wow 888

wow 888 。

SANTA CLARA — No Brock Purdy. No Nick Bosa. No chance for the 49ers on Sunday in Green Bay? “We’re missing two good players definitely but we’ll have a lot of good players out there,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan countered. “By no means do we not have a chance to win. We’ll fight our tails off. We’ll expect a real good game.” Purdy’s throwing-shoulder soreness will force him to miss his first game due to injury since becoming the 49ers’ starting quarterback nearly two years ago, and that thrusts ninth-year journeyman Brandon Allen into his 10th career start and first since 2021 with Cincinnati. Bosa’s oblique and hip injuries will sideline him for his first game of this wobbly season. Also ruled out were cornerback Charvarius Ward (personal), return specialist Jacob Cowing (concussion), defensive tackle Kevin Givens (groin) and linebacker Tatum Bethune (knee), while left tackle Trent Williams (ankle) is questionable as a game-time decision for a second straight game. Tight end George Kittle (hamstring) and running back Christian McCaffrey (Achilles) are good to go for an offense that must make do without Purdy at the NFL’s most historic venue. Allen, who last threw a regular-season pass in 2022 as Joe Burrow’s backup in Cincinnati, will guide the 49ers’ offense in a key game as San Francisco aims to make a playoff push. “It’s an opportunity,” Allen said. “The circumstances are what they are. Our team all year long, we’ve been dealing with injuries here or there. It’s been a big next-man-up mentality. It’s definitely an opportunity for me to go out, play well, put our guys in a good position to win the game. “Obviously we want Brock back and healthy and all that,” Allen added. “For the time being, it is an opportunity for me.” Josh Dobbs, who lost out to Allen in training camp and the preseason for the QB2 role, will serve in that capacity Sunday at Lambeau Field, where neither quarterback has played a regular-season game. Rookie Tanner Mordecai likely will be elevated from the practice squad Saturday to serve as the emergency No. 3 quarterback. Purdy wore a resigned, dour expression but offered upbeat words as he walked through the locker room, saying: “We’re all good.” This is not how Shanahan scripted it earlier in the week. “(Purdy) got the MRI on Monday, we thought he just needed some rest and really weren’t concerned about not being there this week,” Shanahan said Friday. “I don’t want to say there’s long-term concern,” Shanahan said Friday. “We got the MRI on Monday. We thought he just needed some rest and really weren’t concerned about him not being good this week.” Purdy rested his arm Wednesday, then left the practice field Thursday after a few light throws. “It surprised him, surprised us how it felt, so we had to shut him down,” Shanahan said. “The MRI doesn’t look like (it’s serious) so it should be alright. But the way it responded this week, it’s really up in the air for next week. We’ll have to see on Monday.” The 49ers follow this week’s trip at Green Bay with a prime-time appearance next Sunday, Dec. 1 in Buffalo. “I know this is like the first time Brock’s missed a game probably in his life,” Allen said. “He’s a tough guy and I’m not too worried about it. I don’t think any of our guys are. He’ll rehab and get back as fast as he can.” No one is saying when Purdy got hurt in Sunday’s 20-17 loss to Seattle, whether it was from diving for the goal line on his first-quarter touchdown scramble or later in the game. Shanahan did note that Purdy struggled to keep his shoulder loose and threw on the sideline, then the pain intensified after the game and into Monday. “It was somewhere during that Seattle game and I’m not sure Brock knows,” general manager John Lynch said on KNBR. “He fought through it through the course of the game. I did see him during the course of the game, anytime there was a pause, he kept throwing. At that point, you’re feeling something but he was so focused on trying to win.” Shanahan lauded Allen as a “really good thrower” who “runs our offense well” and that “guys believe in him.” The feeling is mutual on Allen’s side, as he explained what it was like as Purdy’s stand-in on the starting unit in practice this week: “It’s been a blessing to have them in the huddle with me and the leadership that’s in the huddle, so I can just come in and fill the spot for Brock for now, just try to make some plays and get the ball in their hands.” Added Shanahan: “It’s not a big game-plan adjustment. This is something we didn’t think would happen early in the week. We were fully preparing for Brock to go.” The Packers prepared that way, too. Allen is no total stranger, however. Packers coach Matt LaFleur told reporters Friday in Green Bay, prior to Purdy’s no-show practice: “I know Brandon. I was with him in L.A. (in 2017). He’s been in the league a long time. But I wouldn’t expect their offense to change a whole bunch.” BOSA WILL REMAIN HOME While Purdy traveled with the 49ers to Green Bay, Bosa was staying behind to rehabilitate the upper-body injuries that forced him to miss Sunday’s fourth-quarter collapse against Seattle. It will be the first game Bosa has missed since Oct. 16, 2022 with a groin injury. The 49ers lost a road game that day to Atlanta 28-14 during a season in which Bosa was the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year. Sam Okuayinonu figures to make his first career start in place of Bosa while Leonard Floyd makes his 11th start at the other defensive end slot. WILLIAMS QUESTIONABLE Williams, with the help of a pain-killing injection, made it through the Seattle loss at what he said afterwards was 65 percent. Although listed as questionable, Shanahan reiterated Williams’ status could go right up to kickoff. Jaylon Moore likely would start in place of Williams, if needed. WARD BACK NEXT WEEK? Ward, mourning the death of his 23-month-old daughter, was declared out but Shanahan hoped to have the All-Pro cornerback next week when the 49ers visit Buffalo. “He’s taken three full weeks off,” Shanahan said. “It’s not like dealing with all that stuff he’s getting workouts in and all that. We’re just happy to get him back in the building this week. We don’t want to put any pressure on him, hopefully he’ll be good to go next week.” Among those listed as questionable is guard/center Jon Feliciano, whose 21-day window of practicing while on injured reserve is about to expire. If the 49ers don’t put Feliciano on the 53-man roster by Monday, he’ll spend the rest of the season on injured reserve. PACKERS INJURIES Cornerback Jaire Alexander (knee) was ruled out after being unable to practice all week, and linebacker Edgerrin Cooper (hamstring) also will not suit up for Green Bay’s defense. Defensive tackle Colby Wooden is questionable as the only other Packers player on their injury report.

CV Sciences, Inc. Enters Into Definitive Agreement to Acquire Extract Labs

NEW YORK — U.S. stocks tiptoed to more records during a mixed Tuesday of trading, tacking a touch more onto what’s already been a stellar year. The S&P 500 edged up 2 points, or less than 0.1%, to set an all-time high for the 55th time this year. It’s climbed in 10 of the past 11 days and is on track for one of its best years since the turn of the millennium. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 76 points, or 0.2%, while the Nasdaq composite added 0.4% to its own record set a day earlier. AT&T rose 4.6% after it boosted its profit forecast for the year. It also announced a $10 billion plan to send cash to its investors by buying back its own stock, while saying it expects to authorize another $10 billion of repurchases in 2027. On the losing end of Wall Street was U.S. Steel, which fell 8%. President-elect Donald Trump reiterated on social media that he would not let Japan’s Nippon Steel take over the iconic Pennsylvania steelmaker. Nippon Steel announced plans in December 2023 to buy the Pittsburgh-based steel producer for $14.1 billion in cash, raising concerns about what the transaction could mean for unionized workers, supply chains and U.S. national security. Earlier this year, President Joe Biden also came out against the acquisition. Tesla sank 1.6% after a judge in Delaware reaffirmed a previous ruling that the electric car maker must revoke Elon Musk’s multibillion-dollar pay package. The judge denied a request by attorneys for Musk and Tesla’s corporate directors to vacate her ruling earlier this year requiring the company to rescind the unprecedented pay package. All told, the S&P 500 rose 2.73 points to 6,049.88. The Dow fell 76.47 to 44,705.53, and the Nasdaq composite gained 76.96 to 19,480.91. In the bond market, Treasury yields held relatively steady after a report showed U.S. employers were advertising slightly more job openings at the end of October than a month earlier. Continued strength there would raise optimism that the economy could remain out of a recession that many investors had earlier worried was inevitable. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.23% from 4.20% from late Monday. Yields have seesawed since Election Day amid worries that Trump’s preferences for lower tax rates and bigger tariffs could spur higher inflation along with economic growth. But traders remain confident the Federal Reserve will cut its main interest rate again at its next meeting in two weeks. They’re betting on a nearly 3-in-4 chance of that, according to data from CME Group. Lower rates can give the economy more juice, but they can also give inflation more fuel. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

This article is part of HuffPost’s biweekly politics newsletter. Click here to subscribe . A hallmark of Donald Trump ’s first presidency was the way major policy developments would sometimes get almost no attention, because they were competing with the flurry of higher-profile, sometimes mind-blowing controversies swirling around him and his team. Evidently Trump’s second presidency is going to unfold in the same way. For the past week, the political world has focused mostly on the controversies over Trump’s planned appointments for top positions in his administration. And that’s understandable, given his plan to put the nation’s health in the hands of a noted vaccine skeptic and to hand the national intelligence apparatus over to someone who likes to repeat talking points from Russian propaganda . But that conversation has left virtually no space for discussion about policy changes — including one that should raise a lot of questions about exactly whose interests Trump will represent in government and exactly who has influence over him. The policy in question is a federal tax credit for buyers of new electric vehicles. It exists thanks to the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, President Joe Biden’s signature legislative accomplishment, and is part of that law’s effort to reduce reliance on fossil fuels by promoting EV use. Last week Reuters reported that Trump’s transition team was recommending he ask Congress to kill the tax credit. And while Trump has not said anything publicly, auto industry leaders and investors saw the report as a trial balloon and indicator of what the president-elect is likely to do. It was not exactly a shocking development. Trump has been speaking out against Democratic support of EVs ― or what he has called, deceptively, an “ electric vehicle mandate ” ― for years. Especially when speaking in states like Michigan, cradle of America’s auto industry, he has portrayed the EV effort as elite Democrats imposing a tree-hugging agenda that will ruin the U.S. auto industry and, in the process, wipe out jobs for U.S. workers. Still, Trump never said explicitly whether he’d actually seek to eliminate the tax credit. And there were reasons to think he might not pursue the idea after the election. One is that a number of House Republicans support the EV incentives. Many come from places like Georgia, Ohio, Indiana and Nevada ― states that Trump won and where the EV effort has led to a boom in factory construction. The recent EV push has “created good jobs in many parts of the country — including many districts represented by members of our conference,” the House members wrote in a summer letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) Then there are the feelings of the auto industry itself. Both Ford and General Motors, the two legacy car companies still based in Detroit, have supported the tax credit because they think a global shift towards EVs is inevitable. The real question now, they argue, is not whether there will be many more EVs in the future, but who will produce and sell them. The U.S. carmakers are particularly worried about losing ground to Chinese companies. Thanks to two decades of financial support from their own government, Chinese carmakers can now produce EVs more cheaply and, as a result, are poised to dominate the worldwide market. The new federal tax credit, worth up to $7,500 per vehicle but only valid for EVs produced here in the U.S., is giving Ford and GM a chance to compete on a more even playing field among U.S. consumers. Good jobs in the districts of House Republicans, a chance to help American industry compete with China ― those sure sound like ideas that might resonate with Trump. But those aren’t the only appeals Trump is hearing. He’s also hearing from some of his biggest, and richest, allies. And they have a very different view. Hamm, Musk And EVs One of the co-leaders of the transition team on EV policy, according to Reuters, is Harold Hamm , a billionaire oil tycoon who was a prodigious Trump fundraiser during the campaign (and donated plenty of his own money, too). Hamm opposes support for EVs, whose growth over the long term would reduce demand for gasoline ― i.e., the financial lifeblood of his enterprises. Elon Musk, another Trump megadonor, also has the president-elect’s ear. And although Musk is the CEO of Tesla, the nation’s top electric carmaker, Musk has said his company doesn’t need the subsidies because it’s not trying to retool from making gas-powered cars and isn’t at the same disadvantage internationally as the legacy Detroit automakers. “I think it would be devastating for our competitors and for Tesla slightly,” Musk told investors over the summer. But he said that in the “long term, it probably helps” Tesla if Trump does away with the tax credit, since that could allow Tesla to more thoroughly dominate the U.S. market. Corey Cantor , a senior auto industry analyst at BloombergNEF, told HuffPost he thinks Tesla sales benefit from the tax credits more than Musk lets on. But he agrees Tesla has “far more flexibility” and would suffer less. One reason for that is that Musk has fought unionization at his auto plants and, according to outside analysts, pays his workers less than competitors . A major goal of the Biden EV push was to support unionized companies in the U.S. and, in the process, guarantee better pay for manufacturing workers. It’s impossible to know just how much Trump’s opposition to the EV tax credit reflects the influence of Hamm and Musk, given his own longstanding skepticism of measures to prevent climate change. But Trump has a lengthy , well-chronicled history of heeding or helping donors who want policy favors, or offering them positions in his administration. And that’s to say of nothing of how Trump and his family profited personally when, for example, lobbyists and foreign dignitaries would stay at Trump’s Washington hotel. One w atchdog group determined through public disclosures that his daughter, Ivanka, and her husband, Jared Kushner, made as much as $640 million in outside income during Trump’s first term. Now Trump is on his way back to the White House, with a transition team led by and stocked with billionaires . Musk, along with fellow billionaire Vivek Ramaswamy, are leading a so-called Department of Government Efficiency (“DOGE”) task force that, though not an official government entity, will identify targets for big cuts in government spending. The Political Game Lobbyists and analysts familiar with the transition told The New York Times they thought Ford and GM (and Stellantis, the other Detroit company, which is now part of a foreign conglomerate) still had a chance to save the tax credit, if they’re strategic enough. As these sources explained it to the Times, part of Trump’s motivation for killing the tax credit was his grudge against the Detroit companies because of their past support for auto emissions policies he opposed. To get on Trump’s good side, the companies needed to make amends ― or, as the Times put it, “bow to Mr. Trump.” Trump has always been unabashedly transactional . The variable is which kind of currency will get him to respond. Campaign contributions? Family enrichment? Personal abasement? Some combination of the above? The future of EVs, like so many other issues in policy for the next four years, may depend on who figures out the answer. Related From Our Partner

Analysis: Getting benched may have been best thing that happened to Bryce Young, Anthony RichardsonTesla’s Stock after Hours! What Gamers Should Know

WALTHAM, Mass., Dec. 03, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Xilio Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: XLO), a clinical-stage biotechnology company discovering and developing tumor-activated immuno-oncology therapies for people living with cancer, today announced that, effective December 1, 2024, the company granted non-qualified stock options to purchase 8,400 shares of its common stock to one new employee under Xilio Therapeutics’ 2022 Inducement Stock Incentive Plan. The stock options have an exercise price of $1.09 per share, which is equal to the closing price of the company’s common stock on November 29, 2024. Each stock option will have a ten-year term and will vest as to 25% of the shares underlying the stock option on the first anniversary following commencement of employment, and the remaining 75% of the shares underlying each stock option will vest in 36 equal monthly installments thereafter, subject to continued service with the company or any of its subsidiaries through each applicable vesting date. The stock options are subject to the terms and conditions of Xilio Therapeutics’ 2022 Inducement Stock Incentive Plan, as well as the terms and conditions of the stock option agreement covering the grant and were made as an inducement material to the individual entering into employment with the company in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4). About Xilio Therapeutics Xilio Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company discovering and developing tumor-activated immuno-oncology (I-O) therapies with the goal of significantly improving outcomes for people living with cancer without the systemic side effects of current I-O treatments. The company is using its proprietary platform to advance a pipeline of novel, tumor-activated clinical and preclinical I-O molecules that are designed to optimize the therapeutic index by localizing anti-tumor activity within the tumor microenvironment, including tumor-activated cytokines, antibodies, bispecifics and immune cell engagers. Learn more by visiting www.xiliotx.com and follow us on LinkedIn ( Xilio Therapeutics, Inc .). This press release contains hyperlinks to information that is not deemed to be incorporated by reference in this press release. Investor and Media Contact: Scott Young Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications investors@xiliotx.comDear Eartha, I use Chat GPT a lot at work, but I hear that data centers use a lot of energy. What’s the environmental impact of AI? If you have been paying attention to the news the last few years, chances are you have probably heard about artificial intelligence (AI). While AI gets a lot of media coverage, the environmental impact of AI isn’t always mentioned. With such a big technology shift on the horizon, let’s dive into what the popularity in AI might mean for the environment. What is artificial intelligence? The term AI gets thrown around a lot, but many people don’t actually know what it means. Artificial intelligence is a type of technology that allows computers to perform advanced tasks , such as ones normally done by human reasoning . AI can be used for all sorts of projects, from helping you write your grocery list to supporting NASA in diagnosing problems with their satellites. That’s pretty cool! AI’s environmental cost Something we all might take for granted is that everything we access in the digital realm exists somewhere physically as well. For example, consider the cloud. It might seem like a virtual storage space, but your data actually exists somewhere. These places are called data centers. Like most technology, AI relies on data centers to function. And it turns out, data centers are extremely resource intensive. Electronics To operate data centers, you need powerful computers and microchips, all of which require precious metals such as platinum, gold, and silver. But mining these materials does not come without a cost. And as AI gets more popular and the demand for these resources goes up, the mining industry is expected to grow substantially , increasing AI’s environmental impact. Energy Perhaps the biggest criticism of AI is the intense energy usage required to train and run its programs. In most cases, this energy still comes from fossil fuels, which generate a large carbon footprint. By 2026, the International Energy Agency predicts that AI will account for 4% of the world’s total energy usage — comparable to the annual energy consumption of Japan. What’s the carbon pollution impact of all that energy? A study done by the University of Massachusetts discovered that it takes “626,000 pounds of carbon dioxide, or the equivalent of around 300 round-trip flights between New York and San Francisco” to train a singular AI program. That is a lot of carbon emissions. Water Since AI is such an energy-intensive technology, the data centers require advanced cooling practices to ensure their computers do not overheat. This is most often done by using water to cool the electronic systems. Some of the largest data centers, like ones used by Google, can use upwards of 550,000 gallons of water a day . This becomes problematic when data centers are built in areas like the Western US, where water is already a scarce resource. Is it all doom and gloom? So, is AI the final straw for the climate? Not necessarily. Some experts are very hopeful that AI could help us solve our climate problems. Just like how NASA can use AI to help with their space missions, AI can help climate scientists better understand climate change. It can help them collect important data, model potential natural disasters and synthesize solutions to that to help stop the climate crisis. It is another tool in the toolbox for activists and scientists to use to help address climate change. A great example of this is using AI to manage the energy efficiency of the electrical grid. With more renewable energy capacity added to grids nationwide, and increasing demand for electricity as more cars and homes go electric, traditional grid management techniques are falling short. Researchers at the University of Virigina have shown that with the use of AI, the electrical grid can better handle variations in demand and optimize energy usage. This AI solution will help ensure the reliability of renewable energy going forward. AI holds immense potential — both as a powerful tool in the fight against climate change and as a technology with significant environmental costs. The path AI takes will depend on how companies and policymakers choose to move forward. By prioritizing renewable energy and innovations that minimize resource use, we can steer AI toward becoming a solution rather than a setback in our climate journey.

Hackers hit Rhode Island benefits system in major cyberattack. Personal data could be released soon

Presbyterian 67, Youngstown St. 42Boxing Day Test LIVE updates: Series on the line as Aussies chase wickets as day three begins against IndiaCraft scores 34, Miami (OH) takes down Bethany (WV) 112-70

One week into a new Syria, rebels aim for normalcy and Syrians vow not to be silent again DAMASCUS (AP) — A transformation has started to take place in the week since the unexpected overthrow of Syria’s President Bashar Assad. Suddenly in charge, the rebels have been met with a mix of excitement, grief and hope. And so far the transition has been surprisingly smooth. Reports of reprisals, revenge killings and sectarian violence are minimal, looting and destruction has been quickly contained. But there are a million ways it could go wrong. Syria is broken and isolated after five decades of Assad family rule. Families have been torn apart by war, former prisoners are traumatized, and tens of thousands of detainees remain missing. The economy is wrecked, poverty is widespread, inflation and unemployment are high. Corruption seeps through daily life. Christians in Syria mark country's transformation with tears as UN envoy urges an end to sanctions DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — In churches across long-stifled Syria, Christians have marked the first Sunday services since Bashar Assad’s ouster in an air of transformation. Some were in tears, others clasped their hands in prayer. The U.N. envoy for Syria is calling for a quick end to Western sanctions as the country’s new leaders and regional and global powers discuss the way forward. The Syrian government has been under sanctions by the United States, the European Union and others for years as a result of Assad’s brutal response to what began as peaceful anti-government protests in 2011 and spiraled into civil war. Israel will close its Ireland embassy over Gaza tensions as Palestinian death toll nears 45,000 DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israel says it will close its embassy in Ireland as relations deteriorate over the war in Gaza, where Palestinian medical officials say new Israeli airstrikes have killed over 30 people including children. Israel's decision to close the embassy came in response to what Israel’s foreign minister has described as Ireland's “extreme anti-Israel policies.” Ireland earlier announced that it would recognize a Palestinian state. And the Irish cabinet last week decided to formally intervene in South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, which accuses Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. The Palestinian death toll in the war is approaching 45,000. The GOP stoked fears of noncitizens voting. Cases in Ohio show how rhetoric and reality diverge AKRON, Ohio (AP) — Ohio's Republican secretary of state and attorney general sought to reassure voters before the November election that the state's elections were being vigorously protected against the possibility of immigrants voting illegally. That push coincided with a national Republican messaging strategy warning that potentially thousands of ineligible voters would be voting. The officials' efforts in Ohio led to charges against just six noncitizens in a state with 8 million registered voters. That outcome and the stories of some of those now facing charges show the gap both in Ohio and across the United States between the rhetoric about noncitizen voting and the reality that it's rare and not part of a coordinated scheme to throw elections. South Korean leaders seek calm after Yoon is impeached SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s opposition leader has offered to work with the government to ease the political tumult, a day after the opposition-controlled parliament voted to impeach conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol over a short-lived attempt to impose martial law. Liberal Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung, whose party holds a majority in the National Assembly, urged the Constitutional Court to rule swiftly on Yoon’s impeachment and proposed a special council for policy cooperation between the government and parliament. Yoon’s powers have been suspended until the court decides whether to remove him from office or reinstate him. If Yoon is dismissed, a national election to choose his successor must be held within 60 days. Storms across US bring heavy snow, dangerous ice and a tornado in California OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Inclement weather has plagued areas of the U.S. in the first half of the weekend, with dangerous conditions including heavy snow, a major ice storm and unusual tornado activity. An ice storm beginning Friday created treacherous driving conditions across Iowa and eastern Nebraska. More than 33 inches of snow was reported near Orchard Park, New York, which is often a landing point for lake-effect snow. On Saturday, a tornado touched down in Scotts Valley, California, causing damage and several injuries. In San Francisco, a storm damaged trees and roofs and prompted a tornado warning, which was a first for a city that has not experienced a tornado since 2005. Small businesses say cautious shoppers are seeking 'cozy' and 'festive' this holiday season With a late Thanksgiving, the holiday shopping season is five days shorter than last year, and owners of small retail shops say that people have been quick to snap up holiday décor early, along with gifts for others and themselves. Cozy items like sweaters are popular so far. Businesses are also holding special events to get shoppers in the door. But there’s little sense of the freewheeling spending that occurred during the pandemic. Overall, The National Retail Federation predicts retail sales in November and December will rise between 2.5% and 3.5% compared with same period a year ago. US agencies should use advanced technology to identify mysterious drones, Schumer says After weeks of fear and bewilderment about the drones buzzing over parts of New York and New Jersey, U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer is urging the federal government to deploy better drone-tracking technology to identify and ultimately stop the airborne pests. The New York Democrat is calling on the Department of Homeland Security to immediately deploy advanced technology to identify and track drones back to their landing spots. That is according to briefings from his office. Federal authorities have said that the drones do not appear to be linked to foreign governments. West Africa regional bloc approves exit timeline for 3 coup-hit member states ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — West Africa’s regional bloc ECOWAS has approved an exit timeline for three coup-hit nations. It comes after a nearly yearlong process of mediation to avert the unprecedented disintegration of the grouping. The president of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Touray, said in a statement: “The authority decides to set the period from 29 January, 2025 to 29 July 2025 as a transitional period and to keep ECOWAS doors open to the three countries during the transition period." In a first in the 15-nation bloc’s nearly 50 years of existence, the military juntas of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso announced in January that they decided to leave ECOWAS. Pope Francis makes 1st papal visit to France's Corsica awash in expressions of popular piety AJACCIO, Corsica (AP) — Pope Francis on the first papal visit ever to the French island of Corsica on Sunday called for a dynamic form of laicism, promoting the kind of popular piety that distinguishes the Mediterranean island from secular France as a bridge between religious and civic society. The one-day visit to Corsica’s capital Ajaccio, birthplace of Napoleon, on Sunday is one of the briefest of his papacy beyond Italy’s borders, just about nine hours on the ground, including a 40-minute visit with French President Emmanuel Macron. It is the first papal visit ever to the island, which Genoa ceded to France in 1768 and is located closer to the Italian mainland than France.Stock market today: Wall Street inches higher to set more records

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Rams have claimed cornerback Emmanuel Forbes off waivers from Washington. The Rams (6-6) announced the move Monday. They waived undrafted rookie defensive back Charles Woods to make room on the roster. Forbes was the 16th overall draft pick in 2023, but the Commanders released him Saturday in yet another latest flop for their first-round selections under former coach Ron Rivera. Forbes started 10 games as a rookie, but the Mississippi State product got benched during the season — and his playing time dwindled to almost nothing under new coach Dan Quinn this season. Forbes was considered undersized to be an elite NFL defensive back before Washington used a first-round pick on him, and his play did little to discourage that perception. But the Rams are taking a flier on Forbes to help their mediocre pass defense. Darious Williams, a member of the Rams' Super Bowl championship team who returned to Los Angeles this season as a free agent, has been their best cover corner, but he struggled in Sunday's victory over New Orleans. Third-year pro Cobie Durant has started all 12 games this season with one interception. Los Angeles already traded Tre'Davious White, its other major offseason signing at cornerback, after the former Pro Bowler failed to perform. The Rams shipped White to Baltimore for a seventh-round pick swap last month. Woods has played in nine games for the Rams, appearing mostly on special teams. Los Angeles hosts Buffalo on Sunday. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFLProbation for Kamloops RCMP constable who tackled woman after snatching her phone (Kamloops)Add to the saints the name Anthony Campolo, 89. One of the great preachers of the 20th century, Campolo died Nov. 19. An American Baptist pastor, a professor of sociology at a major American university, an entertaining lecturer and a proponent of the social gospel, Tony Campolo was incredibly popular and influential, preaching and speaking 500 times per year. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Get news alerts and breaking news stories from the Albany Herald delivered to your email.Homeland Security chief Mayorkas blames drone uproar on recent FAA flight-rule change: ‘We know of no foreign involvement’

Trump asks Supreme Court to delay TikTok ban so he can weigh in after he takes officeHuman resource practitioners solidify their role in Vision 2030

THE shock of a very right-wing Donald Trump winning a second term as President of the United States – that so-called “shining example of democracy” – made me think about what is happening in Malaysia. I remember hearing “Suara rakyat suara keramat” (the voice of the people is a sacred voice) during those days of the call for “Reformasi” led by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim following the Permatang Pauh Declaration in 1998. I was then, and have been since, a strong proponent of democracy. But today, I have actually begun doubting whether we, the rakyat, actually have a “suara keramat” or a “suara keparat” (voice of a scoundrel). The idea of democracy is said to have begun with the ancient Greeks; the word itself is formed from the Greek words demos (people) and kratos (power or rule), meaning “rule by the people”. All free men participated in decision-making by voting for their representatives in assemblies – one man, one vote. Free men meant those who owned property, were not slaves, and who were willing to defend their country to the death. These were obviously educated men who knew what was at stake in their small world. And, no, women were not allowed to vote. So some 2,500 years on, we have the same idea of one person, one vote (women were finally allowed to vote just a little over a century ago). But the people who can now vote are quite different from that small group of educated men. Now voters may not be educated, may not own property, and may be too old to defend the country. Also different from the Greeks, we now have social media, through which one vote may influence thousands of other votes. I’m not so sure it is still one vote, one person anymore. Also different from the Greeks, we, the people, experience an industrial style of education without any philosophical, creative or even critical thinking. In this, we are very different from the ancient Greeks, who were known to highly value philosophy. There are three things I worry about in today’s democracy – what I consider the “sins” of a democracy. Firstly, as I have written before, the voters have no grounding in politics and how a country works. Thus, left floundering, many give in to instilled fears and choose along racial, religious and populist lines when it comes time to vote. If one is a Malay, one votes for a Malay or Malay-dominated party; the same thing happens with other races. This I call “the sin of tribal preference”. The second sin I see emerging from civil society: The idea of civil society is to be the conscience of the nation by airing views and protests – in a calm and dignified manner, mind you. What I can see now is some well-known civil society organisations (CSOs) demanding many reforms in a reckless, demeaning and unfair manner.What do I mean by unfair? Well, people who criticise the government for not carrying out reforms must understand that the government cannot act in a vacuum. CSOs must understand the context of the culture of politics and entrenched administrators as well as the views of a majority race. Politics is about managing all these views; CSOs have the luxury of only managing their own conscience and self-righteousness. Secondly, I am disgusted to see civil society using derogatory means to make their points by grandstanding on issues while shouting or writing as if ministers do not have any feelings. I have seen expressions like “the minister doesn’t seem to have a clue”, “the PM does not seem to care at all about other rakyat of different faiths” or “the PM deserves a D grade”. These criticisms fail in three important ways: Firstly, the criticism is usually unclear in scope and expectation. Change what? How to change and which part exactly? Secondly, the criticism does not take into account administrative procedures and – most importantly – party politics. Party politics among different coalition partners is a real thing and cannot be ignored, and there is, I’m sure some sort of private quid pro quo dealing going on. That is unavoidable. I am not justifying it but it is silly and naive not to understand that it exists and has to be dealt with. Finally, I feel that “grading” a prime minister is rather childish and clearly doesn’t work because grading requires the grader to have been in the position of who the grade is for; grading requires moderation from different sources. Since just one CSO takes on this task, what practical use is it? Also, I personally feel it’s rather rude. The Islamic way of advising leaders, and I believe that it is also the Asian way, is to speak privately, with carefully selected words – with hemah, or wisdom and tact. Not having their grouses splattered all over the media. The final democratic sin is one that we, the rakyat, commit when we refuse to check the facts of an issue and simply make them go viral on Internet platforms, complete with all the lies, propaganda and misinformation. When the facts of the matter are established, the damage is already done. If this country fails and falls into poverty and chaos, I would no longer blame the politicians or the administrators but point the finger back at ourselves, the rakyat, for refusing to learn to change, for allowing knee-jerk reactions and bad manners to threaten unity, and for making untruths go viral willingly and joyfully. We would have only ourselves to blame. Prof Dr Mohd Tajuddin Mohd Rasdi is Professor of Architecture at the Tan Sri Omar Centre for Science, Technology and Innovation Policy Studies at UCSI University. The views expressed here are entirely the writer’s own.Dear Eartha, I use Chat GPT a lot at work, but I hear that data centers use a lot of energy. What’s the environmental impact of AI? If you have been paying attention to the news the last few years, chances are you have probably heard about artificial intelligence (AI). While AI gets a lot of media coverage, the environmental impact of AI isn’t always mentioned. With such a big technology shift on the horizon, let’s dive into what the popularity in AI might mean for the environment. What is artificial intelligence? The term AI gets thrown around a lot, but many people don’t actually know what it means. Artificial intelligence is a type of technology that allows computers to perform advanced tasks , such as ones normally done by human reasoning . AI can be used for all sorts of projects, from helping you write your grocery list to supporting NASA in diagnosing problems with their satellites. That’s pretty cool! AI’s environmental cost Something we all might take for granted is that everything we access in the digital realm exists somewhere physically as well. For example, consider the cloud. It might seem like a virtual storage space, but your data actually exists somewhere. These places are called data centers. Like most technology, AI relies on data centers to function. And it turns out, data centers are extremely resource intensive. Electronics To operate data centers, you need powerful computers and microchips, all of which require precious metals such as platinum, gold, and silver. But mining these materials does not come without a cost. And as AI gets more popular and the demand for these resources goes up, the mining industry is expected to grow substantially , increasing AI’s environmental impact. Energy Perhaps the biggest criticism of AI is the intense energy usage required to train and run its programs. In most cases, this energy still comes from fossil fuels, which generate a large carbon footprint. By 2026, the International Energy Agency predicts that AI will account for 4% of the world’s total energy usage — comparable to the annual energy consumption of Japan. What’s the carbon pollution impact of all that energy? A study done by the University of Massachusetts discovered that it takes “626,000 pounds of carbon dioxide, or the equivalent of around 300 round-trip flights between New York and San Francisco” to train a singular AI program. That is a lot of carbon emissions. Water Since AI is such an energy-intensive technology, the data centers require advanced cooling practices to ensure their computers do not overheat. This is most often done by using water to cool the electronic systems. Some of the largest data centers, like ones used by Google, can use upwards of 550,000 gallons of water a day . This becomes problematic when data centers are built in areas like the Western US, where water is already a scarce resource. Is it all doom and gloom? So, is AI the final straw for the climate? Not necessarily. Some experts are very hopeful that AI could help us solve our climate problems. Just like how NASA can use AI to help with their space missions, AI can help climate scientists better understand climate change. It can help them collect important data, model potential natural disasters and synthesize solutions to that to help stop the climate crisis. It is another tool in the toolbox for activists and scientists to use to help address climate change. A great example of this is using AI to manage the energy efficiency of the electrical grid. With more renewable energy capacity added to grids nationwide, and increasing demand for electricity as more cars and homes go electric, traditional grid management techniques are falling short. Researchers at the University of Virigina have shown that with the use of AI, the electrical grid can better handle variations in demand and optimize energy usage. This AI solution will help ensure the reliability of renewable energy going forward. AI holds immense potential — both as a powerful tool in the fight against climate change and as a technology with significant environmental costs. The path AI takes will depend on how companies and policymakers choose to move forward. By prioritizing renewable energy and innovations that minimize resource use, we can steer AI toward becoming a solution rather than a setback in our climate journey.

The Art of the Tariff: Trump's latest threat is right out of his negotiating playbook