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The Indiana vs. Notre Dame matchup in the first round of the College Football Playoff is the most expensive ticket on StubHub, but it's Tennessee vs. Ohio State that's selling the fastest. StubHub spokesperson Adam Budelli said Monday that the game being hosted in Columbus, Ohio, on Dec. 21 has sold 34% more tickets than the game in South Bend, Indiana, on Dec. 20. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.OTTAWA — Two senior members of the federal cabinet were in Florida Friday pushing Canada's new $1.3 billion border plan with members of Donald Trump's transition team, a day after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau himself appeared to finally push back at the president-elect over his social media posts about turning Canada into the 51st state. Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Foreign Affair Minister Melanie Joly shared few details of their meetings in Palm Beach, simply saying in a statement the U.S. officials they met with took notes and agreed to relay messages to Trump. "Minister LeBlanc and Minister Joly had a positive, productive meeting at Mar-a-Lago with Howard Lutnick and Doug Burgum, as a followup to the dinner between the prime minister and President Trump last month," wrote Jean-Sébastien Comeau, a spokesman for LeBlanc. Lutnick is Trump's nominee for commerce secretary, and Burgum is the former governor of North Dakota and current nominee for secretary of the interior. When announcing Lutnick as his commerce pick Trump said the chief executive of the financial firm Cantor Fitzgerald would be in charge of the Trump "tariff and trade agenda." "Both Ministers outlined the measures in Canada’s Border Plan and reiterated the shared commitment to strengthen border security as well as combat the harm caused by fentanyl to save Canadian and American lives." He added the ministers agreed to continue the discussions in the coming weeks. Joly is also expected to meet in Florida with senator Lindsay Graham Friday evening. This trip comes less than four weeks before Trump is sworn in again as president. He has threatened to impose a new 25 per cent import tariff on Canada and Mexico the same day over concerns about a trade imbalance, as well as illegal drugs and migration issues at the borders. The broad strokes of Canada's new border plan were made public Dec. 17, including a new aerial intelligence task force to provide round-the-clock surveillance of the border, and improved efforts using technology and canine teams to seek out drugs in shipments leaving Canada. Comeau said earlier Friday morning the ministers would also emphasize the negative impacts of Trump's threatened tariffs on both Canada and the U.S. Comeau said the ministers were to build on the discussions that took place last month when Trudeau and LeBlanc met Trump at Mar-a-Lago just days after Trump first made his tariff threat. It was at that dinner on Nov. 29 when Trump first raised the notion of Canada becoming the 51st state, a comment LeBlanc has repeatedly since insisted was just a joke. But Trump has continued the quip repeatedly in various social media posts, including in his Christmas Day message when he said Canadians would pay lower taxes and have better military protection if they became Americans. He has taken to calling Trudeau "governor" instead of prime minister. It isn't clear if LeBlanc raised the issue with Trump's team in Palm Beach Friday. Trudeau had not directly responded to any of the jabs, but on Thursday posted a link to a six-minute long video on YouTube from 2010 in which American journalist Tom Brokaw "explains Canada to Americans." "Some information about Canada for Americans" was all he wrote in the post. The video, which originally aired during the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, explains similarities between the two countries, including their founding based on immigration, their trading relationship and the actions of the Canadian Army in World War 2 and other modern conflicts. "In the long history of sovereign neighbours there has never been a relationship as close, productive and peaceful as the U.S. and Canada," Brokaw says in the video. Former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney, who is at the centre of some of Trudeau's recent domestic political troubles, also called out Trump's antics on X Thursday, calling it "casual disrespect" and "carrying the 'joke' too far." "Time to call it out, stand up for Canada, and build a true North American partnership," said Carney, who Trudeau was courting to join his cabinet before Chrystia Freeland resigned as finance minister last week. Freeland's sudden departure, three days after Trudeau informed her he would be firing her as finance minister in favour of Carney, left Trudeau's leadership even more bruised than it already was. Despite the expectation Carney would assume the role, he did not and has not made any statements about it. LeBlanc was sworn in as finance minister instead the same day Freeland quit. More than two dozen Liberal MPs have publicly called on Trudeau to resign as leader, and Trudeau is said to be taking the holidays to think about his next steps. He is currently vacationing in British Columbia. He did not make a public statement about the meeting as of publication. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 27, 2024. Alessia Passafiume, The Canadian Press
Please enable JavaScript to read this content. “Now, 49 per cent of your payslip is gone, 6 per cent to NSSF by January. Your wallet is getting a workout and your paycheck is shrinking quicker than you can say abracadabra.” These were some of the sentiments shared by a social media user after Kenyans took to social media to show how the new payslips will look like after statutory deductions as of October. While some deductions may be up for debate, the public needs clear communication to understand the importance of contributions such as NSSF for securing their financial future. Many workers feel that their payslips are increasingly loaded with deductions, leaving less in their hands each month and raising questions about whether this is truly in their best interest. The outcry is understandable; amid a rising cost of living, more deductions may seem like just one more setback. However, if approached with clear and transparent communication, Kenyans can understand that these deductions are essential investments toward a secure future. The original NSSF contributions were capped at Sh400 for each employee, a figure unchanged since the fund’s inception over 50 years ago. Inflation and evolving economic challenges have rendered this amount inadequate to support a comfortable retirement, with many Kenyans retiring only to struggle financially due to insufficient savings. The increased contributions aim to address this issue by gradually building a larger retirement fund, ultimately providing Kenyans with a more stable income after they leave the workforce. Unfortunately, this message has not been communicated effectively. Without a clear understanding of why these changes are necessary, workers naturally interpret the increase as another burden rather than a benefit. Public backlash against financial reforms often stems from a lack of clarity, and the situation with NSSF is no different. The government, employers, and NSSF administrators have a responsibility to explain to the public how these deductions work, what they fund, and the benefits employees can expect to receive. There is a clear opportunity to educate the public on how retirement funds grow over time, emphasizing that NSSF contributions are not simply “money lost” but rather “money saved.” For example, providing clear, illustrated examples of how contributions will benefit Kenyans in their retirement years could go a long way toward changing perceptions. Showing how a consistent, small monthly deduction can grow into a significant retirement fund over time could illustrate the value of saving early and consistently. Digital tools Additionally, the NSSF could provide tools to help employees track their contributions, estimated interest, and projected pension benefits. If employees can see their retirement fund’s growth, it becomes easier to appreciate the sacrifice now for the security later. Countries with strong social security systems prioritise education around pensions. For example, in Singapore - our promised benchmark - the Central Provident Fund regularly publishes easy-to-understand information, including calculators, online dashboards, and retirement planning tools, all of which make it easy for citizens to track their progress and understand how contributions benefit them. Stay informed. Subscribe to our newsletter Kenya could adopt a similar approach, developing a suite of digital tools to empower citizens. Many Kenyans are tech-savvy, and a digital platform with a focus on transparency, accessible from mobile devices, could quickly bridge the gap. Employers play an influential role in this communication process. By explaining to their employees how the increased contributions will benefit them, they can help calm anxiety and build trust. Encouraging businesses to offer workshops or informational sessions on retirement planning and the importance of NSSF contributions would create a valuable bridge between the government’s goals and the public’s understanding. The writer is the head of Pension and Consulting at Enwealth Financial Services
Mumbai, Nov 30 (IANS): Congress leader Bhai Jagtap has defended his controversial remarks about the Election Commission of India (ECI), which sparked a major political controversy. Jagtap, who referred to the ECI as 'dog' of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has refused to back down, asserting "his statement reflects the sentiments of crores of people". Backing his remarks, Jagtap -- a member of the Maharashtra Legislative Council, told IANS: "I am firm on my statement. This is not just Bhai Jagtap’s statement, but the sentiments of crores of people." He accused the ECI of undermining democracy and creating confusion in voters' minds, particularly after the Maharashtra Assembly election results. "The Election Commission is supposed to strengthen our democracy, not cause doubts," Jagtap added, questioning why the ECI did not act on alleged violations such as BJP leader Ram Shinde's comments on "involvement of money in the electoral process". He also raised concerns over the ECI's decision to erase Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) data and conduct mock polling, urging the poll body to address these issues. Bhai Jagtap also responded to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge's remarks at the Congress Working Committee meeting about the party's 'below-expectation' performance, wherein Kharge questioned the over-reliance on national leaders and urged party workers to focus more on local issues. Jagtap agreed with Kharge, saying: "What he said is true. Every political party needs to evaluate itself for improvement. If both Kharge and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi feel this way, it’s important that we address our weaknesses." On the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) decision not to play in Pakistan in the upcoming Champions Trophy, Jagtap, a "former cricketer" himself, insisted that sports should not be politicised. "It's a BCCI decision, and they know best about it."49ers QB Brock Purdy, DE Nick Bosa out, Brandon Allen to start at Green BayDespite a resounding defeat at the hands of Ronald Reagan in 1980, the Democrat forged a new path promoting causes such as electoral probity abroad, social justice and drives to rid the world of medical conditions. His first foreign visit as president was to the UK where then prime minister James Callaghan, as well as the usual visits in London, took his guest to the North East with a visit to Newcastle, Sunderland and Washington – the village bearing the name of the first ever president. Mr Carter delighted crowds in the North East by saying “Howay the lads” during a speech to the assembled throng. He also received a miner’s lamp from 12-year-old Ian McEree in Washington. The 39th US president also carried out more traditional presidential duties, including meetings with western European leaders during his time in London while the Cold War was still ongoing. The practising Baptist continued his globetrotting ways after leaving power, even without Air Force One as his vehicle. He was also part of the Elders, a group of experienced statesmen and women drawn from all corners of the world.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republicans made claims about illegal voting by noncitizens a centerpiece of their 2024 campaign messaging and plan to push legislation in the new Congress requiring voters to provide proof of U.S. citizenship. Yet there's one place with a GOP supermajority where linking voting to citizenship appears to be a nonstarter: Kansas. That's because the state has been there, done that, and all but a few Republicans would prefer not to go there again. Kansas imposed a proof-of-citizenship requirement over a decade ago that grew into one of the biggest political fiascos in the state in recent memory. The law, passed by the state Legislature in 2011 and implemented two years later, ended up blocking the voter registrations of more than 31,000 U.S. citizens who were otherwise eligible to vote. That was 12% of everyone seeking to register in Kansas for the first time. Federal courts ultimately declared the law an unconstitutional burden on voting rights, and it hasn't been enforced since 2018. Kansas provides a cautionary tale about how pursuing an election concern that in fact is extremely rare risks disenfranchising a far greater number of people who are legally entitled to vote. The state’s top elections official, Secretary of State Scott Schwab, championed the idea as a legislator and now says states and the federal government shouldn't touch it. “Kansas did that 10 years ago,” said Schwab, a Republican. “It didn’t work out so well.” Steven Fish, a 45-year-old warehouse worker in eastern Kansas, said he understands the motivation behind the law. In his thinking, the state was like a store owner who fears getting robbed and installs locks. But in 2014, after the birth of his now 11-year-old son inspired him to be “a little more responsible” and follow politics, he didn’t have an acceptable copy of his birth certificate to get registered to vote in Kansas. “The locks didn’t work,” said Fish, one of nine Kansas residents who sued the state over the law. “You caught a bunch of people who didn’t do anything wrong.” Kansas' experience appeared to receive little if any attention outside the state as Republicans elsewhere pursued proof-of-citizenship requirements this year. Arizona enacted a requirement this year, applying it to voting for state and local elections but not for Congress or president. The Republican-led U.S. House passed a proof-of-citizenship requirement in the summer and plans to bring back similar legislation after the GOP won control of the Senate in November. In Ohio, the Republican secretary of state revised the form that poll workers use for voter eligibility challenges to require those not born in the U.S. to show naturalization papers to cast a regular ballot. A federal judge declined to block the practice days before the election. Also, sizable majorities of voters in Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina and the presidential swing states of North Carolina and Wisconsin were inspired to amend their state constitutions' provisions on voting even though the changes were only symbolic. Provisions that previously declared that all U.S. citizens could vote now say that only U.S. citizens can vote — a meaningless distinction with no practical effect on who is eligible. To be clear, voters already must attest to being U.S. citizens when they register to vote and noncitizens can face fines, prison and deportation if they lie and are caught. “There is nothing unconstitutional about ensuring that only American citizens can vote in American elections,” U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, of Texas, the leading sponsor of the congressional proposal, said in an email statement to The Associated Press. After Kansas residents challenged their state's law, both a federal judge and federal appeals court concluded that it violated a law limiting states to collecting only the minimum information needed to determine whether someone is eligible to vote. That's an issue Congress could resolve. The courts ruled that with “scant” evidence of an actual problem, Kansas couldn't justify a law that kept hundreds of eligible citizens from registering for every noncitizen who was improperly registered. A federal judge concluded that the state’s evidence showed that only 39 noncitizens had registered to vote from 1999 through 2012 — an average of just three a year. In 2013, then-Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, a Republican who had built a national reputation advocating tough immigration laws, described the possibility of voting by immigrants living in the U.S. illegally as a serious threat. He was elected attorney general in 2022 and still strongly backs the idea, arguing that federal court rulings in the Kansas case “almost certainly got it wrong.” Kobach also said a key issue in the legal challenge — people being unable to fix problems with their registrations within a 90-day window — has probably been solved. “The technological challenge of how quickly can you verify someone’s citizenship is getting easier,” Kobach said. “As time goes on, it will get even easier.” The U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the Kansas case in 2020. But in August, it split 5-4 in allowing Arizona to continue enforcing its law for voting in state and local elections while a legal challenge goes forward. Seeing the possibility of a different Supreme Court decision in the future, U.S. Rep.-elect Derek Schmidt says states and Congress should pursue proof-of-citizenship requirements. Schmidt was the Kansas attorney general when his state's law was challenged. "If the same matter arose now and was litigated, the facts would be different," he said in an interview. But voting rights advocates dismiss the idea that a legal challenge would turn out differently. Mark Johnson, one of the attorneys who fought the Kansas law, said opponents now have a template for a successful court fight. “We know the people we can call," Johnson said. “We know that we’ve got the expert witnesses. We know how to try things like this.” He predicted "a flurry — a landslide — of litigation against this.” Initially, the Kansas requirement's impacts seemed to fall most heavily on politically unaffiliated and young voters. As of fall 2013, 57% of the voters blocked from registering were unaffiliated and 40% were under 30. But Fish was in his mid-30s, and six of the nine residents who sued over the Kansas law were 35 or older. Three even produced citizenship documents and still didn’t get registered, according to court documents. “There wasn’t a single one of us that was actually an illegal or had misinterpreted or misrepresented any information or had done anything wrong,” Fish said. He was supposed to produce his birth certificate when he sought to register in 2014 while renewing his Kansas driver's license at an office in a strip mall in Lawrence. A clerk wouldn't accept the copy Fish had of his birth certificate. He still doesn't know where to find the original, having been born on an Air Force base in Illinois that closed in the 1990s. Several of the people joining Fish in the lawsuit were veterans, all born in the U.S., and Fish said he was stunned that they could be prevented from registering. Liz Azore, a senior adviser to the nonpartisan Voting Rights Lab, said millions of Americans haven't traveled outside the U.S. and don't have passports that might act as proof of citizenship, or don't have ready access to their birth certificates. She and other voting rights advocates are skeptical that there are administrative fixes that will make a proof-of-citizenship law run more smoothly today than it did in Kansas a decade ago. “It’s going to cover a lot of people from all walks of life,” Avore said. “It’s going to be disenfranchising large swaths of the country.” Associated Press writer Julie Carr Smyth in Columbus, Ohio, contributed to this report.As I mentioned last week, our Thanksgiving newspaper this year was produced in advance so that it could arrive in customers’ mailboxes on Wednesday. Thursday was a postal holiday, so we had to choose between Wednesday and Friday delivery. Because the early delivery meant early deadlines, we chose a feature story about charity fundraising by Beaches Restaurant & Bar for the front page. I thought it was a perfect choice for a Thanksgiving Day paper. Holidays are good days for good news. As our plans for that newspaper came together, I wondered what previous Columbian Thanksgiving papers were like, so I went back to our microfilm, which is available to the public (for a fee) at newspapers.com . I looked first at the Nov. 25, 2004, edition and was struck by some of the similarities between the news then and the news today. Our top story was about an election recount in the governor’s race. After a statewide machine recount of the ballots, Republican Dino Rossi led Democrat Christine O. Gregoire by only 42 votes. (Gregoire was named the winner after a hand recount was conducted.) This year, of course, we are looking at recounts in the 18th District Senate and Clark County Council Position 4 races. Inside, I found a story about how Vladimir Putin’s Russia was trying to take over Ukraine by rigging an election and installing pro-Kremlin leadership. In the local news section, Ridgefield school administrators were talking about overcrowded facilities and trying to get voters to pass a bond to fund construction. Again, that story persists. I did spot this major difference: In 2004, Video Only advertised 50-inch flat panel TVs for $5,999. In this year’s ad, they are priced as low as $219. Thanksgiving 2014 Next I skipped ahead to 2014. The first thing that caught my eye was a front-page story about holiday shopping that seemed like it could have been written this year. Here’s how it started: “Falling gas prices. Soaring stock market. Unemployment at a six-year low. All signs point to a successful holiday shopping season. Despite the economic tail winds, though, retailers are finding themselves having to work to get shoppers into stores.” Inside, there was a story about how University of Washington researchers were suggesting more use of naloxone to fight the state’s growing epidemic opioid addiction. According to that story, doctors were hesitant to prescribe it. A decade later, it’s available without a prescription and is even found in local vending machines. Another story caught my eye that seemed similar to today: Puget Sound’s orcas were struggling, despite a decade of federal protection. Thanksgiving 1924 By now I had found enough similarities with today’s news. So I went back 100 years. Newspapers were different in those days. The Wednesday Nov. 26 edition (there was no Thanksgiving paper) contained 21 front-page stories and a political cartoon. My favorite was headlined “She Never Knew Her Husband’s Business; Now He’s Dead Bandit.” It started like this: “‘He was just a good, sympathetic pal. He never confided in me. When I would ask him questions about his business affairs he would just say, “You’re young, dear, and it would only worry you.” How I wish now that he had told me how matters really were.’ “In these few words, Mrs. I.C. Peterson, 20 and pretty, speaking in a voice whose hardened, weary tone betrayed the intense strain under which she was laboring, summed up the history of her 11-weeks marriage to Karl Peterson, 36, internationally known convict, who was killed by a Seattle detective in the Puget Sound city Monday after a running gun fight.” Now that’s a story!
Head coach Enzo Maresca made a conscious effort to reduce the numbers in his senior squad before the end of the summer in order to largely have two players for every position. However, as many as 24 different players have featured in the Premier League and several more in the Conference League, the latter a consequence of the Italian wishing to keep players as fresh as possible. Nevertheless, it is anticipated that several outgoings will materialise at the turn of the year, whether that be on a permanent or temporary basis. According to Football Insider , Omari Kellyman will be among those who will move elsewhere. © Imago The report suggests that the club's hierarchy have acknowledged that the 19-year-old is desperately in need of regular first-team football during the second half of the campaign. Hamstring and knee injuries have ensured that the £20m arrival from Aston Villa has been unable to make his debut for Maresca's side. Furthermore, the England Under-19 international has been unable to make an appearance for the Under-21s since August, the playmaker featuring on just two occasions. While the hope is that he can put himself into a position to return to training and competitive action as soon as possible, it is highly unlikely that Kellyman will represent Chelsea's first team in 2024-25. Before moving to Stamford Bridge, Kellyman had only accumulated 148 minutes of senior game time across six substitute appearances, 90 of which came for Villa against Hibernian in a Conference League qualifier. © Imago Although the report name-checks no specific team, Frank Lampard may look to use his Chelsea links to sign a player such as Kellyman for Coventry City. Derby County, where Kellyman spent part of his youth days, is another plausible destination when Chelsea will be prioritising a combination of playing style and being thrown straight into action. Either a Championship club or high-end League One outfit is likely to be Kellyman's club for the second half of the season.Pedro escaped punishment after swinging an arm at Bees substitute substitute Yehor Yarmoliuk without making contact. VAR reviewed the second-half incident but deemed there was no violent conduct. Frank and Brighton head coach Fabian Hurzeler disagreed about the decision. “As I understand the rules, you can’t swing your arm to try to hit someone,” said Frank. “If you hit them or not, it’s a red, that’s the way I understand the rules.” Frank spoke to the match officials, including referee Andy Madley, about the flashpoint at full-time. “They haven’t seen the situation yet, not on TV afterwards,” said Frank. “To be fair to him, I think the angle can be tricky so that’s why you’ve got VAR.” Asked about Frank’s assessment, Hurzeler replied: “Interesting opinion. I see it completely different. “For me, it’s not a red card. He tried to get free from a person.” Brighton were booed off after their winless run was stretched to six top-flight games. Albion dominated for large periods and hit the woodwork inside four minutes through Julio Enciso. Bees goalkeeper Mark Flekken made some important saves before being forced off injured in the 36th minute, albeit his replacement Hakon Valdimarsson was rarely tested on his Premier League debut. The Seagulls remain 10th ahead of Monday’s trip to Aston Villa, with Brentford a position and two points below moving towards their New Year’s Day showdown with Arsenal. Hurzeler thought the jeers at full-time were unfair. “The team doesn’t deserve that because in all the games we had in the last weeks they were all good, they were all intense, they were all where we thought we deserved more” said the German, whose team have lost to Fulham and Crystal Palace and drawn with Southampton, Leicester and West Ham in recent matches. “We try to work hard to satisfy our supporters, we try to give them what they deserve, we try to make them proud. “But the Premier League is tough. We know there will be (tough) periods we have to go through, especially with this young squad. “We try to stick together, find the positive and keep on going.” Brentford, who remain without a top-flight away win this term, had an early Yoane Wissa finish ruled out for offside following VAR intervention but barely threatened, despite an improved second-half showing. Frank, who is awaiting news on Flekken and defender Ben Mee, who also left the field injured, said: “I thought it was a fair point. “Brighton were better in the first half, no big, clearcut chances, and I thought we were better second half. “Overall, I’m happy with the performance, especially the way we defended. “We haven’t had too many clean sheets this season, so in that context I thought it was very impressive against a good Brighton team. “We know we have a lot of players out – we get two more injuries during the game. “The way the players showed their mentality and character and dug in was hugely impressive.”
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