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Anaconda trail could become another symbol of recoveryThe Titans have issues to fix and hope to keep slim playoff hopes alive when they host the Jags113 jilipark 。

WASHINGTON, Dec 4 — US presidents traditionally dole out pardons as they leave office but Joe Biden’s “full and unconditional” pardon of his son Hunter is a rare instance involving a family member. Bill Clinton granted a pardon to his half-brother Roger, who had served time in prison on 1985 drug charges, on January 20, 2001, his last day in office. And Donald Trump pardoned Charles Kushner, a fellow real estate magnate whose son Jared is married to Trump’s daughter Ivanka, at the end of his first term in the White House. Trump, now president-elect, nominated Kushner, 70, who pleaded guilty in 2004 to tax evasion, witness tampering and making illegal campaign contributions, on Saturday to be the next US ambassador to France. Kushner, who served 14 months in prison, admitted hiring a prostitute to seduce his brother-in-law, who was cooperating in the campaign finance inquiry, and sending a videotape of the encounter to his own sister. Hunter Biden, who has struggled with alcohol and drug addiction, is the first child of a sitting president to receive a pardon. His father, who leaves office on January 20, had repeatedly said he would not pardon his son — but in announcing the move on Sunday he claimed that Hunter had been “selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted.” “I believe in the justice system, but as I have wrestled with this, I also believe raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice,” Biden said. “No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter’s cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son — and that is wrong,” the president said. Hunter Biden pleaded guilty to tax evasion in September and was facing up to 17 years in prison. He risked 25 years in prison for the felony gun charge but was not expected to receive such stiff sentences in either case. Presidents have also used their constitutionally-mandated pardon powers over the years on close friends and political allies. One of the most controversial pardons in recent years was that of former president Richard Nixon by his successor in the White House, Gerald Ford. Ford granted a “full and unconditional” pardon to Nixon, who was facing potential prosecution over the Watergate scandal, on September 8, 1974. Trump is the first former president convicted of a crime — falsifying business records to cover up a hush money payment to a porn star — but he will not be able to pardon himself because the case involved state and not federal charges. — AFPBMC Council Meeting: Politicos Lock Horns; Oppn Raises Heat Over Poor Infra, AmenitiesFormer Prime Minister Manmohan Singh passed away on Thursday at the age of 92. His demise was confirmed shortly after he was rushed to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi, following the deterioration of his health. "With profound grief, we inform the demise of the former Prime Minister of India, Dr Manmohan Singh, aged 92," AIIMS Delhi said in a statement. Singh, a career economist, emerged as an unexpected choice for the prime minister in May 2004, after the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance defied exit polls and won against the incumbent Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led National Democratic Alliance. Even though the Congress fought the elections under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi, Singh was catapulted to the top office. This was followed by the UPA returning to power in 2009 with a larger majority, and Singh retaining the prime ministerial chair. After the Congress-led UPA was voted out in 2014, Singh continued to serve as a member in the Rajya Sabha. He had led the party's attack in the Parliament's Upper House against the demonetisation drive of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In recent years, Singh had taken a backseat from political life due to health issues. Singh left behind a long political career that shaped India's economy . As the finance minister in the early 1990s, he had resurrected the country's economy by embracing liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation reforms that began in 1991. Singh first joined the Government of India as an economic advisor in the Commerce Ministry in the year 1971. Subsequently, he was appointed as Chief Economic Advisor in the Ministry of Finance in 1972. These tenures coincided with Indira Gandhi's regime when she sought to follow socialist policies like bank nationalisation and stringent import controls. Singh held numerous key governmental roles, including secretary in the Ministry of Finance, deputy chairman of the Planning Commission, governor of the Reserve Bank of India, advisor to the prime minister, and chairman of the University Grants Commission. From a bureaucrat, Singh emerged as a politician in 1991, when he was elected as a member of the Rajya Sabha. He was also included in the Cabinet of the Narsimha Rao-led government, as he held the finance ministry charge from 1991 to 1996 at a critical juncture. Between 1998 and 2004, Singh served as the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans have the slimmest of playoff hopes and must win out to have any chance of keeping them alive. Figuring out who they are would be a first step in the right direction. The Titans (3-9) also must bounce back from last week's ugly loss at Washington that cost this franchise yet another chance to string together consecutive wins for the first time in more than two years. “We know that this is a big opportunity for us to develop as a team and to create and to continue developing our identity,” quarterback Will Levis said. “And so we’re going to make sure that we do our best throughout these next few weeks to do that.” The Jacksonville Jaguars (2-10) lost Trevor Lawrence for the rest of the season after the hit he took from Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair in last week's 23-20 loss to Houston. Their already dim playoff hopes were extinguished Monday night when Denver won. That leaves the Jaguars playing for pride and potentially drafting No. 1 overall for the third time in five years. “It’s all about how you finish,” tight end Evan Engram said. “How we finish probably won’t erase the feeling we have of the season. But as the pride of this franchise, the pride of the team, it’s definitely worth going to finish strong and going to get some wins and fighting for that.” The Titans went into Washington with one of the NFL's stingiest defenses and wound up shredded, giving up a season-worst 267 yards rushing. Defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson said, “We can’t allow what happened last week to happen again.” Wide receiver Calvin Ridley says he's excited to see some old teammates Sunday and downplayed a question about how close Jacksonville's offer to keep him last March might've been when he chose to sign with division rival Tennessee instead. “Doesn't matter right now,” Ridley said. “I'm excited for this week. Jags come in here, play with my boys. I'm excited.” Ridley played one season with Jacksonville after the Jaguars traded for him . He had 76 catches for 1,016 yards and eight TDs last season with the Jaguars. So far this season, Ridley has 43 receptions for 679 yards and three TDs. “I just know I'm going to be ready,” Ridley said. Jacksonville has lost 16 consecutive games when tied or trailing at halftime. It’s a complete flip from the 2022 season, in which the Jaguars rallied to beat Dallas, the Las Vegas Raiders and Tennessee down the stretch to make the playoffs. The 20-16 victory against the Titans in the regular-season finale that year is the last time coach Doug Pederson’s team has come from behind to win after trailing or being tied at the break. Tennessee led 13-7 at the half in that one and was minutes from winning a third straight AFC South title . Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen needs 4 1/2 sacks to break the franchise record of 55 held by Tony Brackens. Hines-Allen has at least half a sack in four consecutive games against Tennessee, which has given up 43 sacks in 2024. “My family knows about it probably more than me,” Hines-Allen said. “My wife tells me all the time, ‘Hey, get that record. All you just need is four sacks.’ Like, you can just (get) four sacks. “I had a couple games last year where I had three, so I can’t say it’s out of the realm. But I never had four sacks; don’t know what it feels like to do that in one game. But hopefully speak it into existence.” Mac Jones will be starting at quarterback and is 0-2 with the Jaguars this season. He has one more interception (three) than touchdown passes (two) in five appearances. The Titans are looking to see if Levis can keep building on his strong play of the past month and start turning those into wins. Levis is 1-3 since returning from a strained throwing shoulder. He has seven TD passes with two interceptions for a 101.3 passer rating in his past four games. He also is completing 61.7% of his passes for 960 yards. “The cool thing right now for Will is that as we’ve corrected things, he’s corrected them,” Titans coach Brian Callahan said . “And that’s been really fun to watch as he’s made adjustments from game to game, sometimes even from in the game made an adjustment to a coverage or a read, and that part’s been good to see.” AP Pro Football Writer Mark Long in Jacksonville, Florida, contributed to this report. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflNEW YORK : Netflix shares were on track for a fifth consecutive gain on Friday and set for their biggest weekly percentage rise since January, after the streaming media company's popular boxing match between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul. The stock was last up 0.2 per cent at $899.06, off its intraday record high of $908 on Thursday. It has risen every session since the Nov. 15 fight, taking the stock up more than 9 per cent for the week. Several brokerages this week raised their price targets on the stock, including BofA Global Research, which on Thursday bumped up its price target to $1,000 from $800. Netflix said on Tuesday that 108 million people worldwide watched the match between Paul, a 27-year-old social media influencer-turned-prize-fighter, and the 58-year-old former heavyweight champion Tyson. The event, which Paul won, was streamed live on Netflix. Jefferies analysts, which also raised their 12-month target on Netflix to $1,000 this week, wrote in a note on Monday that the event was "a major breakthrough for NFLX's live events strategy." The median 12-month price target on Netflix is $800, with 31 analysts rating the stock a "buy" or "strong buy," 14 rating it a "hold," and two analysts rating it a "sell," according to LSEG data. Kenneth Leon, vice president and senior equity analyst at CFRA Research, wrote in a note this week: "NFLX is flexing its streaming capability with select live sporting events that draw from a global subscriber base." "Advertising is still in the early stages, but is expected to be a revenue driver by 2026," Leon noted. CFRA also raised its price target on Netflix. Including the session move, the stock is up roughly 85 per cent for the year.

CORNELIUS, N.C. and NEW YORK, Dec. 13, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Alpha Modus Corp. ("Alpha Modus" or the “Company”), a technology company with a core focus on artificial intelligence in retail, and Insight Acquisition Corp., a special purpose acquisition company (“Insight” NASDAQ: INAQ) plan to close their business combination today. Alpha Modus expects to begin trading on the Nasdaq Global Market under the ticker symbols “AMOD” (its common stock) and “AMODW” (its warrants) on Monday, December 16, 2024. About Alpha Modus Alpha Modus engages in creating, developing and licensing data-driven technologies to enhance consumers' in-store digital experience at the point of decision. The company was founded in 2014 and is headquartered in Cornelius, North Carolina. For additional information, please visit alphamodus.com . About Insight Acquisition Corp. Prior to the closing, Insight Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ: INAQ) is a special purpose acquisition company formed solely to effect a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. Insight Acquisition Corp. is sponsored by Insight Acquisition Sponsor LLC. For additional information, please visit insightacqcorp.com . Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Insight's and Alpha Modus' actual results may differ from their expectations, estimates, and projections and, consequently, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Words such as "expect," "estimate," "project," "budget," "forecast," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "may," "will," "could," "should," "believes," "predicts," "potential," "continue," and similar expressions (or the negative versions of such words or expressions) are intended to identify such forward-looking statements, but are not the exclusive means of identifying these statements. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, Insight's and Alpha Modus' expectations with respect to future performance and anticipated financial impacts of the Business Combination. Insight and Alpha Modus caution readers not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Insight and Alpha Modus do not undertake or accept any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in their expectations or any change in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any such statement is based. Contacts: Alpha Modus Shannon Devine MZ Group +1(203) 741-8841 shannon.devine@mzgroup.usWELSH rugby legend Geoff Wheel has died aged 73 after a battle with Motor Neurone disease. Wheel was an iconic figure of the 1970s and early 1980s and won 32 caps for his country. In a touching message to one of their great former players, Swansea RFC stated that Wheel passed away in the early hours of Boxing Day. The statement claimed that Wheel's motor neurone disease (MND) had "not prevented him attending matches" until this season. Motor neurone disease affects specialist nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, and causes everyday activities to become increasingly difficult or completely impossible. The majority of those diagnosed with the disease are given a three-year life expectancy starting from when they first notice the symptoms. MND slowly robs patients of the ability to walk, talk and eat, although every sufferer is different. A full statement from Swansea RFC read: "Geoff was a player and man loved and respected by all who knew him. "A fearsome competitor on the field of play, Geoff was a mild mannered, shy and thoughtful person in private,committed to the club he served from 1970 to 1983, twice as captain, as a player and for many years on the All Whites Former Players Association (AWFPA) committee, being at the time of his passing the President of the AWFPA." The statement added: "Geoff’s two seasons as captain of Swansea marked a hugely successful period for the club. In 1979-80 they won the Western Mail Championship , Sunday Telegraph Anglo-Welsh Championship, Daily Mail Anglo-Welsh Championship, Sunday Telegraph Team of the Season and were WRU National Sevens winners. Most read in Sport "In the following season under Geoff’s captaincy Swansea retained the Sunday Telegraph title and were also winners of the Whitbread Merit Table. "Typically, Geoff remained the modest man he always had been and the whole team were the beneficiaries of this approach." With Wales, Wheel once went 15 games unbeaten between January 1975 and March 1978. The Welsh legend scooped up four Triple Crowns and two Grand Slams during his stellar career. St Thomas Church also paid tribute to Wheel after his passing. A statement on their Facebook page read: "To most of Wales he was a rugby legend, but to us he was our friend, organist, treasurer, trustee, food bank volunteer and boys brigade tuck shop salesman. "He was the most humble man, always putting those around him first. He loved to serve the church in any way he could, from his musical talents to counting the kids on and off the bus on every trip. "From giving free tuck away to the kids who didn’t bring money, to collecting the food from the foodbank. "A fiercely loyal, talented and committed friend and church member. Totally committed too...and so proud to be...an Eastside boy. "We can only imagine the joy in his eyes as he stands face to face with the saviour he has worshipped every day for such a long time in his life. "Our prayers are with Christine and all the family." Users on social media also weighed in with their own thoughts after Wheel's death. One wrote: "Gutted. We have lost a true gentleman. He was a friend and colleague over a number of decades. You will be missed Geoffrey Arthur Derek Wheel aka The Legend." "Such a lovely generous humble man.R.I.P. Geoff you will be missed by so many," said a second. Another said: "God bless, a truly amazing man. Thoughts and prayers with Christine and his family." Muscle weakness and stiff joints are common symptoms of motor neurone disease. Other potential indicators of MND , which affects around 5,000 people in the UK, include a loss of muscle mass, or wasting, and movement and mobility problems. Stiffness is also common, as are cramps, twitches and spasms. And many people will experience speech and communication issues, breathlessness and changes in saliva. MND is caused by a problem with cells in the brain and nerves called motor neurones. These cells gradually stop working over time, but it's not known why this happens, the NHS says. While motor neurone disease isn’t usually painful, symptoms can be extremely debilitating. It is usually diagnosed in people over the age of 50, and men are at more risk than women, but it's important to remember that many people outside of this are affected. Some have a life expectancy of just a few months, while other forms of the disease don't affect lifespan. In many cases, signs of the disease will begin gradually. Typically, this will occur on one side of the body only, before progressively worsening. Muscle weakness and muscle spasms are common, while swallowing and breathing may also become a difficult task. Heartbreakingly, motor neurone disease may leave the diagnosed unable to move or communicate property with stiff joints. Even though there has been research into the cause of motor neurone disease, it is difficult to identify a particular trigger for the disease. Some five to ten per cent of all people with MND have the inherited or genetic form of the disease, while genes may still play a small part in other cases. Wheel is not the only sporting figure to have been affected by MND. Inspirational England rugby league star Rob Burrow died in June this year after battling motor neurone disease for four years. The Leeds Rhinos legend was diagnosed with MND in 2019, just two years after retiring from a 17-season league career and his diagnosis has helped raise £15m for charity. Read More on The US Sun Burrows met former Scotland rugby union player and fellow MND sufferer Doddie Weir, who revealed in 2017 that he had been diagnosed with MND at just 46 years old. Fernando Ricksen was an ex-Rangers player who was diagnosed in motor neurone disease in 2013 and tragically died after a six-year battle on September 18, 2019.

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The woman who in 2006 falsely accused three Duke University lacrosse players of raping her – making national headlines that stirred tensions about race, class and the privilege of college athletes — has admitted publicly for the first time that she made up the story. Crystal Mangum, who is Black, said in an interview with the “Let’s Talk with Kat” podcast that she “made up a story that wasn’t true” about the white players who attended a party where she was hired to perform as a stripper “because I wanted validation from people and not from God.” “I testified falsely against them by saying that they raped me when they didn’t and that was wrong,” Mangum, 46, said in the interview, which was released Monday. The interview was recorded last month at the North Carolina Correctional Institution for Women, where Mangum is incarcerated for fatally stabbing her boyfriend in 2011. The former Duke players were declared innocent in 2007 after Mangum’s story fell apart under legal scrutiny. The state attorney general’s office concluded there was no credible evidence an attack ever occurred, and its investigation found no DNA, witness or other evidence to confirm Mangum’s story. The Durham prosecutor who championed Mangum’s case was disbarred for lying and misconduct. Prosecutors at the time declined to press charges against Mangum for the false accusations. Related Articles National News | Companies tighten security after a health care CEO’s killing leads to a surge of threats National News | Military service academies see drop in reported sexual assaults after alarming surge National News | Unidentified drones spotted flying at locations across NYC, including LaGuardia Airport National News | About 2.6 million Stanley cups recalled after malfunctions caused burns. Is your mug included? National News | Musk says US is demanding he pay penalty over disclosures of his Twitter stock purchases The former lacrosse players reached an undisclosed settlement with Duke University in 2007 after suing it for the handling of the rape allegations. Mangum, who was convicted of second-degree murder in 2013 and is eligible to be released from prison as early as 2026, told the podcast interviewer that she hopes the three falsely accused men can forgive her. “I want them to know that I love them and they didn’t deserve that,” she said. Durham-based podcaster Kat DePasquale said she wrote to Mangum because she was curious about the case that got so much attention, and that Mangum wrote back saying she wanted to talk.Dr. Manmohan Singh Ji and I interacted regularly when he was PM and I was the CM of Gujarat. We would have extensive deliberations on various subjects relating to governance. His wisdom and humility were always visible. In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with the family of... Few people in politics inspire the kind of respect that Sardar Manmohan Singh ji did. His honesty will always be an inspiration for us and he will forever stand tall among those who truly love this country as someone who remained steadfast in his commitment to serve the nation...

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Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Back when he lived in Newtown, Alan Jones had a wall covered in photographs of himself with the Pick and Stick crew. There were football players, political allies, celebrities and billionaires; the “Moses of the airwaves” had cultivated a powerful fellowship over his first 20-odd years on air, and still had half his radio career to run. Yet even then, some in his orbit had misgivings about getting too close to Jones. “The last place you wanted to end up was on his wall,” said one. Being close to Jones was, as one former staffer put it, “an exhausting thing”. It was like being smiled upon by a capricious emperor. The anointed ones, who ranged from sports stars to musicians to prime ministers and premiers, were graced with favours and largesse. But they had to pay homage or risk it all. Jones’ warning that a failure to respond to a request would “be the end of our friendship”, was ominous indeed. This patronage was one of myriad ways Jones transformed himself from an everyday shock jock into The Man Who Ran Sydney. In the era when talkback was king and he had a 20 per cent audience share, he used his intellect, charisma and money to exploit the platform like no one else. “His power isn’t explained by the size of his audience,” says Chris Masters, author of Jonestown . “It’s explained more by how he used it as leverage to advocate for his own interests and the interests of his powerful mates.” For decades, power protected Jones. He bullied his staff, bulldozed elected officials, and was perceived to favour handsome young men. Few were game to challenge him. Those who did paid the price. Jones was a man “drunk on power”, said one former staffer, and he “did not know when to stop”. But his grip loosened as society changed and Jones refused to change with it, as advertisers became reluctant to align themselves with his increasingly fringe views, and as movements such as #MeToo put the anatomy of power under the microscope. Power protected Alan Jones, seen here departing after giving evidence during the inquiry into Cash for Comment. Credit: Brendan Esposito Last year, Jones faced his own reckoning. The Herald’s chief investigative reporter Kate McClymont revealed allegations that he had used his power for sexual gratification, by groping and indecently assaulting young men, including one of his producers, without their consent. One of the men, who has since died, alleged that he “forces himself on young men and uses his power in a predatory way”. Another man, an employee, says he was groped by Jones. “He knew I wasn’t gay so it was about power dynamics,” he said. Police investigated. This week, Jones was charged with 26 offences involving nine alleged victims. He says he is innocent. The charges are before the courts. When one family contacted police a few years ago to raise allegations that Jones had indecently touched a relative, the officers were blunt. It would be the word of a social colossus against that of an ordinary person. Jones was not, the family recalled one of them saying, “Joe Blow from Bunnings”. Talkback radio used to be the only way ordinary people could speak directly to politicians, even if the microphone was controlled by the host. It was a win-win; listeners on so-called Struggle Street could get their problems addressed, politicians could talk directly to the people, and broadcasters were the powerbroker in the middle. “Forget the press gallery,” prime minister Paul Keating once said. “If you educate [broadcaster] John Laws, you educate Australia.” Articulate, relentless, merciless Jones outclassed all his rivals when he first fired up on air in 1985. He was an unlikely success story; a cross between a priest and a schoolmaster, who would sermonise and patronise in a voice so grating he was nicknamed The Parrot. Yet listeners loved it. “He played all the tabloid tricks,” says Masters. “Flatter your public, tell them ‘my listeners are my best researchers’. He ended up generating a kind of cultist following.” He slept three hours a day and seemed to devote the remaining 21 to work. He’d insist that his office reply to every letter. He’d often dictate them himself to his typist. In 1999, he wrote 3000 letters to government in eight months, the Herald learnt under freedom of information laws. Almost 140 of those were to the prime minister, premier, and a handful of ministers. He expected recipients to reply promptly. Failure to do so risked an on-air dressing down. Premiers and prime ministers would put a staff member in charge of responding within 24 hours. They were dubbed the Minister for Alan Jones. Alan Jones was a prolific correspondent with prime ministers, premiers and government ministers. Credit: Dallas Kilponen The line between policy and personal blurred. Once, he was pulled over by NSW Police highway patrol on a trip to Canberra and didn’t realise he was crossing two lanes of the Hume to get to the kerb. He was almost hit by a truck. The next day, he wrote to then-police minister Paul Whelan, attempting to get the “cowboy” officer sacked. “I’m sick and tired of defending the police force when it’s peopled by yahoos like this,” he wrote. He would text politicians at all hours, furiously criticising their decisions and offering unsolicited advice about how those decisions would end in disaster. Once, he flamed a senior NSW minister for what he described as unforgivable ignorance. “Who the f--- do you think you are?” the radio broadcaster told the elected member of parliament. A response that pleased him could lead to benevolence. Another letter, obtained by The Guardian under a similar FOI request 20 years later, involved a back-and-forth with then-Coalition sports minister Stuart Ayres about a sailing issue. Jones approved of Ayres’ actions. “That’s why you are a very good minister,” he wrote. “Is everything OK in the electorate? Yell out if I can help. With best wishes, Alan.” Many argue Jones, himself a failed political candidate for the Liberal Party, was only able to hold so much power because politicians surrendered it to him. Yet those who resisted grovelling found themselves in a bind. “It wasn’t that the ministers lacked courage,” said one former senior NSW Coalition minister. “It’s that you couldn’t convince a cabinet or party room to stand up to him too.” Taking on Jones about one thing meant the broadcaster would attack everything else that minister tried to do. “It subverted your ability to do other things,” he said. “It wasn’t worth the fight.” When Coalition premier Mike Baird backflipped on his plan to shut down greyhound racing after a sustained campaign by Jones, he was photographed arriving at Jones’ apartment at Circular Quay for a dinner of humble pie to win back support. Jones told his listeners the next day that the government would receive “full marks” from him if it reversed the ban. Opposition Leader Tony Abbott with broadcaster Alan Jones after he addressed a rally in Canberra. Credit: Andrew Meares Jones would frequently shower praise on his long-time friend Tony Abbott: the broadcaster was one of two speakers at an event last year marking 10 years since Abbott became prime minister. When Abbott was in the top job, Jones would send him a weekly missive with about 30 dot points, offering advice, warnings, and tips on who was white-anting him, said one person close to him. Staff heard him dictate a sign-off: “Go for the jugular, Tony.” Abbott denies the story. “Mr Abbott ran his own political strategy and famously wrote his own speeches and personally signed off his own media releases,” said a spokesman. Politicians found their own ways of managing him. “There were certain techniques that worked with Alan, like going into the studio in person,” the former minister said. “It was harder for him to be mean to you if you were right in front of him. Colleagues used to say they would take a young male staffer with them [to put Jones in a good mood], like a burnt offering. Writing him a handwritten note; he’d write to you, and what I learnt was that you had to write back yourself, and give him answers to keep him [from speaking about the issue on radio].” The aim was to keep their issue off-air, said the politician. Being lauded could be as dangerous as being rubbished. “If you got praised by him, it was probably because you leaked to him, so your colleagues would be suspicious – and generally rightly so. Alan never did anything without a reason.” Jones might have left politicians so intimidated that they couldn’t sleep before an interview, but no one was more attuned to the vagaries of his mood than those who worked for him. The former teacher and rugby union coach was an exacting boss. One producer remembers sitting in the car park before work in the wee hours of the morning, wondering if he could face it all again that day. “I don’t think he ever said hello to me in all the years I worked for him,” he said. “Every day started with incredible tension.” For their first six months, Jones would put a new producer to a kind of loyalty test involving verbal abuse and the rubbishing of their work. “It was routine humiliation,” said one. Once, when Jones was dissatisfied with the performance of his staff, he made them write to the finance department to say they didn’t deserve to be paid for their day’s work. Another time, Jones found some faxes that had not been replied to, and made staff cancel leave to write back. Alan Jones was a money spinner who called the shots at the stations that employed him. Credit: Nick Moir “The way he blew up at people was a craft,” said another former producer, who – like many people interviewed for this story – spoke on the condition of anonymity because he still feared Jones’ impact on his career. “He never swore, but it was an articulate spray that was like being lashed by lightning. It was personal, it was cruel, it was demeaning. But it wasn’t someone losing control. The sprays were directed at staff, at salespeople, at CEOs. There was no one at 2GB that Jones felt he couldn’t stand over.” Jones was the station’s money-spinner. “What he wanted, he got,” says Mike Carlton, who worked with Jones at 2UE before the breakfast presenter jumped ship to 2GB. “He would just send in his manager, ‘Alan wants this, Alan wants this done’, and management would cave because they were desperate to keep him on side.” Working for Jones was intense. Yet Jones kept staff loyal, partly with occasional explosions of generosity. A Christmas card with $500 inside. Tickets to Wimbledon. A lavish dinner. There was also the sense that, beyond the bullying, the program was doing some good. “A lot of the stuff he pointed out related to stupid government policy, and a lot of it ended up benefiting people who deserved a result,” said a former producer. “That’s where it gets a little bit tricky; without an aggressive champion, they would never have got the result they deserved.” Many wondered what drove him so relentlessly. It wasn’t money for its own sake; those close to him estimate he has given away millions over the years. He would pay friends’ children’s school fees, give them money to buy their first property, cover their health bills. He still pays for the reunions of school football teams he coached in the 1960s. “He’d give it to people who were broke, who needed money for legal fees,” said one person who worked with Jones. He would also allow people to stay in his opulent homes, in Sydney, the Southern Highlands, Brisbane and the Gold Coast. The guest list raised eyebrows; one former producer recalls dropping some briefs over and meeting the “procession of [male] athletes who would stay there”, he says. “Many of them were emotionally needy; quite a few had come from broken homes, and didn’t have supportive family relationships. There was a bit of a theme going through that. Part of it was he didn’t want to be alone.” Jones’ sexuality was scuttlebutt for decades, raised publicly only in double entendre. Jones never commented, not even after being arrested in a London public toilet – that was also a gay beat – for “outraging public decency” (he was cleared). He once told this masthead’s David Leser that he didn’t “believe people should be asked to [comment] in relation to their private lives”. But many, like Masters, believe Jones’ sexuality may be key to understanding his accumulation of power. He grew up in Queensland when homosexuality was illegal, and moved in worlds in which it was spurned, such as schoolboys’ boarding houses when he was a teacher, and rugby union when he was a coach. “There were good reasons for him to don the mask,” says Masters. “We’ve seen this in other powerful men from that era, the power base was built around them as a protective screen. It’s the manipulations – where to go, who you know, who can pull strings – that keeps you safe.” As his power grew, Jones became complacent. His staff and his acolytes were afraid to challenge him. He didn’t verify information he’d been given before presenting it on air, and got things wrong. The end began with his 2012 attacks on Julia Gillard – who stood opposite his good friend Abbott in the parliamentary chamber – when he said she should be tied in a chaff bag and dumped at sea. Within a week of The Sunday Telegraph reporting Jones’ comments to a Young Liberal dinner that Gillard’s father, who had passed away not long before, had “died of shame”, around 70 advertisers backed away from his show and Mercedes-Benz confiscated Jones’ $250,000 sponsored car. Jones apologising for his remarks about Julia Gillard's father dying of shame in 2012. Credit: Dean Sewell The editor who published The Sunday Telegraph ’s story, Neil Breen – who is now a television reporter for Nine, owner of this masthead – paid the price for challenging Jones. “From that day on, it always had an effect on my career,” he said. It angered some of Jones’ supporters at News Limited. It prompted Jones to run interference when Breen worked in radio. It disrupted relationships that still haven’t recovered. “You were just up against forces,” he said. “He was a significant foe.” Jones’ final, self-inflicted blow came in 2019, when he told then-prime minister Scott Morrison to “shove a sock” down the throat of New Zealand’s then-prime minister, Jacinda Ardern. The condemnation was swift and significant, and advertisers – whose business covered his $4 million salary – fled. Jones was already on thin ice due to his alliances with fringe politicians such as then-MP Craig Kelly, and a mammoth defamation payout for blaming a family for the deadly Grantham floods. He resigned from 2GB in 2021. Without his platform, Jones’ power rapidly dwindled. Even if he had stayed on air, his influence may not have protected him from the indecent assault allegations. Over the past decade, abuse of power accusations have all but ended the careers of other once-untouchable men even if they are eventually cleared, like the late cardinal George Pell. The world has changed. Power is a less effective cocoon. While speaking up still requires enormous courage, victims are no longer stigmatised. Where allegations of predatory behaviour were once stifled, police now take so-called silent crimes seriously. Where stars were once allowed to behave as they wanted as long as they brought in money, companies must now actively protect their workers. “There’s been a very important shift in how we operate as a society,” says academic and former journalist Catharine Lumby, who once had a piece critiquing Jones pulled when she wrote for The Bulletin , which was owned by Jones’ good friend Kerry Packer. “The avenues of survivors of assault and harassment are more educated; there’s been a sea change in attitudes.” Those who knew Jones say he would have stayed in front of a microphone until he died if he could have, holding on to the power that kept him safe and the busyness that kept him from introspection. The haunted, brilliant, flawed man “was scared of what came next”, says a former staffer. “He didn’t want any time to look in the mirror. He wanted to fill every day so there was no time for self-reflection.” Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter .Tuberville calls on Musk, Ramaswamy to end daylight saving time

Our LGE business has been awarded a contract to deliver six cargo handling and fuel gas supply systems for Ultra Large Ethane Carriers in China. The new supersized ships have 50% more capacity than existing Very Large Ethane Carriers (VLEC), and at 150,000m3, are a world first of this size. The ships, being built at the Jiangnan Shipyard in China, will be fitted with cascade reliquefication plants to manage the Boil Off Gas (BOG), with the contract signalling a continued wave of demand for our globally sought technology in a buoyant market for the transportation of liquefied gas. Neale Campbell, Managing Director of Babcock’s LGE business, said: “The development of these ships is a milestone moment as the industry enters the new era of Ultra Large Ethane Carriers. “We are proud that our leading-edge technology is an intrinsic part of these game changing vessels, with an integrated reliquefaction system and fuel gas supply system providing fuel to the ship’s main engine – helping to support a net-zero future.” The integrated system comprises of LGE’s SuperCoolerTM and ecoETHNTM technologies – both part of LGE’s intellectual property portfolio. SuperCoolerTM improves plant efficiency by increasing reliquefaction capacity whilst reducing energy consumption, while ecoETHNTM integrates the reliquefaction plant with the fuel gas supply system, utilising methane-rich Boil Off Gas as fuel for main engine and auxiliary power generators. The LGE business saw a record order intake of more than £300 million in the first half of 2024, with 63 contracts from international shipyard customers driven by major LNG projects in the Middle East and growing demand in China. Ongoing technology development by LGE this year has already achieved eight patent applications, two patents granted and eleven trademarks granted across the portfolio range including for LNG, Ammonia and CO2. Sales have also been strong across our technology rich portfolio, including the ecoSMRT® for LNG reliquefaction, ecoETHN® for Ethane Cargo Handling Systems and 18 Ammonia ship Cargo Handling Systems. The success of our LGE business was also formally recognised by the award of a King’s Award for Enterprise in the Innovation category. Source: Babcock International GroupNoneBurleigh County Auditor/Treasurer Mark Splonskowski is accused of violating federal law and county policy by sending a text message while at work urging voters to oppose a county commissioner candidate, according to findings from an internal investigation. Meanwhile, Splonskowski has been cleared of an allegation that he potentially created a hostile work environment in his office. Splonskowski on Tuesday did not immediately respond to an email and phone call from the Tribune requesting comment. County State’s Attorney Julie Lawyer on Monday night presented the findings of the investigation into the County Auditor/Treasurer's Office. She also said Splonskowski failed to comply with the internal investigation by refusing to turn over text messages subject to state open records laws. The investigation was launched by Lawyer's office following a complaint about a series of text messages that were a potential violation of the federal Hatch Act . The complaint said that Splonskowski sent a message to 66 people urging them not to vote for Burleigh County Commissioner Brian Bitner in the November general election. Lawyer said the message also violated Burleigh County policy, which prohibits employees from engaging in political activities while at work. She said the text was sent on Tuesday, Oct. 8, around 11:55 a.m. "‘I’m just letting you know from the perspective of being the County Auditor for a year and a half, please do not vote for Brian Bitner for County Commissioner. If you want more details as to why, let me know. Also, let your friends know too. Thanks," the text message read, according to Lawyer. The Hatch Act is a federal law that prohibits certain political activities for government employees. While the law typically applies to federal employees, it also covers local officials working in the executive branch of a government agency that receives federal grants or loans. Lawyer believes that Splonskowski's role as county auditor/treasurer falls under this definition. If a Hatch Act violation is suspected, the case is referred to the Office of Special Counsel (OSC), a federal agency, for investigation. If a violation is confirmed, the OSC can demand the employee’s termination. However, Lawyer said Splonskowski cannot be terminated because he is an elected official. A Hatch Act violation is considered a civil offense. Instead, the county could be required to forfeit a portion of its federal grants and loans, up to two years' worth of the auditor’s salary. Splonskowski made an annual salary of $102,876 in 2024 and is set to make $111,238 in 2025. "The Hatch Act prohibits a state or local officer or employee from using his or her official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with or affecting the result of an election or nomination for office. And that's exactly what this text message did," Lawyer told the County Commission on Monday. Splonskowski was first elected to his post in November 2022. At the time, he was on the Bismarck City Commission, which he resigned from in March 2023 after Lawyer expressed concerns of conflict of interest if he served in both positions. Last year, Splonskowski filed a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of state law when it comes to accepting mail-in ballots after Election Day. That case was dismissed in February. The investigation The county investigation began on Oct. 15, the same day former Burleigh County Election Coordinator Lisa Hart resigned , just weeks before the general election. Two days later, a memo from County Human Resources Director Pamela Binder detailed a phone call with Hart following her resignation. In the memo, Binder stated she believed there was a valid case for a formal hostile work environment investigation in the Auditor's Office. As part of the investigation into the potential Hatch Act violation, Lawyer's office also examined the possibility of a hostile work environment. That separate investigation found no evidence to support such claims. Lawyer said that during the Hatch Act investigation, Splonskowski refused to comply with an open records request seeking communications between him and Brian Bitner, as well as the 66 text messages that initiated the probe. Lawyer noted that employees can be terminated if they fail to comply with an internal investigation, but Splonskowski's elected status made termination not an option. Lawyer said that Splonskowski did provide messages between him and Hart that were requested as part of the investigation. "Splonskowski did indicate to me that he did not believe that his personal opinion sent on his personal phone met the criteria of an open record, despite the fact that he sent them as the county auditor," Lawyer said. Splonskowski also maintained during the investigation that the Hatch Act did not apply to him because he is an elected official, Lawyer said. Recommendations Lawyer recommended that Splonskowski attend elections training through the Secretary of State’s Office to ensure Hatch Act compliance. She also recommended remedial training on open records and meetings. Commissioner Steve Schwab pressed Splonskowski on whether he would attend the courses. Splonskowski replied, "I'm all for education ... I would be happy to take any education that you'd like me to take, whether I agree with you or not." "Well, do you agree?" Schwab asked. "I would be happy to take any education that you would like me to take," Splonskowski repeated. Splonskowski has previously skipped training meetings, such as several election training meetings during the 2024 election cycle. Fargo Forum columnist Rob Port in October reported that of 29 voluntary training sessions held by the Secretary of State's Office since Nov. 17, 2023, Splonskowski attended just seven. Splonskowski told Port that his reason for missing election meetings was that he was busy with other duties such as the county budget, and that his office was dealing with a workload increase without an increase in staff size. The commission voted 4-0 on Monday to table the discussion of next steps following the investigation until its Dec. 16 meeting. Bitner recused himself from both the discussion and the vote. Commissioner Wayne Munson said: "The only thing I can offer at this point is it's pretty damn disappointing. We're sitting here talking about this, and it's just wrong. I don't know what else to say, I'm just dumbfounded." Reach Zachary Weiand at 701-250-8264 or zachary.weiand@bismarcktribune.com . Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! 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(ECNS) -- The Belt and Road Forum on People-to-people Connectivity kicked off on Friday in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, aiming to pool wisdom and strength to promote high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). During the opening ceremony, Ding Zhongli, president of the Western Returned Scholars Association, said that 2024 marks the beginning of the second decade of the development of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). He called on more overseas Chinese students to tell BRI stories well and play a vital role in promoting exchanges and mutual learning between China and other civilizations. Guangxi is an important gateway for China's opening-up and its cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries. Data from local customs shows that Guangxi's trade with ASEAN reached 307.65 billion yuan ($ 42 billion ) in the first 10 months of 2024, a 15.5 percent increase year-on-year. 2024 is also designated as the China-ASEAN Year of People-to-People Exchanges. Ong Tee Keat, president of the Belt and Road Initiative Caucus for Asia Pacific, stressed in his keynote speech that more BRI programs of in-depth people engagement can be tailor-made to suit the local conditions of ASEAN countries that have agreed to build a community of shared future with China. He also pointed out that more new drivers for economic growth and sociocultural engagement are emerging from time to time as the China-ASEAN partnership is steadily evolving and progressing with the changing regional dynamics and developmental needs. According to Hein Khaing, director of China Studies Institute (Myanmar), the key to promote people-to-people connectivity between China and ASEAN countries is to enhance the building of a community of shared future and an independent knowledge and discourse system of the two sides. Sharlene May Cua, vice president of Philippine Association for Chinese Studies, noted that culture and language mutual learning as well as e-commerce business development through e-commerce platforms and social media channels are the kinds of people-to-people exchanges that China and the Philippines need. In 2013, China proposed building a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future and launched the BRI. Since then, bilateral exchanges and cooperation have intensified, covering tourism, education, culture, sports, and more. This forum is organized by the Western Returned Scholars Association. It has attracted more than 150 political, business and academic representatives from BRI partner countries in southeast Asia, as well as experts, scholars, and representatives from the association and in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.EASTON, Pa. - During a fire, every second counts. "What we wanted to remind people and to emphasize is that calling 911 is the best and quickest way for us to get there," said Easton Fire Department Deputy Chief Chad Gruver. The Easton Fire Department issued a reminder on social media to report a fire by calling 911. It is something Gruver said people occasionally do not do. "We'll get people who will call the firehouse non-emergency line to report an emergency incident or they will come and knock on the door or notify a person individually that they may know who's a firefighter," said Gruver. He said 911 is the quickest way for the fire department to respond. "We're not always in the station, if we're out doing training or out on another call or not in the building, if you call the firehouse nobody's going to answer the phone. And if you show up at the firehouse and bang on the door, we may not be here," said Gruver. Gruver said people reporting fires do not call 911 less than 10 times a year, but each time it happens, there is potential for danger. "But it only takes one time and it could have a significant impact on the public, so we've tried to eliminate as much as possible and just reinforce the fact that, you know, emergencies should go through 911," said Gruver. Gruver also tells us that you should not try fighting a fire with a garden hose or an extinguisher before calling 911 because it could create very dangerous conditions.