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Team claims NASCAR rescinded approval to buy charterThe Shocking Photoshoot That Has Everyone Talking

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Joe Biden & Donald Trump lead tributes to ‘extraordinary leader and humanitarian’ Jimmy Carter after his death aged 100Column: This red Midwestern state is a global paragon of clean power

Lil Wayne, GloRilla, Camila Cabello to perform at College Football National ChampionshipKUALA LUMPUR: In many respects, 2024 has been a good year for Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s unity government. Notwithstanding a poor rating on institutional reforms, Mr Anwar can take pride in how the past year has showcased Malaysia’s political stability, strong economic recovery and growing importance as a hub for artificial intelligence infrastructure investments, and ascending global voice for middle countries. To become prime minister, Mr Anwar had to work with his coalition’s arch-rival UMNO , to the dismay of many supporters. To govern, he had to reset the economic direction and refresh Malaysia’s global image. If anything, he would look back at 2024 as a validation of the tough choices he had to make since the November 2022 general election . Mr Anwar accepts that his government needs time to prove itself, confident that he will be able to turn the poor “D” rating by electoral reform group Bersih into an “A” in due course. The year ahead, however, will likely bring three major tests - political, economic and social - that will test Mr Anwar’s administration and ultimately determine whether Malaysia is indeed a country to watch. POLITICS: SABAH IS MORE THAN A STATE ELECTION For political stability, the only rule is to hold the parliamentary majority. On this front, 2024 has met the mark. Threats of defection against the unity government were minimal or non-existent, and internal conflict among government parties, chiefly DAP and UMNO, were contained among elite leadership. The unity government’s cooperation was successful enough in by-elections, as the unit won more than it lost. So much so that the leaders of the government parties are exploring another partnership in the next general election. Externally, the threats presented by opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional plateaued to a low level, as the chasms between Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) and Bersatu, and between factions within Bersatu, widened substantially over prime ministerial candidature and political allegiances. Of course, the shadow of former prime minister Najib Razak continues to loom over this government, set off by the partial pardon in February 2024, which sparked outrage among Pakatan Harapan supporters, though celebrated by Najib loyalists in UMNO. A mixed result of Najib’s cases - discharge not amounting to acquittal on the case involving Abu Dhabi state fund International Petroleum Investment Company, but asked to enter defence in the 1MDB-Tanore trial - is an overall neutral effect for the unity government as it escapes the claim of favouritism or interference. In 2025, the most consequential political event that could pose a threat to the unity government, if it happens, is the Sabah state election. Although not due until December 2025, speculation has been rife that the Sabah legislative assembly may dissolve before then. That, however, was before the news of alleged corruption in the state broke out early last month. Before the news broke, the challenge of the Sabah state election was already obvious. Although Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), UMNO, and Warisan are part of the unity government at the federal level, UMNO and Warisan are opposition parties in Sabah. The question now is what contest formula will be used in Sabah. If the parties of the unity government compete against each other in the state, it could threaten the cohesion of the federal alliance. In other words, this could be the first real electoral test for Mr Anwar’s government - one that will determine if the novel concept of “competition amidst cooperation” is feasible to maintain. It goes without saying that where Mr Anwar stands on the corruption scandal involving the Sabah state government will also impact on his anti-corruption reputation. Relatedly, the Najib permutation is likely to revolve more around his appeal for house arrest rather than his court cases, which could take much longer to resolve. The government has already denied that a proposed new home detention law was to cater to Najib, but the continued pressure from Najib and his loyalists is hard to ignore. If the partial pardon already sparked dissatisfaction, an image of Najib going from prison to home detention will undoubtedly be worse. ECONOMY: SUBSIDY RATIONALISATION AS A HALLMARK REFORM Economically, Malaysia managed to keep domestic numbers stable while attracting record international investments. Improving GDP, inflation and jobs numbers point to a recovering economy amidst global uncertainty and decline. Notably, investments into artificial intelligence , semiconductors and data centres have been significant and will likely continue into 2025. The main question in analysts’ minds in the coming year will be the petrol subsidy rationalisation , which was promised in the Budget 2025 to be implemented by mid-2025. This is significant for several reasons. First, petrol subsidy rationalisation is generally a highly emotive issue, especially for an oil-producing country like Malaysia, which has long enjoyed low prices. Second, the extent of the government’s reform commitments comes down to this issue - past governments have tried and reversed when faced with pushback. Third, it is perhaps the last window for difficult reforms before the unity government enters into the “election cycle” of its final two years ahead of the next general election. Though Mr Anwar has rolled back subsidies relating to diesel, electricity, and select food items, the petrol subsidy rationalisation is unlike any other, thus presenting an outsized challenge to his administration. He has limited the scale by focusing only on the top 15 per cent of income earners, but there is no saying what impact this will have on the wider economy. If he passes this test, however, he would have achieved a feat that his predecessors could not. As a trade-dependent economy, how Malaysia fares in a US-China trade war under Trump 2.0 depends on the depth and breadth of those tariffs. If tariffs increase by at least 10 per cent, then the reshoring to Malaysia, as it had in 2024, will accelerate as more firms search for geopolitically neutral and geographically strategic areas with long-term planning. However, if the breadth of tariffs is higher, i.e affecting more products, as it has semiconductor equipment and solar panels in Malaysia, then the net benefit might be lower. SOCIETY: MALAYSIA’S ASCENDANT GLOBAL ROLE FOR MIDDLE COUNTRIES Finally, it would be remiss to assess 2024 without considering Malaysia’s social fabric, which has long been influenced by ethno-religious tensions. The controversies relating to KK Mart , halal certifications and Chinese-language signboards have been destabilising to varying degrees. While it is impossible to predict if similar incidents will occur in the coming year, it is likely that the any politicalisation of ethno-religious tensions, combined with existing on-the-ground polarisation, will result in reactions similar to those seen in the past year. Therefore, the speed and effectiveness of containment will be key in determining how well Malaysia’s social fabric holds together. There is another wildcard factor for 2025: ASEAN chairmanship . The opportunity it presents is for Malaysia to assert its place in a geopolitically contested world as a middle country. With its rising economic prominence, ASEAN’s bargaining strength in international politics will also increase, providing Mr Anwar the tailwind to influence global change. Middle countries wedged between superpowers will always have to hedge by being friendly to all, but pandering to none. The challenge lies in becoming more active globally without compromising long-term positions. If done successfully, this would serve as a much-needed unifying source of national pride - one that would strengthen Malaysian society, cutting across the ethno-religious stalemate. Maintaining political and economic stability are basic ingredients for a government’s success, but this is increasingly challenging for most countries, near or far. 2025 will likely be registered as the year sizable tests are put on Mr Anwar’s government. If he overcomes them - or better yet, converts them into triumphs - it may prove a consequential year that would put him in good stead. James Chai is a political analyst, columnist and the author of Sang Kancil (Penguin Random House).

FAIRFIELD, Conn. (AP) — Nyle Ralph-Beyer's 20 points helped Sacred Heart defeat Division III-member Manhattanville 100-60 on Sunday. Ralph-Beyer also had five rebounds for the Pioneers (5-8, 1-1 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference). Anquan Hill scored 18 points and added seven rebounds. Griffin Barrouk had 16 points and went 5 of 8 from the field (4 for 7 from 3-point range). Andrew Saint-Louis led the Valiants in scoring, finishing with 26 points. John Ranaghan added 10 points for Manhattanville. Don Mays Jr. also had eight points. Sacred Heart hosts Canisius in its next matchup on Sunday. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Dimeco, Inc. (DIMC) To Go Ex-Dividend on December 31st

A fugitive gains fame in New Orleans eluding dart guns and nets NEW ORLEANS (AP) — For months, a fugitive dog known as Scrim has transfixed the city of New Orleans. The 17-pound mutt has gained fame eluding a tenacious band of citizens wielding a tranquilizer dart gun and night vision binoculars. He's already escaped two homes. Now his sightings are plotted on a crowd-sourced Google map. Animal rescuers hope to capture the renegade pooch and put him in a place that's safe and secure. But there's a backlash, fueled by the now-viral video of Scrim leaping out a two-story window, under the hashtag #FreeScrim, as some think the dog should be able to roam free. McConnell falls and sprains wrist after GOP luncheon, colleague says he is 'fine' WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell fell and sprained his wrist while walking out of a GOP luncheon on Tuesday, the latest in a series of medical incidents for him in recent years. That's according to a senator who was with him when it happened. Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, the No. 3 Senate Republican and a doctor, said McConnell walked back to his office after the fall with no assistance and had “a small scratch.” Medical staff were seen taking a wheelchair into McConnell’s office just before a scheduled weekly news conference. McConnell, who is stepping down from his leadership post at the end of the year, did not attend the news conference. Who is Tony Buzbee, the lawyer suing Jay-Z as part of civil cases against Sean 'Diddy' Combs? HOUSTON (AP) — High-profile legal battles are nothing new for Texas attorney Tony Buzbee. His latest is a lawsuit he’s filed against rapper Jay-Z. Buzbee is accusing the iconic rapper as well as Sean “Diddy” Combs of sexually assaulting a minor at an awards show after-party in 2000. The lawsuit against Jay-Z is part of multiple civil cases Buzbee has filed on behalf of more than 150 people who allege sexual abuse and exploitation at the hands of Combs, who denies the claims. In his legal career, Buzbee has represented a variety of clients, including victims of sexual assault and well-known politicians. His critics say he’s full of bluster and bombast. Buzbee's firm says he's worked to “pursue justice against powerful figures.” OpenAI releases AI video generator Sora but limits how it depicts people SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — OpenAI has publicly released its new artificial intelligence video generator Sora but won’t let most users depict people as it monitors for patterns of misuse. Users of a premium version of OpenAI’s flagship product ChatGPT can now use Sora to instantly create AI-generated videos based on written commands. Among the highlighted examples are high-quality video clips of sumo-wrestling bears and a cat sipping coffee. But only a small set of invited testers can use Sora to make videos of humans as OpenAI works to “address concerns around misappropriation of likeness and deepfakes,” the company said in a blog post. Soto's record $765 million, 15-year contract with Mets reverberates through Major League Baseball DALLAS (AP) — Juan Soto’s record $765 million, 15-year contract with the New York Mets, the largest and longest deal in baseball history, has reverberated across the winter meetings. It stung the Yankees, who offered $760 million over 16 years to the All-Star outfielder. Soto’s deal sparked even greater expectations in a free agent market that includes pitchers Corbin Burnes and Max Fried, first basemen Pete Alonso and Christian Walker, third baseman Alex Bregman and outfielder Anthony Santander. Many small-market teams have long sought a salary cap but the consensus since the 1994-95 strike has been not to propose a hard limit. Rupert Murdoch’s attempt to change his family’s trust over Fox News media empire control rejected RENO, Nev. (AP) — A sealed document obtained by The New York Times says a Nevada commissioner has ruled against Rupert Murdoch’s effort to change his family’s trust to give his son Lachlan Murdoch control of his media empire and ensure Fox News maintains its conservative editorial slant. The commissioner concluded in a decision filed on Saturday that the two men had acted in “bad faith” in their bid to amend the irrevocable trust. Lachlan Murdoch is the head of Fox News and News Corp. The trust divides control of the company equally among Murdoch’s four oldest children after his death. A lawyer for Rupert Murdoch says he and his son intend to appeal the ruling. Greyhound racing is increasingly rare worldwide. New Zealand now plans to outlaw the practice WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand's racing minister says the country will outlaw greyhound racing, citing the injury rates for racing dogs. He says it will be shut down over the next 20 months, allowing time for those it employs to find other work and homes to be found for the 2,900 racing dogs. New Zealand is one of only a handful of countries where commercial greyhound racing is held. The industry body says the government has not recognized the progress it has made in animal welfare. The government passed an urgent law Tuesday barring greyhound owners from killing dogs as the industry winds down. Trustee over Infowars auction asks court to approve The Onion's winning bid A trustee who oversaw the bankruptcy auction of Alex Jones’ Infowars is asking a judge to approve The Onion’s winning bid for the conspiracy-filled platform. Trustee Christopher Murray took the stand Tuesday in the second day of testimony at a hearing where a judge is scrutinizing the satirical news outlet’s winning offer. He told U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez in Houston that he was there asking a court to approve the sale of Infowars’ parent company to The Onion’s parent company. It is not clear how quickly Lopez will rule. The Onion wants to turn Infowars’ website and social media accounts into parodies. Still rockin': As a singer turns 80, the Christmas song she sang as a teen is a holiday staple NEW YORK (AP) — Brenda Lee's memories of recording “Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree” are a little hazy now. But that's to be expected, since she was 13-years-old when it was made in 1958 and this month is celebrating her 80th birthday. The song has lived a remarkable life, and even unseated Mariah Carey's “All I Want for Christmas is You” at the top of the Billboard charts last year. Experts say the way it evokes a simpler time at the “Christmas party hop” is a key to its success. The song achieves the neat trick of sounding retro without being dated. Mass evacuation of Philippine villages underway after a brief but major volcanic eruption MANILA, Philippines (AP) — About 87,000 people are being evacuated in a central Philippine region after a volcano erupted with a huge plume of ash and superhot streams of gas and debris hurtling down its slopes. The eruption Monday of Mount Kanlaon on central Negros island did not cause any immediate casualties, but the alert level was raised one level, indicating further and more explosive eruptions may occur. Volcanic ash fell over a wide area, nine flights were canceled or diverted, schools were closed and a nighttime curfew was imposed in the most vulnerable areas. Mass evacuations were being carried out urgently in towns and villages nearest the volcano's western and southern slopes.

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Chimezie's late layup lifts Boston University past Maine 59-56Syria's Bashar Assad regime was at stake as Syrian anti-regime forces rallied toward the capital Damascus after capturing the key city of Homs on Saturday. Since the groups swept into Aleppo a week ago, regime defenses have crumbled at a dizzying speed as anti-regime fighters seized a string of major cities and rose up in places where the rebellion had long seemed over. The twin threats to strategically vital Homs and the capital Damascus now pose an existential danger to the Assad family's five-decade reign over Syria and the continued influence there of its main regional backer Iran. A Homs resident, and army and opposition sources said the fighters had breached government defenses from the north and east of the city. A commander said they had taken control of an army camp and villages outside the city. State television reported that the insurgents had not penetrated Homs although it said they were on the city outskirts, where it said the military was striking them with artillery and drones. Anti-regime forces have seized almost the entire southwest within 24 hours, and they have advanced to within 30 kilometers (20 miles) of Damascus as government forces fell back, sources said. Underscoring the possibility of an uprising in the capital, protesters took to the streets in several Damascus suburbs, ripping up Assad posters and tearing down a statue of his father, Hafez Assad, uncontested by army or police. Some were joined by soldiers who had changed into civilian clothes and deserted, residents said. However, the state news agency reported that Assad remains in Damascus and the military said it was reinforcing around the capital and south. The pace of events has stunned Arab capitals and raised fears of a new wave of regional instability. Syria's civil war, which erupted in 2011 as an uprising against Assad's rule, dragged in big outside powers and sent millions of refugees into neighboring states. Assad had long relied on allies to subdue the rebels, with bombing by Russian warplanes while Iran sent allied forces including Lebanon's Hezbollah and Iraqi militia to bolster the Syrian military and storm anti-regime strongholds. But Russia has been focused on the war in Ukraine since 2022 and Hezbollah has suffered big losses in its own grueling war with Israel, significantly limiting its ability or that of Iran to bolster Assad. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said the U.S. should not be involved in the conflict and should "let it play out." The foreign ministers of Russia, Iran and Türkiye met Saturday and agreed on the importance of Syria's territorial integrity and restarting a political process. However, there was no indication they agreed on any concrete steps, with the situation inside Syria changing by the hour. Russia has a naval base and airbase in Syria that have not only been important for its support of Assad but also for its ability to project influence in the Mediterranean and Africa. Moscow has been supporting regime forces with intense airstrikes but it was not clear if it could easily step up this campaign. Iran has said it would consider sending forces to Syria but any immediate extra assistance would likely depend on Hezbollah and Iraqi militias. The Lebanese group sent some "supervising forces" to Homs on Friday but any significant deployment would risk exposure to Israeli airstrikes, Western officials said. Iran-backed Iraqi militias are on high alert, with thousands of heavily armed fighters ready to deploy to Syria, many of them amassed near the border. Iraq does not seek military intervention in Syria, a government spokesman said Friday. Britain warned Assad that any chemical weapons use was a red line and would be met with "appropriate action." The Homs resident said he had seen the rebels advance past a Syrian Air Force base in the north of the city that was considered a major defensive area. The resident later said fighting was audible in the city outskirts. An opposition figure in touch with rebel command and a Syrian army source both also said the anti-regime forces were inside the city. Seizing Homs, an important crossroads between the capital and the Mediterranean, would cut off Damascus from the coastal stronghold of Assad's minority Alawite sect, and from Russia's air and naval base. In the south, the rapid collapse of government control could allow a concerted assault on the capital, the seat of Assad's power, where residents said electricity cut out on Saturday. The regime military pulled back as far as Saasa 30 kilometers (20 miles) from Damascus to regroup, a Syrian army officer said. Jarmana, where protesters pulled down a statue of Hafez Assad, is in the city's southern suburbs. Soldiers were deserting in the former rebel stronghold of Daraya and in Mezzeh, near a major airbase, residents said. The main anti-regime group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, said it had a duty to protect governmental, international and U.N. offices in Syria. In a sign of government forces' collapse in the east, around 2,000 Syrian soldiers crossed the border into Iraq to seek sanctuary, the mayor of Iraqi border town al-Qaem said. Earlier the SDF terrorist group had captured eastern Deir ez-Zour on Friday, jeopardizing Assad's land connection to allies in Iraq.