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Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew says the location of a planned supervised drug consumption site is not a foregone conclusion. Kinew says the community will be consulted and, if the proposed location is not the right one, there’s a chance the province may go in a different direction. The province has selected 200 Disraeli Freeway in Winnipeg’s core area for the facility that would allow people to inject drugs, with staff on hand to respond to overdoses and guide people toward treatment. Some area residents say they have not been consulted, and critics have said the location is wrong because a high school is directly across a busy six-lane street from the site. Kinew says it’s important that a supervised consumption site be built in order to save lives, and the required application is now before the federal government. The premier says the government is willing to consider a change in location, if there is a strong outcry from the community.Eagles QB Kenny Pickett expects to be ‘ready to go’ vs. Cowboys
As 2025 approaches, uncertainty looms over two wars raging in Gaza and Ukraine, with West Asia destabilised by the sudden fall of Syria’s Assad regime on December 8. The passing away of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, a day after Christmas, symbolises the end of India’s post-Independence era. The unseemly debates in Parliament and beyond, commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Indian Constitution, became a Congress-BJP brawl over B.R. Ambedkar’s role. The saga involved the Congress embracing a fictional past, where it more abused than used the Constitution, and the BJP feigning respect for constitutionalism while desiring to shape it as per its majoritarian instincts. Political churn is not specific to India alone. In 2024, 76 nations held polls, constituting half the world’s population. In some, like Russia and Venezuela, it was a rigged exercise to claim legitimacy for authoritarian rulers. In others, like the UK, where Conservatives lost power after 14 years, or France, where the adverse parliamentary elections’ verdict challenged the sitting President Emmanuel Macron, electoral results signalled change. In India too, people left the BJP in parliamentary elections dependent on allies’ support, which the BJP, by its self-centred agenda and arrogant governance, is defying. The most challenging development is Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential election. Although his term begins only on January 20, he is already in the limelight, continuously nominating individuals that reflect loyalty to him and commitment to the Make America Great Again (MAGA) agenda. Some have been forced to withdraw due to past sexual indiscretions, while some others may yet face the Senate’s disapproval due to lopsided views. For instance, Robert Kennedy Jr., named to lead the health departments, advocates the rejection of vaccines. The Economist magazine anticipates, in the coming year, an “interplay between Donald Trump, technology, and radical uncertainty.” The global worry is over his threat of imposing retaliatory tariffs of 20% on all nations trading with the US, with China attracting an even higher percentage. Some aides of Trump argue that his bark may be worse than his bite, as he often uses threats simply as a negotiating tactic. However, Indian analysts missed the implications of Trump’s remark that the US and China could effectively address most contentious global issues if they collaborated. This has, for decades, been precisely the Indian strategic concern: that bipolar Sino-US convergence would automatically relegate India to a secondary position. Although unstated publicly, the External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s hurried US trip post-Christmas, when official business languishes due to the holiday season, indicates this concern. The fact that Trump invited, albeit unsuccessfully, Chinese President Xi Jinping for his inauguration without extending a similar offer to Prime Minister Narendra Modi reflects Trump’s priorities. Reportedly, Hungarian President Viktor Orban, a Trump acolyte who rejects European military support for Ukraine, may also be on the invitees list. No previous US president has invited foreign leaders for the inauguration. Trump has claimed that he would end the Ukraine war almost instantaneously after assuming office. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who deliberately delayed congratulating Trump after his win, may accept a ceasefire only if Ukraine is arm-twisted into accepting the status quo over land held by either side currently. Perhaps that explains reports of Russians employing North Korean soldiers to eject Ukrainians from their Kursk region. Ukraine wants to use that occupation to bargain for the return of Ukrainian territory under Russian control. Although Trump is likely to give Israel a carte blanche to conduct its military operations, Israel, having already decapitated Hamas, may be ready for a ceasefire. Trump fathered the Abraham Accords to normalise Israel-Arab relations. These are now stymied by Israel rejecting both a ceasefire and a two-nation solution to the Israel-Palestine dispute. Thus, globally, Trump 2.0 can either be an agent of disruptive but positive change or an initiator of global economic and geostrategic bedlam. The US deterrence has mostly stabilised the world, especially since the end of the Cold War in 1991. Chinese ascendancy and alliance with Russia, Iran, and North Korea is resurrecting a new bipolar order. But China faces economic headwinds, and its GDP, having become three-quarters that of the US, fell to two-thirds by 2021. The European Union faces economic challenges due to its energy dependence on Russia being disrupted by the Ukraine war and its slow transition to industries of the future. The feared new standoff between the US and China catches Europe on the backfoot, already hobbled by its centrist ruling alliances breaking down, causing the rise of far-right parties. India is adopting a wait-and-watch strategy, like most of the world. At the United Nations, the Chinese contribution to the UN budget, at 20% of the total, now rivals that of the US. Trump is likely to withdraw the US from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNESCO. Ideally, after some turbulence, the Trumpian storm would pass. But diminished US deterrence and an isolationist America bode ill for global peace and friendship. KC Singh is former secretary, Ministry of External AffairsThe Liberal candidate in a federal byelection in British Columbia says she is applying for Métis membership after a local group questioned her claims of Indigenous identity. Madison Fleischer says in a written statement that she self-identifies as Métis based on what she knows about her great-grandmother's heritage and is "collecting the necessary documentation to go through the application process" for citizenship with B.C.'s Métis Nation. In the meantime, Fleischer, who is the candidate in the Dec. 16 byelection in Cloverdale-Langley City, says she has removed "Métis" from her social media profile descriptions to ensure there is "no confusion" about her Indigenous status. Her response comes after the Waceya Métis Society — which describes itself as a chartered community representing Métis people in the Langley and White Rock regions of B.C.'s Lower Mainland — said in a release that it "wishes to distance itself from Madison’s claims of Métis identity." The society says it met with Fleischer over the weekend to discuss her claims of Métis identity but was "disappointed that she could not provide any evidence to support her Métis heritage." The attention on Fleischer comes after Edmonton Centre Liberal MP Randy Boissonnault left cabinet last week amid questions about his shifting claims of Indigenous heritage and his business dealings. In her statement, Fleischer says she has "always been vocal about not yet holding Métis Nation British Columbia citizenship." The Waceya Métis Society says it has asked Fleischer to "properly research and verify her Indigenous heritage before making any further public assertions." "In this meeting, Madison was unable to substantiate her claims with any documentation or historical connections to Métis communities," the society says about their Nov. 23 meeting with Fleischer. "The integrity of Métis identity is not to be taken lightly, especially in public office, where the representation of our community must be accurate, respectful, and legitimate." Cloverdale-Langley City was previously held by Liberal John Aldag, who resigned to run for MLA with the B.C. New Democrats. Aldag was defeated by B.C. Conservative candidate Harman Bhangu in the Langley-Abbotsford seat in the Oct. 19 provincial election. Fleischer, whose Liberal party biography calls her a small-business owner who operates a public relations firm in Langley, is going up against candidates including federal Conservative Tamara Jansen, who held the seat from 2019 to 2021 before losing a close race to Aldag. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 27, 2024. Chuck Chiang, The Canadian Press
TikTok's future uncertain after appeals court rejects its bid to overturn possible US banIt wasn't a great day to be a running back. First, it was early in the game, but he later returned. Then it was , who appeared to be knocked out at the conclusion of a wild 60 minutes. The Week 12 game featured lead changes, special teams mayhem and some near-magic for the Commanders. While the comeback effort fell short, dropping Washington to 7-4 on the season, the concern now shifts to Ekeler. Here is the latest on the Commanders' veteran running back. LANDOVER, Md. — running back Austin Ekeler was taken to the hospital after suffering a concussion late in Sunday's loss to the Dallas Cowboys "out of an abundance of caution," a team spokesman said. Ekeler suffered the injury on the final kick return of the afternoon with the Commanders trailing by eight points and less than 10 seconds on the clock. A pair of Cowboys sandwiched him on the tackle and the 29-year-old's helmet hit the ground with force. He remained on the ground for a few minutes. Players from both teams took knees as Washington’s training staff tended to him. Ekeler walked off the field and to the locker room but with significant help from the trainers. Ekeler rushed for 22 yards on 9 carries against Dallas and caught two passes for two yards. The eight-year veteran is in his first season with the Commanders and spent the first seven with the Los Angeles Chargers. He has four rushing touchdowns this season and entered Sunday with 667 combined rushing and receiving yards. Austin Ekeler Scary looking play, appears to get hit in the head while running, then again hits his head hard on the ground. Hoping for the best 🙏🏻 — Tom Christ, PT, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT (@FantasyInjuryT) If Ekeler is forced to miss time, Washington will be down to just two running backs. Robinson Jr. would remain the starting back, but McNichols would likely see more work.TikTok edged closer to being banned in the United States after it lost an appeal on Friday against a law requiring the video-sharing app to divest from its Chinese parent company by January 19. The potential ban could strain US-China relations just as president-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office on January 20. TikTok said it would now appeal to the Supreme Court, which could choose to take up the case or let the circuit court's decision stand. "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," the company said. TikTok will also be looking to Trump, who has emerged as an unlikely ally, arguing that a ban would mainly benefit Facebook parent company Meta's platforms, owned by Mark Zuckerberg. Trump's stance reflects broader conservative criticism of Meta for allegedly suppressing right-wing content, including the former president himself being banned from Facebook after the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot by his supporters. The US government alleges TikTok allows Beijing to collect data and spy on users. It also says TikTok is a conduit to spread propaganda, though China and app owner ByteDance strongly deny these claims. The law, signed by President Joe Biden in April, would block TikTok from US app stores and web hosting services unless ByteDance sells the platform by January 19. While recognizing that "170 million Americans use TikTok to create and view all sorts of free expression," the three-judge panel unanimously upheld the law's premise that divesting it from China's control "is essential to protect our national security." They found that the law did not hinder free speech as it was "devoid of an institutional aim to suppress particular messages or ideas." The judges also disagreed with the idea that less drastic alternatives than a sale by ByteDance would solve the security issues. US Attorney General Merrick Garland welcomed the decision saying "the Justice Department is committed to defending Americans' sensitive data from authoritarian regimes that seek to exploit companies under their control." Trump's support for TikTok marks a reversal from his first term, when the Republican leader tried to ban the app over similar security concerns. That effort got bogged down in the courts when a federal judge questioned how the move would affect free speech and blocked the initiative. Among those who helped Trump to the White House in this year's election was Jeff Yass, a major Republican donor with ByteDance investments. "Donald Trump could be a lifeline for TikTok once he takes office, but halting the enforcement of the ban is easier said than done," said Emarketer lead Analyst Jasmine Enberg. "And even if he does manage to save TikTok, he's already flip-flopped on his stance toward the app and there's no guarantee he won't go after it later." The president-elect launched his own TikTok account in June, gaining 14.6 million followers, but has not posted since Election Day. Despite the uncertainty, TikTok's presence in the United States continues growing. The platform reported $100 million in Black Friday sales for its new shopping venture, and Emarketer projects US ad revenue will reach $15.5 billion next year, accounting for 4.5 percent of total digital ad spending in the country. But Enberg warned a ban would significantly disrupt the social media landscape, benefiting Meta, YouTube, and Snap while harming content creators and small businesses dependent on TikTok. Gautam Hans, professor at Cornell Law School, said the judges treated the government's national security argument "with great deference... while undervaluing the radical effects this unfortunate decision will have for individual speakers and First Amendment doctrine." But given the unanimous ruling and the short timeline before the law's date of taking effect, it was "unlikely that the Supreme Court will take the case, which will almost certainly lead to TikTok's demise in just a handful of weeks," he added. In contrast, Carl Tobias, of the University of Richmond, said that given the "critical implications" of the issues in question -- national security and free speech -- the apex court would likely take the case. arp/aha
Quarterbacks in spotlight when No. 6 Miami visits SyracuseArticle content Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre lashed out at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a day after two separate protests in Montreal became violent Friday night. Trudeau’s hometown was the sight of demonstrations for a second straight day, organized by the groups Divest for Palestine and the Convergence of Anti-Capitalist Struggles. The city is hosting about 300 delegates from NATO members and partner countries over four days, where the discussion is expected to focus on Ukraine, climate change and the alliance’s future. However, the pro-Palestinian and anti-NATO protesters converged and smashed windows, clashed with police and set two vehicles on fire , reports the Montreal Gazette . One person was seen setting fire to an effigy of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Three people were arrested, accused of assaulting and obstructing cops. Trudeau said he condemned the violence in a statement released at noon on Saturday. “What we saw on the streets of Montreal last night was appalling. Acts of antisemitism, intimidation, and violence must be condemned wherever we see them,” he wrote. “The RCMP are in communication with local police. There must be consequences, and rioters held accountable.” On social media, critics of Trudeau — including Poilievre — juxtaposed the Prime Minister, who was captured on video dancing at a Taylor Swift concert in Toronto, with images of the violent and antisemitic behaviour in Montreal. “You act surprised. We are reaping what you sowed,” Poilievre began his response to Trudeau in a lengthy post on X. “This is what happens when a Prime Minister spends nine years pushing toxic woke identity politics, dividing and subdividing people by race, gender, vaccine status, religion, region, age, wealth, etc.” Poilievre continued, pointing out how the Prime Minister continues to drive people apart and “systematically break what used to bring us together, saying Canada is a ‘post-national state’ with ‘no core identity.'” “You erased our veterans and military, the Famous Five and even Terry Fox from our passport to replace them with meaningless squirrels, snowflakes and a drawing of yourself swimming as a boy,” Poilievre added. The Opposition Leader then turned to border security and rampant criminality affecting the country. “You opened the borders to terrorists and lawbreakers and called anyone who questioned it racist,” he wrote. “You send out your MPs to say one thing in a mosque and the opposite in a synagogue, one thing in a mandir and the opposite in a gurdwara. “You have made Canada a playground for foreign interference. You allowed Iran’s IRGC terrorists to legally operate here for four years after they murdered 55 of our citizens in a major unprovoked attack. “You passed laws that release rampant offenders from prison within hours of their 80th arrest. “And what is the result? Assassinations on Canadian soil, firebombings of synagogues, extremist violence against mandirs and gurdwaras, over 100 churches burned or vandalized (with barely any condemnation from you), all for a total 251% more hate crime.” All on Trudeau’s watch, he added, before taking a swipe at the PM for having a good time at the Taylor Swift concert on the same day as the riots. “And, while you were dancing, Montreal was burning,” Poilievre wrote. “We won’t let you divide us anymore. Call an election now,” he demanded. “We will fire you and reclaim our citizenship, our values, our lives, our freedom and, most of all, our country.”Donald Trump has yet to move back into the White House and already fissures are opening in his coalition, amid squabbling between Elon Musk and his Silicon Valley "tech bros" and his hardcore Republican backers. At the heart of the internecine sniping is Trump's central election issue -- immigration -- and the H1-B visas that allow companies to bring foreigners with specific qualifications to the United States. The permits are widely used in Silicon Valley, and Musk -- who himself came to the United States from South Africa on an H1-B -- is a fervent advocate. The world's richest man, who bankrolled Trump's election campaign and has become a close advisor, posted on X Thursday that welcoming elite engineering talent from abroad was "essential for America to keep winning." Vivek Ramaswamy, appointed by Trump as Musk's co-chair on a new advisory board on government efficiency, suggested that companies prefer foreign workers because they lack an "American culture," which he said venerates mediocrity. "A culture that celebrates the prom queen over the math olympiad champ, or the jock over the valedictorian, will not produce the best engineers," he posted, warning that, without a change in attitude, "we'll have our asses handed to us by China." Skepticism over the benefits of immigration is a hallmark of Trump's "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) movement and the billionaires' remarks angered immigration hawks who accused them of ignoring US achievements in technological innovation. Incoming White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller posted a 2020 speech in which Trump marveled at the American "culture" that had "harnessed electricity, split the atom, and gave the world the telephone and the Internet." The post appeared calculated to remind critics that Trump won November's election on a platform of getting tough on immigration and boosting American manufacturing. But it was Michael Faraday, an English scientist, who discovered that an electric current could be produced by passing a magnet through a copper wire and Ernest Rutherford, a New Zealander, who first split the atom. And Alexander Graham Bell may have died a US citizen but he was a British subject in Canada when he invented the telephone. Trump voiced opposition to H1-B visas during his successful first run for the White House in 2016, calling them "unfair for our workers" while acknowledging that he used foreign labor in his own businesses. The Republican placed restrictions on the system when he took office, but the curbs were lifted by President Joe Biden. Trump is known for enjoying the gladiatorial spectacle when conflict breaks out in his inner circle. He has been conspicuously silent during the hostilities that Politico characterized as "Musk vs MAGA." Many MAGA figures have been agitating for a complete closure of America's borders while the problem of illegal entries is tackled, and hoping for a steer from Trump that would reassure them that he remains firm in his "America First" stance. For some long-time loyalists, Silicon Valley has already inserted itself too deeply into MAGA politics. "We welcomed the tech bros when they came running our way to avoid the 3rd grade teacher picking their kid's gender -- and the obvious Biden/Harris economic decline," said Matt Gaetz, the scandal-hit congressman forced to withdraw after being nominated by Trump to run the Justice Department. "We did not ask them to engineer an immigration policy." When Musk almost single-handedly blew up a deal painstakingly hammered out between Democrats and Republicans to set the 2025 federal budget, Democrats used "President Musk" to mock Trump, who is famously sensitive about being upstaged. It remains to be seen whether these cracks can be smoothed out or if they are a portent of further strife, but critics point to the chaos in Trump's first term as a potential indicator. "Looking forward to the inevitable divorce between President Trump and Big Tech," said far-right conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer, a MAGA figure with so much influence that she had a seat on Trump's plane during the campaign. "We have to protect President Trump from the technocrats." Loomer has subsequently complained of censorship after she was stripped of her paying subscribers on X, which is owned by Musk. "Full censorship of my account simply because I called out H1B visas," she posted. "This is anti-American behavior by tech oligarchs. What happened to free speech?" rle/ft/smsNone
UCLA fan smacks USC fan in the face during rivalry football game in vicious sceneAs 2025 approaches, uncertainty looms over two wars raging in Gaza and Ukraine, with West Asia destabilised by the sudden fall of Syria’s Assad regime on December 8. The passing away of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, a day after Christmas, symbolises the end of India’s post-Independence era. The unseemly debates in Parliament and beyond, commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Indian Constitution, became a Congress-BJP brawl over B.R. Ambedkar’s role. The saga involved the Congress embracing a fictional past, where it more abused than used the Constitution, and the BJP feigning respect for constitutionalism while desiring to shape it as per its majoritarian instincts. Political churn is not specific to India alone. In 2024, 76 nations held polls, constituting half the world’s population. In some, like Russia and Venezuela, it was a rigged exercise to claim legitimacy for authoritarian rulers. In others, like the UK, where Conservatives lost power after 14 years, or France, where the adverse parliamentary elections’ verdict challenged the sitting President Emmanuel Macron, electoral results signalled change. In India too, people left the BJP in parliamentary elections dependent on allies’ support, which the BJP, by its self-centred agenda and arrogant governance, is defying. The most challenging development is Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential election. Although his term begins only on January 20, he is already in the limelight, continuously nominating individuals that reflect loyalty to him and commitment to the Make America Great Again (MAGA) agenda. Some have been forced to withdraw due to past sexual indiscretions, while some others may yet face the Senate’s disapproval due to lopsided views. For instance, Robert Kennedy Jr., named to lead the health departments, advocates the rejection of vaccines. The Economist magazine anticipates, in the coming year, an “interplay between Donald Trump, technology, and radical uncertainty.” The global worry is over his threat of imposing retaliatory tariffs of 20% on all nations trading with the US, with China attracting an even higher percentage. Some aides of Trump argue that his bark may be worse than his bite, as he often uses threats simply as a negotiating tactic. However, Indian analysts missed the implications of Trump’s remark that the US and China could effectively address most contentious global issues if they collaborated. This has, for decades, been precisely the Indian strategic concern: that bipolar Sino-US convergence would automatically relegate India to a secondary position. Although unstated publicly, the External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s hurried US trip post-Christmas, when official business languishes due to the holiday season, indicates this concern. The fact that Trump invited, albeit unsuccessfully, Chinese President Xi Jinping for his inauguration without extending a similar offer to Prime Minister Narendra Modi reflects Trump’s priorities. Reportedly, Hungarian President Viktor Orban, a Trump acolyte who rejects European military support for Ukraine, may also be on the invitees list. No previous US president has invited foreign leaders for the inauguration. Trump has claimed that he would end the Ukraine war almost instantaneously after assuming office. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who deliberately delayed congratulating Trump after his win, may accept a ceasefire only if Ukraine is arm-twisted into accepting the status quo over land held by either side currently. Perhaps that explains reports of Russians employing North Korean soldiers to eject Ukrainians from their Kursk region. Ukraine wants to use that occupation to bargain for the return of Ukrainian territory under Russian control. Although Trump is likely to give Israel a carte blanche to conduct its military operations, Israel, having already decapitated Hamas, may be ready for a ceasefire. Trump fathered the Abraham Accords to normalise Israel-Arab relations. These are now stymied by Israel rejecting both a ceasefire and a two-nation solution to the Israel-Palestine dispute. Thus, globally, Trump 2.0 can either be an agent of disruptive but positive change or an initiator of global economic and geostrategic bedlam. The US deterrence has mostly stabilised the world, especially since the end of the Cold War in 1991. Chinese ascendancy and alliance with Russia, Iran, and North Korea is resurrecting a new bipolar order. But China faces economic headwinds, and its GDP, having become three-quarters that of the US, fell to two-thirds by 2021. The European Union faces economic challenges due to its energy dependence on Russia being disrupted by the Ukraine war and its slow transition to industries of the future. The feared new standoff between the US and China catches Europe on the backfoot, already hobbled by its centrist ruling alliances breaking down, causing the rise of far-right parties. India is adopting a wait-and-watch strategy, like most of the world. At the United Nations, the Chinese contribution to the UN budget, at 20% of the total, now rivals that of the US. Trump is likely to withdraw the US from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNESCO. Ideally, after some turbulence, the Trumpian storm would pass. But diminished US deterrence and an isolationist America bode ill for global peace and friendship. KC Singh is former secretary, Ministry of External AffairsPalantir’s fiery stock surge has been polarizing. Here’s what the CEO thinks.
Chuck Woolery Dies: Former ‘Wheel of Fortune’ and ‘Love Connection’ Host Was 83Campaigners have hit out at a “woefully inadequate” financial package for developing nations agreed at Cop29 – with one charity condemning it as a “death sentence for millions”. A 300 billion dollar (£239.5 billion) deal to help combat the impact of global warming was announced at the international conference in Baku, Azerbaijan. The money falls far short of the $1.3 trillion that developing countries were asking for, but is three times the $100bn a year deal from 2009 that is expiring. UN climate chief Simon Steill hailed it as an “insurance policy” for humanity, while Energy secretary Ed Miliband described it as a "critical 11th-hour deal at the 11th hour for the climate". But Christian Aid said people who needed a life raft had been given a plank of wood instead. And the charity Water Aid said it was a "death sentence for millions" and a "mere fraction" of what was needed. Lesley Pories, lead policy analyst for WaterAid, said: "While experts touted needs around one trillion dollars annually for the new collective quantified goal (NCQG), an agreement for 300 billion dollars was reached - a mere fraction of the finance we all know is desperately needed.” They said that from hurricanes and flash flooding to wildfires and worsening drought, the global water crisis was a “growing tragedy” and that it was “deeply shameful that... governments could not set aside their differences for the sake of the most vulnerable." Jasper Inventor, head of the Cop29 Greenpeace delegation, said: "The agreed finance goal is woefully inadequate and overshadowed by the level of despair and scale of action needed.” But US President Joe Biden said that while "substantial work" remained to be done, the conference had set an "ambitious international climate finance goal". "While some may seek to deny or delay the clean energy revolution that’s under way in America and around the world, nobody can reverse it - nobody," he said. Friends of Earth head of policy Mike Childs credited the UK delegation for playing a productive role in the talks, but warned that they “failed to solve the question of climate finance". "Instead they have again kicked the can down the road. Developing countries are being hammered by climate extremes now, predominantly fuelled by the current and historic polluting activities of rich nations, like the UK." The Cop29 climate conference in the Azerbaijan capital had been due to finish on Friday but ran on as negotiators from nearly 200 countries struggled to reach a consensus on a climate funding plan for the next decade.
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MARKS and Spencer shoppers cried "Christmas is ruined" after a festive favourite was axed. The popular treat had only been on the shelves for a short while before being pulled just weeks before the big day. 1 M&S Milk Chocolate Cinnamon Sugar Tortilla Rolls have been axed Credit: M&S Customers were baffled when they went on the hunt for M&S Chocolate Cinnamon Sugar Tortilla Rolls and the goodie was no where to be seen. One confused shopper penned a plea to the superstore which read: "Please don’t break my heart so close to Christmas.... Your chocolate and cinnamon tortilla rolls have disappeared from our local store and I can’t find them online. "Say they’ll be back on the shelves again soon." A company spokesperson wrote back: "Hi Nicki. I'm truly sorry - we're no longer making these! Read More XMAS AXE Marks and Spencer has AXED popular Christmas giveaway to Sparks customers SAVVY SAVER M&S shoppers are realising genius trick to save a 1/3 on popular Xmas snack "We'll let the food team know that you (and me and my mum!) would LOVE to see them ake a return! Fingers crossed!" But fans were devastated by the confirmation. "Christmas ruined M&S.....It’s gonna take a while to forgive you for this one," said one. The Marks and Spencer spokesperson joked: "Apologies! We still have a great range of festive treats available in store. I hope you can forgive us." Most read in Money SELL ON HMRC warns Vinted sellers over new ‘30 item rule’ coming in weeks 'WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!?' Shoppers fuming after Rowntree's sweets left 'tasting like soap' WE’RE STUFFED Fears Christmas dinner could be RUINED by shortage - will you be affected? FAST BUCK Buckfast sales soar to record high of £55million in the last year The festive sweet treat was available for £2.75 before being scrapped from stock. They were described by the supermarket as: "Crunchy cinnamon spiced tortilla rolls dipped in creamy milk chocolate". M&S BEST BUYS And, the snack was gluten free, as well as suitable for vegetarians. This comes as M&S shoppers also faced disappointment when learning about another discontinuation. The posh store confirmed it chopped one of its most popular breakfast items. They have pulled their "glorious" Cocoa & Cherry Bircher pot from shelves. Other discontinued M&S treats M&S shoppers have been left gutted after the chain axed a popular takeaway meal after less than two years. The supermarket's Vegan 'Chicken' & Pepper Pizza earned rave reviews before it was scrapped. It also discontinued its almond milk and vanilla hand wash , despite being described by shoppers as "amazing and affordable". The posh shop also removed some of its popular Percy Pig sweets from its range - leading to desperate calls for them to be reinstated. Percy Pig Phizzy Chews earned rave reviews before they were scrapped in the brand’s recent confectionery overhaul in July. What's more its popular Colin the Caterpillar in a jar treats recently disappeared from the shop shelves. Marks and Sparks also confirmed that a popular teatime meal has been axed as the supermarket carries out a shake-up. The supermarket has cut the Plant Kitchen : 2 No Beef Steak Pies. The supermarket then expanded to say that it was set to relaunch the Plant Kitchen range. Read more on the Scottish Sun DARR-ARGH! Weather maps reveal exact date Storm Darragh to hit Scots with rain, wind & SNOW 'SICK BEYOND BELIEF' Cops probe footage 'showing Scots woman having sex with XL Bully dog' Earlier this year, Marks and Spencer shoppers begged the retailer to bring an iconic flavour of ice cream back after learning it had been savagely discontinued. A customer was baffled when they came up empty handed while rummaging through the freezer section for Chocolate Millionaires Ice Cream. Why are products axed or recipes changed? ANALYSIS by chief consumer reporter James Flanders. Food and drinks makers have been known to tweak their recipes or axe items altogether. They often say that this is down to the changing tastes of customers. There are several reasons why this could be done. For example, government regulation, like the "sugar tax," forces firms to change their recipes. Some manufacturers might choose to tweak ingredients to cut costs. They may opt for a cheaper alternative, especially when costs are rising to keep prices stable. For example, Tango Cherry disappeared from shelves in 2018 . It has recently returned after six years away but as a sugar-free version. Fanta removed sweetener from its sugar-free alternative earlier this year. Suntory tweaked the flavour of its flagship Lucozade Original and Orange energy drinks . While the amount of sugar in every bottle remains unchanged, the supplier swapped out the sweetener aspartame for sucralose.
PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 21, 2024-- Mobile-first customer experience company Airship today announced the winners of the 2024 Airship Altitude Awards. Asda, bol, CIMB Singapore, Sally Beauty Holdings and The Vitamin Shoppe each won their respective award categories for exceptional value creation across acquisition, activation, value impact, unified experience and mobile mastery. Acquisition: Online marketplace bol was recognized for its strategies and results in driving app downloads with its “Price Alert Push as Acquisition Strategy.” bol created a price alert push campaign to acquire new app users and gain opt in for alerts when there is a discount on an item in a user’s wish list. The team encouraged customers to download the app, opt-in to notifications and add items to their wish list in the run up to major sales campaigns, like their bol 10 Days Campaign. The effort drove a significant uplift in price alert notifications, driving nearly 3X higher opt-in rates than average, an above average open rate of 27% and a conversion rate of 9%. Activation: Sally Beauty Holdings, a global distributor and retailer of professional beauty products, is honored for “Sally Beauty and CosmoProf Engagement and Opt-in Growth,” which showcased the brand’s ability to onboard new app users, drive ongoing engagement, opt-ins and registrations. Sally Beauty Holdings wanted to grow opt-ins and expand app engagement to provide more value to Sally Beauty and CosmoProf app users. The company implemented Airship’s no-code experiences and cross-channel engagement solutions, including eye-catching native, multiscreen experiences showing videos and quizzes, app store events, early access, sneak-peek programs and exclusive offers. The effort helped the brand increase the number of active users on the Sally Beauty app by 7% and CosmoProf by 16.6% year-over-year. Additionally, Sally Beauty app revenue grew from 12% to 22% of ecommerce revenue and CosmoProf revenue increased from 20% to 32% of ecommerce revenue. Value Impact: Leading ASEAN bank CIMB Singapore won top honors for driving revenue and creating valuable app customer experiences with its entry, “Empowering Simplicity with CIMB Clicks.” The brand’s vision was to make the CIMB Clicks mobile app in Singapore the go-to choice for simple, secure and seamless banking. The team went beyond simple app upgrades and fostered greater collaboration with their team, simplifying processes and reducing development time from months to weeks and days. CIMB Singapore established a dialogue with customers to educate them on security risks like phishing scams and promote new app features. As a result, monthly active users (MAU) grew 162% from early 2023 to early 2024 and 9 out of 10 retail customers now use digital banking with 75% regularly making monthly transactions. Unified Experience: Asda, one of the largest supermarket chains in the UK, was recognized for achieving exceptional customer engagement from cohesive, contextually connected experiences with its “Multichannel Rewards Round-Up” campaign. To strengthen the value exchange among its loyal Asda Rewards customers, Asda wanted to increase awareness and engagement with its loyalty program and build customer anticipation for future cash rewards. The team deployed data-driven multichannel campaigns with push notifications, in-app messages and email marketing to provide relevant, timely and consistent updates of personalized rewards progress across channels. As a result, Asda saw a 100% increase in direct open rates of push notifications and a 50% uplift in customers responding to in-app messages. Additionally, Asda’s 2024 email campaign saw an 8% increase in open rates and 39% growth in click-through rate. Mobile Mastery: The Vitamin Shoppe, a leading retailer of nutritional supplements in the U.S., transformed its mobile app experience to improve customer engagement and e-commerce revenue. The retailer worked diligently to improve every touchpoint along the customer journey, increasing loyalty members and identified users, boosting in-app engagement through gamification, increasing notification opt-in rates, improving conversion rates with an abandoned cart campaign and expanding app traffic with SMS. The Vitamin Shoppe is the first to be recognized in this new award category that celebrates meaningful achievements across the entire customer lifecycle. “This year’s Altitude Award winners represent teams from across the globe that are capturing greater value from mobile customer experiences,” said Brett Caine, CEO of Airship. “From several dozen award entries to an elite group of 12 finalists, all with very impressive results, these five winning brands are helping to define how to get mobile-first customer experience right in ways that matter most for their customers and their businesses.” A distinguished group of industry experts reviewed the 2024 Altitude Award entries and scored them based on overall performance, amplification, innovation and degree of difficulty. This year’s judges included: Pietro Lambert , VP of Product Management at OneFootball; Lauren Hensley , Director of Mobile App Marketing and Lifecycle at VML; Tom Burrell , independent retention marketing consultant formerly with DAZN; and Di Wu , VP of Audience Engagement and Lifecycle Marketing at Pandora. To learn more about the 2024 Altitude Award winners, read the blog post . About Airship Airship helps brands master mobile-first customer experiences to build lasting relationships and accelerate business growth. Since 2009, Airship has enabled thousands of the world’s leading brands to be at the forefront of the customer experience revolution with industry-first support for push notifications, in-app messages and mobile wallet boarding passes — all now the norm in elevating experiences everywhere. Today, the Airship Experience Platform provides an end-to-end solution for unifying experiences across apps, websites and all channels, including email, SMS, mobile wallet and more. Its no-code Experience Editor and Journeys AI solutions enable marketers and product managers to get work done in minutes instead of months, capturing more value across the entire customer lifecycle without ongoing developer support. With the Airship Experience Platform and App Store Optimization technology and expertise, brands now have a complete set of solutions to optimize the entire customer lifecycle – from the point of discovery to loyalty – driving greater value for everyone involved. For more information, visit www.airship.com , read our blog or follow us on X (formerly Twitter) , LinkedIn and Facebook . View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241121113161/en/ CONTACT: Media Contact North America: Deidre Wright Airship +1 415-223-0832 deidre.wright@airship.comKali Myrick Kali Myrick Communications +1 503-580-4645 kali@kalimyrick.comEMEA : Ana Williams Airship +44 (0)20 3405 5160 press@airship.comPauline Delorme Tyto PR +44 (0)20 3934 8882 Airship@tytopr.com KEYWORD: OREGON UNITED STATES SINGAPORE CANADA NORTH AMERICA ASIA PACIFIC EUROPE INDUSTRY KEYWORD: TECHNOLOGY MARKETING MOBILE/WIRELESS ADVERTISING SUPERMARKET COMMUNICATIONS FOOD/BEVERAGE COSMETICS HOME GOODS RETAIL FITNESS & NUTRITION FINANCE BANKING ELECTRONIC COMMERCE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES HEALTH SECURITY APPS/APPLICATIONS DIGITAL MARKETING SOFTWARE ONLINE RETAIL INTERNET DATA MANAGEMENT SOURCE: Airship Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 11/21/2024 02:58 PM/DISC: 11/21/2024 02:58 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241121113161/enBusinesses and consumers in China found the 11.11 or the annual Singles’ Day shopping festival less attractive this year amid a sluggish economy, forcing e-commerce firms to look abroad for growth. Online service provider and e-commerce platform Alibaba started the now-famous event on Nov. 11, 2009, offering attractive discounts to entice shoppers to spend more. The extravaganza, also known as “Double 11,” has since expanded to other platforms in China — like JD.com and Pinduoduo — and abroad. It has long been regarded as a barometer of consumer sentiment. While Singles’ Day was previously a one-day event, shopping platforms in China now kickstart the festival weeks ahead to drum up sales volume. Even some brick-and-mortar stores join the festival by launching sales campaigns and hanging promotional banners and posters in the hopes of luring shoppers. But amid China’s lagging domestic economy, dragged down by a real estate crisis and deflationary pressures , consumers no longer go all out during the shopping extravaganza. Meanwhile, e-commerce platforms grappling with a slowing domestic market have turned to overseas markets to seek new growth, offering promotions like global free shipping and allowing merchants to sell worldwide with ease. Alibaba, for example, said in a blog post on its Alizila site that some 70,000 merchants saw sales double with global free shipping. In markets like Singapore and Hong Kong, new customers also doubled, the e-commerce company said. Since the festival began in late October, “I have only spent a few hundred yuan on daily necessities,” said Wang Haihua, who owns a fitness center in the capital, Beijing. Wang said that the prices offered on e-commerce platforms during Singles’ Day are not necessarily cheaper than usual. “They’re all tricks and we’ve seen through it over the years,” she said. Zhang Jiewei, a 34-year-old who runs a barber shop in the city of Xi’an, echoed Wang’s sentiments, saying that he no longer trusts Singles’ Day promotions as some merchants tend to raise the usual prices before offering a discount, giving consumers the illusion they are getting a deal. “I used to buy a lot two or three years ago and I even purchased a mobile phone (during Singles’ Day),” he said. However, following the coronavirus pandemic, he stopped “because of lower income.” “I am not going to buy anything this year,” Zhang said. Some experts say that Beijing’s recent stimulus measures have had little impact on boosting consumer confidence. Most Filipino TikTok users start Christmas shopping early, hunt for bargains, study says Online shopping scams: How to avoid them “People are not interested in spending and are cutting back on big-ticket items,” said Shaun Rein, founder and managing director of China Market Research Group in Shanghai. “Since October 2022, the weak economy means that everything has been on discount year-round, 11.11 is not going to bring in more discounts than the month before.” Rein said he expects low growth for the Singles’ Day shopping festival as consumers tighten their spending in anticipation of difficult economic times ahead. Categories such as sportswear and fitness, however, have been doing well as customers “trade down a Gucci bag for Lululemon sportswear,” he said. Jacob Cooke, CEO of e-commerce consultancy WPIC Marketing + Technologies, said that despite the luxury downturn, the shopping festival still showed strong sales for goods in premium price brands across categories like mother-baby, personal care and toys, as well as outdoor and sport. “There’s a clear shift in consumer priorities towards experiences, hobbies, and health,” Cooke said. “With record-level platform subsidies and generous membership programs like Alibaba’s 88VIP, consumers actually showed a preference for premium branded goods during this year’s festival.” Platforms like JD.com and Alibaba previously used to publish the total value of the festival’s transactions, but have stopped since 2022. While yearly growth used to be in the double digits, estimates of recent figures have dwindled to low single-digit growth. Syntun, a data provider, estimated that last year’s gross merchandising volume sales across major e-commerce platforms grew just 2% to 1.14 trillion yuan ($156.40 billion), a far cry from double-digit growth before COVID-19. Alibaba also owns popular e-commerce platforms Taobao and Tmall, Even some merchants who typically participated in the festival say the high cost of advertising no longer pays off as sales dwindle. Zhao Gao, who owns a garment factory in eastern Zhejiang province, said that after paying to advertise on e-commerce platforms, he would only break even after sales. “The platforms have so many rules for promotions and customers have become more skeptical,” he said. “As a merchant, I no longer participate in the Singles’ Day promotions.” Another merchant, Du Baonian who runs a food company processing mutton in Inner Mongolia, said consumers spend less and his overall sales were down by 15% compared to the past year. He still takes part in the Singles’ Day promotions but said the higher expenses do not typically generate returns because of slow sales. “We are seeing shrinking revenue, but advertisement on the platform can help us maintain our leading sales position,” he said, adding that he was considering advertising on more e-commerce platforms to target more consumers.
Arsenal moved up to second in the Premier League, six points behind leaders Liverpool, as Kai Havertz’s first-half goal secured a narrow 1-0 win over Ipswich at the Emirates Stadium. It seemed Arsenal were set for a comfortable night when Havertz turned home Leandro Trossard's cross from close range in the 23rd minute for his seventh Premier League goal of the campaign. But the Gunners, without Bukayo Saka following his hamstring injury in the 5-1 win over Crystal Palace, were unable to capitalise on their dominance, spurning a series of second-half chances and ensuring the 19th-placed visitors remained in the game until the last. Player ratings Arsenal: Raya (7), Timber (7), Saliba (8), Gabriel (7), Lewis-Skelly (7), Rice (7), Havertz (7), Odegaard (7), Martinelli (6), Trossard (7), Jesus (6). Subs: Merino (6), Partey (6). Ipswich: Muric (7), Johnson (6), O'Shea (7), Woolfenden (7), Greaves (7), Davis (7), Phillips (6), Cajuste (6), Hutchinson (6), Szmodics (6), Delap (6). Subs: J Clarke (6), Taylor (6), Broadhead (6), Ali Al-Hamadi (6), H Clarke (n/a) Player of the Match: William Saliba Gabriel Magalhaes missed Arsenal's best opportunity, heading a Declan Rice corner wide from a few yards out when it looked easier to score, while Martin Odegaard and substitute Mikel Merino were denied by Ipswich goalkeeper Arijanet Muric. Arsenal gave little away at the other end, with Ipswich only registering three shots, none of which troubled David Raya, but Mikel Arteta, who fielded Gabriel Martinelli in Saka's position on the right, will hope they find more cutting edge for their upcoming trips to Brentford and Brighton as they try to keep pace with Liverpool. Also See: Watch Premier League highlights Live Premier League table Premier League fixtures Download the Sky Sports app Trending The win sends Arsenal above Chelsea, who lost to Fulham on Boxing Day, and means they are six points behind Liverpool, who have a game in hand. Ipswich remain 19th but earned a warm ovation from the travelling fans for their efforts in the game. Story of the match in stats... What's coming up in the Premier League? Correctly predict six scorelines for a chance to win £250,000 for free. Entries by 3pm Saturday.CGI Inc. Cl A stock rises Thursday, outperforms market
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