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Actor and singer-songwriter Joshua Bassett talks his new album The Golden Years, life in the public eye and why he won’t be sampling Guinness upon his arrival in Ireland next month. It all started with a muse. As well as being an Emmy-winning actor, best known for his role in, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, the multitalented Joshua Bassett is a more than capable songwriter. He recalls how an age-old motivation first led him to discover his craft. ‘I actually went to ask this girl to a homecoming formal, and she had turned down three other guys,’ he says, calling from his native California. ‘I wrote her a song to ask her myself and she said yes. I remember driving home and thinking, “That wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. I should just write music!”‘ What started out as a gesture of teenage romance has since evolved into a fully-fledged career. Bassett signed to Warner in 2019, before releasing a string of singles and his self-titled debut EP. Last July saw the arrival of his first full-length The Golden Years, a record that captures the highs and lows of the last four years of the artist’s life. ‘I think everyone looks at the past with a bit of nostalgia, through those rose-coloured glasses,’ Bassett reflects. ‘Things weren’t perfect, but they were simpler. But I do still think the golden years are ahead of me, so I’m not at all believing that I’ve peaked.’ The result is a mature, well-crafted pop record, offering an intimate look into the 23-year-old’s late teens and early 20s. Bassett reveals how many of the tracks on the album were born from his spontaneous songwriting process, with most of them being ‘vomited out’ while in the studio. ‘That’s where the magic happens. I can’t explain it. It’s very elusive and unpredictable,’ he says. This approach birthed one of the album’s most personal tunes: ‘Mirror,’ a track which delves into themes of identity and scathing self-reflection. ‘We were trying to write a club banger that day, we had this crazy beat but not a single word was coming out,’ Bassett says. ‘I went outside to take a breather. I came back and sat down at the piano and was feeling a certain way. Not recognising the person you see in the mirror is a pretty common thing. Whether that’s through life hitting you hard, and it really affects you, or not recognising yourself anymore because you’re so depressed. ‘Dealing with self-hatred is an interesting one because I’ve been with me my whole life. I know the things I’m not proud of or and also how far I’ve gotten from where I’ve been. Whether it’s through addiction, depression or different things that have happened in life it’s easy to fall far from who you were.’ Self-examination has been a constant in Bassett’s journey, having been grappling with the pressures of fame since he was a teenager. ‘We live in an industry and society where your identity is based on how you look, and very little on who you are. I’ve learned to get under the hood and work through the things I need to work through. My identity is not in the opinions of others.’ More recently, Bassett’s outlook has been shaped in by his faith, which he describes as his anchor during difficult times. ‘The only thing that has gotten me through the last couple of years has been my faith,’ he says. ‘I’ve always been a spiritual guy, but it’s been quite a winding road for me. And I’m always trying to seek the truth. I’m always trying to learn more and more and find out the deeper spiritual truths.’ Nonetheless, life in the public eye hasn’t been easy. Bassett’s faith, as well as his personal life—including aspects of his sexuality and romantic relationships —have been subjects of debate, an invasive level of attention exacerbated in the world of social media. ‘It’s a wild thing being in the public eye because you’re getting the full spectrum,’ he continues. ‘People can adore you, and the very next day, they can hate you. And then the very next day, they can adore you again. You have to reject both sides and find a healthy middle. I definitely dealt with a lot of issues specifically because as an actor and an artist, I am the product. It’s hard not to put your identity in your performance. The work is me.’ Beyond the realms of music and acting, Bassett has channelled his energy into philanthropy. As well as his work with Teen Line and the Sunrise Movement, charities dedicated to mental health and the environment respectively, he founded Sammy Sundays – an initiative dedicated to supporting homeless individuals, offering them food and some much-needed company once a week. ‘When you look at suicide rates, specifically in men, there’s a direct correlation there with feeling invisible and feeling alone and feeling isolated,’ he observes. ‘The number one killer, the number one thing we hear is the problem on the streets is not being hungry, it’s being isolated, ignored and alone. So I hope that we can start to have more real conversations and that it will be safe to have more conversations.’ Dialogue, of any sort, seems harder than it should be amidst the backdrop of a tumultuous political climate in the U.S. ‘I’m working right now on having compassion for people whose viewpoints I can’t wrap my head around,’ Bassett shares. ‘There’s something that led them to believe what they believe. It’s not that I’m naive and think everyone’s got the best intentions and they’re just misunderstood. I’m not saying that at all, but I think the only way that we’re going to be able to make change is to hear each other and to love each other. ‘I’ll bring it back to Sammy Sundays because it’s a good reference point. We will be serving people and some people will walk by and be like, “Do you really think that this is going to help them? They need to get a job and you’re just encouraging their homelessness.” ‘They’re not staying homeless because they’re going to get a sandwich every Sunday. Us loving them, helping them know they’re seen, helping them feel part of a community, that’s what’s going to help them to get back on their feet. There’s obviously not a direct correlation to politics, but I do think the rule applies.’ Looking forward, Bassett is set to bring The Golden Years on the road, stopping by at Dublin’s 3Olympia on January 13. A video he uploaded to social media promoting the tour saw him and a pal, funnily enough, enjoying a pint of Guinness. It’s unlikely, he reveals, that he’ll be enjoying a jar of the lauded black stuff when he arrives on these shores though, with the singer staunchly committed to a monastic lifestyle while on tour. ‘I have a no drinking rule when I’m on tour, but I just might have to break it in Ireland,’ he laughs. ‘I have no sugar and no alcohol- I’m pretty locked in. I have to work out every day, it’s too much of a responsibility. I get that some people can have a drink and be fine, and more power to them, but I like to be sharp and on my game to give people the best possible show.’ Joshua Bassett comes to Dublin’s 3Olympia on January 13, 2025. For more information and tickets, click here. Listen to The Golden Years below:By Bimbola Oyesola Organised labour has enjoined the Federal Government to promote more education officers in the Federal Ministry of Education throughout the country, just as it commended the government for elevating many senior civil servants to the directorate level in the ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs). The workers, under the umbrella of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), in a statement jointly signed by its president, Shehu Mohammed, and the secretary-general, Joshua Apebo, noted that an analysis of the recent promotion carried out in the MDAs showed that there might have been an error in the promotion of officers in the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Education, the 110 Federal Unity Colleges and the Federal Education Quality Assurance Service (FEQAS) throughout the country. “We are surprised that in the entire Federal Ministry of Education with more than 6,000 staff in all states of the federation, only 70 officers were promoted to the directorate level. “For instance, only three deputy directors were elevated to the rank of directors, 14 assistant directors promoted to deputy directors while 53 officers were uplifted to the rank of assistant directors making a total of 70 officers that benefitted from the promotion exercise,” the union said. According to ASCSN, when compared with 356 officers that were elevated to the directorate level in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), 286 that benefitted in the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF), 102 in the Ministry of Police Affairs, etc, it would become crystal clear that officers in the Federal Ministry of Education with only 70 elevated to the Directorate level was really shortchanged. The union posited that the argument for the low level of promotion in the Federal Ministry of Education might be premised on the stale tale of lack of vacancies but the union had always offered suggestions on how to create opportunities for Education Officers in the Federal Ministry of Education to reach the height of their career by rising to the directorate level and not dampen their morale through stagnation. The statement read, “We have proposed several times, for instance, to the Management of the Federal Ministry of Education that the junior arms of the Federal Government Colleges should be disarticulated from the Senior Secondary segments as has been done in Lagos State, Kano State, and the FTC thereby creating more vacancies for Directors to head each School. “We have also suggested that Tenure Policy must continue to be implemented in the Federal Ministry of Education so that vacancies in the Directorate level can continue to be generated while big Units in the Ministry such as the Nigeria Education Management Information System (NEMIS and NATCOM For UNESCO can also become Departments to be manned by Directors.” The union added that the Department of Science and Technology Education could become two Departments namely Department of Science Education, and Technology and Vocational Education Department while Girl-Child Education could also become a Department and Basic Education as well. The Labour Leaders equally suggested that Education attachés should be reintroduced in foreign Missions, Education Desks created in MDAs, mentorship programmes for Directors on elongation introduced while 3-years tenure system for principals of Unity Schools as agreed with the Union should be implemented. “We also urge the Federal Ministry of Education to resume the quarterly meetings with the Union, pay outstanding salary and promotion arrears, train and retrain Officers in the 3 Ministry, start promotion and automatic placement of Officers as when due to boost the morale of Staff, and provide working tools for staff,” they emphasised. The union stressed the need for adequate funding of departments while there should be Presidential waivers for the Federal Ministry of Education to create vacancies as it was done in 2013 so that stagnated officers could be promoted. The union expressed optimism that if these recommendations are implemented in the Federal Ministry of Education, there will be enough vacancies for Senior Civil Servants to continue to rise to the Directorate level. “We urge the Presidency, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), the Federal Civil Service Commission, the OHCSF to intervene on this matter and ensure that Education Officers in the Headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Education, those in the 110 Federal Government Colleges, and the Federal Education Quality Assurance Service (FEQAS) throughout the Federation are promoted as and when due like their counterparts in other MDAs in the interest of Justice, equity and fairness, while other suggestions are also implemented to boost the morale of staff,” the ASCSN leaders maintained.Fountainhead AM LLC lifted its stake in NVIDIA Co. ( NASDAQ:NVDA – Free Report ) by 10.5% in the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 60,731 shares of the computer hardware maker’s stock after acquiring an additional 5,759 shares during the quarter. NVIDIA comprises approximately 1.5% of Fountainhead AM LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 19th largest position. Fountainhead AM LLC’s holdings in NVIDIA were worth $7,375,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other large investors have also modified their holdings of the stock. CGC Financial Services LLC bought a new stake in shares of NVIDIA in the second quarter worth $26,000. Quest Partners LLC acquired a new position in NVIDIA in the second quarter worth about $27,000. Christopher J. Hasenberg Inc acquired a new position in NVIDIA in the third quarter worth about $27,000. University of Texas Texas AM Investment Management Co. acquired a new stake in NVIDIA during the second quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Finally, FPC Investment Advisory Inc. lifted its holdings in NVIDIA by 900.0% during the 2nd quarter. FPC Investment Advisory Inc. now owns 290 shares of the computer hardware maker’s stock worth $34,000 after buying an additional 261 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 65.27% of the company’s stock. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several research firms have recently commented on NVDA. Piper Sandler lifted their price target on shares of NVIDIA from $140.00 to $175.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, November 11th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their target price on shares of NVIDIA from $155.00 to $170.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, November 21st. Susquehanna upped their target price on NVIDIA from $160.00 to $180.00 and gave the company a “positive” rating in a report on Thursday, November 14th. Redburn Atlantic began coverage on NVIDIA in a research note on Tuesday, November 12th. They set a “buy” rating and a $178.00 price objective for the company. Finally, Wedbush raised their target price on NVIDIA from $160.00 to $175.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, November 21st. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, thirty-nine have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $164.15. NVIDIA Stock Down 2.1 % NVDA opened at $137.01 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $3.36 trillion, a P/E ratio of 53.92, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.43 and a beta of 1.64. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13, a quick ratio of 3.64 and a current ratio of 4.10. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $139.97 and a 200 day moving average price of $127.90. NVIDIA Co. has a twelve month low of $47.32 and a twelve month high of $152.89. NVIDIA ( NASDAQ:NVDA – Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, November 20th. The computer hardware maker reported $0.81 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.69 by $0.12. NVIDIA had a net margin of 55.69% and a return on equity of 114.83%. The business had revenue of $35.08 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $33.15 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.38 EPS. NVIDIA’s revenue was up 93.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts forecast that NVIDIA Co. will post 2.78 EPS for the current year. NVIDIA Announces Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 27th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, December 5th were issued a $0.01 dividend. This represents a $0.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.03%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, December 5th. NVIDIA’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 1.57%. Insider Transactions at NVIDIA In other NVIDIA news, Director Tench Coxe sold 1,000,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $131.26, for a total value of $131,260,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 28,671,360 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,763,402,713.60. This represents a 3.37 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link . Also, Director Mark A. Stevens sold 125,000 shares of NVIDIA stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, October 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $122.61, for a total value of $15,326,250.00. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 8,255,117 shares in the company, valued at $1,012,159,895.37. The trade was a 1.49 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Insiders sold a total of 1,351,886 shares of company stock worth $176,825,650 over the last three months. 4.23% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. NVIDIA Profile ( Free Report ) NVIDIA Corporation provides graphics and compute and networking solutions in the United States, Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, and internationally. The Graphics segment offers GeForce GPUs for gaming and PCs, the GeForce NOW game streaming service and related infrastructure, and solutions for gaming platforms; Quadro/NVIDIA RTX GPUs for enterprise workstation graphics; virtual GPU or vGPU software for cloud-based visual and virtual computing; automotive platforms for infotainment systems; and Omniverse software for building and operating metaverse and 3D internet applications. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding NVDA? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for NVIDIA Co. ( NASDAQ:NVDA – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for NVIDIA Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for NVIDIA and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .Donald Trump 's aide is raising concerns among his inner circle after reportedly writing him a series of adoring and intensely personal letters, saying things like, "you are all that matters to me." Natalie Harp, 33, a former right-wing TV host and loyal supporter, first came to Trump's attention in 2019 when she credited him with saving her life through the Right to Try law, which allowed her access to experimental cancer treatments. After publicly supporting him during the 2020 Republican National Convention, Harp joined Trump's team in 2022. At that time she took on the role of assisting with his social media posts and acting as a conduit for unvetted information during his campaign. Harp quickly became a trusted figure in Trump's orbit, many times referred to as "sweetie" and treated like a daughter, according to those close to them, the New York Times reported. Recent reports revealed a series of unsettling letters Harp wrote to Trump in 2023, expressing her desire to bring him "joy" and referring to him as her "Guardian and Protector." "I want to bring you joy," she wrote, "to feel like we can get through a day without ever having to talk 'work.'" The letters, confirmed as authentic by multiple sources, have raised concerns within Trump's team, with some aides wondering about her influence and unsupervised access to the president-elect. "You are all that matters to me," she wrote in another letter. "I don't ever want to let you down." Many times, Harp's role allows her to bypass other staff members in facilitating Trump's social media activity. Despite the concerns, Trump's spokesman, Steven Cheung, has defended Harp, praising her "work ethic and dedication" and referring to her as "trusted and valued." As Trump prepares to assume office, Harp's close relationship and role are expected to remain the same. Originally published by Latin Times

Rumors circulated on social media of students coming home sick after finding bugs in their spaghetti. However, District 149 Superintendent Maureen White said Thursday she received no reports of children falling ill and the single mealworm found on the table did not come from the kitchen. “There was absolutely no mealworm in the food or in the food supply, and not even where the food is prepared,” White said. “It was a hoax.” White said students told her the mealworm was brought to the table as part of a social media challenge. However, she said the district took “precautionary measures” to sanitize the cabinets where food trays are stored and clean tables more frequently. “We’re just doing an extra clean to assure that there are no bugs of any kind getting on the table,” White said.

I was excited to go to the Christmas markets for first date with dream man – then I discovered cruel truthMINNEAPOLIS (AP) — With Penn State's strong push for a spot in the College Football Playoff still a couple of wins from completion, the biggest roadblock to a bid for the Nittany Lions in this favorable final third of their schedule has appeared with a trip to Minnesota . That's why this week, naturally, is too early for them to talk about making the inaugural 12-team tournament — as enticing as their prospects might be. “I think the quality of teams that we go in and play each week speaks for itself,” quarterback Drew Allar said. "But as far as rankings, it doesn’t really matter until it matters.” Penn State (9-1, 6-1 Big Ten) is fourth in both the AP poll and the CFP rankings this week, needing help for a long-shot hope of reaching the Big Ten title game because of a loss to now-No. 2 Ohio State on Nov. 2. In this new era of playoff expansion, the Nittany Lions are on firm footing for an at-large bid. Lose to the unranked Gophers (6-4, 4-3), however, and that ground could become shaky given the current collection of standout two-loss teams in the SEC. In case the Nittany Lions needed proof of the danger of letting focus diverge, coach James Franklin and his staff can call up the tape from Nov. 9, 2019. That's when an undefeated Penn State team came to Minnesota and lost 31-26 . The Nittany Lions lost again at Ohio State two weeks later and finished 11-2, one of several not-quite performances for this storied program that last went unbeaten in 1994 and hasn't been recognized as national champions since 1986. The Gophers were undefeated themselves after that game before losses to rivals Iowa and Wisconsin ended their Rose Bowl quest. This team isn't on that level of talent and success from five years ago, but the chemistry has been off the charts. Coach P.J. Fleck drew attention to some of the individual standout performances that fueled the signature victory in 2019 in meetings with players this week. “We need our best playmakers to play their best. Penn State’s going to need their playmakers to be their best. That’s what happens in November,” Fleck said. Tyler Warren has already shattered nearly every record for Penn State tight ends. The do-it-all senior become such a force his teammates insist he’s worthy of the Heisman Trophy, tracking toward the top of the NFL draft board for his position next spring. “He’s the best tight end in America, but he’s also the most complete tight end in America," Allar said. Warren is coming off a 190-yard performance at Purdue that included 63 yards on three rushes and 127 yards on eight receptions. “He has the ability to take a play that should be 2 or 3 yards and turn it into 30 or 40,” Gophers defensive end Danny Striggow said. Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter has 171⁄2 tackles for loss, the second-most in the FBS, and eight sacks to match the third-most in the Big Ten. He has a challenging matchup this week with Minnesota left tackle Aireontae Ersery across from him in a battle of projected first-round NFL draft picks. Gophers coaches told Striggow and his fellow defensive linemen a couple of seasons ago to relish the opportunity to face Ersery in practice. “That’s one of the best looks in the country that you’re going to get,” Striggow said. Carter has successfully made the transition from linebacker this season. “He is impacting the game in a number of ways, which creates opportunities for other guys on our defensive line and within our defense and causes a lot of headaches,” Franklin said. “He is becoming more and more of a leader every single day.” Allar and the Nittany Lions have paid particular attention to protecting the ball this week, given the Gophers have 16 interceptions, one short of the national lead. Penn State quarterback Drew Allar feels he’ll need to be especially accurate this weekend considering Minnesota has 16 interceptions on the season. “We’re just going to have to be disciplined and stick to our game plan,” Allar said. The Gophers have a strong group of departing players who will take the field at Huntington Bank Stadium for the final time, including Ersery, quarterback Max Brosmer, wide receiver Daniel Jackson, right guard Quinn Carroll, cornerback Justin Walley, kicker Dragan Kesich and Striggow. “It’s been good to reflect, but it’s not over yet," Striggow said. "Those short windows of reflection, I cut ’em out and then say, ‘We’ve got some more memories to make.’” Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football .GAITHERSBURG, Md. (AP) — An FBI agent charged in Maryland with sexually assaulting two women contacted his alleged victims through social media with a promise to give them free tattoos and modeling work, police said Tuesday as they encouraged other potential victims to come forward. Neither woman knew that their alleged assailant, Eduardo Valdivia , was an FBI agent, Montgomery County Assistant Police Chief Nicholas Augustine said during a news conference. Valdivia used aliases, including Lalo Brown and “El Boogie,” as he contacted the women through an Instagram account for a tattoo parlor in Gaithersburg, Maryland, according to police. Valdivia sexually assaulted the women — both of whom are in their 20s — during photo shoots at a tattoo studio and at a hotel, police said. Both women told police that they feared Valdivia would have caused them more harm if they tried to resist or leave, according to a police affidavit. Valdivia presented the women with modeling contracts and threatened to take legal action if they didn’t return to model for him, Augustine said. Police detectives suspect that Valdivia may have sexually assaulted other women under similar circumstances, according to the assistant chief. “I would like to thank the victims that did come forward. They have now stopped this contact going on in our community and being brave to come forward to notify the police about what was going on, which most likely saved other people from being victimized,” Augustine said. Defense attorney Robert Bonsib said Valdivia’s interactions with the women were consensual. “This conduct is not going to get you the first pew in the church,” Bonsib told reporters outside the courthouse. “You’ve got to be realistic about the nature of what was going on. This was not criminal conduct.” A state district court judge on Tuesday ordered Valdivia jailed without bond, deciding he poses a danger to the community and a flight risk. A prosecutor, Rachel Morris, said during the hearing that a third potential victim had come forward and was being interviewed by police “as we speak.” Valdivia has been suspended by the FBI pending the conclusion of the police investigation. “The FBI takes allegations of criminal violations and misconduct very seriously,” an FBI spokesperson said in a statement Monday. “Because this is an ongoing investigation, the FBI cannot comment further.” Valdivia, 40, of Gaithersburg, previously was charged and acquitted in 2022 of attempted second-degree murder and other charges stemming from an off-duty shooting aboard a moving Metro train near Washington, D.C. Online court records show Valdivia now faces felony and misdemeanor charges, including two counts of second-degree rape. The alleged offenses date to May 2024 and September 2024. Police began investigating in October. The women were initially reluctant to come forward because they felt “held back” by language in contracts they signed to do modeling work, Augustine said. “We don’t know how long the business had been open, but he has been doing tattoos at least since February,” Augustine said. During the bond hearing, Bonsib read aloud emails that he said the women sent to Valdivia. He pointed to the emails as evidence that the encounters were consensual. Bonsib acknowledged that Valdivia posed as a modeling agency operator named Dr. Tiffany Kim in sending emails to the women about modeling contracts. One of the women told police that she found a photo taken of her by Valdivia posted on an Instagram page. A mutual friend recognized a photo of the other alleged victim on the same page and arranged for the women to contact each other, the police affidavit says. Bonsib has said Valdivia joined the FBI in 2011 and was promoted to supervisory special agent at the FBI headquarters in 2019. On Dec. 15, 2020, a confrontation between Valdivia and an unarmed passenger swiftly escalated from a testy exchange of words to a shooting on a train approaching the Medical Center station in Bethesda, Maryland. Valdivia shot and wounded the man from a distance of roughly 2 to 3 feet (0.6 to 0.9 meters) after repeatedly telling the man to back up, county prosecutor Robert Hill said in court. The wounded man had part or all of his spleen, colon and pancreas removed during surgery after the shooting, Hill said. Bonsib has said Valdivia acted in self-defense as the man approached him at the rear of a train car.

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The recent sightings of mysterious drones over Massachusetts and the arrests of two men who allegedly flew the unmanned aircraft close to Logan Airport are leading a state lawmaker to refile legislation he says would increase accountability. State Rep. Bruce Ayers, D-Quincy, says more safeguards against “reckless behavior” are essential as drone technology increases every year, making them faster and capable of carrying significant weight with “high-powered cameras.” Ayers plans to refile two pieces of legislation at the State House in the new year, one that would impose fines and restrictions on flying drones in flight paths, near airports, and another that would target flight over schools. Boston Police responded to Long Island, part of Ayers’ district, on Dec. 14 after officials noticed a drone flying around the Boston Harbor, at a distance deemed too close to Logan Airport on their monitoring systems. Authorities charged Robert Duffy, 42, of Charlestown, and Jeremy Folcik, 32, of Bridgewater, with trespassing, breaking and entering, and violating a municipal ordinance or bylaw, in connection to flying the drones in “hazardous air space.” Dorchester District Court Judge Erika Reis ordered the defendants to stay away from the closed Long Island health campus and not operate drones , releasing them without bail. Ayers told the Herald on Saturday that he believes Duffy and Folcik should have faced harsher consequences. “We need to set a stronger precedent that if people are flying these drones recklessly, it’s no joke, it’s no harmless prank,” he said. “There are going to be consequences.” Under his act relative to air traffic safety, individuals who purposely fly drones or aim the beam of a laser pointer at an aircraft or the flight path, interfering with travel, would be punished by a fine of no more than $1,500. The punishment would increase if a “significant change of course or other serious disruption to the safe travel of an aircraft” threatened the safety of passengers or the crew. In those instances, individuals would face a fine of up to $5,000 or up to five years in state prison, or both. “That is the most dangerous time when a flight is descending, our pilots are trying to navigate the instruments and prepare to land,” Ayers said. “We need to be able to protect them.” Massport has installed more than 200 “No Drone Zone” signs around Logan Airport and other facilities, and the state Department of Conservation and Recreation prohibits flying over its properties unless authorized. Drone operators in Massachusetts don’t need a state-level permit but must follow federal regulations. Recreational drones that weigh over 0.55 pounds are required to be registered with the Federal Aviation Administration, and commercially, an FAA remote pilot certificate is required. Individuals who fly in restricted airspace and commit a federal violation could be fined up to $27,500 for civil penalties or criminal charges. Local law enforcement is unable to enforce FAA regulations. Boston Police said that the men who they arrested for flying the drones too close to Logan Airport could end up facing federal charges. Ayers added his proposed law would provide “more resources on the ground,” meaning more local and state police surrounding airports would be focused on tracking down drones to assist the feds. The other legislation that Ayers is set to refile would carry fines for flying drones within a vertical distance of 400 feet in school zones. While the reported sightings of the mysterious drones over Cape Cod and elsewhere in Massachusetts were fairly limited and have dropped during the holidays, Ayers said he’s still hearing from constituents. “People were scared, they’re concerned, and they’re frustrated,” he said. “They want to know what is going on. This would give us more resources to identify and go after people who may be doing wrongdoing, and if so, to prosecute them.” Gov. Maura Healey has also expressed concern although she admitted Massachusetts wasn’t seeing the volume of reported drones as in New York and New Jersey, and that authorities weren’t aware of a public safety threat. Healey has urged Congress to allow states to investigate and prosecute illegal activity and provide better technology to help detect drones. “The pace of technology has really evolved very quickly,” the governor told reporters on Dec. 17, “and it’s a serious concern.” The week before Christmas, the FAA banned drone flights in 22 areas in New Jersey and 30 areas in New York, mostly in and around New York City and on Long Island, where critical infrastructure is located, through mid-January. Federal authorities had said many of the sightings had been of legal drones, manned aircraft, helicopters and even stars. The feds have not identified any public safety or national security risks. “There are more than 1 million drones that are lawfully registered with the Federal Aviation Administration here in the United States,” White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said. “And there are thousands of commercial, hobbyist and law enforcement drones that are lawfully in the sky on any given day. That is the ecosystem that we are dealing with.” The Associated Press contributed to this report

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australia’s House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a bill that would ban children younger than 16 years old from social media , leaving it to the Senate to finalize the world-first law. The major parties backed the bill that would make platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Instagram liable for fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million) for systemic failures to prevent young children from holding accounts. The legislation passed 102 to 13. If the bill becomes law this week, the platforms would have one year to work out how to implement the age restrictions before the penalties are enforced. Opposition lawmaker Dan Tehan told Parliament the government had agreed to accept amendments in the Senate that would bolster privacy protections. Platforms would not be allowed to compel users to provide government-issued identity documents including passports or driver’s licenses. The platforms also could not demand digital identification through a government system. “Will it be perfect? No. But is any law perfect? No, it’s not. But if it helps, even if it helps in just the smallest of ways, it will make a huge difference to people’s lives,” Tehan told Parliament. RELATED COVERAGE North Carolina’s governor has vetoed a GOP bill that would weaken his successor and other Democrats Venezuela’s government will investigate opposition leader Machado for supporting US House bill Australia rejects Elon Musk’s claim that it plans to control access to the internet Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said the Senate would debate the bill later Wednesday. The major parties’ support all but guarantees the legislation will pass in the Senate, where no party holds a majority of seats. Lawmakers who were not aligned with either the government or the opposition were most critical of the legislation during debate on Tuesday and Wednesday. Criticisms include that the legislation had been rushed through Parliament without adequate scrutiny, would not work, would create privacy risks for users of all ages and would take away parents’ authority to decide what’s best for their children. Critics also argue the ban would isolate children, deprive them of positive aspects of social media, drive children to the dark web, make children too young for social media reluctant to report harms they encountered and take away incentives for platforms to make online spaces safer. Independent lawmaker Zoe Daniel said the legislation would “make zero difference to the harms that are inherent to social media.” “The true object of this legislation is not to make social media safe by design, but to make parents and voters feel like the government is doing something about it,” Daniel told Parliament. “There is a reason why the government parades this legislation as world-leading, that’s because no other country wants to do it,” she added. T he platforms had asked for the vote on legislation to be delayed until at least June next year when a government-commissioned evaluation of age assurance technologies made its report on how the ban could been enforced. Melbourne resident Wayne Holdsworth, whose 17-year-old son Mac took his own life last year after falling victim to an online sextortion scam, described the bill as “absolutely essential for the safety of our children.” “It’s not the only thing that we need to do to protect them because education is the key, but to provide some immediate support for our children and parents to be able to manage this, it’s a great step,” the 65-year-old online safety campaigner told The Associated Press on Tuesday. “And in my opinion, it’s the greatest time in our country’s history,” he added, referring to the pending legal reform.

Colorado continues to work on defense, faces South Dakota State

Cooper Rush passed for two touchdowns, Dallas returned two kicks for scores and the visiting Cowboys held off the Washington Commanders in a wild fourth quarter for a 34-26 win. Dallas led 10-9 after three quarters. With Washington trailing 27-26, Jayden Daniels hit Terry McLaurin for an 86-yard touchdown pass with 21 seconds left, but Austin Seibert missed his second extra point of the game. Juanyeh Thomas of the Cowboys then returned the onside kick 43 yards for a touchdown. Rush completed 24 of 32 passes for 247 yards for Dallas (4-7), which snapped a five-game losing streak. Rico Dowdle ran 19 times for 86 yards and CeeDee Lamb had 10 catches for 67 yards. Jayden Daniels was 25-of-38 passing for 274 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions for reeling Washington (7-5), which has lost three straight. He ran for 74 yards and one score. McLaurin had five catches for 102 yards. Trailing 20-9 late in the fourth quarter, Daniels drove Washington 69 yards in nine plays and hit Zach Ertz for a 4-yard touchdown. Daniels ran for two points and Washington trailed 20-17 with 3:02 remaining. KaVontae Turpin muffed the ensuing kickoff, picked it up at the one, and raced 99 yards for a touchdown to make it 27-17. Austin Seibert's 51-yard field goal pulled the Commanders within 27-20 with 1:40 left, With the score tied 3-3, Washington took the second half kick and went 60 yards in 10 plays. On third-and-three from the Dallas 17, Daniels faked a handoff, ran left and scored his first rushing touchdown since Week 4. Seibert missed the point after and Washington led 9-3. Dallas answered with an 80-yard drive. A 23-yard pass interference penalty gave the Cowboys a first-and-goal at the 4. Two plays later Rush found Jalen Tolbert in the end zone and the extra point made it 10-9. Brandon Aubrey's 48-yard field goal made it 13-9 with 8:11 remaining in the game. On the next play, Daniels hit John Bates for 14 yards, but Donovan Wilson forced a fumble and Dallas recovered at the Washington 44. Five plays later, Rush found Luke Schoonmaker down the middle for a 22-yard touchdown and Dallas led 20-9 with 5:16 left. The first quarter was all about field goals. Aubrey's field goal attempt was blocked on the opening drive and Michael Davis returned it to the Dallas 40. Washington later settled for Seibert's 41-yard field goal. On the next Dallas drive, Aubrey hit the right upright from 42 yards out, and then Seibert missed from 51 yards. With 14 seconds left in the half, Rush found Jalen Brooks for a 41-yard gain to the Washington 28. On the next play Aubrey connected from 46 yards to tie it. --Field Level Media

Cowboys win wild one vs. Commanders to halt five-game slide

Morning Briefing: Dec. 13, 2024Rising Tide protesters launch into the harbour channelAstros think Yankees have offered 'crap' for All-Star trade target: report

If the assessment of assistant coach Nigel Henry is anything to go by, then San Juan Jabloteh’s schoolboy football stars Derrell “ Zum Zum” Garcia and Lyndell Sween are expected to get much more playing time when taking on season front-runners Defence Force today at the La Horquetta Recreation Ground from 6 p.m. The second week of the Trinidad and Tobago Premier Football League Tier One kicks off with another strong double-header at Phase II La Horquetta, where the home team Terminix La Horquetta Rangers, also face a tough Club Sando at 8 p.m. Tomorrow, action shifts to the Arima Velodrome for another double-header, while on Sunday, both of the top two teams of the 2023-2024 season are in action at the Police Barracks in St James. Led by national footballers Joevin and Alvin Jones, runners-up Miscellaneous Police FC will be looking for a first win of the season against Tobago FC Phoenix, who went to South and beat Point Fortin Civic 2-1 at the Mahaica Oval. The second match sees champions AC Port of Spain taking on Caledonia AIA, both having won on the opening day. On match-day one, Defence Force looked up to the hype when edging Police 2-1, with both teams strongly showing they are highly likely to be among this season’s top contenders. New Army recruit Kevin “Nash” Molino was a standout, as even on a very heavy surface, Defence Force tried to produce an attractive, quick brand of play which new head coach Densill Theobald is looking for. On opening day, St Anthony’s College striker Andell Fraser was a starter, while the schools league’s top-scorer Garcia, and Sween, were substitutes, as a young San Juan Jabloteh unit, coached by former national midfielder Marvin Gordon, made the first-half running. But after Jabloteh had missed a penalty, Central FC came into their own, last season’s strugglers looking much stronger with John-Paul Rochford and Jameel “Shooter” Neptune coming from AC Port of Spain to join other top recruits such as Tyronne Charles, Kevon “Showtime Woodley and Kadeem Corbin. “The players that we put on, they did not show up because we put them on a little too late, which would be Sween and “Zum”,” Jabloteh assistant coach Henry stated after their 3-1 loss to a revamped Central FC Reboot. “We be learning (about) the players. We learning their style of play, so we will come to it,” Henry suggested. Admitting that Central FC grew into the game, head coach Jason Spence also credited Jabloteh’s youngsters. “I must give kudos to Jabloteh because they have a nice, young, vibrant team,” Spence said. “They kept coming at us, but I felt as though once we managed the game well, our quality would have been able to show (eventually), and that’s exactly what happened.” UPCOMING TTPFL TIER ONE MATCHES: Today 6 p.m. -San Juan Jabloteh v Defence Force Elite, La Horquetta Rec, Phase II 8 p.m. - Terminix LA Rangers v Club Sando FC, La Horquetta Rec, Phase II Tomorrow 5 p.m. -Prison Service FC v Heritage Petroleum Point Fortin Civic, Arima Velodrome 7 p.m. - FC Eagles v Central FC, Arima Velodrome Sunday 5 p.m.- Miscellanous Police FC v FC Phoenix, Police Barracks, St James 7 p.m. - AC Port of Spain v Caledonia AIA, Police Barracks, St JamesPepe Coin’s meteoric rise has captured the attention of crypto enthusiasts, but a new altcoin, Lightchain AI, is emerging as a contender for the next big hit. 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While the platform's innovative approach positions it as a strong contender in the evolving crypto market, its real-world utility is what sets it apart from other altcoins. Lightchain AI's focus on AI integration and scalability addresses critical issues faced by traditional blockchains, such as slow transaction speeds and high fees, paving the way for mainstream adoption. Why Should You Invest in Lighchain AI? Lightchain AI is an innovative platform that seamlessly integrates artificial intelligence with blockchain technology, offering a robust framework designed to enhance both security and efficiency. AIVM integration facilitates the development of advanced, data-driven decentralized applications (dApps) with seamless execution and enhanced functionality. In terms of security, Lightchain AI employs a Transparent AI Framework, ensuring that all AI decision-making processes are auditable and explainable. This commitment to transparency fosters trust and reliability, empowering users and developers to interact confidently with the platform's technology. In terms of tokenomics, Lightchain AI will issue 10,000,000,000 LCAI in total, of which 40% shall be used for preselling purposes. The presale allows early supporters to buy tokens at a discounted or low price-the current price set at $0.004125 per LCAI. Tokens are to be purchased using ETH or USDT directly through its presale interface. By investing in Lightchain AI , an individual, enable them to be part of a trailblazing ecosystem that seeks to prioritize security, transparency, and an easy blending of the technologies of AI and blockchain. Lightchain AI is a betting stand to look out for in the incredibly fast-evolving world of cryptocurrency because of its optimistic powers of exponential growth and everyday use. https://lightchain.ai https://lightchain.ai/lightchain-whitepaper.pdf https://x.com/LightchainAI https://t.me/LightchainProtocol Join our WhatsApp Channel to get the latest news, exclusives and videos on WhatsApp _____________ Disclaimer: Analytics Insight does not provide financial advice or guidance. Also note that the cryptocurrencies mentioned/listed on the website could potentially be scams, i.e. designed to induce you to invest financial resources that may be lost forever and not be recoverable once investments are made. You are responsible for conducting your own research (DYOR) before making any investments. Read more here.

Pepe Coin’s Growth Echoed- Could This Altcoin Be the Next Big Hit?BUCHAREST, Romania — Romanians are casting ballots on Sunday in the first round of a presidential election that could pit a far-right nationalist against the incumbent leftist prime minister in the runoff. Thirteen candidates are vying for the presidency in the European Union and NATO member country, and the vote is expected to go to a second round on Dec. 8. Polls opened at 7.00 a.m. local time (0500GMT) and will close at 9.00 p.m. (1900GMT). Romanians abroad have been able to vote since Friday. The final vote could see George Simion, the leader of the far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, or AUR, face off against incumbent Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, backed by Romania’s largest party, the Social Democratic Party or PSD. The presidential role carries a five-year term and has significant decision-making powers in areas such as national security, foreign policy, and judicial appointments. Romania will also hold parliamentary elections on Dec. 1 that will determine the country’s next government and prime minister. Simion, 38, is a vocal supporter of US President-elect Donald Trump and has long been a controversial figure. He campaigned for reunification with Moldova, which this year renewed a five-year ban on him entering the country over security concerns, and he is banned for the same reason from entering neighboring Ukraine. “I would like that in the next five to 10 years, for Romanians to be really proud to be Romanians, to promote Romanian culture, Romanian products,” he told reporters on Wednesday in the capital, Bucharest. “As a Romanian president, I will promote Romanian interests. In most cases, Romanian interests coincide with partner interests.” Cristian Andrei, a political consultant based in Bucharest, says Sunday’s vote will be “a tight race” in which the diaspora will likely play a key role in which candidates make it to the runoff. “We are at a point where Romania can easily divert or slip toward a populist regime because (voter) dissatisfaction is pretty large among a lot of people from all social strata,” he told The Associated Press. “And the temptation for any regime, any leader — will be to go on a populist road.” He added that Romania’s large budget deficit, high inflation, and an economic slowdown could push more mainstream candidates to shift toward populist stances amid widespread dissatisfaction. Ciolacu told the AP that if he is elected, one of his biggest goals is “to convince Romanians that it is worth staying at home or returning” to Romania, which has a massive diaspora spread throughout EU countries. “Romania has a huge chance to become a developed economy in the next 10 years, where honest work is fairly rewarded and people have the security of a better life,” he said. “But for this, we need balance and responsibility ... I am running for the Presidency of Romania because we need a change.” Other key candidates include Elena Lasconi of the Save Romania Union party, or USR; former NATO deputy general secretary Mircea Geoana, who is running independently; and Nicolae Ciuca, a former army general and head of the center-right National Liberal Party, which is currently in a tense coalition with the PSD. Geoana, a former foreign minister and ambassador to the United States, told the AP that he believes his international experience qualifies him above the other candidates. “I think I bring a lot of competence and experience and connections in this complicated world,” he said. Lasconi, a former journalist and the leader of USR, said she sees corruption as one of the biggest problems Romania faces and that she supports increased defense spending and continued aid to Ukraine. Romania has been a staunch ally of war-torn Ukraine since Russia launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022. But Simion of the AUR party said he opposes Romania—which has sent a Patriot missile system to Ukraine—contributing further military aid and that he hopes Trump can “stop the war.” In 2020, the AUR party went from relative obscurity to gaining 9% in a parliamentary vote, allowing it to enter parliament. Opponents have long accused Simion and AUR of being extremists, charges he denies. “We are sort of a Trumpist party in this new wave of patriotic political parties in Europe,” Simion said. Image credits: AP/Vadim Ghirda