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Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter has died. He was 100 years old and had spent more than a year in hospice care. The Georgia peanut farmer served one turbulent term in the White House before building a reputation as a global humanitarian and champion of democracy. He defeated President Gerald Ford in 1976 promising to restore trust in government but lost to Ronald Reagan four years later amid soaring inflation, gas station lines and the Iran hostage crisis. He and his wife, Rosalynn Carter, then formed The Carter Center, and he earned a Nobel Peace Prize while making himself the most active and internationally engaged of former presidents. The Carter Center said the former president died Sunday afternoon in Plains, Georgia.
Ahmadu Bello Teaching Hospital to begin kidney transplant in 2025A US federal appeals court on Friday upheld a law requiring Chinese-based ByteDance to divest its popular short video app TikTok in the United States by early next year or face a ban. The decision is a win for the Justice Department and opponents of the Chinese-owned app and a devastating blow to ByteDance. The ruling now increases the possibility of an unprecedented ban in just six weeks on a social media app used by 170 million Americans. The ruling is expected to be appealed to the Supreme Court. Free speech advocates immediately criticized the decision. The American Civil Liberties Union said it sets a "flawed and dangerous precedent." "Banning TikTok blatantly violates the First Amendment rights of millions of Americans who use this app to express themselves and communicate with people around the world," said Patrick Toomey, deputy director of the ACLU's National Security Project. But the appeals court said the law "was the culmination of extensive, bipartisan action by the Congress and by successive presidents. It was carefully crafted to deal only with control by a foreign adversary, and it was part of a broader effort to counter a well-substantiated national security threat posed by the PRC (People's Republic of China)." US appeals court Judges Sri Srinivasan, Neomi Rao and Douglas Ginsburg considered the legal challenges brought by TikTok and users against the law that gives ByteDance until Jan. 19 to sell or divest TikTok's US assets or face a ban. The decision -- unless the Supreme Court reverses it -- puts TikTok's fate in the hands of first President Joe Biden on whether to grant a 90-day extension of the Jan. 19 deadline to force a sale and then President-elect Donald Trump, who takes office on Jan. 20. But it's not clear whether ByteDance could meet the heavy burden to show it had made significant progress toward a divestiture needed to trigger the extension. Trump, who unsuccessfully tried to ban TikTok during his first term in 2020, said before the November presidential election he would not allow the TikTok ban. TikTok said it expected the Supreme Court would reverse the appeals court decision on First Amendment grounds. "The Supreme Court has an established historical record of protecting Americans' right to free speech, and we expect they will do just that on this important constitutional issue," TikTok said in a statement, adding the law will result "in outright censorship of the American people." The Justice Department did not have an immediate comment on the decision. The decision upholds the law giving the U.S. government sweeping powers to ban other foreign-owned apps that could raise concerns about collection of Americans' data. In 2020, Trump also tried to ban Tencent-owned WeChat, but was blocked by the courts. Shares of Meta Platforms, which competes against TikTok in online ads, hit an intraday record high following the ruling, last up over 3%. Google parent Alphabet, whose YouTube video platform also competes with TikTok, was up over 1% following the ruling. TIKTOK BAN LOOMS The court acknowledged its decision would lead to TikTok's ban on Jan. 19 without an extension from Biden. "Consequently, TikTok's millions of users will need to find alternative media of communication," the court said, which was because of China's "hybrid commercial threat to U.S. national security, not to the U.S. Government, which engaged with TikTok through a multi-year process in an effort to find an alternative solution." The opinion was written by Ginsburg, an appointee of President Ronald Reagan, and joined by Rao, who was named to the bench by Trump, and Srinivasan, an appointee of President Barack Obama. The Justice Department says under Chinese ownership, TikTok poses a serious national security threat because of its access to vast personal data of Americans, asserting China can covertly manipulate information that Americans consume via TikTok. U.S. officials have also warned TikTok's management is beholden to the Chinese government, which could compel the company to share the data of its American users. TikTok has denied it has or ever would share U.S. user data, accusing American lawmakers in the lawsuit of advancing "speculative" concerns. TikTok and ByteDance argue the law is unconstitutional and violates Americans' free speech rights. They call it "a radical departure from this country's tradition of championing an open Internet." ByteDance, backed by Sequoia Capital, Susquehanna International Group, KKR & Co, and General Atlantic, among others, was valued at $268 billion in December 2023 when it offered to buy back around $5 billion worth of shares from investors, Reuters reported then. The law prohibits app stores like Apple and Alphabet's Google from offering TikTok and bars internet hosting services from supporting TikTok unless ByteDance divests TikTok by the deadline. Apple and Google did not immediately respond to requests for comment. In a concurring opinion, Srinivasan acknowledged the decision will have major impacts, noting "170 million Americans use TikTok to create and view all sorts of free expression and engage with one another and the world. And yet, in part precisely because of the platform's expansive reach, Congress and multiple Presidents determined that divesting it from (China's) control is essential to protect our national security." He added that "Because the record reflects that Congress's decision was considered, consistent with longstanding regulatory practice, and devoid of an institutional aim to suppress particular messages or ideas, we are not in a position to set it aside." (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
Jailen Bedford had 20 points, and Dedan Thomas Jr. finished with 18 points in the UNLV men’s basketball team’s 83-65 loss to Creighton on Saturday at CHI Health Center in Omaha, Nebraska. Julian Rishwain added 10 points for the Rebels (4-4), who dropped their third straight game. UNLV, which played without Rob Whaley Jr., Jaden Henley and Jace Whiting, struggled offensively. The Rebels led 22-21 with 7:46 remaining in the first half before Creighton (7-3) closed on an 18-5 run to lead 39-27 at the break. The Bluejays then scored the first 10 points of the second half to take control. UNLV missed 16 of 18 shots during the decisive stretch and shot 42.2 from the field. Jamiya Neal finished with a team-high 19 points and eight rebounds for Creighton. Steven Ashworth had 17 points, and Isaac Traudt came off the bench to score 15 on five 3-pointers. Creighton missed its first two shots of the second half before making 10 straight field goals to go up 62-41. The Bluejays led by as many as 23 points in the second half. This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
TAMPA, Fla. — New guidance from Florida’s top health official could lead to an increase in cavities and other dental issues, especially among children and low-income communities, health experts are warning. Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo last month advised communities against adding fluoride to their drinking water citing studies in Canada and Mexico that found a correlation between high levels of the chemical and lower IQ scores in children. It comes after Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for secretary of Health and Human Services, posted on social media that Trump would push to remove fluoride from drinking water on his first day in office. Several communities in Florida, including Collier County and the city of Winter Haven, had already bucked scientific consensus about the substance’s effectiveness in reducing tooth decay and have voted to stop adding fluoride to their water supplies. Naples could be about to join them. But public health experts and dentists say the studies cited by Ladapo are based on exposure to larger quantities of the substance than the 0.7 milligrams of fluoride per liter of water that was set as the national drinking water standard in 2015 . Water fluoridation is supported by the American Dental Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Florida Dental Association. “It’s disheartening to hear Dr. Ladapo’s misinformed and dangerous comments regarding community water fluoridation,” American Dental Association president Brett Kessler, president of the American Dental Association, said in an email. The Florida Dental Association sends member dentists and its own experts to local government meetings to advocate for the continuation of water fluoridation when the practice comes up for a vote. “We find it discouraging to say the least,” Jeff Ottley, president of the Florida Dental Association, said of Ladapo’s new guidance. “Water fluoridation has been proven for over 75 years to be safe at optimal levels to reduce tooth decay by at least 25% in children.” Ottley added that Florida has the second lowest reimbursement rate for dentists who treat children covered through Medicaid. It means very few dentists will take Medicaid patients. Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral often found in water at low levels. More than 70% of communities nationwide add fluoride to drinking water based on federal government recommendations first established in the 1950s. More than 70% of Florida communities follow those recommendations, according to Florida Department of Health data . The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention called its contribution to the decline in cavities one of the 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century. That success is because fluoride that is consumed through water is used by children’s body as they grow teeth, said Isaac Garazi, a dentist and the owner of Garazi Periodontics and Dental Implants in Miami. The mineral results in stronger enamel more resistant to the bacteria that causes decay. Garazi pointed to the Canadian communities of Windsor and Essex, which in 2019 voted to put fluoride back in drinking water six years after removing the mineral. The decision came after local health organizations reported a 51% increase in the percentage of children who had either dental decay or needed urgent dental treatment over a two-year period through 2017 compared to the most recent years when fluoride was present in the water supply. “As a dentist who grew up without this benefit, and has seen an entire generation grow up without dental decay, I say to dental schools and pediatric dentists, get ready; you will be in tremendous demand,” Garazi said. Ladapo guidance cites studies in Mexico and Canada that showed a correlation between fluoride levels found in the urine of mothers during pregnancy and IQ levels of children measured when they were older. The Canadian study found a 4.49 point lower average IQ score among boys aged 3 and 4 born to mothers with elevated fluoride levels. The Canadian study states that the findings show a possible case for reducing fluoride intake during pregnancy. The Mexican study concludes that more research is needed to determine the cause of high fluoride levels in urine. Neither study calls for the end of water fluoridation. Ladapo also points to a study that states that many municipalities in several European countries have stopped adding fluoride to their drinking water. But Mary Rose Sweeney, a professor at the Royal College of Surgeons, Dublin and one of the authors of the study, disagreed with how Ladapo represented her work. “As Dr Ladapo cited our 2018 report in his guidance document, I would like to point out that while several EU countries ceased adding fluoride to water, none of these countries cited evidence of harm or adverse effects as the reason for discontinuing the practice,” she said in an email to the Tampa Bay Times. The study was funded was funded by the Irish Water Institute at Dublin City University where Sweeney previously worked as a professor. It calls for caution by those considering the merits of water fluoridation. “Politicians/elected representatives should act on evidence before advocating for the removal of fluoride from community water schemes which could have potentially serious personal and economic consequences particularly for disadvantaged children,” it states. Ladapo’s guidance also says that the wide availability of fluoride through other means, like toothpastes, mouthwash and in-office dental applications, may mean some pregnant women and children are receiving more fluoride than necessary. But studies have shown that children in lower-income homes are less likely to brush their teeth regularly, meaning the removal of fluoride from drinking water would have a greater impact in those homes. Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Ladapo in 2021, the second year of the pandemic. Ladapo had made a name for himself with columns in the Wall Street Journal expressing skepticism about the safety of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. As the state’s top health official, he was frequently gone against the consensus of medical science to back DeSantis, including recommendations against getting newer versions of the COVID-19 vaccine and supporting Florida’s ban on gender dysphoria treatment for children. Ladapo’s guidance on water fluoridation is not binding. Decisions on what goes into drinking water supplies are the remit of elected officials in cities and counties. Pinellas County commissioners voted 4-3 in October 2011 to stop adding fluoride to drinking water. The move made national headlines and was credited with causing the election defeat of two Republican commissioners who supported the measure. The new board voted 6-1 to resume fluoridation in 2012. The lone nay vote came from Commissioner Norm Roche. Now a Tallahassee resident, Roche said it was ironic to see that two big issues of his time in office — water fluoridation and the Rays stadium — are still being hotly debated a decade later. His position remains the same, he said. “Our task is safe, clean drinking water,” he said. “Anything added to that mission — a chemical or an additive — needs to meet the strictest of standards and be subject to heavy scrutiny.” ©2024 Tampa Bay Times. Visit tampabay.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Iconic retail food manufacturer files for Chapter 11 bankruptcyGiants release quarterback Daniel Jones just days after benching him EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — The Daniel Jones era in New York is over. The Giants quarterback was granted his release by the team just days after the franchise said it was benching him in favor of third-stringer Tommy DeVito. New York president John Mara said Jones approached the team about releasing him and the club obliged. Mara added he was “disappointed” at the quick dissolution of a once-promising relationship between Jones and the team. Giants coach Brian Daboll benched Jones in favor of DeVito following a loss to the Panthers in Germany that dropped New York's record to 2-8. Conor McGregor must pay $250K to woman who says he raped her, civil jury rules LONDON (AP) — A civil jury in Ireland has awarded more than $250,000 to a woman who says she was raped by mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor in a Dublin hotel penthouse after a night of heavy partying. The jury on Friday awarded Nikita Hand in her lawsuit that claimed McGregor “brutally raped and battered” her in 2018. The lawsuit says the assault left her heavily bruised and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. McGregor testified that he never forced her to do anything and that Hand fabricated her allegations after the two had consensual sex. McGregor says he will appeal the verdict. Week 16 game between Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers flexed to Thursday night spot The Los Angeles Chargers have played their way into another prime time appearance. Justin Herbert and company have had their Dec. 22 game against the Denver Broncos flexed to Thursday night, Dec. 19. Friday’s announcement makes this the first time a game has been flexed to the Thursday night spot. The league amended its policy last season where Thursday night games in Weeks 13 through 17 could be flexed with at least 28 days notice prior to the game. The matchup of AFC West division rivals bumps the game between the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals to Sunday afternoon. NBA memo to players urges increased vigilance regarding home security following break-ins MIAMI (AP) — The NBA is urging its players to take additional precautions to secure their homes following reports of recent high-profile burglaries of dwellings owned by Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis and Kansas City Chiefs teammates Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. In a memo sent to team officials, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, the NBA revealed that the FBI has connected some burglaries to “transnational South American Theft Groups” that are “reportedly well-organized, sophisticated rings that incorporate advanced techniques and technologies, including pre-surveillance, drones, and signal jamming devices.” Brock Purdy will miss Sunday's game for the 49ers with a shoulder injury SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy will miss Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers with a sore throwing shoulder. Purdy injured his right shoulder in last Sunday’s loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Purdy underwent an MRI that showed no structural damage but the shoulder didn’t improve during the week and Purdy was ruled out for the game. Coach Kyle Shanahan said star defensive end Nick Bosa also will miss the game with injuries to his left hip and oblique. Left tackle Trent Williams is questionable with an ankle injury and will be a game-time decision. Red Bull brings wrong rear wing to Las Vegas in mistake that could stall Verstappen's title chances LAS VEGAS (AP) — Max Verstappen is suddenly in jeopardy of being denied a fourth consecutive Formula 1 title Saturday night. Red Bull apparently brought the wrong rear wing to Las Vegas and GPS data showed its two cars to be significantly slower on the straights than both McLaren and Mercedes, which led both practice sessions. Red Bull says it doesn’t have a replacement rear wing in Las Vegas to fix the issue and little chance of getting two flown in from England ahead of the race. Lawyer says ex-Temple basketball standout Hysier Miller met with NCAA for hours amid gambling probe PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A lawyer for former Temple basketball standout Hysier Miller says the 22-year-old sat for a long interview with the NCAA amid an investigation into unusual gambling activity. But neither the lawyer nor federal law enforcement officials on Friday would confirm reports that a federal probe is now under way. Lawyer Jason Bologna says Miller cooperated because he hopes to play again. Miller was released last month after transferring to Virginia Tech. Temple President John Fry says the Philadelphia school has not been asked for any information from federal law enforcement officials. Caitlin Clark to join Cincinnati bid for 16th National Women's Soccer League team WNBA star Caitlin Clark has joined Cincinnati’s bid for an expansion National Women’s Soccer League team. Major League Soccer franchise FC Cincinnati is heading the group vying to bring a women’s pro team to the city. The club issued a statement confirming Clark had joined the bid group. NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman has said the league plans to announce the league’s 16th team by the end of the year. The league's 15th team will begin play in 2026 in Boston. Alyssa Nakken, first full-time female coach in MLB history, leaving Giants to join Guardians CLEVELAND (AP) — Alyssa Nakken, the first woman to coach in an MLB game, is leaving the San Francisco Giants to join the Cleveland Guardians. Nakken made history in 2022 when she took over as first-base coach following an ejection. A former college softball star at Sacramento State, Nakken joined the Giants in 2014 and was promoted to a spot on manager Gabe Kapler’s staff in 2020, becoming the majors’ first full-time female coach. Nakken has been hired as an assistant director within player development for the Guardians, who won the AL Central last season under first-year manager Stephen Vogt. Nakken, 34, will work with former Giants coaches Craig Albernaz and Kai Correa. Aaron Judge won't be bothered if Juan Soto gets bigger contract from Yankees than his $360M deal NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge won’t be bothered if Juan Soto gets a bigger deal from the New York Yankees than the captain’s $360 million, nine-year contract. Speaking a day after he was a unanimous winner of his second MVP, Judge says “It ain’t my money” and adds "that’s never been something on my mind about who gets paid the most.” Judge led the major leagues with 58 homers, 144 RBIs and 133 walks while hitting .322. Soto batted .288 with 41 homers, 109 RBIs and 129 walks in his first season with the Yankees, then became a free agent at age 26.MUNICH (AP) — Harry Kane is the quickest player to score 50 goals in the Bundesliga after scoring a hat trick on his 43rd appearance on Friday. Kane’s three goals – including two penalties – gave Bayern a 3-0 win over Augsburg , stretching the Bavarian powerhouse’s lead to eight points ahead of the rest of the 11th round. Kane scored 36 goals in 32 league appearances last season, his first for Bayern after joining from Tottenham. It was also the first season since 2012 that Bayern failed to win the title, as Bayer Leverkusen went undefeated to snap Bayern's winning run. As well as 14 league goals this season, Kane has scored five in the Champions League and one in the German Cup. Against Augsburg, he had to be patient as Augsburg goalkeeper Nediljko Labrović and his defenders stood firm. “It was somehow typical Harry Kane,” Bayern coach Vincent Kompany said. “It was close in the first half, close, close, close, and then it happens, I think three goals in 15 minutes. Of course, he can do that. But for such a player, I have to say, he had a lot of chances that he could maybe make more of. Then, in an instant, everything is perfect and he can score many goals.” AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
South Korea's embattled President Yoon Suk Yeol avoided an opposition-led attempt to impeach him over his short-lived imposition of martial law, as most ruling party lawmakers boycotted a parliamentary vote Saturday to deny a two-thirds majority needed to suspend his presidential powers. The scrapping of the motion is expected to intensify public protests calling for Yoon's ouster and deepen political chaos in South Korea, with a survey suggesting a majority of South Koreans support the president's impeachment. Yoon's martial law declaration drew criticism from his own ruling conservative People Power Party, but it is also determined to oppose Yoon's impeachment apparently because it fears losing the presidency to liberals. After the motion fell through, members of the main liberal opposition Democratic Party rallied inside the National Assembly, chanting slogans calling for Yoon's impeachment or resignation. The party's floor leader, Park Chan-dae, said it will soon prepare for a new impeachment motion. "We'll surely impeach Yoon Suk Yeol, who is the greatest risk to Republic of Korea," party leader Lee Jae-myung said. "We'll surely bring back this country to normal before Christmas Day or year's end." RELATED STORY | South Korean parliament defies president by lifting declaration of martial law Despite escaping the impeachment attempt, many experts worry Yoon won't be able to serve out his remaining 2 1⁄2 years in office. They say some ruling party lawmakers could eventually join opposition parties' efforts to impeach Yoon if public demands for it grow further. The ruling party risks "further public outrage and national confusion if they don't find a formula fast for Yoon's departure," said Duyeon Kim, a senior analyst at the Center for a New American Security in Washington. On Saturday, tens of thousands of people densely packed several blocks of roads leading up to the National Assembly, waving banners, shouting slogans and dancing. Protesters also gathered in front of PPP's headquarters near the Assembly, angrily shouting for its lawmakers to vote to impeach Yoon. A smaller crowd of Yoon's supporters, which still seemed to be in the thousands, rallied in separate streets in Seoul, decrying the impeachment attempt they saw as unconstitutional. Impeaching Yoon required support from 200 of the National Assembly's 300 members. The Democratic Party and five other small opposition parties, which filed the motion, have 192 seats combined. But only three lawmakers from PPP participated in the vote. The motion was scrapped without ballot counting because the number of votes didn't reach 200. RELATED STORY | Family of kidnapped American reporter still believes his is alive in Syria National Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik called the result "very regrettable" and an embarrassing moment for the country's democracy that has been closely watched by the world. Opposition parties could submit a new impeachment motion after a new parliamentary session opens next Wednesday. If Yoon is impeached, his powers will be suspended until the Constitutional Court decides whether to remove him from office. If he is removed, an election to replace him must take place within 60 days. Earlier Saturday, Yoon issued a public apology over the martial law decree, saying he won't shirk legal or political responsibility for the declaration and promising not to make another attempt to impose martial law. He said would leave it to his party to chart a course through the country's political turmoil, "including matters related to my term in office." "The declaration of this martial law was made out of my desperation. But in the course of its implementation, it caused anxiety and inconveniences to the public. I feel very sorry over that and truly apologize to the people who must have been shocked a lot," Yoon said. Since taking office in 2022, Yoon has struggled to push his agenda through an opposition-controlled parliament and grappled with low approval ratings amid scandals involving himself and his wife. In his martial law announcement on Tuesday night, Yoon called parliament a "den of criminals" bogging down state affairs and vowed to eliminate "shameless North Korea followers and anti-state forces." The turmoil resulting from Yoon's bizarre and poorly-thought-out stunt has paralyzed South Korean politics and sparked alarm among key diplomatic partners like the U.S. and Japan. "Yoon's credibility overseas has been undermined by declaring martial law, so he won't be able to exercise leadership in his foreign policies especially when his days are numbered," Kim, the analyst, said. "Its government bureaucracy will need to continue business as usual for existing alliance and foreign policy initiatives as best it can because there is a lot of important work to do globally." Tuesday night saw special forces troops encircling the parliament building and army helicopters hovering over it, but the military withdrew after the National Assembly unanimously voted to overturn the decree, forcing Yoon to lift it before daybreak Wednesday. The declaration of martial law was the first of its kind in more than 40 years in South Korea. Eighteen lawmakers from the ruling party voted to reject Yoon's martial law decree along with opposition lawmakers. PPP later decided to oppose Yoon's impeachment motion. Yoon's speech fueled speculation that he and his party may push for a constitutional amendment to shorten his term, instead of accepting impeachment, as a way to ease public anger over the marital law and facilitate Yoon's early exit from office. Lee told reporters that Yoon's speech was "greatly disappointing" and that the only way forward is his immediate resignation or impeachment. His party called Yoon's martial law "unconstitutional, illegal rebellion or coup." Lawmakers on Saturday first voted on a bill appointing a special prosecutor to investigate stock price manipulation allegations surrounding Yoon's wife. On Friday, PPP chair Han Dong-hun, who criticized Yoon's martial law declaration, said he had received intelligence that during the brief period of martial law Yoon ordered the country's defense counterintelligence commander to arrest unspecified key politicians based on accusations of "anti-state activities." Hong Jang-won, first deputy director of South Korea's spy agency, told lawmakers Friday that Yoon had ordered him to help the defense counterintelligence unit to detain key politicians including Han, Lee and Woo. The Defense Ministry said Friday it suspended three military commanders including the head of the defense counterintelligence unit over their involvement in enforcing martial law. Vice Defense Minister Kim Seon Ho has told parliament that Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun ordered the deployment of troops to the National Assembly. Opposition parties accused Kim of recommending to Yoon to enforce martial law. Kim resigned Thursday, and prosecutors imposed an overseas travel ban on him.
After what they say has been months of refused visits with their four children in foster care, Kimberly and Jordan Joseph packed their bags and decided to walk more than 1,500 kilometres from “Prince Rupert, B.C.” to “Victoria.” The couple — both Dakelh (Carrier) — say they’re raising awareness about the lack of support for birth parents resulting in too many kids in the country’s child welfare system. During their 75-day journey, they met dozens of people with lived experience of the child welfare system, visited a number of Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) offices, and earned the encouragement of hundreds of supporters. The Josephs live in Yekooche, a remote community of 87, northwest of “Fort St. James.” They said they weren’t just walking for Indigenous children and Youth — but every young person in foster care. On July 27, the couple set off, sending updates to their growing Facebook community. As the walk — and blisters — progressed, they alternated between walking and travelling by car, sometimes walking together or taking turns making the journey on foot while the other drove. The Josephs said they faced delays when MCFD repeatedly called to arrange visits with their kids, only to cancel after the couple had abandoned their walk to drive north. But they didn’t give up, and kept coming back to try and finish the walking journey. By late November, the Josephs had reached Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish). “It’s terrifying for a child to not understand why they can’t talk to their mom and their dad, or talk to their siblings,” said Kimberly during the stop on Nov. 25. Earlier that morning, the Josephs arrived holding hands, listening carefully to Kimberly’s smartphone. They were attending family court virtually — waiting to hear a judge’s response to their refusal for their children’s foster parents to continue caring for their boys. For Kimberly and Jordan, it was good news: the couple’s case will go to trial, she confirmed with a smile. There are now nearly 2,000 members of a Facebook group, “Walking For All Children in Ministry Care,” where the Josephs have given regular updates on their way. Until June 2023, the boys were in custody of Kimberly’s mother in “Kamloops,” but when she was no longer able to provide the care they needed, MCFD asked Kimberly if she would take them back. Though eager to be reunited with the children — of whom Jordan is a stepfather to three and biological father to one — it was not an easy process. The couple said they struggled with MCFD and Carrier Sekani Family Services (CSFS) for almost a year. While caring for their children, Kimberly said CSFS had received money through Jordan’s Principle — a legal rule ensuring First Nations children can access services and support in a timely manner — to deliver the couple diapers and baby formula from CSFS’s “Fort St. John” office to their remote home, where they had no access to transportation. “They didn’t do it for a month,” alleged Kimberly, who said despite phoning countless times, she had to enlist help from friends and family to get by. “Finally, we showed up at their office and they gave us [an entire month’s worth] of formula. They were like, ‘this is all yours, it’s just been sitting at the office.’” While Jordan was in counseling after the death of his grandfather, a therapist reported his behaviour to MCFD as “aggressive,” the couple alleged. “It was all false,” said Kimberly, who said she wishes the ministry had handled Jordan’s grief with more compassion. Eventually, they said, MCFD insisted that Kimberly move into a shelter, separate from Jordan — who had been residing in a tiny house. During this time, she was given a chance to prove she could care for her children, but said she was chastized by social workers, who allegedly told her she was neglectful and didn’t dress properly (“but I like to dress cozy,” she said). A 2021 report released by the MCFD states that 84 per cent of Indigenous children in foster care were there due to what they call “neglect.” “But neglect from whom?” said Cindy Blackstock, speaking to this issue at the recent Our Children Our Way National conference in “Vancouver.” Blackstock said she believes that child welfare laws push the blame onto the parents, when they should be asking, “What is the actual source of this risk?” she said. While in the women’s shelter, Kimberly said she experienced a health emergency that resulted in her needing to be hospitalized. When MCFD showed up alongside paramedics, she expressed to MCFD that she needed time to recuperate — knowing she would be closely watched and her poor health would make it impossible to comprehensively care for her children on her own. She said she got an ultimatum in return. “And now they’re saying I could have had the boys but I gave them up,” she said. Now that the couple’s children are back in foster care, Kimberly alleged there have been multiple occasions where MCFD has told them there are no funds available to allow them to visit their children, who are divided between foster families in “Prince Rupert” and “Prince George.” But Jordan said after being given a vehicle from Jordan’s aunt, he and Kimberly decided to visit their children using their own money. “It was awesome, we finally had our own transportation,” he said. When they phoned the MCFD office to ask for a visit, they repeated the same reason — “a lack of funds,” Jordan recalled. “We told them they don’t need funding — we are already down here, and we’ve got the money to do stuff with the boys.” An MCFD employee replied they’d look into scheduling a visit, but one week later — after multiple inquiries from Kimberly and Jordan — they said they were told there was no supervisor available to attend a visit. “I feel like whenever we ask for anything, our file gets thrown to the side and they say no,” said Kimberly. IndigiNews requested comment from MCFD, who said that although it could not comment on individual cases, it noted that “recruitment and retention are a continuous priority for the ministry and direct child and family service staffing numbers are stable.” “In the last two years, there has been a 17 per cent increase in staffing levels and staffing has been up year-over-year since the pandemic,” the statement reads. IndigiNews also reached out to Carrier Sekani Family Services, but did not receive a response by time of publication. For Kimberly and Jordan, their frustrations soon reached a tipping point. “We decided we wanted to walk,” Jordan said. The couple spent one week preparing — alerting police they’d be walking the road, telling friends and family, and creating a Facebook group. “It was a really nice send-off,” Kimberly recalled. “People came to see us and it was fun.” After just a day of walking, she was shocked to find roughly 500 people had joined their Facebook group by the time Kimberly regained cell service — and nearly 100 messages of encouragement. The number of people in the group soon grew to close to a couple thousand. “We were like, ‘No way!’ And then people were stopping for us along the way, giving us their food and drinks.” Originally, the couple’s plan was to walk just the 700-kilometre route from “Prince Rupert” to “Prince George” — because their children had been split up between homes in the two cities. But when the Josephs finally reached “Prince George,” they felt so encouraged by the public’s support that they decided to extend their journey to the province’s capital — an additional walk of more than 800 kilometres south. They packed up their car and began leapfrogging their way down — alternating between walking and driving in a shared effort. The couple said they’ve found the walk healing. “I’ve opened up a lot about my past,” said Kimberly, who herself grew up in the “child welfare” system. “I really don’t ever talk about my past, but I think walking has helped me quite a lot.” Jordan said the walk has been healing for him too. “Being close to nature, seeing all the animals and getting to connect with everything has been awesome,” he said. The couple weren’t as fond of the countless tiny frogs, grasshoppers, beetles. “We hate insects,” the couple said in unison. Kimberly says that — besides offering counselling — MCFD also wants her to take parenting and relationship courses. But she believes the structure of such programs are colonial. “There’s Indian time, right?” she said. “I’ve never liked Western structure.” During their walk, Kimberly and Jordan met with many people through social media who shared their own experiences with the child welfare system. “It’s a lot easier to open up to people like that,” Kimberley said, “than to have someone sitting across from you that you don’t really know, that doesn’t say anything back to you other than, ‘How do you feel about that?’” When she and Jordan spoke to IndigiNews in Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, it was actually their second time reaching the community. Back in October, the couple had walked as far as “Lions Bay” — 40 kilometres north of “Vancouver” — just when MCFD called about a visit they’d managed to arrange with their children. The Josephs headed back north. When they resumed their walk in November and finally reached “Vancouver,” the couple visited two local MCFD offices to ask staff what support systems they have for Indigenous mothers needing help. Kimberly recalls staff at both offices telling her she should make complaints through “the main office.” Later, after reaching “New Westminster,” the couple received another phone call from MCFD, alerting them to another visit the agency had arranged with their children. So for a second time, the couple returned north, only to learn the ministry had cancelled the visit due to “poor weather,” said Kimberly. “I keep telling them if you arrange a visit for us and we can show up, you have no excuse. You should be ready for us to receive our kids,” said Kimberly. On Nov. 30, the couple updated that they were finally being given an opportunity to visit their boys for a few hours. “I can’t wait to see our boys,” Jordan told the Facebook live. “Love and miss them so much.” With winter quickly approaching, Kimberly doesn’t think they’ll actually reach “Victoria” this year, though she hasn’t completely laid the idea to rest. In fact, she’s already planning next year’s walk. “We want to do it until something’s done for the foster children,” she said. With a pre-trial date being set, Kimberly and Jordan now want to focus their attention on preparing for their day in court, hoping to finally be reunited with their children. “Not all parents get to hug their children, not all parents get to play with them, wake up to them, go to sleep and tuck them in,” Kimberly said. As the couple ponders the next steps on their journey, Jordan added that “time is precious” for any parent. “We have to be watched every time we see ours,” he said. “So cherish every moment with your kids.”MAA Announces Increase to Quarterly Common DividendThe Houston Rockets just extended their losing streak to the Golden State Warriors to fifteen straight games. Can they lift longtime Warriors’ coach Steve Kerr ‘s curse before their NBA Cup clash? The two teams will play each other in a quarterfinal elimination game on Wednesday. Can Rockets Break Warriors Losing Streak in the NBA Cup? The Rockets’ Streak versus the Warriors The Rockets and Warriors have a lot of recent history due to rival three-point revolutionaries and stylistically diametric superstars Steph Curry and James Harden . That played out in playoff series in 2017-18 and 2018-19. The 15-game losing streak against the Warriors dates back to March 2021. The Rockets last won a game in the matchup in February 2020. Clearly, much of that time coincided with the early stages of the Rockets’ rebuild. The Rockets weren’t beating much of anybody else from 2021 through to 2023, either. But even since the acquisition of win-now head coach Ime Udoka , the losing streak continues. Memorably, the Warriors halted Houston’s late-season push for a play-in spot in a matchup last season. In the Rockets’ defense, though they had been playing well courtesy of the best month of Jalen Green ‘s career, they were lacking their best player in Alperen Sengun . This time, the shoe was on the other foot. Houston found a way to get kicked with it regardless. Even with Curry and Draymond Green both being absent from the Warriors’ lineup, the Rockets still couldn’t pull out a win. Matching Their Energy The Warriors clearly get up to play the Rockets. Despite not playing in the game, Draymond Green barely ever sat down, yelling instructions and encouraging words from the sideline. Houston’s losing streak is certain to be something he gets a kick out of. Who can forget that even amid Golden State’s lottery plunging 2019-2020 season, the team still found the will to upset the Rockets on Christmas day behind Green’s best performance of the season? Even if the Warriors find extra motivation in the matchup, you would assume that the Rockets would at this point as well. Nobody wants to lose to the same team fifteen times in a row, after all. Maybe the Rockets had some of the wind taken from their sails by the absence of Golden State’s perpetual motion machine and table-setter, Chef Curry. Udoka called the team’s effort soft . Maybe the absence of Rockets hypeman Tari Eason left them with insufficient amounts of hype, or maybe the Warriors just have the Rockets’ number. The Rockets’ Stars The Rockets’ number, as far as Golden State is concerned, might just be Jalen Green’s field goal percentage. Green is a streaky player at the best of times, which, at the best of times , can make him look very good . But the best of times simply do not come for Green against the blue and gold. After a hot start, he’s averaging under 40% from the field in 2024-25. Somehow, for his career against the Warriors, it’s even worse. He actually averages under 30% from the field in 11 career games against the Warriors. He has shot over 50% in precisely none of them, 29.2% overall. Kerr is dogmatic about Gregg Popovich ‘s theory regarding the necessity of crowding Green in isolation. But even still, at this point, there has to be some mental element to Green’s poor performances. Green will get another chance to escape the asylum on Wednesday. Maybe an NBA Cup elimination game is exactly the kind of pressure he needs... Rockets fans can hope at least. Sengun Too The Warriors have also done a fairly good job of containing Houston’s more reliable star, the Turkiye Terror . Sengun got going late in the most recent matchup but started out the game, missing everything. He clearly struggles with the physical defense of longtime Warrior and dedicated Rockets’ saboteur Kevon Looney . The Warriors are physical with Sengun up and down the roster, too. They use the smalls-defending-bigs whistle better than any team in the NBA that isn’t based in Miami, a phenomenon the Rockets benefited from themselves in the days of P.J. Tucker at center. The Rockets have been finding ways to win this season despite slow starts on offense for their young stars, mostly on the defensive end. Maybe they could do it again on Wednesday and break Kerr’s curse with a complete team effort. Alternatively, if Jonathan Kuminga can go for a career-high against Houston, then why can’t Jabari Smith Jr. or Amen Thompson do so against Golden State? But are Green and Sengun build-around-players or not? The Last Word If either Green or Sengun are ever going to be considered bankable stars in this league, then Wednesday night is exactly the kind of game for them to go all in on. The team has had big wins already this season. This would be bigger. The Rockets have a chance at breaking Kerr’s curse and coming one step closer to snagging the second-ever NBA Cup in a single game. And if nothing else, that chance is probably higher than Green’s Golden State field goal percentage. This article first appeared on Last Word On Sports and was syndicated with permission.
AMGEN ANNOUNCES 2025 FIRST QUARTER DIVIDENDNone
Employee attrition in private sector banks has witnessed an increase to about 25 per cent and this high turnover rate poses significant operational risk , according to the latest Report on Trend and Progress of Banking in India 2023-24. ET Year-end Special Reads What kept India's stock market investors on toes in 2024? India's car race: How far EVs went in 2024 Investing in 2025: Six wealth management trends to watch out for Employee attrition rates are high across select private sector banks and small finance banks (SFBs), the report, which was released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said. The total number of employees of private banks surpassed that of public sector banks (PSBs) during 2023-24, but their attrition has increased sharply over the last three years, with average attrition rate of around 25 per cent, it said. "High attrition and employee turnover rate pose significant operational risks, including disruption in customer services, besides leading to loss of institutional knowledge and increased recruitment costs. In various interactions with banks, the Reserve Bank has stressed that reducing attrition is not just a human resource function but a strategic imperative," it said. Banks need to implement strategies like improved onboarding processes, providing extensive training and career development opportunities, mentorship programmes, competitive benefits, and a supportive workplace culture to build long-term employee engagement, it said. 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View Program Data Science SQL for Data Science along with Data Analytics and Data Visualization By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI and Analytics based Business Strategy By - Tanusree De, Managing Director- Accenture Technology Lead, Trustworthy AI Center of Excellence: ATCI View Program Web Development A Comprehensive ASP.NET Core MVC 6 Project Guide for 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Pam Moore By - Pam Moore, Digital Transformation and Social Media Expert View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI-Powered Python Mastery with Tabnine: Boost Your Coding Skills By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Office Productivity Mastering Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and 365 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Digital marketing - Wordpress Website Development By - Shraddha Somani, Digital Marketing Trainer, Consultant, Strategiest and Subject Matter expert View Program Office Productivity Mastering Google Sheets: Unleash the Power of Excel and Advance Analysis By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Web Development Mastering Full Stack Development: From Frontend to Backend Excellence By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance Financial Literacy i.e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By - CA Rahul Gupta, CA with 10+ years of experience and Accounting Educator View Program Data Science SQL Server Bootcamp 2024: Transform from Beginner to Pro By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program In view of several irregularities observed in grant of loans against gold ornaments and jewellery, including top-up loans, the Reserve Bank advised supervised entities to comprehensively review their policies, processes and practices on gold loans to identify gaps and initiate appropriate remedial measures in a time-bound manner. Supervised entities were advised to closely monitor their gold loan portfolios and ensure adequate controls over outsourced activities and third-party service providers, it said. The report said climate change risks are envisaged to impact profitability of financial institutions, growth prospects, and inflation dynamics and, thus, impinge upon financial stability and price stability. To foster assessment of these concerns by regulated entities, regulatory and supervisory frameworks need to be strengthened with enhanced risk management guidelines, disclosure requirements, periodic stress testing, and stipulating reasonable verification and assurance functions, it added.
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