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The San Francisco 49ers must win against the Los Angeles Rams if they want to have a realistic chance of making the playoffs. It's as simple as that. Lose, and their playoff odds drop to under a percent, per The New York Times . It's all hands on deck then, with Dre Greenlaw returning from his Super Bowl Achilles injury and Nick Bosa reportedly likely to end his three-game absence. Those will be critical reinforcements as the 49ers look to slow down a red hot Rams offense, but there are several other factors that will have a big say in deciding a do-or-die divisional clash. Moore's biggest test The 49ers have traditionally struggled mightily to win games without Trent Williams. That has remained the case during his absence from an ankle injury as the Niners have gone 1-2. However, his deputy Jaylon Moore has played objectively well, vindicating the 49ers' faith in him as their swing tackle with a series of strong displays. Moore has allowed five pressures, per Pro Football Focus, and has five blown blocks as a pass protector, per Sports Info Solutions. Yet he has not allowed a sack and has excelled as a run blocker. The 2021 fifth-round pick does not have a blown block in the run game and, over the last three weeks, Moore ranks eighth among tackles in PFF run block grade. But a Rams defensive front that has hit its stride in recent weeks will provide a much bigger test, with the challenge primarily set to come from rookie first-round pick Jared Verse, who ranks sixth among defensive ends with at least 10 pressures in pressure rate (18.1%) and is first in the SIS points saved metric against the run among players at his position with at least five tackles. Verse has played the vast majority of his snaps on the right edge, meaning Moore can expect to see an awful lot of a dynamic young pass rusher with a powerful bull rush who also defends the run extremely well. How he handles that challenge could have an outsized impact on the outcome of the game. Defensive line depth pieces key amid Bosa's potential return Regardless of whether Bosa makes his return, there will be a huge onus on the 49er defensive line to get Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles offense out of rhythm after the Rams' incredible showing on that side of the ball in their shootout win over the Buffalo Bills. San Francisco tallied seven sacks of Caleb Williams in last week's blowout of the Chicago Bears. Three of those came from NFC Defensive Player of the Week Yetur Gross-Matos, who produced an excellent demonstration of why the Niners bet on his athleticism this past offseason. The 49ers have largely weirdly gone away from stunts or any semblance of anything creative up front this season. They were more varied against the Bears, and hey it worked. More of this with Bosa back in the mix with two other DL playing well in Floyd and Gross-Matos. pic.twitter.com/e2oE0GtcOo Two of those sacks came as a result of Gross-Matos' power and effort, but his first was the product of a well-designed stunt, the kind of which the 49ers have utilized too little this season in Nick Sorensen's first season as the defensive coordinator. With former Ram Leonard Floyd registering 5.5 sacks in the last four games and Gross-Matos impressing, the 49ers have the firepower up front to cause Los Angeles problems. Their abilities in that regard will obviously be greatly increased if Bosa is able to go, and his return would facilitate the Niners getting greater usage of Gross-Matos as an interior pass rusher to take some of the strain off a defensive tackle group that, outside of Maliek Collins, has struggled to disrupt the pocket. Gross-Matos' flexibility stood out throughout against the Bears. With the interior DL struggling to create much disruption, outside of Maliek Collins, his versatility to play inside and out will be key tonight. pic.twitter.com/OigXB7zxzj What the 49ers do have on the interior is an excellent rookie run defender. Undrafted free agent Evan Anderson ranks seven among defensive tackles with at least five tackles in points saved per play against the run, and he is fourth in run stop rate (12.8%) among interior defensive linemen with a minimum of 50 run defense snaps. Gross-Matos has also impressed in that area, consistently showcasing himself as one of the 49ers' best edge-setters. Gross-Matos is also quietly one of the 49ers' better run defenders. pic.twitter.com/OrTfMfwSqR In a matchup with a running back in Kyren Williams who ground the Niners down in the Week 3 meeting and two stellar wide receivers in Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua, the 49ers' success in being able to limit the Los Angles rushing attack and key in on Stafford will be crucial. Though much of the focus is on Bosa's return, D-Line depth pieces such as Gross-Matos and Anderson figure to have huge roles to play. Can Deebo silence the doubters? Deebo Samuel may say he isn't struggling. However, when you take the step to post that on social media, it's a clear sign you're struggling. Both Kyle Shanahan and Brock Purdy showed support for Samuel following his hastily deleted tweet about not getting the ball, the latter expressing a desire to get him more touches. And history says that would be a wise move. In nine games against the Rams (regular season & post), he has 794 scrimmage yards and seven touchdowns. He also threw a passing touchdown against Los Angeles in 2021 in a de-facto Week 18 playoff game. When the 49ers have had their backs against the wall in games with the Rams, Samuel has typically delivered. San Francisco did not have him available in their Week 3 defeat at SoFi Stadium but, with George Kittle and Jauan Jennings each performing to a standard that should see them command plenty of attention from the Los Angeles defense, the opportunities should be there for Samuel to do damage both in the underneath passing game and out of the backfield as a runner and a receiver. The stage is set for another vintage Samuel exhibition against the Rams. If he can save the 49ers' season, that would emphatically silence the doubters. This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.NEW YORK (AP) — Top-ranked chess player Magnus Carlsen is headed back to the World Blitz Championship on Monday after its governing body agreed to loosen a dress code that got him fined and denied a late-round game in another tournament for refusing to change out of jeans . Lamenting the contretemps, International Chess Federation President Arkady Dvorkovich said in a statement Sunday that he'd let World Blitz Championship tournament officials consider allowing “appropriate jeans” with a jacket, and other “elegant minor deviations” from the dress code. He said Carlsen's stand — which culminated in his quitting the tournament Friday — highlighted a need for more discussion “to ensure that our rules and their application reflect the evolving nature of chess as a global and accessible sport.” Carlsen, meanwhile, said in a video posted Sunday on social media that he would play — and wear jeans — in the World Blitz Championship when it begins Monday. “I think the situation was badly mishandled on their side,” the 34-year-old Norwegian grandmaster said. But he added that he loves playing blitz — a fast-paced form of chess — and wanted fans to be able to watch, and that he was encouraged by his discussions with the federation after Friday's showdown. “I think we sort of all want the same thing,” he suggested in the video on his Take Take Take chess app’s YouTube channel. “We want the players to be comfortable, sure, but also relatively presentable.” The events began when Carlsen wore jeans and a sportcoat Friday to the Rapid World Championship, which is separate from but held in conjunction with the blitz event. The chess federation said Friday that longstanding rules prohibit jeans at those tournaments, and players are lodged nearby to make sartorial switch-ups easy if needed. An official fined Carlsen $200 and asked him to change pants, but he refused and wasn't paired for a ninth-round game, the federation said at the time. The organization noted that another grandmaster, Ian Nepomniachtchi, was fined earlier in the day for wearing sports shoes, changed and continued to play. Carlsen has said that he offered to wear something else the next day, but officials were unyielding. He said “it became a bit of a matter of principle,” so he quit the rapid and blitz championships. In the video posted Sunday, he questioned whether he had indeed broken a rule and said changing clothes would have needlessly interrupted his concentration between games. He called the punishment “unbelievably harsh.” “Of course, I could have changed. Obviously, I didn’t want to,” he said, and “I stand by that.”Shares of Hudson Executive Investment Corp. ( OTCMKTS:HECCU – Get Free Report ) shot up 3.4% during trading on Friday . The company traded as high as $9.20 and last traded at $9.00. 8,700 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 80% from the average session volume of 44,486 shares. The stock had previously closed at $8.70. Hudson Executive Investment Stock Up 3.4 % The stock has a 50-day moving average of $9.00 and a 200 day moving average of $9.00. About Hudson Executive Investment ( Get Free Report ) Hudson Executive Investment Corp. does not have significant operations. It intends to effect a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization, or similar business combination with one or more businesses. The company was incorporated in 2020 and is based in New York, New York. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Hudson Executive Investment Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Hudson Executive Investment and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .fishing tackle shop near me 。

'The Mirror is calling to stop unregulated cowboys from ruining more lives with botched procedures'Appoints Scott Hudson as Vice President of Quality CALGARY, AB , Dec. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- CoolIT Systems ( CoolIT ), the world's leader in liquid cooling systems for advanced computing, is continuing to invest in its manufacturing capabilities to support the surging demand for liquid cooling of AI systems. Along with a 25x capacity expansion in a new Calgary, Canada manufacturing facility, CoolIT recently hired Scott Hudson as Vice President of Quality to lead the company's development of world-class quality operations and systems. " As the leader in direct liquid cooling for over two decades, our customers expect leading performance and reliability from CoolIT products, " said CoolIT's COO Patrick McGinn . " Adding Scott as CoolIT's VP of Quality reinforces CoolIT's commitment to developing best-in-class quality standards for liquid cooling products. " Scott joins CoolIT from Celestica , where he led the company's global quality strategy for all business segments across over 30 sites. His career spans three decades of quality leadership roles in the worldwide computer hardware industry, overseeing multi-site operations in North America , Asia and Europe . " Ensuring the culture of quality permeates all aspects of our business and our relationships with suppliers, customers, and technology partners is central to my mission, as well as CoolIT's continued leadership in liquid cooling, " emphasized Scott. CoolIT's end-to-end direct liquid cooling products are essential to operating current and future generations of AI data centers. The company's investments in manufacturing support the rapid build-out of production capacity to support the world's top AI cloud service providers and leading semiconductor and server manufacturers. About CoolIT Systems CoolIT Systems specializes in scalable liquid cooling solutions for the world's most demanding computing environments. A 23-year pioneer in liquid cooling for microprocessors, CoolIT's technology cools over 5 million GPUs and CPUs globally. In the AI, high-performance computing and enterprise data center markets, CoolIT partners with global processor and server design leaders to develop the most efficient and reliable liquid cooling solutions for their leading-edge products. Through its modular direct liquid cooling (DLC) technology, CoolIT enables dramatic increases in rack densities, component performance and power efficiencies. CoolIT also provides system design, installation and maintenance services in over 70 countries worldwide. Together, CoolIT and its partners are leading the way for the widespread adoption of accelerated and advanced computing. For more information about CoolIT Systems and its technology, visit https://www.coolitsystems.com/ and follow @CoolIT Systems on LinkedIn. SOURCE CoolIT Systems Inc

Hollywood star reveals curious reason she wants to talk to Trump about his mother

Canaan Inc. Signs Agreement with AGM Group Holdings Inc.Leonardo DiCaprio’s Art Adviser on the Ten Commandments of CollectingTrade Minister Don Farrell yet to speak with incoming US Secretary of CommerceBy Amanda Hernández, Stateline.org (TNS) The outcomes of seven ballot measures in Arizona, California and Colorado reflect the stricter approach to crime that’s been seen across much of the country recently, with voters and policymakers driven by concerns over rising retail theft, homelessness, fentanyl misuse and challenges in police recruitment and retention. Voters have decided in recent years that they prefer to adopt progressive changes to the criminal justice system “somewhat less aggressively,” said Dan Schnur, a former Republican strategist and a political communications professor at the University of Southern California and the University of California, Berkeley. “Voters are always course correctors. They’re always adjusting and readjusting, trying to calibrate policy exactly the way they want it,” Schnur said. “It’s not uncommon for them to try to pull back on a reform effort that they think might be going too far.” This year, local and state leaders in blue and red states — including California, Georgia, Louisiana, Oregon, Tennessee and Vermont — shifted away from more liberal initiatives aimed at reining in police powers and reimagining criminal legal systems. They have instead embraced harsher penalties for offenses such as retail theft and possession or distribution of certain hard drugs, added more felony and misdemeanor offenses requiring cash bail, and moved to prohibit local governments from altering police traffic stop policies. Then this month, voters in Arizona, California and Colorado overwhelmingly backed ballot measures to increase prison time for certain crimes, revoke bail for others and crack down on illegal immigration and drug trafficking. While national crime data is notoriously difficult to track and understand, violent crime and property crime across the United States decreased in 2023, continuing a downward trend since the higher crime rates of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the FBI’s latest national crime report. Still, some individual cities and neighborhoods might be seeing higher crime rates, which could explain Americans’ views on the issue. Opinions on crime in the United States have improved over the past year, according to Gallup’s annual crime survey . Fewer people compared with last year believe national crime has increased or consider crime an “extremely” or “very” serious problem — but a majority of U.S. adults, 56%, still do. Perceptions are heavily influenced by political affiliation, the survey showed. While 60% of Democrats believe crime has gone down over the past year, 90% of Republicans think it has increased. In California, voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 36, a measure that increases penalties for specific drug-related and theft crimes and that also reclassifies certain drug offenses as “treatment-mandated felonies.” This reclassification will allow judges to impose mental health or drug treatment requirements. Those who complete treatment would have their charges dismissed, while those who fail to meet the requirements could face up to three years in prison. “It’s not the hope or the intention to send a bunch of people to jail or prison who are using drugs. The goal is to incentivize people to engage in treatment again,” said Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig, one of the measure’s authors, in an interview with Stateline. The measure aims to address issues such as retail theft, homelessness, substance use disorders and fentanyl distribution, Reisig said. Under the new law, people convicted of theft at least twice may face felony charges on their third offense, regardless of the stolen item’s value. Additionally, those caught distributing fentanyl while armed with a loaded firearm will now face felony charges and up to four years in prison. Previously, possessing fentanyl and a loaded firearm was punishable by up to one year in jail. “Our strong belief is that this will send a deterrent message to others that there are consequences again,” Reisig said. The measure also received substantial support from law enforcement agencies across the state, although it remains unclear how departments might adjust their enforcement policies. Still, Reisig said, the measure will provide law enforcement with “some real, meaningful tools” to address specific crimes. “With options for increased sentencing and mandated treatment, Prop. 36 could provide tools to address repeat offenses more effectively,” Sacramento Police spokesperson Sgt. Dan Wiseman wrote in an email to Stateline. Proposition 36 partially reverses some changes made in 2014 by another ballot measure, Proposition 47, that reduced certain theft and drug crimes from felonies to misdemeanors to address prison overcrowding. But Reisig said that this is not a complete rollback. “It was drafted to be more down the middle and just kind of bring the pendulum back to center mass,” he said. “We’re not reinventing the wheel. We’re just bringing back something that had proven success, and I think all of California is going to benefit.” But some Democrats and criminal justice advocacy groups have argued that the measure could reintroduce drug war policies and result in longer prison sentences. California voters also rejected Proposition 6 by a close margin, 53%-47%. The measure would have amended the state constitution to prohibit forcing inmates into labor as punishment. The proposal originated from a state task force examining whether California should provide reparations to Black residents. In contrast, voters in more conservative states such as Alabama and Tennessee have approved measures in recent elections to abolish involuntary servitude in their prisons. In a similar effort, Nevada voters this year approved a measure repealing constitutional language that permitted slavery and involuntary servitude as forms of criminal punishment. Schnur said Proposition 6 could have been rejected in part because California voters might have carried anti-criminal sentiment over from one ballot measure to the other. “Because Prop 36 passed by such a large margin, it’s entirely possible that many voters were already thinking in a more restrictive way about criminal justice policy, and those feelings may have moved over into their vote against Prop 6,” Schnur said. In Colorado, voters overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment put on the ballot by the state legislature that makes first-degree murder suspects ineligible for bail if prosecutors can demonstrate a strong enough case. Previously, the state constitution allowed only people charged with “capital offenses” to be denied bail. This change restores bail policies that were in place before Colorado repealed the death penalty in 2020. Voters also backed a pair of measures placed on the ballot through a signature-gathering campaign led by Advance Colorado, a conservative political group. One measure requires people convicted of certain violent crimes, including second-degree murder, aggravated robbery and sexual assault, to serve at least 85% of their sentence — up from the previous 75% — before becoming eligible for parole. The other ballot measure directs the legislature to allocate $350 million from the state’s general fund to help local law enforcement agencies hire additional officers, provide training and bonus pay, and establish a $1 million death benefit for the families of first responders — including police, firefighters and EMTs — killed in the line of duty. The approval of that measure could deepen Colorado’s $1 billion budget deficit , though the financial impact will depend on how quickly lawmakers implement the program. Since the measure does not specify a timeline, legislators may choose to allocate the funds gradually rather than all at once in the next budget year, according to Kristi Burton Brown, Advance Colorado’s executive vice president. Arizona voters overwhelmingly passed two criminal justice measures this year: One mandates life imprisonment for people convicted of child sex trafficking; the other goes after both illegal immigration and the sale of fentanyl not made in the United States. Proposition 314 grants law enforcement the authority to arrest noncitizens who do not have legal authorization to enter or live in the United States. The law specifically targets people attempting to enter or who have entered Arizona outside official ports of entry. This measure expands police powers to address illegal immigration at the state level. Under Proposition 314, unauthorized entry into Arizona will become a Class 1 misdemeanor for a first offense and a felony for subsequent offenses. The measure also allows state judges to order deportations. However, portions of the law cannot take effect until a court — likely the U.S. Supreme Court — rules on the constitutionality of a similar law in Texas. If the Texas law is upheld and remains enforceable for at least 60 days, Arizona’s law could then go into effect. The law now is awaiting an appeals court decision, which is expected to itself be appealed to the Supreme Court no matter the ruling. And the measure adds a new state felony penalty for selling fentanyl manufactured outside the country that results in another person’s death. Some critics argue that it could lead to racial profiling and heightened community tensions, while supporters claim it will bolster border security and reduce crimes linked to illegal immigration. Immigration enforcement is usually a federal responsibility, and some critics also have raised concerns about the additional financial and operational burden local law enforcement agencies may face. Some local police departments contacted by Stateline were unsure of how the measure would be enforced, noting that they are waiting for further direction from state officials. The Phoenix Police Department said in an email to Stateline that it would continue its current enforcement practices, which prohibit officers from asking about immigration status during traffic stops unless required by state law and consensual contacts with the public, according to department spokesperson Sgt. Mayra Reeson. Under existing policies, Phoenix officers may only transport people to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement if they are wanted for a criminal immigration violation and have no pending state criminal charges, or if the person has only a civil immigration violation, which includes being in the country without legal authorization, and consents to the transport. The ACLU of Arizona has vowed to explore all options to block the implementation of Proposition 314, calling it unconstitutional and harmful. ©2024 States Newsroom. Visit at stateline.org. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

$10k worth of cannabis stolen from Renfrew, Ont. storeProvides 2000 A15 Hydro Bitcoin mining machines in initial order Continues global expansion with addition of new customer SINGAPORE , Dec. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Canaan Inc. (NASDAQ: CAN) ("Canaan" or the "Company"), a leading high-performance computing solutions provider, today announced that Canaan Creative Global Pte. Ltd. ("CCG"), a wholly owned Singapore subsidiary of the Company, has entered into a purchase agreement with AGM Group Holdings Inc. ("AGMH"), an integrated technology company specializing in fintech software services and production of high-performance hardware and computing equipment, for its Avalon A15 HydU 370T ("A15 Hydro") mining machines. As part of the agreement, Canaan will initially provide 2,000 Bitcoin mining machines to AGMH. The Company has also agreed to provide its customer with an option to acquire approximately 30,000 additional BTC mining units, potentially providing AGMH with a combined power capacity not exceeding 300 megawatts. The Avalon Miner A15 Hydro enhances the miner's performance and lifespan while reducing energy consumption and noise pollution, aligning with Canaan's ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) strategy. About Canaan Inc. Established in 2013, Canaan Inc. (NASDAQ: CAN), is a technology company focusing on ASIC high-performance computing chip design, chip research and development, computing equipment production, and software services. Canaan has extensive experience in chip design and streamlined production in the ASIC field. In 2013, Canaan's founding team shipped to its customers the world's first batch of mining machines incorporating ASIC technology in bitcoin 's history under the brand name Avalon. In 2019, Canaan completed its initial public offering on the Nasdaq Global Market. To learn more about Canaan, please visit https://www.canaan.io/ . Safe Harbor Statement This announcement contains forward−looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward−looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates" and similar statements. Among other things, the business outlook and quotations from management in this announcement, as well as Canaan Inc.'s strategic and operational plans, contain forward−looking statements. Canaan Inc. may also make written or oral forward−looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on Forms 20−F and 6−K, in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about Canaan Inc.'s beliefs and expectations, are forward−looking statements. Forward−looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward−looking statement, including but not limited to the following: the Company's goals and strategies; the Company's future business development, financial condition and results of operations; the expected growth of the bitcoin industry and the price of bitcoin ; the Company's expectations regarding demand for and market acceptance of its products, especially its bitcoin mining machines; the Company's expectations regarding maintaining and strengthening its relationships with production partners and customers; the Company's investment plans and strategies, fluctuations in the Company's quarterly operating results; competition in its industry; and relevant government policies and regulations relating to the Company and cryptocurrency . Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company's filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is as of the date of this press release, and Canaan Inc. does not undertake any obligation to update any forward−looking statement, except as required under applicable law. Investor Relations Contacts Canaan Inc. Xi Zhang Email: IR@canaan-creative.com ICR, LLC. Robin Yang Tel: +1 (347) 396-3281 Email: canaan.ir@icrinc.com View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/canaan-inc-signs-agreement-with-agm-group-holdings-inc-302330362.html SOURCE Canaan Inc. Stay Informed: Subscribe to Our Newsletter Today

Blackbaud Announces Impairment Charge Related to EVERFI Assets

Brock Bowers of the Las Vegas Raiders moved past Pro Football Hall of Famer Mike Ditka on Sunday to set the NFL record for most receiving yards by a tight end in his rookie season and also set the record for most receptions by a rookie, regardless of position. Bowers has 108 receptions to top the mark set last season by Puka Nacua (105) of the Los Angeles Rams. Bowers' yardage stands at 1,144 after having seven receptions for 77 yards in a 25-10 road victory over the New Orleans Saints. Bowers also set a franchise receptions for catches in a season, surpassing Darren Waller (107 in 2020). "It's awesome," Bowers said of the records in a postgame interview on Fox. "You never know what to expect coming up to the next level. It's been everything and more." Bowers' third catch on Sunday -- a 13-yard grab late in the second quarter against the Saints -- pushed his season total to 1,087 yards. Ditka totaled 1,076 receiving yards in 14 games with the Chicago Bears in 1961. Bowers, 22, set the record for receptions by a rookie tight end earlier this season by eclipsing the total of 86 reeled in by Sam LaPorta of the Detroit Lions in 2023. Bowers was selected by the Raiders with the 13th overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. Despite all his catches, he has just four scoring receptions. While with Georgia, Bowers was the first back-to-back winner of the Mackey Award (2022, 2023), which is given to the top tight end in college football. --Field Level Media

The King is scheduled to attend the show at London’s Royal Albert Hall on Friday which will see Sir Elton John and his husband David Furnish present a musical number from their new show The Devil Wears Prada – based on the 2006 Oscar-nominated film. Cast members Vanessa Williams, who plays Miranda Priestly, and Matt Henry, who stars as art director Nigel, were among those posing on the red carpet ahead of the performance which showcases an original score by Sir Elton. The variety show will also see debuts from British singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor with her hit track Murder On The Dancefloor while Eurovision winner Nemo is also featured on the bill. Also posing on the carpet were US magicians and comedy duo Penn and Teller, whose performance marks their 50th anniversary. Comedy will come from Ted Lasso star Ellie Taylor, writer and comic Scott Bennett, Scottish comedian Larry Dean and political comic Matt Forde – who posed on the red carpet with a crutch after undergoing surgery for cancer on his spine. Among the arrivals was TV presenter Lorraine Kelly, who will make an appearance in this year’s show with her Change And Check Choir led by Wet Wet Wet singer Marti Pellow. The choir, made up of women from across the UK who detected their breast cancer through Kelly’s campaign, will perform Love Is All Around, which is being re-released to raise awareness of breast cancer early detection. It comes hours after Camilla insisted the “show must go on” after pulling out of attending the performance on Friday evening as doctors advised that she should prioritise rest. A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: “Following a recent chest infection, the Queen continues to experience some lingering post-viral symptoms, as a result of which doctors have advised that, after a busy week of engagements, Her Majesty should prioritise sufficient rest. “With great regret, she has therefore withdrawn from attendance at tonight’s Royal Variety Performance. His Majesty will attend as planned.” A royal source said the Queen was “naturally disappointed to miss the evening’s entertainments and sends her sincere apologies to all those involved, but is a great believer that ‘the show must go on'”. “She hopes to be back to full strength and regular public duties very soon,” the source added. The Royal Variety Performance will air on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player in December. Money raised from the show will go to help people from the world of entertainment in need of care and assistance, with the Royal Variety Charity launching an initiative to help those with mental health issues this year.The retail industry has shown signs of improvement in 2024 compared to the previous year, attributed to the rebound in the tourism sector and the government's allocation of its annual budget, according to the Thai Retailers Association (TRA). However, the recovery has been gradual and uneven, depending upon different retail formats and geographical areas. Fashion and lifestyle shops, along with specialty retailers and restaurant chains, experienced growth rates ranging from 3-7%. Stores dealing in construction materials, home decor and maintenance recorded increases of between 2-5%. The lowest growth was seen in convenience stores, supermarkets, hypermarkets and wholesale consumer goods outlets, which recorded increases of just 1-3%. The growth was primarily concentrated in the Bangkok metropolitan area, the eastern region and popular tourist destinations. Despite numerous positive developments, retailers continue to confront challenges, said Nath Vongphanich, president of the association. These challenges include economic growth falling short of government projections, which resulted in over 37% of retailers facing issues concerning excess inventory, a decline in investment which negatively influenced employment and consumption levels, the high level of household debt and intense competition from an influx in cheap imported goods. Moreover, the government's disbursement of a 10,000-baht cash handout to 14.5 million vulnerable individuals has not had a substantial impact in terms of stimulating the economy, while there is a need for further information regarding upcoming assistance for the elderly and other demographics. Furthermore, the severe floods caused losses of 50 to 60 billion baht according to estimates, while there are uncertainties surrounding the global economy and the foreign trade policies of President-elect Donald Trump, which have also affected consumer confidence in spending. For the retail business in 2025, the TRA predicts growth of roughly 3-5% compared with projections for GDP growth of 2.3-3.3% for next year. This anticipated growth is expected to be bolstered by the tourism and export industries, along with investments from both the public and private sectors, both domestically and internationally. The TRA believes that with consistent and robust government support and promotions, the retail sector will significantly contribute to advancing the economy towards its growth targets, with the retail and service market valued at over 4.4 trillion baht. The TRA proposes the government maintain a timely allocation of the 2025 fiscal budget and facilitate the distribution of funds through investments, procurement and stimulus measures to effectively propel the economy forward. The next step is to reinforce retailer competitiveness, bolstering the competitive edge of retailers in Thailand through marketing support for micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises both domestically and internationally, as well as through the provision of low-interest soft loans. As Thailand is entering the high season for shopping, the association proposes the government revive the "Shop Dee Mee Kuen" (shop and payback scheme) to stimulate domestic spending which would help boost the economy towards the year-end. The association also recommended tax incentives to stimulate consumer spending among tourists by implementing a value-added tax exemption for purchases of more than 5,000 baht per person per day at the same retail location. The association proposes the government position Thailand as a premier destination for tourism, healthcare, sports and shopping at both the regional and global scale, while harnessing soft power including Thai food and culture in order to stimulate spending and the country's economy.

Article content A terrorism trial in Windsor to determine whether a local man sought to join and support a banned neo-Nazi group is shining a disturbing spotlight on far-right extremism in Canada. Seth Bertrand is on trial before Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia for “participation in the activity of a terrorist group.” Arrested in May 2022 following an RCMP-led undercover operation, Bertrand, now 21, is accused of seeking to join the Atomwaffen Division, listed in Canada and other countries as a “terror group” that has called for acts of violence. The “goal and ambition” of such fascist-leaning groups, an expert witness testified at the trial this week, is to use violence, including murder, to trigger “a war that will ultimately be won by whites.” What motivates these “virulent far-right extremist groups” is their belief that “the white west is under attack and needs to defend itself,” said Garth Davies, an expert on ideologically motivated violent extremism. Adherents believe “what’s needed is a race war to re-establish whites as the rightfully dominant group in society,” said Davies, an associate professor who teaches at Simon Fraser University’s school of criminology in B.C. The trial has heard that, in his application to join Atomwaffen Division (AWD) — also known as National Socialist Order — Bertrand is alleged to have stated he wanted to be part of a group “actually doing things to help save/protect the white race.” The Crown alleges Bertrand also described hate-motived acts of vandalism he’d already committed in Windsor, for which he was later convicted, and expressed interest in getting military training and a firearms certificate. The Crown is not alleging Bertrand engaged in any actual terrorist activity. Davies, brought in by the prosecution to also help interpret symbology and terms used by such extremist groups, said much of their communication is hidden in private chat groups and using encrypted technology. But a treasure trove of information on AWD and other far-right extremist groups was revealed after the hacking of Iron March, a now-defunct web forum with a Russia connection that acted as a hub for neo-Nazi and white supremacist groups around the world. AWD is described as being among the most radicalized groups within that movement, those which believe political or other lesser “piecemeal” efforts are insufficient towards creating a “white ethnostate.” To get there, “what is needed is to force a race war,” said Davies, by way of “direct confrontation” with what they view as “outgroups” — including Muslims, Jews, Blacks and gay people — as well as governments that don’t agree. Once that war is underway, Davies told the court, the extremists believe enough whites will join the fight to “ultimately win.” The bulk of Davies’s two days of testifying was spent under cross-examination by defence lawyer Bobby Russon, who sought to discredit information in the expert’s 40-page report compiled earlier this year for the prosecution. Davies agreed that much of that information was sourced from newspaper and other media reporting. Russon also questioned how much of it related specifically to Atomwaffen Division. Davies conceded more than once to having “overstated” his conclusions directly linking Atomwaffen Division to reported murders connected to the aims of far-right extremists. “You can’t say AWD was responsible for many of the violent incidents (cited in the report)?” Russon asked. “Agreed,” Davies replied. The defence also questioned the timing of the charge laid against Bertrand, with the young man’s alleged criminal activity only being around the same time as AWD was added to . Much of the trial that began earlier this fall has been consumed by voir dire deliberations — trials within a trial to determine the admissibility of prosecution evidence. After Davies’s two days of testimony concluded on Thursday, the next step is Justice Carroccia’s rulings expected on Dec. 20 on the admissibility of key Crown evidence, including whether the accused was properly instructed of his Charter rights during police interrogation, as well as on secretly recorded statements Bertrand gave two undercover RCMP officers during the preceding three-month Project Sueno.