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Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Michelle Rowland once confessed she had a vice. It was “excessive online clothes shopping”, Rowland told this masthead in 2021 , when she was Labor’s communications spokeswoman. “I blame Instagram.” Now the communications minister with responsibility for regulating social media, Rowland is doing something to curb its influence. The politician known for having such a lawyerly, cautious approach that she reads from notes even in private meetings has taken the audacious step of banning under 16s from social media . The move has outraged technology giants and generated headlines around the world. “We would like that something very similar could be put in place, enforced in Europe,” French Education Minister Anne Genetet said. “We absolutely urgently need something to be put in place.” Michelle Rowland has strong backroom relationships. But they have not been enough to advance major parts of the government’s agenda that she is overseeing. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen That Australia is out ahead of any other country is all the more striking because two of Rowland’s other priorities – a bill to ban lies online and a crackdown on gambling ads – are dead or dying. Rowland’s critics blame the minister for that. “Minister Rowland seems to operate under the belief that she doesn’t have to bring anyone along with her on her legislation and policies,” Greens communications spokesperson Sarah Hanson-Young says. “For the communications minister, she’s not a great communicator.” But the wooden exterior belies a different Rowland. Behind the closed doors of the Labor Party, colleagues know her as funny (the type of minister who leaves odd snacks on staff desks), sharp and influential. Advertisement Rowland, they say, is in her dream job. She is the first sitting MP since Paul Keating to serve as NSW party president, a role in which she has helped keep internal NSW Labor dramas off the front page as the state branch won an election after more than a decade in opposition. The former communications and regulatory lawyer, who worked with star lawyer Danny Gilbert and Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb, cares about her portfolio and knows it inside out. Loading Growing up in the western Sydney electorate of Greenway that she represents, Rowland rose through the ranks of Young Labor before marrying Michael Chaaya, a corporate lawyer who could not speak English when he started school in Mount Druitt. The pair regularly attend a Maronite church together, grounding her views in favour of religious freedom and against antisemitism. In 2009, Rowland was a senior lawyer at Gilbert+Tobin when an electoral redistribution flipped Greenway from a safe Liberal seat to a winnable prospect for Labor. Rowland won it the next year and began a steady rise through the party that has won her fans in Labor’s most senior ranks. Treasurer Jim Chalmers secured her a position on the powerful cabinet expenditure review committee that signs off on government spending – a rarity for a communications minister. “She is very smart, very thorough and very tough,” one senior minister says. “She has a lawyer’s sense of the detail and a marginal member’s sense of the politics, and that makes her very influential.” Advertisement And she has personal bonds, too. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese rates not only her political judgment as a voice from suburban Labor comfortable on Sky News, but also her health advice. He followed Rowland’s diet (she lost about 40kg – roughly half her body weight – on the strict meal-prepping plan in 2020 and still gets up at 4.30am for Pilates) to lose weight before the 2022 election, declaring it made him “match fit”. Yet, those backroom relationships have not been enough to advance major parts of the government’s agenda that Rowland is overseeing in a portfolio that deals with politically influential organisations such as media companies and sporting codes. On some other issues, such as modernising Australia Post, updating rules to preserve major sport on free-to-air TV, reshaping the National Broadband Network, and letting users find broadcast stations on smart TVs, Rowland has confronted issues that her Coalition predecessors left alone. But rules to require more Australian content on streaming services such as Netflix, which sit both in Rowland’s patch and the arts portfolio, are nowhere to be seen. Labor’s anti-misinformation bill , which would have let the media regulator pressure social media companies to take down falsehoods circulating online, attracted a chorus of critics, from human rights groups to religious institutions. Intended to prevent conspiracy theories about events such as terrorist attacks, it left experts baffled about who would determine what was true and how. Rowland abandoned her second attempt to pass the law late last month. Advertisement Gambling reform has fared scarcely better. More than a year after the late Labor MP Peta Murphy delivered bipartisan recommendations from a parliamentary committee for a blanket ban on gambling advertising, no laws have been introduced and a government commitment to respond by the end of this year has been all but abandoned. Anti-gambling advocates have accused the government of betraying Murphy’s memory. That is despite Rowland privately briefing interested parties on a full digital ban on gambling ads online and a cap on those airing on television, less than the proposal Murphy backed, but further than the sports, gambling and media sectors wanted and beyond what any previous government has floated. Loading But Rowland has done little to convince the public of the significance of the reforms. In press conferences, Rowland is disciplined to the point of appearing stilted. Those who have spoken with her in private say her habit of referring to notes, which is unusual for a politician but more common in the law, has the same effect. It is, one former minister says, an “insult to the craft”. Rowland’s allies admit her attitude towards the gambling sector changed after this masthead reported in February 2023 that she had received donations and a Rockpool dinner from Sportsbet before the 2022 federal election, leading to crossbench calls for her resignation. Teal MPs and anti-gambling advocates portrayed Rowland as captured by corporate interests. That perception has meant her proposed set of policies, which would hurt media companies and sporting codes’ finances, won no friends. “The reputational damage done by the Sportsbet stuff meant she was always on the back foot on the gambling issue,” one gambling industry source says. “People like [Alliance for Gambling Reform chief advocate] Tim Costello were always going to paint her as weak if she ended up anywhere other than a full blanket ban.” Advertisement With the prime minister publicly suggesting poker machines are a greater problem and privately convinced there is little electoral benefit in prosecuting the crackdown, Rowland’s problem is unlikely to go away unless she can muster the rhetoric to convince the public that a middle path works. That more charismatic Rowland has peeked through before. Asked her favourite TV show in that 2021 Q&A with this masthead , Rowland named the Netflix show Vikings . It’s full of “heavily tattooed Nordic beefcakes in sweaty battle scenes”, she said. “I’m only human.” Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter .Missouri Republican lawmaker wants to require schools to display the Ten Commandments

The Better Business Bureau of Mainland B.C. is urging people to be vigilant to avoid scammers during the postal strike. Since Nov. 15, around 55,000 members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers have been on strike. During this time, some fake package delivery scams have been circulating. The Better Business Bureau offers tips for people to protect themselves from scammers as the strike continues. Avoid unsolicited offers from individuals or companies claiming they can deliver your mail or packages during the strike. Research reviews and check for a BBB Accreditation before choosing a service. Scammers may send fake messages claiming to be from Canada Post or alternative couriers, requesting payment for undelivered items or offering priority service. Do not click on links in unsolicited emails or texts. Instead, visit the official website of the courier service for updates. Be cautious of ads or posts on social media offering mail delivery services. Many fraudulent businesses advertise on platforms with the intention of stealing personal information or money. Use the official tracking tool provided by the seller or courier. Fraudulent companies may provide fake tracking numbers to appear legitimate. These include urgent requests for payment or sensitive information. Other warning signs include poor grammar, unprofessional logos or contact information that does not match official sources. Anyone who suspects a scam is urged to report it to the BBB Scam Tracker to help protect others. The scam tracker is online at .That pink-and-green movie about the two witches subsumed social media and the box office during the last weeks of 2024. So much so it could be easy to forget that "Wicked" is, in many ways, the apotheosis of a year in which the movie musical genre returned from the celluloid grave. The is-it or isn't-it quandary Early in 2024, the movie version of the musical adaptation of Tina Fey's "Mean Girls" was released. It was both loved and loathed and much discussion was had about the studio's marketing of the movie, in which the trailers gave no indication that this newest "Mean Girls" was indeed a musical. That was despite recent precedent for the box-office triumph of a movie musical. "Despite the success of movies such as 'Wonka' and 'The Greatest Showman,' studios seemed nervous to advertise the musical elements of their song-and-dance extravaganzas," said Ryan Faughnder at the Los Angeles Times . As 2024 ticked on, the is-it-or-is-it-not musical releases swelled: the Joker sequel, "Joker 2: Folie à Deux;" the Timothée Chalamet -led Bob Dylan biopic "A Complete Unknown;" the award-grabbing drug cartel caper "Emilia Pérez." By year's end, "Moana 2," the prequel to "The Lion King," "Mufasa," and the blockbuster "Wicked" all showed their hand, not pretending one bit they were anything but musicals. As Faughnder said, "If anyone went into 'Wicked' not knowing it was a musical, that's on them." Why song-and-dance right now? Production on movies, obviously, begins long before a film's release. Trying to pin the filmmaker's intent on the current societal or political moment is folly. Still, movies resonate with the time of their birth into the cinematic world, whether the artists aim them to or not. During a fraught economic and political present, when it "seems like we've been fractured beyond repair," the musical can bring a "utopian message of hope and resilience," said Desirée J. Garcia, an associate professor at Dartmouth College and author of "The Movie Musical," to the Los Angeles Times . The genre lends itself to finales of "coming together" and surmounting "division and conflict." Many of the movie musicals of 2024 are intricate; they embrace darkness, as the movie musicals of Old Hollywood did not. Where once there was froth, there are now suds, yes, but also shadows. The "stars of this new cycle" deserve praise because the characters they play are "vastly more complex (and confused) than those of the old musicals," said Peter Bart at Deadline . "Gene Kelly in 'Singing in the Rain' and Fred Astaire in 'Top Hat' were essentially airheads." Movie trends can evaporate as quickly as they appear, so the movie musical boom could soon disintegrate. It is near-certain this vanishing will not occur in 2025. Come next November, the second installment of "Wicked," called "Wicked: For Good," will be released, another likely box-office victory.

( MENAFN - GetNews) "Omchele, a global leader in industrial automation with 37 years of experience, offers over 3,000 customizable products, including sensors, power supplies, and pneumatic systems. Known for quality, precision, and cost-effective solutions, Omchele helps businesses optimize efficiency and reduce costs."Omchele, a global leader in industrial automation with 37 years of experience, offers over 3,000 customizable products, including sensors, power supplies, and pneumatic systems. Known for quality, precision, and cost-effective solutions, Omchele helps businesses optimize efficiency and reduce costs. Recommendation: ***** To B or C: B2B Main Markets: Primarily Belt and Road countries (e.g., Russia, Iran, Turkey, India), with strategic plans to expand into Europe, North America, and South America for a global presence. Introducing Omchele: Leaders in Automation Omchele, an industrial automation company, was founded in 1986 and has become a world leader in its industry over the course of 37 years of experience. Resting on a solid base of automation products that includes switching power supplies, proximity sensors and photoelectric sensors and so on. This advancement helped boost Omchele's offerings for clients by creating its sub-brand, Hebai-Omch, which focuses on specific pneumatic line products. Innovative changes through adapting to how the industry business works allows Omchele to maintain a stable reputation of their input. Now, customers are offered a decent amount of over 3,000 types of models , over 30 categories and over 200 series which cuts across almost all the manufacturing inputs. Omchele is committed to providing cost efficient and reliable solutions that caters for global desires in our effort to bolster industrialisation. 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Being in the presence of 86 branches in various countries and already well-established distribution networks, Omchele is able to guarantee all the local and international clients that all of their concerns will be dealt with promptly. The passion to offering competent and flexible customer support and service adds to the reputation of the company common in providing industrial automation partnership. Industry-Wide Trusted Automation Solutions Omchele's products find applications in a wide category of industries including automation, automation Line,medical,etc. Their automation solutions integrate well with leading international brands like Omron, SICK, and SMC, and are known for their flexibility. Some of the more popular uses of Omchele's products are: - Switching Power Supplies: Expansive use in industrial automation, electronics sector, medical power solutions, and telecommunications. 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Novak Djokovic is a 24-time grand slam title winner, Olympic gold medallist and a 99-time ATP competition winner. So why, at 37 years old, does the best tennis player in the world, and arguably in the history of the sport, need a coach? Long relationship ... Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic when they played doubles together at the Australian Open in 2006. Credit: Getty Images It was a surprise when Djokovic named long-time rival Andy Murray as his new coach – a player Djokovic had a 69 per cent win record against – and the duo are set to make their debut at the Brisbane International in January before Djokovic heads to the Australian Open to chase his 25th grand slam title. But former champion-turned-Nine commentator Todd Woodbridge says the pairing isn’t as strange as it seems. “It’s intriguing. Andy Murray for me is this generation’s Lleyton Hewitt, and Ken Rosewell before him, and I say that because they just live, eat, breathe tennis,” Woodbridge says. “Andy can’t keep away from it.” Murray retired from professional tennis in 2024 as a three-time grand slam champion and two-time Olympic gold medallist. And while Djokovic had the upper hand in their head-to-head matches, beating Murray 25 of the 36 times they played, Woodbridge says Murray was the same calibre of athlete. “Andy played everyone that Novak is going to be playing against. So, they’ll be drawing up strategy, game plan, tactics, and what they’ve got to do is find ways for Novak to win matches really quickly, succinctly, keeping energy in the tank, and I think that’s part of the reason he’s been brought along. “But, you know, there’s one more [reason], which is very obvious, and that’s that Novak has had people around him in his last two coaching roles that have been there, done it... So that’s Boris Becker and Goran Ivanisevic. It is impossible to hire someone to come in and tell him things, when he’s already done more than they have. And Andy is on a parallel [with] him. “Yes, he’s [Djokovic] won more majors, but Andy’s won Olympics, he’s won Wimbledon, he’s won the US Open, he’s been to a final and lost to Novak. He’s one player that he’ll respect if Andy calls him out and says, ‘hey, we need to work on this’. And that’s got to be why he’s in the team.” Novak Djokovic after defeating Carlos Alcaraz for Olympic gold in Paris. Credit: Getty Images Djokovic had a mixed 2024. He finally won his first Olympic gold in Paris, completing the golden career slam , but it was also the first time since 2017 he didn’t win a grand slam title in a calendar year. But Woodbridge says Djokovic remains a threat to win his 11th Australian Open title in 2025. “He [Djokovic] didn’t have the year he wanted, and I think he has come off his level slightly, but the others still have to play at their best and when he’s there, he’s always a threat,” Woodbridge says. “It really comes down to the physical and mental, maybe more mental...but currently he’s in the top three for me to win the Australian Open – that goes [Jannik] Sinner, [Carlos] Alcaraz and Djokovic.” Sinner, the reigning Australian Open champion and favourite for the 2025 title, had an intriguing year after he tested positive twice for an anabolic steroid in March, but was not banned in a decision by an independent tribunal because the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) determined he was not to blame. The off-court drama didn’t translate to Sinner’s on-court results, with the Italian winning three Masters 1000 titles and the US Open while the drama played out in the background. However, the World Anti-Doping Agency [WADA] has since decided to appeal the decision to clear Sinner of wrongdoing, the outcome of which could come to a head in Melbourne. Jannik Sinner after winning the 2024 Australian Open. Credit: AP It comes as world No. 2 and French Open champion Iga Swiatek accepted a one-month ban after testing positive for trimetazidine (TMZ) . Loading However, Woodbridge says he doesn’t think the issue will hinder Sinner as he heads to Australia to start the 2025 season. “That’s one of the things that I think Jannik Sinner has been extraordinary with,” Woodbridge said. “He’s got a great ability it seems to have had to deal with it for nearly eight months, know about it, talk about it openly, and he seems to have handled it well. “We’ll just wait and see how Iga handles it when she has to talk about it. She’s a very different personality, so we will see if it does affect her or not.” Swiatek will front the media for the first time since the positive test at the United Cup in Sydney starting on December 28. The Australian team will also be playing in Sydney, where Alex de Minaur and Olivia Gadecki will be the top-ranked Australian players. Alex de Minaur celebrates his win over Novak Djokovic at the 2024 United Cup. Credit: AP The 2024 United Cup was where de Minaur launched his season – his best year on tour to date – after beating Djokovic and then-world No. 10 Taylor Fritz . With nine men in the ATP’s top 100 – de Minaur, Alexei Popyrin, Jordan Thompson, Christopher O’Connell, Aleksandar Vukic, Rinky Hijikata, Thanasi Kokkinakis, James Duckworth and Adam Walton – Woodbridge says Australian tennis is in its best place in years heading into the Australian Open. Loading “One of the key things for countries in tennis is to have depth...once you get some depth, every other player thinks, well, if that guy or that girl can do that, so can I,” Woodbridge says. “On the men’s side, our programs have built that depth over the last 15 years, and it’s really, really important. You don’t realise it when you’re in it, but back in my day, in around the 2000s, you had [Pat] Rafter, Hewitt, [Mark] Philippoussis, [Mark] Woodforde. “It’s 25 years really since we [last] had what we’ve got going right now, and that’s fantastic. And so, we’ve got to ride that wave of success while we can because it does become cyclical, there’s no guarantee that you’re going to get that again. But the Australian men are pushing each other to that limit.” Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. License this article Australian Open Novak Djokovic Andy Murray Billie Eder is a sports reporter at The Sydney Morning Herald. Connect via Twitter or email . 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Marcus Johnson and Bowling Green take down New Mexico State 61-60Centre implemets strict rules to combat online gaming addiction and cybercrimeFor a politician whose career has been remarkably scandal-free, Education Minister Ben Carroll has found himself facing unexpected pressure lately, with this year’s VCE exams marred by scandal with questions released weeks before student sat their tests. Carroll, who is also deputy premier, was forced to admit that 56 tests – nearly half of the total number of 116 VCE exams – had been hit by the breach where questions were inadvertently published online. “It went from disappointment to anger, [just] the scale of it,” Carroll told The Age . Education Minister and Deputy Premier Ben Carroll. Credit: Eddie Jim “You can’t upload cover sheets with embedded questions in them. It is simply unacceptable.” In the fallout, the chief executive of the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority resigned. Carroll has also ordered a full root-and-branch review, which he says will look at every part of the authority, including the culture, following other exam bungles across three separate years. Unusually for a politician, he also took accountability for the blunder. As for whether he has confidence in the authority? “It is a good question,” Carroll says at a cafe in Aberfeldie, in what was meant to be a broad-ranging interview with the state’s deputy premier. “You always lose a bit of confidence when something like this happens ... this should not have occurred.” Such candour from a minister is rare in a political crisis. But Carroll isn’t one to shy away from issues facing the state government. A year after the departure of Daniel Andrews from the top job, Labor’s primary vote has tumbled. It has coincided with a series of government backflips, including a retreat from raising the age of criminal responsibility to 14 and its promise to set up a second supervised drug injecting room . Pill testing will be trialled this summer , in contrast to their longstanding position under Andrews, and forced health mergers, which were recommended by an expert panel, were abandoned. Deputy Premier Ben Carroll with wife Fiona and daughter Madeleine. “We’ve made some tough decisions over the past 12 months. Next year you’ll see really important delivery,” Carroll said when asked about the government’s slide in support. “I think you’ll see a turnaround, and that will require lots of hard work, and we are committed to doing that.” In a political climate where the government, and premier, are on the nose, the role of deputy can be a tricky one. Media and MPs have been on high alert for any tensions between Jacinta Allan and her deputy, who are factional foes, particularly after Carroll’s bold and somewhat surprising push for the leadership job last year. Considered a political cleanskin, Carroll surprised colleagues when he marched into the Labor Party room in September 2023, with MPs from the Right faction in tow, to mount a bid for the top job following Andrews’ departure. Incensed the Left was seeking to hold both positions, Carroll’s move is still described by colleagues as either brave, treacherous or both. “This opportunity came up, I thought it was time to make a stand, and I made a stand on that day,” Carroll says. “I would not change one minute at that meeting, or one minute of that day. I knew my true north, and I was committed to getting the right outcome.” While Carroll stands by his move, it angered Andrews who scolded his minster, and he eventually withdrew his candidacy and accepted the deputy premier position, avoiding a messy vote. “I’d been thinking about it for a long time. I [had previously] supported Jacinta to be the deputy leader ... I have always been a team player,” Carroll insists. Ben Carroll surprised many in his party when he made a push for the leadership. Credit: Eddie Jim While most of his colleagues have now agreed to let bygones be bygones, the move publicly signalled Carroll’s determination and displayed rare courage that saw him stand up to Andrews. Former premier Steve Bracks, who gave Carroll one of his first jobs in politics when he employed him as a junior staffer in his office, told The Age Carroll’s leadership bid should not be interpreted as disloyal. “He put his hand up in order to become deputy, and it was the mechanism to achieve the job he’s got,” Bracks said. “From your deputy, you want loyalty, you want someone who will always back up the leader, and someone who can take the heavy lifting, that’s what Ben has done.” Friend and former colleague Wade Noonan, who resigned from the ministry in 2017 for family reasons, believes Carroll had learnt that “leadership is rarely gifted” and said his friend was not one to miss an opportunity. “Politics is not a place for retreaters. Ben will stand up for the things that matter, in life, and in politics,” Noonan said. “There is courage in his approach. His ambition should not be confused – he is all about creating opportunity for Victorians, rather than seeking power for the sake of it.” Carroll, 49, was born in Coburg in July 1975, the first of three children. Borrowing a line from the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who has repeatedly said he was raised with three great faiths – the Catholic Church, the Labor Party and South Sydney Football Club, – Carroll says his parents raised him with three great passions: the Catholic Church, the Labor Party and the North Melbourne Football Club. That year, 1975, was a big year for North Melbourne, with the team winning its first VFL/AFL premiership. It was also a defining year for the ALP with the dismissal of Gough Whitlam. “Politics has always been in the house,” Carroll said. “Dad was always about the underdog.” Carroll’s father Greg was an electrician and ran his own business which went under during the 1990s recession. “I learned a lot from dad – despite losing his business in the Keating recession, he, to this day, says Paul Keating was our greatest prime minister,” he said. Ben Carroll grew up with a love for football. “We saw the recession very closely in our family, but he was always thinking about those who were less fortunate.” Carroll’s mum, Kay, was born in Fort Worth Texas before immigrating to Australia in her early teens. Carroll says his mother’s US links also spurned his love of politics, including an admiration for former president Bill Clinton. After graduating with an arts degree, Carroll spent a few years working in insurance before Bracks’ unexpected victory in 1999 saw him take the first step in his political career. By 2012, Carroll was working in Canberra for senator Stephen Conroy, when he was preselected to stand in Niddrie, edging out his current cabinet colleague , Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes. “When a seat comes up ... where you went to kinder, where you went to primary, where you went to secondary, where you got your first job, where your family have been part of the community ... you have a crack.” He lives in his electorate with wife Fiona, a lawyer, and their daughter Madeleine. Carroll says he seeks political counsel from his wife, but it was parents at his daughter’s school gate that inspired him to make another bold call as education minister – mandating that public schools introduce structured phonics as part of an explicit teaching approach. “I was on the WhatsApps with mothers and parents and fathers being stopped in the street ...[asking] are we teaching phonics?” he said. The move was particularly controversial for a Labor MP, with the Australian Education Union’s primary and secondary councils uniting to criticise the government’s decision to roll out a systematic synthetic phonics approach for all prep to grade 2 students. “I went outside the department and did my own research. I think there’s no more fundamental reform than how we teach kids to read. “I’m happy to make a stance,” he said. “That is what should drive me as minister.” Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. 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Ankara (Turkey), Dec 14 (AP) Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan says that Turkey's Embassy in Syria's capital of Damascus will reopen on Saturday, for the first time since 2012. In an interview with Turkey's NTV television Fidan said a newly appointed interim charge d'affaires had left for Damascus on Friday together with his delegation. "It will be operational as of tomorrow," he said. The Embassy in Damascus had suspended operations in 2012 due to the escalating security conditions during the Syrian civil war. All embassy staff and their families were recalled to Turkey. Earlier on Friday, thousands of Syrians gathered in Damascus' historic main mosque for the first Muslim Friday prayers since the ouster of President Bashar Assad, while giant crowds celebrated in the capital's largest square and across the country. The gatherings were a major symbolic moment for the dramatic change of power in Syria, nearly a week after insurgents swept into Damascus, ousting the Assad-led state that had ruled the country for a half century with an iron grip. It came as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with allies around the region looking to shape the transition, calling for an “inclusive and non-sectarian” interim government. Blinken arrived in Iraq on a previously unannounced stop after talks in Jordan and Turkey — which backs some of the Syrian insurgent factions. So far, US officials have not talked of direct meetings with Syria's new rulers. The main insurgent force, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, has been working to establish security and start a political transition after seizing Damascus early Sunday. The group has tried to reassure a public both stunned by Assad's fall and concerned over extremist jihadis among the rebels. The insurgents' leadership says it has broken with its extremist past, though HTS is still labeled a terrorist group by the United States and European countries. HTS's leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, appeared in a video message Friday congratulating “the great Syrian people for the victory of the blessed revolution”. “I invite them to head to the squares to show their happiness without shooting bullets and scaring people,” he said. “And then after we will work to build this country and as I said in the beginning, we will be victorious by the help of God.” Huge crowds, including some insurgents, packed Damascus' historic Umayyad Mosque in the capital's old city, many waving the rebel opposition flag — with its three red stars — which has swiftly replaced the Assad-era flag with with its two green stars. According to Arab TV stations, the Friday sermon was delivered by Mohammed al-Bashir, the interim prime minister installed by HTS this week. The scene resonated on multiple levels. The mosque, one of the world's oldest dating back some 1,200 years, is a beloved symbol of Syria, and sermons there like all mosque sermons across Syria had been tightly controlled under Assad's rule. Also, in the early days of the anti-government uprising in 2011, protesters would leave Friday prayers to march in rallies against Assad — before he launched a brutal crackdown that turned the uprising into a long and bloody civil war. The interim prime minister, al-Bashir, had been the head of a de facto administration created by HTS in Idlib, the opposition's enclave in northwest Syria. The rebels had been bottled up in Idlib for years before fighters broke out in a shock offensive and marched across Syria in 10 days. Al-Sharaa, HTS' leader, has promised to bring a pluralistic government to Syria, seeking to dispel fears among many Syrians — especially its many minority communities — that the insurgents will bring a hard-line, extremist rule. Another key factor will be winning international recognition for a new government in Syria, a country where multiple foreign powers have their hands in the mix. The Sunni Arab insurgents who overthrew Assad did so with vital help from Turkey, a longtime foe of the US-backed Kurds. Turkey controls a strip of Syrian territory along the shared border and backs an insurgent faction uneasily allied to HTS — and is deeply opposed to any gains by Syria's Kurds. The US has troops in eastern Syria to combat remnants of the Islamic State group and supports Kurdish-led fighters who rule most of the east. Since Assad's fall, Israel has bombed sites all over Syria, saying it is trying to prevent weapons from falling into extremist hands, and has seized a swath of southern Syria along the border with the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, calling it a buffer zone. After talks with Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Blinken said there was “broad agreement” between Turkey and the US on what they would like to see in Syria. That starts with an "interim government in Syria, one that is inclusive and non-sectarian and one that protects the rights of minorities and women” and does not “pose any kind of threat to any of Syria's neighbors,” Blinken said. Fidan said the priority was “establishing stability in Syria as soon as possible, preventing terrorism from gaining ground, and ensuring that IS and the PKK aren't dominant” — referring to the Islamic State group and the Kurdistan Workers Party. Ankara considers the PKK within Turkey's borders a terrorist group — as it does the Kurdish-backed forces in Syria backed by the US. (AP) IJT IJT (This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)

GOP, Economy, Donald Trump FIRST ON FOX: Two top aides to President-elect Donald Trump are joining a key outside group ahead of his second term, as the organization preps to garner public support for his MAGA agenda. One of Trump's campaign managers in the 2024 election, Chris LaCivita , along with his campaign's chief pollster Tony Fabrizio are joining 501c4 Building America’s Future (BAF) as senior advisers. SENATE PASSES BILL TO STOP SHUTDOWN, SENDING IT TO PRESIDENT BIDEN'S DESK Chris LaCivita co-led Trump's 2024 campaign with Susie Wiles. (Reuters) "We are pleased to be joining BAF who in the 2024 cycle was a valuable and key ally in promoting President Trump’s agenda and his candidacy," LaCivita and Fabrizio said in a statement. "We look forward to helping guide BAF and their efforts to promote President Trump’s America First agenda so their efforts compliment and augment the President’s team’s efforts." The two will provide strategic counsel to the group as it looks to energize support for Trump's policy proposals during his presidency. BRIEF GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN USHERED IN BEFORE CHRISTMAS AS SENATE WORKS TO ADVANCE HOUSE BILL Fabrizio was the Trump campaign's chief pollster. (Reuters) BAF, which was founded by Phil Cox and Generra Peck in 2018, led a $45 million effort during the election to support Trump and his campaign against Vice President Kamala Harris. The group has already signaled its intention to continue promoting Trump and his administration past the election, debuting an ad campaign in support of Pete Hegseth , Trump's choice to lead the Department of Defense. The group will take an active role, energizing the public in support of Trump's policy priorities as he enters his second term. SENATE DEMS RAIL AGAINST 'SHADOW SPEAKER' BILLIONAIRE ELON MUSK: 'NOT ELECTED TO ANYTHING' Trump's campaign managers LaCivita and Wiles helped him successfully win in 2024. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) This comes as Republicans prepare to use the budget reconciliation process to pass key Trump items such as his economic and tax agenda as well as some elements of border security. By using this process, Republicans only need a simple majority in the Senate, rather than 60 votes to beat the legislative filibuster. However, nearly all Republicans will need to be on board, as the party only has 53 seats in the new Senate. By ramping up public support for Trump's priorities, Republicans may feel some pressure to get behind certain items. SENATE REPUBLICANS TRY TO FAST-TRACK EMERGENCY MILITARY PAY AS THEY BRACE FOR SHUTDOWN Trump co-campaign manager Susie Wiles is seen at Nashville International Airport as Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump arrives, July 27, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Other legislation is still expected to face an uphill battle due to the filibuster, but BAF's work to build public support for Trump's agenda could also pressure Democrats to join their Republican counterparts, particularly those who are up for re-election in 2026 in red or purple states. Trump's other co-campaign manager, Susie Wiles, was named as his White House chief of staff pick shortly after he was elected. Julia Johnson is a politics writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business, leading coverage of the U.S. Senate. She was previously a politics reporter at the Washington Examiner. Follow Julia's reporting on X at @JuliaaJohnson_ and send tips to Julia.Johnson@fox.com .( MENAFN - GetNews) December 23, 2024 - Within the dynamic solar sector, the focus remains on cost-efficiency and performance optimization. Yet, realizing mass production alongside high power levels poses a formidable challenge. Risen Energy, a leader in heterojunction (HJT) technology, has recently announced the upcoming mass production of their HJT Hyper-ion Pro 730+ Module in Q1 2025. This product is set to potentially become the market leader in terms of commercially available power output. For ground-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) power plants, the economic viability benchmark revolves around achieving higher power output and conversion efficiency, increased bifaciality, enhanced electricity generation, and reduced costs. These criteria shape the economic considerations governing module choices. Risen Energy currently holds a 5GW capacity in HJT technology. The company foresees a pivotal moment in the upcoming first quarter, with one-third of this capacity set to achieve a power output of 730W, a module efficiency of 23.5%, and a bifaciality of 85%. At that juncture, Risen Energy will mark its first significant shipment of high-power modules, which stands as a testament to Risen Energy's pioneering position in HJT technology, highlighting its strategic response to differentiate itself in the fiercely competitive solar market. Following the universal adoption of 210mm wafers, these modules are sized at 2384*1303mm. "The high bifaciality and remarkably low temperature coefficient of around -0.24%/°C in our new HJT Hyper-ion Pro 730+ Module mean significant gains in electricity generation, particularly in high-temperature regions. Recent empirical data from a power plant in Saudi Arabia shows that the wattage output of our HJT Hyper-ion modules surpasses that of TOPCon products by about 4%, demonstrating that our relentless dedication to HJT technology has been worthwhile!" Said Song Yifeng, Global Product Center Director of Risen Energy. The new HJT Hyper-ion Pro 730+ Module , now offering 730W, represents a significant advancement over the previous model, achieved through breakthroughs in three key technologies: Light Conversion Film (LCF) technology, knotless steel mesh printing, and high-transfer target materials . Light Conversion Film At its core, through the application of LCF, ultraviolet (UV) light, usually absorbed by the embedding material, converts into visible blue light, imparting a blue hue to the solar module. This transformation boosts photon reactivity, increasing the light available for utilization. Risen Energy, in collaboration with film suppliers, has conducted secondary development on LCF technology. By precisely controlling the composition of light conversion materials and optimizing package processes, this technology fully minimizes the negative impact of UV radiation on cells. This not only significantly boosts module output power but also ensures long-term stability, enhancing module performance outdoor by demonstrating higher stability and lower power degradation rates. Steel Mesh Printing Technology with 100% Open-Area Design While the industry commonly employs screen printing, the knotless steel mesh printing ensures exceptional ink permeability, enabling high-precision printing with ultra-narrow linewidths. The low linearity fluctuation and excellent flatness of the steel mesh not only help save paste consumption but also reduce grid line resistance, thereby enhancing overall cell efficiency. Additionally, compared to conventional screen printing, the abrasion and puncture resistance of fully open-area steel mesh is superior, extending its lifespan by 2 to 3 times and reducing costs. High-Transfer Target Materials By enhancing the migration rate of TCO film layers and reducing light absorption, this technology increases the utilization of light to electricity conversion in the PN junction, ultimately boosting module power output. The external quantum efficiency (EQE) of high-transfer target materials is higher in the visible to near-infrared spectrum compared to traditional materials. Since the improvement of EQE in this spectrum has less impact on module packaging losses, it further contributes to enhancing the module's Conversion Temperature Management (CTM) value. In addition to technological breakthroughs, Risen Energy consistently upholds the quality of its products. Besides conducting routine application scenario tests on photovoltaic modules, Risen Energy continues to subject them to rigorous testing under extreme conditions, ensuring that the modules can maintain a stable operational state throughout their typical life cycle, which spans around 25-30 years. Recently, Risen Energy's HJT Hyper-ion Module has successfully passed several rigorous tests, including the IEC stringent thermal cycling test, the IEC 62788 sand and dust abrasion test, the cyclic wind load test based on AS/NZS 1170, and the IEC extremely low-temperature load test. "In terms of efficiency improvement and cost reduction, our cash costs for HJT technology have now aligned with those of TOPCon," added Song. "While the initial equipment investment for HJT is higher, the superior performance and potential cost savings in operation make it a compelling choice for the future,” said Song. The market will ultimately determine whether HJT technology can lead the next wave in the solar industry. For more information, please contact: Risen Energy Co., Ltd. ... MENAFN23122024003238003268ID1109025444 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.

Bitcoin Moves Above $99,000 After Billion-Dollar ETF Inflow DayBy ALICIA RANCILIO, Associated Press Stepping onto the set of “Squid Game” season two, Lee Jung-jae felt like he had never left. “Including promotion, I’d been living with Gi-hun for about two years,” said Lee in a recent interview. “I really felt like I was him,” he said in a recent interview. “Squid Game” follows an underground competition in Korea that recruits people in debt to participate in childlike games for money. Once the games begin, the contestants realize there are deadly consequences. The show was a global hit when it was released in 2021, becoming Netflix’s most-watched series. It also won numerous accolades including Primetime Emmy Awards for acting for Lee Jung-jae and directing for Hwang Dong-hyuk. Lee’s career catapulted, taking him to the Cannes Film Festival and giving him his first English-language role in the “Star Wars” series “The Acolyte” for Disney+. Lee says when Netflix ordered a second season of “Squid Game,” he questioned the timeline because it took Hwang years to work on the first one. “I wondered, ‘How many years will it take him to write season two,’” said Lee. Hwang, in turn, surprised everyone — including himself — by taking just six months to write season two and a third and final season. “I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to write something that fast again,” he said. Lee Byung-hun, from left, Yang Dong-geun, Hwang Dong-hyuk, Jo Yu-ri, Im Si-wan, Kang Ae-sim, Lee Seo-hwan and Lee Jung-jae pose for a portrait to promote the second season of “Squid Game” on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP) Kang Ae-sim poses for a portrait to promote the second season of “Squid Game” on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP) Lee Byung-hun poses for a portrait to promote the second season of “Squid Game” on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP) Yang Dong-geun poses for a portrait to promote the second season of “Squid Game” on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP) Jo Yu-ri poses for a portrait to promote the second season of “Squid Game” on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP) Im Si-wan poses for a portrait to promote the second season of “Squid Game” on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP) Hwang Dong-hyuk poses for a portrait to promote the second season of “Squid Game” on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP) Lee Jung-jae poses for a portrait to promote the second season of “Squid Game” on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP) Lee Seo-hwan poses for a portrait to promote the second season of “Squid Game” on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP) Lee Byung-hun, from left, Yang Dong-geun, Hwang Dong-hyuk, Jo Yu-ri, Im Si-wan, Kang Ae-sim, Lee Seo-hwan and Lee Jung-jae pose for a portrait to promote the second season of “Squid Game” on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP) Creating new characters and their individual stories came easily. The biggest, challenge, Hwang said, was deciding what should happen with Gi-hun. Lee says when he read the scripts he thought Hwang “really is a genius.” It’s rare for even successful TV shows in Korea to have more than one season so it was a big swing, even for the new cast. “There’s a Korean phrase, ‘there’s not a sequel that does better than its prequel,’ said actor Yang Dong-geong, whose character debuts in season two. “I’ve been careful because we aren’t really sure what the reaction will be.” The outlook is positive. Season two has already been nominated in the best drama series category at the upcoming Golden Globe Awards. The opportunity to work on a project with worldwide appeal is a dream come true for a performer. Lee Byung-hun, who reprises his villain role from season one, has appeared in big budget English-language films like “G.I. Joe: The Rise of the Cobra” with Channing Tatum and Dennis Quaid and “Red 2” with Bruce Willis. It’s “Squid Game” that he credits for taking his career to another level. “I’ve been an actor for over three decades and ... maybe most people outside of Korea have never seen anything that I’ve been in. If anyone through ‘Squid Game’ wishes to see more of me or becomes more curious about my previous works, as an actor, nothing would be more rewarding or bring me greater joy.” The audition process moved slowly. Jo Yu-ri recalls waiting two months between the first and second-round. When she finally got the part Jo says, “I actually remember crying.” The actors were asked to not speak publicly about their casting to wait for Netflix to make an announcement. “There were a couple of close friends that popped champagne for me when they found out,” said Yang. Netflix’s “Squid Game” universe is also growing. A second season of a reality competition show based on the series has been ordered and an English version is in development. Season three of the original has also completed filming and is in post-production. Season two is not without controversy. The new episodes feature a transgender character played by Park Sung-hoon. Hwang says he understands why hiring a trans actor would have been ideal, but that the casting is a reflection of how the LGBTQ community and gender identity is viewed in Korea. “To be honest with you, in Korea, when it comes to the LGBTQ and gender minority community and culture compared to the Western worlds, it’s not as widely socially accepted yet. Unfortunately, a lot of the groups are marginalized and neglected from society, which is heartbreaking,” said Hwang. “We don’t have a very large pool of actors that allow for authentic casting when it comes to transgender characters. We did our research. We tried to find someone who we thought could be the best fit. However, we weren’t able to.” Hwang also went on to say that Park’s talent and approach to the character ended up making him “the perfect fit.” Leslie Ambriz in Los Angeles contributed to this report.ST. LOUIS, Dec. 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Marketing Alliance, Inc. (OTC: MAAL) (“TMA” or the “Company”), announced its financial results today for its fiscal 2025 second quarter ended September 30, 2024. Fiscal Q2 2025 Financial Key Items (all comparisons to the prior year period) Revenues were $4,928,950 compared to $4,891,830. The increase was primarily due to 10% revenue growth in the insurance distribution business that was offset by a decline in construction revenue Operating income from continuing operations of $486,639 compared to $591,187 in the prior year period Net income was $401,511 or $0.05 per share compared to $236,599 or $.03 per share in the prior year period Subsequent to the end of the quarter, on October 28, the Company announced its Board of Directors had authorized a share repurchase program to repurchase up to 800,000 shares of issued and outstanding common stock and decided to discontinue paying dividends effective immediately Management Comments Timothy M. Klusas, TMA’s Chief Executive Officer, commented, “While our bottom-line results were similar to the second fiscal quarter last year, this quarter showed a 10% revenue increase in the insurance distribution business. The investments in the business we made, and continue to make, appeared to begin to result in growth. During this quarter the Company filled two key open leadership roles, introduced a new logo to reflect a more modern customer-centric company, and integrated new tools and technologies on to our insurance distribution platform for customers to save time, save expense, and in turn drive better outcomes for their customers. In the construction business we completed a large job that was initiated in the prior fiscal year. We continued to maintain a very disciplined approach to only undertaking jobs that were economically profitable with respect to our capabilities. We continued to believe this approach positions us to perform better and have capacity to undertake more suitable jobs.” Mr. Klusas added, “Our general and administrative operating expenses increased this quarter due to a one-time $147,720 non-cash compensation expense. While we have worked very hard to reduce our expenses, we recognized that we may have to adjust these expenses to continue to perform at a high level. We continued to reduce debt and further strengthened our balance sheet by changing our position on dividends.” On October 28 the Company announced its approval of a share repurchase authorization and its decision to discontinue the dividend. At the time, Timothy Klusas, the Company's President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, "The share repurchase authorization represents our financial strength and commitment to enhance shareholder value, and the Board’s willingness to change tactics to do so. The Board recognized, nor did it take lightly, that this action would be a significant change in our shareholder distribution strategy of paying dividends, which the Company has paid consistently since its founding in 1996. The Board arrived at this decision after monitoring the stock price while paying dividends and has concluded in its judgement that its dividend policy was not adequately reflected in the stock price." As of November 27, the Company has repurchased approximately 62,000 shares under this authorization. Fiscal Second Quarter 2025 Financial Review Revenues were $4,928,950 compared to $4,891,830, due to 10% growth in the insurance distribution business that was offset by a decrease in the construction business. Net operating revenue (gross profit) for the quarter was $1,367,731, compared to net operating revenue of $1,427,796 in the prior year fiscal period. While Net operating revenue was greater this quarter in the insurance business, it was offset by a decrease in the construction business versus the prior year quarter. Operating expenses increased to $881,092 compared to $836,609 for the prior year. The increase was due to a one-time non-cash expense of $147,720. The Company reported operating income from continuing operations of $486,639 compared to $591,187 in the prior year period, with differences due to factors discussed above. Operating EBITDA (excluding investment portfolio income) of $553,396 was less than the prior year quarterly EBITDA of $669,709. A note reconciling operating EBITDA to operating income can be found at the end of this release. Investment gain (loss), net (from non-operating investment portfolio) for the quarter was $61,203 as compared with ($129,263) during the same period the previous year. The Company has reduced its holdings of equity securities by 32% at the end of the quarter versus the prior year. Net income was $401,511, or $0.05 per share, compared to $236,599 or $0.03 per share. Common shares outstanding increased 100,000 pursuant to Director retention plans. Balance Sheet Information TMA’s balance sheet on September 30, 2024, reflected cash and cash equivalents of $1.4 million; working capital of $6.1 million; and shareholders’ equity of $6.4 million; compared to cash and cash equivalents of $1.8 million, working capital of $6.1 million, and shareholders’ equity of $6.5 million as of September 30, 2023. About The Marketing Alliance, Inc. Headquartered in St. Louis, MO, TMA provides support to independent insurance brokerage agencies, with a goal of integrating insurance and “insuretech” engagement platforms to provide members value-added services on a more efficient basis than they can achieve individually. Investor information can be accessed through the shareholder section of TMA’s website at: http://www.themarketingalliance.com/shareholder-information . TMA’s common stock is quoted on the OTC Markets (http://www.otcmarkets.com) under the symbol “MAAL”. Forward Looking Statement Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that may affect TMA's business and prospects. Examples of forward-looking statements include, among others, statements we make regarding our expectations of growth based upon our investments in our business, our recently announced stock repurchase program, our plans to reduce expenses, and our ability to undertake more suitable jobs and generate earnings from our construction business. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release represent our estimates, expectations or intentions only as of the date hereof, or as of such earlier dates as are indicated, and should not be relied upon as representing our views as of any subsequent date. These statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, expectations of the economic environment, material adverse changes in economic conditions in the markets we serve and in the general economy; the ways that insurance carriers may react in their underwriting policies and procedures to the continuing risks they perceive from public health matters; the ability of our construction business to be engaged for projects and for those projects to commence on the anticipated timetable and with the anticipated profitability; our reliance on a limited number of insurance carriers and any potential termination of those relationships or failure to develop new relationships; privacy and cyber security matters and our ability to protect confidential information; future state and federal regulatory actions and conditions in the states in which we conduct our business; our ability to work with carriers on marketing, distribution and product development; pricing and other payment decisions and policies of the carriers in our insurance distribution business, changes in the public securities markets that affect the value of our investment portfolio; and weather and environmental conditions in the areas served by our construction business. While we may elect to update forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we specifically disclaim any obligation to do so. . Note – Operating EBITDA (excluding investment portfolio income) The Company elects not to include investment portfolio income because the Company believes it is non-operating in nature. The Company uses Operating EBITDA as a measure of operating performance. However, Operating EBITDA is not a recognized measurement under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP, and when analyzing its operating performance, investors should use Operating EBITDA in addition to, and not as an alternative for, income as determined in accordance with GAAP. Because not all companies use identical calculations, its presentation of Operating EBITDA may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies and is therefore limited as a comparative measure. Furthermore, as an analytical tool, Operating EBITDA has additional limitations, including that (a) it is not intended to be a measure of free cash flow, as it does not consider certain cash requirements such as tax payments; (b) it does not reflect changes in, or cash requirements for, its working capital needs; and (c) although depreciation and amortization are non-cash charges, the assets being depreciated and amortized often will have to be replaced in the future, and Operating EBITDA does not reflect any cash requirements for such replacements, or future requirements for capital expenditures or contractual commitments. To compensate for these limitations, the Company evaluates its profitability by considering the economic effect of the excluded expense items independently as well as in connection with its analysis of cash flows from operations and through the use of other financial measures. The Company believes Operating EBITDA is useful to an investor in evaluating its operating performance because it is widely used to measure a company’s operating performance without regard to certain non-cash or unrealized expenses (such as depreciation and amortization) and expenses that are not reflective of its core operating results over time. The Company believes Operating EBITDA presents a meaningful measure of corporate performance exclusive of its capital structure, the method by which assets were acquired, and non-cash charges and provides additional useful information to measure performance on a consistent basis, particularly with respect to changes in performance from period to period.