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technique in playing fortune gems GLASGOW, Scotland -- There is a certain irony to the fact that Ange Postecoglou's return to Scotland has coincided with the most testing days of his reign as Tottenham Hotspur boss. In fairness, a match at Ibrox was never going to feel like a homecoming for a man who won five major trophies with Rangers ' archrivals Celtic before making the move to north London 18 months ago. Postecoglou still garners devotion from one half of this city; Celtic fans bought wholeheartedly into his "we never stop" mantra -- but the Rangers fans filtered through the turnstiles of their historic ground, braving the bitter cold, hoping to watch their team land a knockout blow to the 59-year-old's Spurs' tenure. Editor's Picks Why is it so difficult to renew contracts for players over 30? 16h Mark Ogden UCL talking points: Who will be eliminated - Man City or PSG? 1d ESPN How many trophies have Tottenham won? 2d ESPN But for Postecoglou's use of his substitutes' bench in the second half, the home fans would have seen their wish fulfilled as the Premier League club was bested in large parts by the third-best team in Scotland that had one eye on an Old Firm clash on Sunday in the Scottish League Cup final. Support for Postecoglou is also in short supply among Spurs' travelling fans, who offered a muted response to their team when the 1-1 draw was confirmed at full-time here. One week ago, some of them were involved in a heated exchange with the Australian coach after the defeat to Bournemouth . "As expected, they're always difficult to play against here at Ibrox, particularly on European nights," Postecoglou said at a post-match news conference. "Just the nature of the contest. The atmosphere. Not many teams come here and win. So you kind of expect it to be a tough game and we weren't anywhere near our best. That's fair to say. "But at the same time, we're in a sort of period of games where we are kind of grinding through at the moment with obviously with a fairly depleted squad and we're asking players to sort of get up week in, week out. So in the context of that, in the end, I think it was a good outcome for us." The draw leaves Spurs' hopes of finishing in the UEFA Europa League 's top eight, and thereby avoiding the playoff round, in the balance. They remain in ninth, outside of the automatic qualification spots for the Round of 16. This festive period was always going to be make or break for Postecoglou and Spurs' short-term future. They are in the middle of a crucial run of nine games in 30 days -- it's a sequence of fixtures that Postecoglou admitted in November would prove "pivotal" for his team. "At the end of that period, we could be in a decent position for a strong second half of the year, so for us, it is an important period," Postecoglou said the day before the dramatic 4-0 win over Manchester City that started the nine-game run. "You know there are no more international breaks, so the full focus is here, so you can build some momentum through that, or if things don't go well, you could get yourself into a bit of a grind. So, for us, it's going to be a really pivotal part of the season." Six games into that nine-game run, there certainly has been plenty of grind. Without Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke , who were named on the bench, Spurs carried little attacking threat in the first half. The home side were the aggressors, snapping into tackles that brought screams of support from the relentless home crowd. Nedim Bajrami came closest to opening the scoring with a fierce effort that Fraser Forster tipped over the crossbar. The best Spurs opening came from a Rodrigo Bentancur cross that whistled through a Solanke-shaped hole on the edge of the six-yard box. The second period brought Kulusevski's introduction, in place of the often-haphazard Timo Werner , whose performance Postecoglou later described as "unacceptable." Two minutes after the restart, though, Rangers took the lead after Hamza Igamane lashed in James Tavernier 's cross. Now, the Rangers fans had the moment they had been waiting for. They bounced, screamed and revelled in Postecoglou's misfortune. As soon as they had refilled their lungs, the home fans bellowed in unison: "You're getting sacked in the morning." More chances for Rangers came and went, first Václav Černý wriggled through the Spurs but couldn't get his shot away, then Mohamed Diomande 's deflected effort had Forster scrambling as the ball whistled past the post. Four minutes later, Postecoglou had made three changes; on came Lucas Bergvall , Solanke and Pape Matar Sarr for Bentancur, Brennan Johnson and Yves Bissouma . It proved the correct intervention at just the right time for Postecoglou to salvage the game, and maybe his job. Solanke and Kulusevski combined in the 75th minute to open enough space on the edge of the penalty area before the Sweden international rolled a low shot past Jack Butland . Bergvall has been criticised for the impact he has made in games since signing for Spurs in the summer, but the 18-year-old added the bite and guile the Spurs' midfield had been missing from the Bissouma-Bentancur axis. Before their late turnaround, Postecoglou's assertion that he "wins things in his second year" certainly appeared misplaced. In truth, his teams have struggled in Europe. Despite their domestic successes, his Celtic team never made it out of a UEFA Champions League or Europa League group or won a knockout-round game after dropping down into the UEFA Conference League playoffs. The maelstrom of Thursday to Sunday games is perhaps too much for Postecoglou's high-energy philosophy. No team in the Premier League has pressed so high or made more off-the-ball sprints as Spurs this season, and Postecoglou's "never stop" ethos has had unintended consequences. He was unable to call upon eight first-team players for Thursday night's game, with five of them nursing muscular issues, including first-choice defensive pair Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven . His lack of options prompted Postecoglou to name 18-year-old Archie Gray in the centre of the Spurs' defence. Like his manager, Gray also has links to Scotland -- his father, Andy, grandfather Frank (European Cup winner with Nottingham Forest and Leeds United legend) and great uncle Eddie (legendary former Leeds player and manager) all represented Scotland -- Frank and Eddie were born in Glasgow, around seven miles from Ibrox. "I thought he handled himself really well," Postecoglou said. "We're asking him to do something that as an 18-year-old in his first year at this level to play an unfamiliar position and in such big games. I think it's outstanding what he's doing. "And I thought Lucas was excellent when he came on as well. He was due to start tonight but he wasn't feeling well today. He's a bit under the weather so we had to keep him on the bench, but that's mostly positive for us. I think those two as 18-year-olds to be already contributing and experiencing these things, I think will be an enormous benefit to us." On a difficult night for the team, Spurs' two teenagers showed surprising maturity and perhaps offered a glimpse of a brighter future for this Tottenham team.

NoneAn Italian renewable energy giant and Japan’s largest oil and gas company are plugging into Australia’s clean energy resources under the banner of a new company. Potentia Energy will be launched at the Sydney Opera House on Monday as an Australian renewable energy firm co-owned by Rome-headquartered Enel Green Power and INPEX. With rights in place for a development pipeline of over seven gigawatts across the country, Potentia is most focused on developing and acquiring assets in NSW, Queensland and Western Australia, chief executive Werther Esposito told AAP. The company is not deterred by the risk of political change, with opinion polls favouring the coalition ahead of the 2025 federal election. “The energy transition will go ahead in any case. There could be an acceleration or slowing down in the process,” Mr Esposito said. “Renewables represent, from a technical and economic perspective, the solution for climate change,” he said. “I don’t think any government could deny that today wind and solar are cheaper than other technologies, and are faster in reaching the phase of deployment and construction and then supply of renewable energy.” NSW had suffered some planning delays that had hit investment but there had been a “strong improvement” in the past 12 to 18 months, he said. The company also has a stake in Queensland, particularly in the north’s Copperstring area, where the recently elected LNP government has pledged to stick by a massive transmission project begun under Labor. Enel won the bidding in 2024 to develop renewable energy to power a vanadium mining and processing project, which is one of a number of giant resources projects intended to be connected to the $9 billion Copperstring transmission line from Townsville to Mt Isa. WA offered a “huge opportunity” for the deployment of wind farms and battery energy storage systems, Mr Esposito said. With a decades-long footprint in Australia’s north and west, INPEX is Japan’s largest fossil fuel exploration and production company. Under pressure to reduce its global contribution to climate change, INPEX is already developing the production of liquid hydrogen and ammonia. “They elected Australia as the market to start diversification of the energy mix and huge investment in renewables,” Mr Esposito said. “Of course in this regard, Australia is the place to be,” he said. Enel and INPEX joined forces in a share purchase agreement in 2023, with the renewables business operating plants comprising 310 megawatts of solar capacity across South Australia and Victoria and a 75MW wind farm in Western Australia. A 93MW solar farm is under commissioning in Victoria and financial close was recently announced for a hybrid 98MW solar and 20MW battery project in NSW. But with international firms lining up to exploit clean energy resources, Australians living alongside projects are demanding a share of future profits through community funds, power bill rebates and other benefits. “The energy transition should be just. To be just it means that you need to support the communities and involve the communities in a proper way,” Mr Esposito said. He said Enel was proud of its legacy in providing support to areas facing a changing landscape and the impact of new infrastructure, including community funds, a focus on local hiring and providing training to support new jobs. “It’s an approach that is, for us, absolutely a pillar of our strategy,” he said. “We are still facing some regulatory ambiguity in what a social licence means, and we are trying to be a leader in the industry in helping and supporting all the key stakeholders in determining and defining what it is.”

Four in 10 rectification orders issued by the Building Commission to builders of standalone houses were not complied with inside the mandated period, amid warnings of widespread defects across greenfield construction in Sydney’s southwest. Data obtained by the Herald under NSW freedom of information laws provides a snapshot of the Building Commission’s first-year foray into regulating the construction of residential standalone houses, known as class-one buildings, after new powers legislated in late 2023 boosted the scope and funding of the agency beyond apartments. Homes with defective work are often not being rectified in an acceptable time frame. Credit: Jessica Hromas Cowboy home builders operating in tough financial conditions have forced the commission to suspend and cancel a spate of licences after defects were found across dozens of sites. Rectification orders are issued where building work is non-compliant as a means of remediating the problem before it becomes a serious defect. The data comes at a time the state needs to build 378,000 homes by July 2029. Premier Chris Minns has previously insisted the eye-watering quantity required will not come at the cost of quality, with the building commission empowered to try to prevent a repeat of the Mascot and Opal Towers debacle . Figures provided by the Department of Customer Service show 3339 complaints were received in relation to standalone houses between January 1 and October 8 this year, resulting in 897 inspections. Of those, the commission issued 319 rectification orders, and 126 were not complied with inside the designated period. The new building commissioner, James Sherrard, told the Herald that he did not believe the proportion of rectification orders disobeyed represented a compliance problem for the regulator. New building commissioner James Sherrard does not believe the number of rectification orders ignored represents a compliance problem Credit: Janie Barrett “I don’t believe we do. I mean, you can look at statistics a number of different ways. One in three have already been complied with, I think that is a better way of saying. Some won’t be complied with because the builder has gone under, or some such thing like that,” he said. Sherrard said “a lot of” rectification orders could not be complied with until the project was complete. “So the order is effective in ensuring that we have a solution to the problem, albeit that the strict time frame of the order is there to ensure that we get that adherence,” he said. Loading The Building Commission had also slapped 216 home building licenses with conditions in the first 10 months of the year, limiting their work to apartments. Aggrieved clients of builders have previously questioned the effectiveness of Building Commission-issued rectification orders, finding there was little consequence for builders who defied the compliance measures unless there was a commitment to pursue them legally. Home owners and building commission sources said, in some cases, the cost of defying rectification orders had been baked into the costs for builders, who preferred to be fined and then gamble that financially stressed clients would not have the means to seek remedy through the courts. “Builders would ask if they could pay fines on Amex,” a building commission inspector told this masthead on the condition of anonymity. The source estimated that 75 per cent of houses being constructed would have at least 10 defects, including major issues such as waterproofing or structural issues, pointing to poor education of tradespeople as the driving force behind defects. Chandler has been heartbroken by the state of some of the buildings he has investigated. Credit: Kate Geraghty In August, former building commissioner David Chandler told the Illawarra Mercury there was a “deep denial about the quality of home construction”. Inspections of class-one buildings since last December showed there was “widespread, statewide non-compliant construction going on”. Loading Grahame McCulloch, a third-party building inspector who worked with a number of customers of Punjabi film producer turned home builder Sippy Grewal, said the amount of defective building work was “very, very widespread” in the parts of Sydney’s south-western greenfield fringe where he operated. McCulloch attributed the shoddy workmanship to accelerated learning pathways for tradespeople, leaving a broader pool of underqualified workers to choose from. 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 . Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. License this article Construction NSW Fair Trading For subscribers Max Maddison is a state political reporter at The Sydney Morning Herald. Most Viewed in Politics Loading‘We Pushed All Our Rebels Out’: Van Jones Unloads On Dems Over Shoving RFK Jr., Musk, Rogan Away From PartyRevealed: Eyewatering £37BILLION cost of Ed Miliband's green crusade to make Britain Net Zero by 2029Yubo, which bills itself as a “live social discovery platform,” has released a new case study showing how they have achieved “100 percent age verification globally – for all users” using tech from . says it uses group livestreaming, messaging, and an intuitive swipe feature to create social communities. Since its founding in France in 2015 as Yellow, the company has amassed 80 million downloads and is used in more than 140 countries. Its target audience is Gen Z, typically considered to be those born after 1997. For social media platforms, skewing young increasingly means contending with , as legislators globally try to curb the proven ways in which social media harms youth. The most high-profile case to date is in Australia, where regulators have passed an banning users under 16 from using most social media platforms. In Yubo’s case, there are added stakes. The platform separates users into different “communities” based on age, meaning there’s added incentive to make sure teenage users don’t end up interacting with grizzled men in their 60s – especially when Ofcom says one third of children have lied about their date of birth to be registered as over 18 when accessing . That’s probably why Yubo operates on the principle of safety-by-design. The case study says “the app has a notable track record of rolling out innovative features and policies proactively to mitigate risks and enhance the user experience.” Yoti’s facial age estimation plays a big role in mitigating risk. Integrated with Yubo , it works a bit differently than your standard age estimation scheme (for example, one that guesses a user is over 18 and therefore allowed to access ). In Yubo’s case, users provide a date of birth on sign-up, and Yoti’s analyzes a live in-app selfie video to determine whether the face matches the declared age. Basically, the tool makes sure people are as old as they say they are. That said, it is also an effective age gate, thanks to the high accuracy of Yoti’s facial age estimation across age groups – including whether someone is under or over 13, the legally required age to use Yubo. To date, Yoti has performed more than 290 million for Yubo. The firm says around 87 percent of people are able to successfully verify their age at first attempt. If Yoti can’t find a match in comparing a selfie to a birth date, it moves on to further measures, which can include providing a new live image for review by a Yubo safety specialist. The caution is paying off, both in terms of safety and user satisfaction. The firm claims an October 2024 survey shows that more than 79 percent of Yubo users say they feel more safe on Yubo compared to other social platforms because of the app’s measures. More than 60 percent say age estimation has “a positive impact on their overall user experience on the app.” Beyond being secure in the knowledge that no one is lying about their age, the live video requirement for Yoti’s facial has helped Yubo reduce the number of bots and fake accounts by confirming every account belongs to a real person. Yubo says establishing facial age estimation requirements platform-wide makes it the first social app in the world to have age assurance for 100 percent of its users. It attributes its growth in part to how it puts trust at the center of the user experience, noting how age estimation boosts user engagement and retention by prioritizing safety, trust and satisfaction. Yubo CEO Sacha Lazimi says he is “proud that Yubo’s continued growth after almost a decade in the highly competitive landscape of social apps can stand as a symbol of our philosophy that user safety needs and business objectives do not have to be at odds with one another.” Yoti, meanwhile, announced in a recent blog that it has reached the milestone of for its Digital ID apps. The takeaway message from Yubo and Yoti’s partnership is that, while age assurance measures are often seen as a necessity forced on businesses by draconian looking to stifle growth, they can actually provide firms with strategic advantages. According to Juniper Research, experts have predicted that the number of checks will surpass 70 billion by the end of 2024. Perhaps age assurance is destined to be the Alligator Pear of the twenty-first century: distrusted at first as a little unappealing, but soon embraced everywhere as that versatile and beloved staple, the . | | | | | | |

Agilent Technologies Inc. stock falls Wednesday, underperforms marketAmid a recent 6.5% drop in XRP price over the past week, Ripple millionaires, once thriving on XRP’s bullish momentum, now appear to be reevaluating their strategies. In the wake of this turbulence, WallitIQ (WLTQ) , a groundbreaking AI-driven DeFi token priced at just $0.0243 , has emerged as a promising alternative. This DeFi token has already drawn $2 million in investments from Ripple millionaires, signaling a notable shift in focus toward innovative opportunities. With its ongoing presale nearly 90% sold out, experts are predicting a staggering 50,000% surge by January 2025, making it an unmissable chance for profit-centred investors. To secure an early position and prepare for the potential 50,000% rally, join the WallitIQ (WLTQ) presale now before tokens sell out. XRP Price In Hot Water: Are Ripple Millionaires Seeing The Writing On The Wall? Currently trading around $2, the XRP price trajectory has raised concerns among Ripple millionaires following a 6% decline in value over the past week. As XRP price continues to struggle to hold the $2 threshold, Ripple millionaires, known for their strategic investments, have redirected $2 million toward a promising DeFi token, WallitIQ (WLTQ). WallitIQ (WLTQ) has become a favored choice for Ripple millionaires, thanks to its potential to surpass XRP price with a staggering 50,000% surge. Also, its ongoing presale offers each WLTQ DeFi token at just $0.0243 , presenting an attractive entry point savvy investors can only dream of. As Ripple millionaires look beyond the unpredictable XRP price and recognize the transformative potential of this innovative DeFi token, this is an opportunity not to be missed. Secure a stake in WallitIQ (WLTQ) now before the presale ends. $2 Million Bet On WallitIQ (WLTQ): The DeFi Token Poised For 50,000% Gains By January 2025 As the XRP price continues to grapple with uncertainty, WallitIQ (WLTQ) emerges as a more affordable and potentially lucrative investment path, drawing significant attention from disgruntled Ripple millionaires and investors worldwide. Priced at just $0.0243 in its current presale stage, WallitIQ (WLTQ) has already secured a $2 million investment from Ripple millionaires, further boosting confidence and driving the presale closer to a full subscription. With this surge in investment, WallitIQ (WLTQ) has raised over $3 million and sold more than 150 million tokens, underscoring the immense growth potential of this promising DeFi token. The DeFi token’s unique utility facilitates real-world crypto payments through an innovative Scan & Pay QR feature. Combined with its advanced AI-powered wallet and a projected 50,000% surge, WallitIQ (WLTQ) has the potential to turn a $1,000 investment into $500,000 by January 2025. WallitIQ (WLTQ) doesn’t stop there. This DeFi token presale offers unlimited referral bonuses, staking rewards of up to 180% APY , nearly zero swapping fees, reserved airdrops, and much more. It also provides predictive analytics tools to forecast market trends with an automated portfolio management system that simplifies asset management. WallitIQ (WLTQ) demonstrates its reliability with an extensive SolidProof audit and its unbeatable security profile. This platform is protected by AES and ECC encryption systems, Escrow Connect, and AI-driven behavioral analysis tools with sophisticated P2D technology . Ripple millionaires have recognized WallitIQ’s (WLTQ) unparalleled potential, and with less than 10% of WLTQ tokens left, the window of opportunity to join them is closing fast. Act now to claim a piece of this innovative DeFi token. Be Part Of The Future: WallitIQ’s (WLTQ) Presale Is Your Gateway To 50,000% Gains The ongoing WallitIQ (WLTQ) presale presents a rare opportunity to hedge against XRP price volatility while capitalizing on the next big altcoin surge. Imagine being part of an ecosystem where growth isn’t a gamble but a calculated opportunity. Ripple millionaires have already staked their claim, understanding the transformative potential of this DeFi token. With a listing price set to rise 400% above the current presale price and with top exchange listings on the horizon, WallitIQ (WLTQ) is set up to deliver immediate potential gains. This isn’t a chance that waits for the indecisive. Tokens are almost sold out, and the presale price is set to increase to $0.0420 once the remaining 10% is claimed. Secure WallitIQ (WLTQ) tokens today or miss out on a potential 50,000% ROI. Join the WallitIQ (WLTQ) presale and community: Join WallitIQ (WLTQ) Presale Join the WallitIQ (WLTQ) CommunityFormer Tulane quarterback Darian Mensah has already found a new program in Duke, while Mississippi State's Michael Van Buren Jr., Wisconsin's Braedyn Locke and Cal's Fernando Mendoza are exploring changes of their own in the transfer portal. Mensah, a redshirt freshman with three years of eligibility remaining, told ESPN on Wednesday he has transferred to Duke. He attended the Blue Devils men's basketball game against Incarnate Word on Tuesday night. The Blue Devils (9-3) will face Mississippi in the Gator Bowl, but without 2024 starting quarterback Maalik Murphy and backup Grayson Loftis, who also entered the portal. Mensah, viewed as one of the top players in the portal, threw for 2,723 yards and 22 touchdowns and completed 65.9% of his passes. He led the Green Wave to a 9-4 record and the American Athletic Conference championship game, where they lost 35-14 to Army. Tulane will play Florida in the Gasparilla Bowl on Sunday. Van Buren, Mendoza and Locke announced on social media they had entered the portal. Van Buren started eight games as a true freshmen for the Bulldogs. He threw for 1,886 yards on 55% passing with 16 total touchdowns and seven interceptions for the Bulldogs (2-10, 0-8 Southeastern Conference). He took over as the starter when Blake Shapen suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in a 45-28 loss to Florida on Sept. 21. Shapen has said he plans to return next season. Van Buren, a 6-foot-1, 200-pound passer from St. Frances Academy in Maryland, had two 300-yard performances for the Bulldogs, including 306 yards and three touchdown passes in a 41-31 road loss against Georgia. Mendoza threw for 3,004 yards in 2024 with 16 TDs, six interceptions and a 68.7 completion percentage. "For the sake of my football future this is the decision I have reached," he posted. Locke passed for 1,936 yards with 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions for Wisconsin this season. He said he will have two years of eligibility remaining at his next school. ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan cornerback Will Johnson has joined defensive tackle Mason Graham in the NFL draft. Johnson declared for the draft on Wednesday, one day after Graham decided he would also skip his senior season with the Wolverines. Both preseason All-America players are expected to be first-round picks. Johnson was limited to six games this year due to an injury. He had two interceptions, returning them both for touchdowns to set a school record with three scores off interceptions. Johnson picked off nine passes in three seasons. Graham played in all 12 games this season, finishing with 3 1/2 sacks and seven tackles for losses. He had 18 tackles for losses, including nine sacks, in his three-year career. Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson is The Associated Press offensive player of the year in the Southeastern Conference and South Carolina defensive lineman Kyle Kennard is the top defensive player. Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia was voted the top newcomer on Wednesday while the Gamecocks' Shane Beamer is coach of the year in voting by the panel of 17 media members who cover the league. Sampson led the SEC and set school records by rushing for 1,485 yards and 22 touchdowns. He is tied for third nationally in rushing touchdowns, recording the league's fifth-most in a season. Sampson was chosen on all but two ballots. Mississippi wide receiver Tre Harris and his quarterback, Jaxson Dart, each got a vote. Kennard led the SEC with 11-1/2 sacks and 15-1/2 tackles for loss. He also had 10 quarterback hurries and forced three fumbles. Beamer led the Gamecocks to just their fifth nine-win season, including a school-record four wins over Top 25 opponents. They've won their last six games and ended the regular season with a win over eventual ACC champion Clemson. South Carolina plays Illinois on Dec. 31 in the Citrus Bowl. Pavia helped lead Vandy to its first bowl game since 2018 after transferring from New Mexico State. He passed for 2,133 yards and 17 touchdowns with four interceptions. He ran for another 716 yards and six touchdowns, directing an upset of Alabama. AMES, Iowa — Matt Campbell, who led Iowa State to its first 10-win season and became the program's all-time leader in coaching victories, has agreed to an eight-year contract that would keep him with the Cyclones through 2032. University president Wendy Wintersteen and athletic director Jamie Pollard made the announcement Wednesday, four days after the Cyclones lost to Arizona State in the Big 12 championship game. “Given all the uncertainty currently facing college athletics, it was critical that we moved quickly to solidify the future of our football program,” Pollard said. “Matt is the perfect fit for Iowa State University and I am thrilled he wants to continue to lead our program. Leadership continuity is essential to any organization’s long-term success." The Cyclones won their first seven games for their best start since 1938 and are 10-3 heading into their game against Miami in the Pop Tarts Bowl in Orlando, Florida, on Dec. 28. BRIEFLY FLAG PLANT: Ohio Republican state Rep. Josh Williams said Wednesday on social media he's introducing a bill to make flag planting in sports a felony in the state. His proposal comes after the Nov. 30 fight at the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry football game when the Wolverines beat the Buckeyes 13-10 and then attempted to plant their flag at midfield. MALZAHN: Gus Malzahn, who resigned as UCF’s coach last month to become Mike Norvell’s offensive coordinator at Florida State, said he chose to return to his coaching roots rather than remain a head coach distracted by a myriad of responsibilities. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!

The Best AI Stock to Invest $500 in Right NowDemise of ‘woke’ would make society poorer

Trump says he can't guarantee tariffs won't raise US prices and won't rule out revenge prosecutionsThe five largest asset managers in the world are falling short of expected Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) commitments, according to a new report by the Global Unions’ Committee on Workers’ Capital (CWC). These five asset managers – BlackRock, Vanguard, Fidelity Investments, State Street Global Advisors, and J.P. Morgan Asset Management – are all U.S. based. Four of these five asset managers are among the top 40 money managers in Canada, according to the bi-annual report by the Canadian Institutional Investment Network. BlackRock is the second largest money manager in Canada, holding roughly $147.4 billion in Canadian Pension Assets in 2023. Fidelity is the sixth largest money manager in Canada and held about $37.3 billion in pension assets. In 2022, the CWC established baseline expectations it has for asset managers on fundamental labour rights. Asset managers are expected to engage with the corporations in which they have invested to ensure the elimination of forced or compulsory labour, the abolition of child labour, a safe and healthy working environment, the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation, and freedom of association, and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining. The world’s top five asset managers showed less than 22 per cent alignment with the CWC view for 2024 shareholder resolutions promoting freedom of association and collective bargaining. In contrast, top asset managers based outside of the U.S. showed a 71 per cent alignment with the CWC views. Given these numbers, the CWC is calling on workers to contact their client relationship manager and to the head of ESGstewardship at their asset managers, and ask that they review the report and respond to the key findings. ESG policies within a company can be greatly influenced by large asset managers, according to the CWC, because these managers are often the largest shareholders within a company. As such, asset managers have the capacity to vote for better labour practices or more concern for the environment. However, some asset companies do not make their level of commitment to ESG issues publicly available. While BlackRock, Canada’s second largest money manager, discloses the names of all the companies they engage with on an annual or quarterly basis, Fidelity Investments does not. Capitalists against ESG commitments often employ the argument that companies belong to the shareholders, not the community. A report by the American Institute for Economic Research criticized ESG advocates because they bring too many “conflicting” goals under one umbrella. They say ESG criteria are often vague and difficult to measure. This has been particularly true with attempts to create financially “superior” ESG index funds. The CWC argues that since pension assets are largely made up of payments from workers’ the management of these assets should reflect workers’ interests. As well, freedom of association and freedom to form trade unions are rights everyone is entitled to under the UN’s International Bill of Human Rights. Support rabble today! We’re so glad you stopped by! Thanks for consuming rabble content this year. rabble.ca is 100% reader and donor funded, so as an avid reader of our content, we hope you will consider gifting rabble with a donation during our summer fundraiser today. Nick Seebruch, editor Whether it be a one-time donation or a small monthly contribution, your support is critical to keep rabble writers producing the work you’ve come to rely on as a part of a healthy media diet. Become a rabble rouser — donate to rabble.ca today. Nick Seebruch, editor Support rabble.caNone

NoneWilliam M . Coli: Reality check

School districts throughout Schuylkill County will benefit from recent state grants that are intended to increase safety and security in schools and improve mental health among students, officials announced this week. The grants from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency were approved for the Mahanoy Area, Shenandoah Valley and North Schuylkill school districts, as well as Schuylkill Intermediate Unit 29 and the Schuylkill Technology Center campuses in Frackville and Marlin. The amounts are:North Schuylkill – $140,139Shenandoah Valley – $123,289Mahanoy Area – $121,155Schuylkill IU – $70,000Schuylkill Technology Center – $70,000 The Schuylkill IU is using its grant to help pay the costs of a board-certified behavioral analyst who serves students with special needs in all 12 public school districts that belong to the IU. In that role is Randy Lattis, who began this school year and will continue at least through next school year thanks to the grant, said Shannon Brennan, assistant executive director of the IU. The mental health issues of students across the county have risen since the COVID-19 pandemic, Brennan said, and Lattis helps students whose struggles require intervention. He develops support plans for those with behavioral or emotional issues, physical disabilities and other issues that result in a diagnosis, she said. “He’s been a huge asset,” she said. The north and south campuses of the Schuylkill Training Center recently created the position of health and safety coordinator, which its grant is helping to pay for through next school year, Brennan said. In addition to tracking health data in that role, Jennifer Fritz helps students deal with stress and emotional issues, connects them with county resources outside of school, and works on school health and safety plans, including protocols for fire drills and evacuations. Meanwhile, the Mahanoy Area School District is putting half of its grant towards the salary of a staff social worker, who is in place this school year and will continue next school year. The social worker primarily provides mental health services to junior and senior high school students and occasionally works with elementary students. They also address student crisis situations as needed, with student mental health needs having increased significantly since the pandemic, said Jack Hurst, business administrator and school safety and security coordinator. The rest of Mahanoy’s grant money will be used to install safety posts known as bollards in front of its elementary school as a security measure to prevent vehicles from driving into the building, Hurst said. That will bring the school in line with state safety requirements, he said. “These funds allow us to do things we otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford,” he said. Shenandoah will use its grant to add more exterior and interior security cameras across its elementary and secondary campus, and to cover part of the costs of the district’s two police officers, who began last year and will continue at least through next school year, said Brian Waite, superintendent. North Schuylkill will use its grant to hire a second armed security guard for its elementary and junior-senior high school buildings for the next year, and for physical upgrades to the buildings, including improving security at both school entrances, and installing a mass notification system to be used internally in case of crisis, said Robert Ackell, superintendent. Statewide, the financial awards were among the $120 million issued through the school safety grants program package appropriated in Pennsylvania’s 2024-25 budget, officials said. Along with the public school grants, nearly $20 million was awarded to nonpublic schools, municipalities, law enforcement agencies, and approved security vendors supplying school security personnel services to schools. “Our kids can’t focus on learning if we aren’t meeting the basic need for safety within the walls of their schools and making sure students’ mental health needs are met,” said Lt. Gov. Austin Davis, chair of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, and also the School Safety and Security Committee. “This program is more than funding—it’s about investing in the well-being of our kids and giving peace of mind to their families and school staff who are dedicated to helping them learn and grow.”AutoZone Inc. stock underperforms Wednesday when compared to competitorsUS President-elect Donald Trump doubled down on Sunday on hard-line campaign pledges to impose trade tariffs and carry out mass deportations while dangling the idea that the United States could withdraw from Nato after he takes office next month. In his first formal television interview since the election — and just six weeks before Inauguration Day — Trump again signalled that US support for Ukraine will scale back, saying he will “probably” cut the aid helping Kyiv repel Russia’s invasion. The president-elect also said he would “very quickly” look at pardons for supporters jailed for storming the US Capitol after his 2020 election defeat to Joe Biden. The interview on NBC’s ‘Meet the Press with Kristen Welker’ was recorded on Friday but aired on Sunday, following Trump’s meetings with the presidents of France and Ukraine over the weekend — his first foreign trip since winning the November election against Vice President Kamala Harris. Trump reiterated his familiar threat to leave Nato, the cornerstone of security in Europe since World War II, saying that US allies do not pay enough for their defence. “If they’re paying their bills, and if I think they’re treating us fairly, the answer is absolutely I’d stay with Nato,” said. But there is also “absolutely” the possibility of America’s departure, he said. He also stressed that his campaign promises of huge tariffs — including against top US trading partners Canada, Mexico and China — will be enacted.“We’re subsidising Mexico and we’re subsidising Canada and we’re subsidising many countries all over the world,” he said. Vowing that “properly used” tariffs are “a very powerful tool,” Trump added that he would not only wield them economically, “but also for getting other things outside of economics.” As to whether Americans would see higher prices as a result of those tariffs, Trump said, “I can’t guarantee anything.” The Republican also said he would go ahead with what economists say could be the hugely disruptive mass deportation of undocumented immigrants in the United States. “I think you have to do it, and it’s a hard — it’s a very tough thing to do,” he said. He also said he would try to end the “ridiculous” constitutionally protected right to US citizenship for anyone born in the country. The Republican offered a small olive branch to advocates for allowing some undocumented migrants — a key source of labour for much of the US economy — to stay. Trump said “I will work with the Democrats” on the so-called “ dreamers ” — people who have grown up in the United States after entering the country illegally as young children. However, Trump suggested that even US citizens could be deported if they have family members who are in the country illegally — a legally dubious move and a major escalation of the current policy if carried out. “The only way you don’t break up the family is you keep them together and you have to send them all back,” he said. Trump, who was impeached by Congress and criminally charged over his historic attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 election, once again refused to admit he lost that vote. “No, why would I do that?” he said. He also said that members of Congress who investigated him over the January 6, 2021, insurrection by his supporters “should go to jail.” While stressing that he would not personally order law enforcement bodies to prosecute his political enemies, he said officials could take the decision to do so themselves. Asked whether his pick to head the FBI, Kash Patel , should go through with his frequent threats to go after political opponents, Trump answered: “If they think that somebody was dishonest or crooked or a corrupt politician, I think he probably has an obligation to do it.” Trump said he will have “the absolute right” to prosecute domestic opponents because as president “I’m the chief law enforcement officer.” However, he said he was “not interested in that” and would instead work for economic growth and an end to illegal immigration so that his “retribution will be through success”.

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