress we’ve made in patient access to necessary care, and maintain important consumer protections against price gouging and arbitrary insurance company denials. In this vein, we must do what we can to strengthen our state’s mental health care system; an issue that is deeply personal to me. I am proud of the progress we have made funding crisis response centers, but we must do more to recruit more providers, ensure coverage and invest in preventative and ongoing mental health treatment which can help improve folks’ health before a crisis emerges. Additionally, my colleagues and I must do all that we can to prioritize initiatives that will put money back in Mainers’ pockets. Property taxes are out of control and threaten the ability of both seniors and working class families to remain in their homes. Some of this is due to overly restrictive state policies, including those that are embedded in our state constitution, that prevent cities from being able to shift the tax burden away from residents. This issue can also be attributed to the state’s ongoing and widespread housing crisis. No matter what, tackling high property taxes must include protecting revenue sharing and the state’s commitment to fund 55 percent of the cost of K-12 public education. Additionally, the Legislature needs to work together to bolster our state’s infrastructure so that our communities can be resilient in the face of increasingly severe weather. These storms have impacted both coastal communities like Biddeford and inland communities in central and western Maine – presenting a statewide problem. A commission just completed its study of these challenges and released its report. It is imperative that we implement their recommendations. Finally, the Legislature must continue to stand up for our most vulnerable neighbors and protect the freedoms of all Mainers. I have heard from constituents who are afraid of what the actions of the incoming Trump administration will mean for them. Fortunately, we have strong laws on the books protecting access to reproductive health care (including abortion) and protecting the civil rights of LGBTQ+ Mainers. I will fight to ensure that we do whatever we can to strengthen these protections where needed and will vocally oppose efforts to roll back protections we have passed. The national political climate is toxic right now, and we’ve already seen disturbing rhetoric from cynical politicians who believe they have a mandate to spread hate and division against immigrants, women and trans people. They don’t. Personally, I do not respect politicians who obsess about books, bathrooms and the genitals of high school athletes rather than helping folks afford to feed their families and pay their bills. Such politicians are a minority here in Maine, and we will not let them divide us no matter what we hear coming out of Washington. I am looking forward to working with my colleagues to build a more resilient Maine. Let’s get to work. Rep. Marc Malon is serving his first term in the Maine House, representing a portion of Biddeford. He serves as a member of the Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee and the Labor and Housing Committee. He can be reached via email at marc.malon@legislature.maine.gov. Comments are not available on this story. Send questions/comments to the editors. « Previous Next »

What surprised many fans, however, was the presence of a gourd in the photos. In Chinese mythology, the gourd is often associated with Taoist immortals and has magical properties, such as the ability to store and transform substances. Its appearance in the photos has sparked speculation among fans about its significance in both the game and the ad campaign.Moreover, the coordination mechanism is designed to enhance transparency, accountability, and good governance in the allocation of loans, thereby minimizing the risk of misuse or mismanagement. By promoting responsible lending practices and monitoring the use of funds, the mechanism aims to instill confidence and trust in the financial system, encouraging greater participation and support from both lenders and borrowers.

While the announcement of the job cuts has been met with criticism and concern from employee unions and labor advocates, the German Railway Freight Company has emphasized that it is committed to supporting those affected by the layoffs. The company has pledged to provide severance packages, job placement assistance, and training programs to help affected employees transition to new opportunities.Representative image (Picture credit: Reuters) The United States is accelerating its effort to find and secure the release of Austin Tice , an American journalist abducted in Syria 12 years ago. Roger Carstens , the US special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, travelled to Beirut as part of the ongoing mission to gather information on Tice’s whereabouts. State Department officials confirmed that these efforts have intensified following the recent overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's government. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller emphasised the importance of this operation, stating, “We are ready to engage with any organisation that might have information about the whereabouts of Austin Tice.” He reiterated the US government's commitment, noting, “We will not rest until he is returned home safely to his loved ones.” Tice, a freelance photojournalist working for outlets such as The Washington Post and CBS, was detained at a checkpoint near Damascus on August 14, 2012. In a video released weeks later, he appeared blindfolded and surrounded by armed men, but the identity of his captors has remained unknown. Syria has consistently denied holding him. Biden administration pledges action President Joe Biden underscored the urgency of the mission, saying on Sunday, “The US government believes Austin Tice is alive. We think we can get him back, but we have no direct evidence of that yet.” Biden also called for anyone with credible information to assist in the effort. Austin Tice’s parents, Marc and Debra Tice, remain hopeful. In a recent statement, they shared, “Austin Tice is alive, in Syria, and it’s time for him to come home. We are eagerly anticipating seeing Austin walk free and are asking anyone who can assist to please do so”, reported the news agency Reuters. Years of frustration and hope Efforts to secure Tice’s release have been fraught with difficulty. According to Reuters, US intelligence received over the summer from a Lebanese source suggested that Tice was alive and possibly held by a group linked to Hezbollah . However, determining the accuracy of such reports has been challenging. Carstens’ visit to Lebanon aims to renew hope, as secretary of state Antony Blinken noted during a recent event, “With every party we engage, we’ll continue to seek information about Austin Tice so that we can find him and bring him home to his family and loved ones.” A $1 million FBI reward for information leading to Tice’s safe return remains active, further reflecting the US government’s commitment to resolving the case.Sampdoria-Bene: Facing Arsenal is a Herculean Task, the Team's Performance is Exceptional

However, the husband of the woman has claimed that the reduction procedure, which involved terminating seven of the fetuses, cost them over 40,000 yuan. This financial burden has raised concerns about the accessibility and affordability of medical procedures for high-risk pregnancies, especially for low-income families. The husband's statement has also sparked debate about the responsibility of healthcare providers in such cases, as some argue that the cost should be covered by the hospital or government due to the unique and extreme circumstances of the pregnancy.

Moving forward, it is imperative for both farmers and government officials to uphold ethical standards and uphold the principles of honesty and integrity in all agricultural practices. By fostering a culture of transparency and accountability, we can work together to build a more resilient and trustworthy agricultural sector that truly benefits those who rely on it for their livelihoods.Overall, the outcome of these deliberations will have far-reaching implications for the individuals involved, as well as for the broader principles of justice and equality in the United States. It is imperative that the considerations and actions taken by the White House in this regard are guided by a genuine commitment to upholding the values and ideals upon which the nation was founded.

Hyderabad: US-based private equity-focused financial consulting player Accordion is ramping up its India presence with the expansion of its global data and analytics (D&A) capabilities in Hyderabad with a new 1500-seat capacity facility. Accordion grew to a headcount of around 850 in Hyderabad from around 550 last year after it acquired Hyderabad-based Merilytics in May 2023. Accordion said its D&A practice became a key enabler of innovation, delivering critical insights through AI and Gen AI, advanced data technologies, value creation analytics, data management, and reporting solutions. The Hyderabad-headquartered D&A practice of the company, which serves as the backbone for the company's products and solutions, provides PE-backed companies with enhanced visibility needed to drive value creation. The expansion will see the company take up additional hiring in India and expand into Europe as well. "For the PE-backed CFO of 2024, a solid foundation in D&A is no longer a ‘nice to have,' it's a ‘must-have'. As PE shifts its focus from financial engineering to operational value creation, the onus is on CFOs to find ways to accelerate performance. To do so effectively, they must have access to strong D&A that will inform the right value creation strategies," said Accordion CEO Nick Leopard. "Our investment in India reflects just how critical D&A became to financial performance. By harnessing the expertise and innovation coming out of our India operations, we're not only building an industry-pioneering centre of excellence within our company, but we're deepening our ability to provide performance-accelerating insights to our clients," Leopard added. "PE investors are increasingly looking for value creation opportunities that drive growth and profitability in their portfolio companies. We recognised quite early that D&A is a critical capability to identify and realise those value creation opportunities. Our India hub is a key commercial engine driving value for global clients throughout the US and Europe," said Paavan Choudary, Head of D&A practice at Accordion. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , Location Guesser and Mini Crossword . Spread love this holiday season with these Christmas wishes , messages , and quotes .Syracuse, Albany each hoping to get right at expense of the other