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7 fortune PM to promise police officer for every community in landmark ‘Plan for Change’

Tweet Facebook Mail A bipartisan committee has brushed aside concerns about unfairness to back the AUKUS treaty, while urging governments to make nuclear waste storage a "priority". The Senate's joint committee on treaties decided the agreement, and the nuclear-powered submarines it will eventually deliver, would give Australia a "clear advantage" in the "most complex and challenging strategic environment since the Second World War". The inquiry into the broad military alliance with the US and UK heard concerns from Australian National University law Professor Donald Rothwell and others about the wording of the agreement being too heavily in favour of London and Washington. Australia will purchase US Virginia-class submarines under the AUKUS defence pact. (AP) He said AUKUS offered "an enormous amount of flexibility" for the UK to US to withdraw, without giving Australia the same leeway, describing the agreement as "somewhat exceptional". The international law expert argued the deal handed Australia all the risks while indemnifying its allies and also raised concerns about a lack of certain mechanisms to resolve future disputes. The committee put concerns over the wording down to the treaties decades-long lifespan rather than it being "unfairly weighted" against Australia. It anticipated further agreements, called instruments, to emerge in the future and called for parliament to closely scrutinise them. Labor committee chair Lisa Chesters said the committee had determined the agreement was in the national interest. "Australia's acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines provides our nation with not only a strategic advantage, but also an opportunity to grow Australian jobs, education and infrastructure," she said, in a statement. "'The successful implementation of AUKUS will require upskilling the Australian workforce. This is an opportunity for our education sector and will create jobs that last for the life of the agreement and beyond. The staggering sums countries spend on defending themselves View Gallery "The 20,000 jobs added by the AUKUS program will diversify Australia's workforce and will provide high-paying jobs for trades and tertiary educated workers alike." She called for an education campaign to plug the deal's benefits and dispel "myths". The deal, signed three years ago with the aim of maintaining a "free and open Indo-Pacific" in the face of China's increasingly muscular stance, provides for a new fleet of eight nuclear-propelled submarines. The initial stage is set to cost up to $368 billion by 2055 to build, with the first vessels operating out of Adelaide by the 2040s. Australia and its AUKUS partners, the United States and Britain present the agreement. (AP) US and British nuclear submarines will deploy out of Western Australia from 2027 until the Royal Australian Navy until the nuclear-powered alternatives, whose advantages include increased range and being able to stay underwater for longer, are ready. The subs are nuclear-powered and won't carry nuclear weapons but running them out of a non-nuclear country will still require outside help for maintenance, raising concerns from some over sovereignty. Maintenance will also produce limited amounts of nuclear waste, something that was a concern at some of the hearings. "The issue of nuclear waste disposal needs to be addressed in a timely and transparent manner," the committee wrote. "While the committee acknowledges that the disposal of the nuclear fuel used to power the submarines will not be required until the 2050s or later, the decision of where to store the small amounts of low-level waste created during routine maintenance of the nuclear-powered submarines needs to be a priority." DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP : Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play .

Cross sections of Nigerians representing a broad spectrum of opinions have charted a path for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to follow if he (the president) must realise his Renewed Hope Agenda of developing the country in 2025. Those who spoke with Saturday Telegraph in separate interviews include, National Publicity Secretary of the opposition New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Mr. Ladipo Johnson, a chieftain of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) and former Secretary General of the Forum, Anthony Sani. Others include the National Publicity Secretary of the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Mr. Justice Faloye, and his counterpart in the Pan-Niger Delta Forum Dr. Obiuwevbi Ominimini. Johnson in his chat with one of our correspondents urged the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) controlled Federal Government should allow opposition political parties in the country to thrive, saying efforts must be geared towards expanding the political space. While accusing the APC of allegedly sponsoring the numerous crises within the various opposition parties, Johnson also argued that the electoral umpire must ensure level playing field for all parties and not show open bias for the ruling party. Citing the political tension in Kano, Johnson said, “We all can see what members of the opposition APC in Kano State are doing to undermine our government. The first time, they tried to meddle in the emirate system not minding the consequences of their action. “The second time, they tried to use some of our expelled members to sabotage our cases in the courts and they also tried to prevent the state government from conducting local government elections in the state,” he said. Commenting on recently held off season elections in Ondo and Edo State, he called for concerted efforts on how to make the electoral umpire unbiased and transparent. Sani: Why some Nigerians are against Federal Government’s reforms Reflecting on the reforms and policies being undertaken by the Federal Government in the last one year, Sani told Saturday Telegraph that even though the government has promised that Nigerians will soon begin to see the advantages of its reforms, “as long as the succour is yet to be experienced, most Nigerians would conclude the reforms are not good enough.” Sani however called on Nigerians to stop the lamentations and come out with better ways to tame the prevailing situation in the country, saying “This is because unbridled lamentations are never a solution to the myriad of challenges confronting the nation.” He also called on the people to support the reforms of the present administration as it is very necessary to support the government to enable it to succeed. He said, “Mr President in media chat told Nigerians that his reforms like removal of fuel subsidies and floating of the naira as well as the Tax Reforms Bills are meant to redirect the socioeconomic development of the country. “He also talked about his improvement of the security architecture and preventive approach of fighting corruption. “In addition, the reforms are not a matter of choice but tasks that must be done. He admitted that there is untold hardship which he said would come to pass because there is some light at the end of the tunnel. “The president has appealed for understanding by Nigerians whose support is sine qua non. In such circumstances, there is nothing one can say beyond appealing to Nigerians to be supportive. “This is because as long as the succour is yet to be experienced, most Nigerians would conclude the reforms are not good enough. “Since the president has admitted the government’s inability to think out better options to the reforms, I appeal to Nigerians to come forward and advise the government on the best approaches-if any-that can bring about some succour as quickly as possible. “This is because unbridled lamentations are never a solution to the myriad of challenges confronting the nation.” Injustice against N’Delta should be addressed-Ominimini On his part, Ominimini stated that the only way 2025 would be meaningful to the people of the Niger-Delta would be for the Bola Tinubu led government to make conscious efforts aimed at addressing many perceived injustices that the region has continued to suffer over the years. According to him, the region has been excluded from the scheme of things in the oil sector, saying the situation whereby citizens of the country take up numerous opportunities in the oil business to the exclusion of his people should be addressed. Citing the current condition of the East/West Road as an example of official neglect by successive governments in the country, he Ominimini urged that the provision of adequate infrastructure should also be accorded necessary priority in the New Year. “We want the inclusion of the Niger-Delta in key critical decision making positions in the oil and gas industry,” he said, adding that the two executive directors of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited are from the Northern part of the of the country while his region now had to be content with one non-executive member. He also urged the government to ensure that sons and daughters of the region are given greater opportunities of benefiting business wise in the sector, saying the situation whereby only the northern part of the country benefits in the ownership business opportunities should be addressed. Give us restructuring, review economic policies-Faloye Faloye on his part stated that the expectation of his organisation would be for the government to put in place machinery that would ensure that the much clamoured for restructuring of the country is carried out. He also stated that the government should immediately review its economic policies which he maintained were impacting negatively on the lives and existence of all Nigerians whom he stated have slipped into misery and want. “We hope that the government can give us restructuring, which we have been clamouring for over the years. We are also urging the government to change its economic policies to wear a human face. “We are also advocating for a reduction in the cost of governance and more transparency in the way the country is managed. We also demand greater autonomy for the local governments,” he said.Stock image MANILA, Philippines — About three in five jails in the country were still bursting at the seams with persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) as congestion rates reached as high as 2,827 percent in 2023, way beyond acceptable standards, state auditors found. Such conditions bring to the fore the government’s obstacles to reaching a fully humane handling of PDLs where their health and overall welfare are prioritized. Based on the latest annual report of the Commission on Audit (COA), 324 out of the total 482 jail facilities nationwide were overcrowded, or a congestion rate of 67.22 percent, which was far beyond the acceptable standards set by the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) and the United Nations for the treatment of prisoners. READ: Mental illnesses, respiratory infections prevalent in PH jails, prisons The three most crowded facilities were Dasmariñas City Jail-female dormitory, which had a congestion rate of 2,827 percent; followed by Muntinlupa City Jail-male dormitory (2,102 percent) and San Mateo Municipal Jail-male dorm (2,022 percent). This reflects the “unhealthy living conditions of the PDLs,” the COA noted, adding that “congestion has always been one of the biggest challenges in carrying out its mandate in humane safekeeping and development of PDL under its care.” The latest congestion rate was also virtually unchanged from 2022 when 323 out of the total 478 jail facilities, equivalent to 67.57 percent, was recorded. With a total jail population of 117,425 last year, the government needs to create a cell area of at least 551,897 square meters to provide a “habitable” space of 4.7 sq m per inmate that meets standards, the COA stressed. But the BJMP, which runs and supervises city, municipal and district jails in the country, had a combined cell area of only 216,788 sq m in that year, it added. This meant that the bureau would need more jail space of at least 335,109 sq m to prevent jails from becoming full to the brim. The COA also flagged unfinished construction projects for jail facilities in Metro Manila that contributed to the perrenially high congestion rate. Among the jails that were “not fully utilized or nonoperational” as of end-2023 were Quezon City Jail, including its female dormitory and annex; and the Metro Manila District Jail. “The significant delays in the completion of the project[s] were caused by numerous suspension orders and time extensions,” it noted. Outside the capital region, the respective jail buildings in Tubao, La Union; San Fabian, Pangasinan; and the male and female dormitories in Gapan City in Nueva Ecija, had yet to become operational due to lack of funding for the construction of perimeter fence, electricity and water connections. According to the COA, PDLs could only be transferred to new jail facilities upon the completion of the construction of the perimeter fence as it curbs any jailbreaks and the entry of contraband. Although state auditors commended the slight decrease by about 8 percent in the number of PDLs last year from the total jail population of 127,031 in 2022, the change still did not help the situation. By area, the biggest drop in the number of inmates were recorded in Metro Manila, followed by Calabarzon, Central Visayas and Soccsksargen. Aside from ensuring that PDLs have a space conducive to reformation and rehabilitation, a decongested jail can also avert potential prison “gangs,” said the COA. “Jail congestion not only results in health and sanitation issues but also amplifies gang affiliation among inmates,” it said in the report. “To ensure their survival, inmates cling to gangs or ‘pangkat,’ where they seek protection, a social support network, and crucially, access to material resources that are scarce in overcrowded facilities.” Government auditors emphasized the importance of “continuous efforts to alleviate jail congestion” in bolstering public safety and improving the living conditions of PDLs in compliance to the UN minimum standard rules and the BJMP’s own manual on habitat, water, sanitation and kitchen in jails. Subscribe to our daily newsletter By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . Among the recommendations made by the COA to address jail congestion, which the BJMP management agreed to, include for the agency to request donation of lots to add more jail sites; ask for more budget for the acquisition of lots for the construction of additional jail facilities, perimeter fence and the needed utilities; and facilitate the “early release of qualified detainees” in line with the good conduct time allowance law and other related policies.

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York state government agencies will have to conduct reviews and publish reports that detail how they're using artificial intelligence software, under a new law signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul. Hochul, a Democrat, signed the bill last week after it was passed by state lawmakers earlier this year. The law requires state agencies to perform assessments of any software that uses algorithms, computational models or AI techniques, and then submit those reviews to the governor and top legislative leaders along with posting them online. It also bars the use of AI in certain situations, such as an automated decision on whether someone receives unemployment benefits or child care assistance, unless the system is being consistently monitored by a human. State workers would also be shielded from having their hours or job duties limited because of AI under the law. State Sen. Kristen Gonzalez, a Democrat who sponsored the bill, called the law an important step in setting up some guardrails in how the emerging technology is used in state government.None

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Etsy's chief product officer Daniel Nicholas sells $81,900 in stockWASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge terminated the gun case against Hunter Biden on Tuesday after President Joe Biden issued a sweeping pardon for his son. U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika closed the case the week before Hunter Biden was to be sentenced. He could have faced up to 25 years in prison, though as a first-time offender he likely would have gotten far less time or avoided prison entirely. Prosecutors opposed dismissing the case, arguing in court documents that a pardon shouldn't wipe away the case “as if it never occurred." Hunter Biden was convicted on three felonies after he lied on a federal form to purchase a gun in Delaware by saying he wasn’t a drug user in 2018, a period when he has acknowledged being addicted. The judge's order ends the case but does not toss out the conviction. The Justice Department special counsel is also opposed to dismissing a case filed in California after Hunter Biden failed to pay $1.4 million in taxes . U.S. District Judge Mark Scarsi in Los Angeles indicted he would dismiss the case once the pardon is formally received. Still, Scarsi was critical of the president's assertion that his son was singled out for political reasons, saying two judges had rejected similar arguments from his defense attorneys. The president's Sunday decision to go back on previous pledges and issue his son a blanket federal pardon for actions over the past 11 years has sparked a political uproar in Washington, drawing criticism from many Democrats as well as Republicans and threatening to cloud Biden’s legacy as he prepares to leave office on Jan. 20. Hunter Biden was originally supposed to strike a plea deal with prosecutors last year that would have spared him prison time, but the agreement fell apart after Noreika questioned unusual aspects of it. This story was first published Dec. 3, 2024. It was updated Dec. 4, 2024, to explain that the case was terminated, which ends the case but doesn’t toss out the conviction.

Tech Giants Stumble! Tesla, Nvidia, and Microsoft Hit Hard.Sealed Air ( NYSE:SEE – Get Free Report ) was upgraded by research analysts at StockNews.com from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note issued to investors on Friday. A number of other equities research analysts have also weighed in on the company. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on Sealed Air from $43.00 to $44.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, August 9th. Jefferies Financial Group downgraded Sealed Air from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and lowered their price objective for the company from $47.00 to $35.00 in a research report on Friday, August 9th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their target price on shares of Sealed Air from $35.00 to $33.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, August 15th. Raymond James upgraded shares of Sealed Air from a “market perform” rating to a “strong-buy” rating and set a $42.00 price target for the company in a report on Thursday, October 17th. Finally, Truist Financial cut their price target on shares of Sealed Air from $44.00 to $41.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, October 15th. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Sealed Air currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $41.00. View Our Latest Report on SEE Sealed Air Price Performance Sealed Air ( NYSE:SEE – Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 7th. The industrial products company reported $0.79 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.67 by $0.12. The company had revenue of $1.35 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.34 billion. Sealed Air had a net margin of 7.34% and a return on equity of 74.21%. The firm’s revenue was down 2.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.77 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that Sealed Air will post 3.07 EPS for the current fiscal year. Institutional Inflows and Outflows A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in SEE. Pacer Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in Sealed Air during the third quarter worth about $139,800,000. Swedbank AB purchased a new position in shares of Sealed Air during the third quarter valued at approximately $53,681,000. Millennium Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Sealed Air by 38.2% in the 2nd quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 4,114,281 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $143,136,000 after purchasing an additional 1,136,985 shares in the last quarter. Appian Way Asset Management LP purchased a new stake in shares of Sealed Air in the 1st quarter worth approximately $29,877,000. Finally, Vanguard Group Inc. increased its position in Sealed Air by 3.7% during the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 16,703,769 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $621,380,000 after buying an additional 600,146 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 94.40% of the company’s stock. Sealed Air Company Profile ( Get Free Report ) Sealed Air Corporation provides packaging solutions in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. It operates through two segments, Food and Protective. The Food segment offers integrated packaging materials and automation equipment solutions to provide food safety, shelf life extension, reduce food waste, automate processes, and optimize total cost for food processors in the fresh red meat, smoked and processed meats, poultry, seafood, plant-based, fluids and liquids and cheese markets under the CRYOVAC, CRYOVAC Grip & Tear, CRYOVAC Darfresh, LIQUIBOX, Simple Steps, and Optidure brands. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Sealed Air Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Sealed Air and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

Sportscaster Greg Gumbel dies from cancer at age 78SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — 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.” 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. 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 two-thirds of the National Assembly, or 200 of its 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. 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. “The failure to hold a qualified vote on this matter means we were not even able to exercise the democratic procedure of deciding on a critical national issue,” he said. 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. 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. Some lawmakers from Yoon’s party were seen leaving the hall after that vote, triggering angry shouts from opposition lawmakers. 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 and detain unspecified key politicians based on accusations of “anti-state activities.” Hong Jang-won, first deputy director of South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, told lawmakers in a closed-door briefing Friday that Yoon had ordered him to help the defense counterintelligence unit to detain key politicians. The targeted politicians included Han, Lee and Woo, according to Kim Byung-kee, one of the lawmakers who attended the meeting. 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 after Yoon imposed martial law. Opposition parties accused Kim of recommending to Yoon to enforce martial law. Kim resigned Thursday, and prosecutors imposed an overseas travel ban on him.

Farewells, family and a first – F1 drivers’ helmets for the 2024 Abu Dhabi GP | Formula 1