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aphio PHILADELPHIA — Victoria Perrone wasn’t a spokesperson for Sen. John Fetterman’s 2022 Senate campaign. As his treasurer, she worked with numbers and spreadsheets. But when the campaign asked her to speak about her sister who relied in part on Medicaid at her Delaware County elementary school, she agreed. “My sister passed away from Ovarian Cancer in June and Dr. Oz became the Republican nominee,” she said on stage at Nether Providence Elementary School, sporting a ‘Made in Delco’ hoodie. “When I found out Dr. Oz lied to millions of TV viewers that one of his ‘miracle cures’ would decrease ovarian cancer by 75%, I got really mad, like Delco Mad.” Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.The iris biometrics and digital identity project has been chastised again, this time by German regulators, who have dealt a heavy blow to the company’s standing in Europe. World, for its part, has announced that its World App has surpassed 20 million users. A from Euro News says a months-long by Germany’s data protection authority, the Bavarian State Office for Data Protection Supervision ( ), has concluded that World’s identification procedure “entails a number of fundamental data protection risks for a large number of data subjects.” As such, says BayLDA, it does not comply with the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation ( ), and World – previously known as Worldcoin – has been ordered to begin deleting data, as per the rules. “With today’s decision, we are enforcing European fundamental rights standards in favour of data subjects in a technologically demanding and legally highly complex case,” says BayLDA president Michael Will. “All users who have provided ‘Worldcoin’ with their will in future have the unrestricted opportunity to enforce their right to erasure.” World has already appealed the decision and has asked regulators for “judicial clarity on whether the processes and, in particular, the Privacy Enhancing Technologies (PETs) deployed by meet the legal definition for anonymisation in the EU.” It is not likely to let go of its claim to Europe easily. The firm responded to suggestions it was backing away from the EU and its sticky by doubling down on its commitment to the continent. World maintains European headquarters and a manufacturing facility in the German state of Bavaria. Damien Kieran is the chief privacy officer for , the San Francisco company that was initially called Worldcoin’s parent, but has since been re-framed as a service provider. He says the German regulator’s decision is based on old processes that have been discontinued, wherein scanned irises were stored in a database. These days, World claims no ownership of the iris codes, which are then deleted from their systems. The cryptographic protocol separates the code into three pieces. Those pieces are stored in databases owned by third parties, which include the University of Berkeley, Zurich, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) university and NeverMind. Kieran also says Michael Will actually likes World, but is “under a lot of pressure, because I think it’s a complicated environment to be a lead supervisory authority in the EU at the moment.” World claims it needs “a clear definition around anonymization” to be able to protect people from getting lost in a sea of AI. While it has tussled with globally, it is currently available in Argentina, Austria, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Peru, Poland, Singapore, , and the U.S. And, as expected, it has no plans to slow down in Europe. Kieran says plans are afoot to roll out the technology in Ireland, the UK, France and Italy. It also aims to return to and , both of which suspended its activities earlier this year over data privacy concerns. But it will all hinge on the GDPR – which, as of right now, says No Allowed. | | | | | | |

Chandigarh: Chief minister Nayab Singh Saini on Tuesday said with progressive vision and continuous efforts, Haryana was playing an active role in promoting global cooperation. As a result of providing better infrastructure for global investors, Haryana is the first choice for foreign investors, said Saini, adding that Haryana govt was taking meaningful steps towards managing financial arrangements for technical assistance to complete development projects of the integrated aviation hub at Maharaja Agrasen Airport in Hisar. In this regard, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) and the Haryana Airport Development Corporation (HADC) at Haryana Bhawan in New Delhi on Tuesday in the presence of Saini. The MoU was signed by US Ambassador Eric Garcetti on behalf of the USTDA and Dr Narhari Singh Bangar, advisor, department of civil aviation, on behalf of the Haryana Airport Development Corporation. This agreement was made for technical assistance for the preparation and implementation of development projects like operations at Hisar airport, integrated manufacturing cluster, world port cargo logistics hub, and overhauling facility, said the CM. This MoU will help in taking the aviation sector of Haryana to new heights. The proposed roadmap from this agreement will not only lead to technical progress in the aviation sector but will also lead to long-term economic development, he said. We also published the following articles recently Govt inks MoU with Google for skill development in AI Andhra Pradesh partnered with Google to boost AI skills and applications. The collaboration will train students, support startups, and integrate AI into key sectors like healthcare and environment. This initiative aims to improve public services and foster a thriving AI startup ecosystem, ultimately enhancing citizens' lives through technology. IGIMS signs MoU with PGIMER Chandigarh IGIMS Patna and PGIMER Chandigarh have partnered to boost medical education. The institutions signed a memorandum of understanding to facilitate faculty exchanges and enhanced training programs for postgraduate students and residents. This collaboration aims to elevate the quality of medical training at both prestigious institutes, benefiting aspiring doctors and ultimately patient care. MoU signed to transform law enforcement process Chanakya National Law University (CNLU) partnered with Gravitas AI and Triculin Technologies to enhance law enforcement using AI. This collaboration will develop AI tools for the Indian legal system, aiming to streamline processes and improve efficiency and access to information. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , and Mini Crossword .

Inflation dropped in most economies around the world in 2024, but voters didn’t care. Angered by the hefty ramp-up in prices for everything from eggs to energy over the past few years, they punished incumbent parties at almost every opportunity. The pain of inflation lingers, and ruling parties took the blame in election after election. In the United States, higher costs helped Donald Trump win a second term as president four years after he was voted out of the White House and then falsely claimed election fraud. His supporters failed in their bid to overturn Trump’s defeat by storming the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. This year, they made their voices heard at the ballot box, ushering in a new American leadership likely to test democratic institutions at home and relations abroad. The inflation-driven anti-incumbent sentiment also ushered in new governments in Britain and Botswana, Portugal and Panama. South Korean voters put the opposition into power in its parliament, a check on President Yoon Suk Yeol. In early December, the president imposed martial law, a move the National Assembly quickly reversed. Elections also shook up France and Germany, and Japan and India. One place there was no change: Russia, where Vladimir Putin was re-elected president with 88% of the vote, a record in post-Soviet Russia. Moscow continued to prosecute its war against Ukraine, grinding out notable territorial gains. The big question is what impact Trump’s return to the White House will have on the conflict. He has promised to end the war in a day. Many in Ukraine and elsewhere in Europe fear that will mean siding with Putin and freezing the status quo. In the Middle East, Israel continued its war against Gaza and extended it to Lebanon, where it left Iran-backed Hezbollah damaged and in disarray. In Syria, a well-coordinated collection of rebel groups toppled Bashar al-Assad and now seeks to run the country. In business, companies around the world grappled with how to adapt to artificial intelligence. The dominance of tech companies for investors can be summed up in this simple fact: seven tech firms — the so-called Magnificent Seven — now account for more than one-third of the S&P 500’s market cap. Elon Musk, who runs one of those companies, Tesla (NASDAQ:), is an adviser and financial backer to President-elect Trump. Looking ahead, that combination of tech bro mojo and political power could well define 2025. Source: ReutersTexans claim WR Diontae Johnson off waivers from Ravens

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Former Virginia guard Jalen Warley is transferring to Gonzaga, according to several reports Monday. Gonzaga appeared to confirm the transfer by reposting the news on social media. Warley, who has 96 college games (58 starts) under his belt, will use a redshirt this year and spend 2025-26 in Spokane, Wash. Warley played three seasons at Florida State before transferring to Virginia before the 2024-25 season. He was allowed to enter the transfer portal again following the surprise retirement of coach Tony Bennett just three weeks before the season. With the Seminoles, Warley averaged 6.0 points, 2.9 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game. His junior year was his best, as he put up 7.5 points, 2.8 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game over 33 appearances (32 starts). --Field Level Media

How To Profit On Palantir Stock If It Makes A Big Move From Here

By JOSH BOAK WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden said Tuesday he was “stupid” not to put his own name on pandemic relief checks in 2021, noting that Donald Trump had done so in 2020 and likely got credit for helping people out through this simple, effective act of branding. Biden did the second-guessing as he delivered a speech at the Brookings Institution defending his economic record and challenging Trump to preserve Democratic policy ideas when he returns to the White House next month. Related Articles National Politics | Trump names Andrew Ferguson as head of Federal Trade Commission to replace Lina Khan National Politics | Donald Trump is returning to the world stage. So is his trolling National Politics | Biden issues veto threat on bill expanding federal judiciary as partisan split emerges National Politics | Trump lawyers and aide hit with 10 additional felony charges in Wisconsin over 2020 fake electors National Politics | After withdrawing as attorney general nominee, Matt Gaetz lands a talk show on OANN television As Biden focused on his legacy with his term ending, he suggested Trump should keep the Democrats’ momentum going and ignore the policies of his allies. The president laid out favorable recent economic data but acknowledged his rare public regret that he had not been more self-promotional in advertising the financial support provided by his administration as the country emerged from the pandemic. “I signed the American Rescue Plan, the most significant economic recovery package in our history, and also learned something from Donald Trump,” Biden said at the Washington-based think tank. “He signed checks for people for 7,400 bucks ... and I didn’t. Stupid.” The decision by the former reality TV star and real estate developer to add his name to the checks sent by the U.S. Treasury to millions of Americans struggling during the coronavirus marked the first time a president’s name appeared on any IRS payments. Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris , who replaced him as the Democratic nominee , largely failed to convince the American public of the strength of the economy. The addition of 16 million jobs, funding for infrastructure, new factories and investments in renewable energy were not enough to overcome public exhaustion over inflation, which spiked in 2022 and left many households coping with elevated grocery, gasoline and housing costs. More than 6 in 10 voters in November’s election described the economy as “poor” or “not so good,” according to AP VoteCast, an extensive survey of the electorate. Trump won nearly 7 in 10 of the voters who felt the economy was in bad shape, paving the way for a second term as president after his 2020 loss to Biden. Biden used his speech to argue that Trump was inheriting a strong economy that is the envy of the world. The inflation rate fell without a recession that many economists had viewed as inevitable, while the unemployment rate is a healthy 4.2% and applications to start new businesses are at record levels. Biden called the numbers under his watch “a new set of benchmarks to measure against the next four years.” “President-elect Trump is receiving the strongest economy in modern history,” said Biden, who warned that Trump’s planned tax cuts could lead to massive deficits or deep spending cuts. He also said that Trump’s promise of broad tariffs on foreign imports would be a mistake, part of a broader push Tuesday by the administration to warn against Trump’s threatened action. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen also issued a word of caution about them at a summit of The Wall Street Journal’s CEO Council. “I think the imposition of broad based tariffs, at least of the type that have been discussed, almost all economists agree this would raise prices on American consumers,” she said. Biden was also critical of Trump allies who have pushed Project 2025 , a policy blueprint from the Heritage Foundation that calls for a complete overhaul of the federal government. Trump has disavowed participation in it, though parts were written by his allies and overlap with his stated views on economics, immigration, education policy and civil rights. “I pray to God the president-elect throws away Project 2025,” Biden said. “I think it would be an economic disaster.” Associated Press writer Fatima Hussein in Washington contributed to this report.The last year has been marked by repeated delays stemming from the botched rollout of a new federal student financial aid system. In Pennsylvania, those hurdles have been compounded this fall by difficulties in the transition to a new platform system at the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency. PHEAA is the agency that administers the state's financial aid grant program. Some students who would usually get their grants in September still don't have their money. Others have reported receiving late fees from their colleges and, in some cases, have been unable to register for the spring semester because of holds on their accounts. "Clearly their software is still not completely functional," said Michael Driscoll, president of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, who earlier this month was talking with a group of 20 student government leaders and discovered that one couldn't register for classes, another was having trouble paying rent, and two more also had problems with getting their grants. Driscoll heads the commission of presidents from Pennsylvania's 10 state universities. The stress for students has been enormous, he said, and he fears some will choose not to come back for the spring semester, concerned that they will be on the hook for money they were promised. The maximum PHEAA grant is $5,750. "They are going to lose a semester or lose whatever ... at a time when Pennsylvania needs all the educated workforce it can get," Driscoll said. PHEAA spokesperson Bethany Coleman said the new "modernized" system launched by PHEAA this year ultimately will benefit schools, students and families but acknowledged that its start was "a heavy lift" and that this first year "has been less than ideal." But she also blamed delays on ongoing problems with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid program, which meant the agency didn't even begin to receive student records until mid-April and found they were "riddled with errors." The state agency uses the federal data to administer its grants. New corrected files were not available until the second half of May, she said. "At that point, we had more than half a million records sent to us all at once, forcing us to condense what would normally amount to nine months of processing into just four," she said. "... We were just not prepared for such a large volume in such a short period of time." Coleman said all grant applications that met the June 1 federal filing deadline have been processed, with $130 million in funds being distributed to colleges since late October. "More funds will be released in the coming days," she said. The Pennsylvania Department of Education said in a statement it is aware of the delays and has provided support to PHEAA to try to resolve issues. "We have strongly urged PHEAA to communicate clearly and proactively with students and financial aid offices regarding these delays to help mitigate any potential impacts on students or higher education institutions," the department said. Some education officials are asking why PHEAA didn't delay the rollout of its system, given ongoing problems with FAFSA, which last year experienced a delayed launch, technical glitches and miscalculations. The federal problems meant students and their families had much less time to apply for aid last year. And issues weren't even resolved by the start of this semester. The FAFSA form finally became available this week, nearly two months past its normal Oct. 1 launch but before the date the department initially projected — Dec. 1. Congress has passed legislation awaiting a signature from President Joe Biden that would require the form to come out by Oct. 1 every year. "Originally, the feds were supposed to roll out their new form in 2023-24, so we started working on ours for the following year so we'd have some time between the two," Coleman said. She did not address whether PHEAA could have delayed its launch, given the issues with FAFSA. Students have felt the impact. Because of financial aid delays, William Delrossi, 19, a fine arts major at Temple University, said he was temporarily unable to register for classes and, as a result, didn't get some of the classes he wanted for his major. "They finally figured it out, but it was kind of too late," the sophomore from South Philadelphia said. He said he works weekends and needs the grant money — he receives $2,630 per semester — to stay enrolled at Temple and described the process as "scary and frustrating." Delrossi is one of 161 students from lower-income families who also receive scholarships from the Philadelphia Education Fund, a nonprofit that helps students with college and career success. "As first-generation, low-income college students, our ... scholarship recipients are careful to keep their student accounts balanced," said Allison Kelsey, who oversees the scholarship program. "PHEAA's grant is a critical piece of the financial aid matrix that makes college possible. Without it at the usual time, our students tried to cobble together other resources while contacting us for help requesting accommodation from their colleges." She said she hopes to work with PHEAA next spring to improve the process. Aslyn Anaya Planas, 21, a junior health sciences major at Thomas Jefferson University, said she was hit with a $100 late fee in September because she didn't have her grant. "It was just stressful," she said. "I feel like they should just communicate more. No one really knows what they are doing. It makes everything so complicated." She said Friday that she was notified via email the money would be coming. The Philadelphia Education Fund is covering her late fee, as well as late fees for its other students, Kelsey said. College officials said they have been doing what they can to assist students, removing late fees as they become aware and clearing the way for students to register for classes. IUP also alerted students over the summer to watch for an email from PHEAA to register in the new system. Some students, however, reported never receiving the email, IUP's Driscoll said. In other cases, the link within the PHEAA email expired within 24 hours, before students acted. Coleman said PHEAA has posted information on its website and on social media and that confusion arose because some students have multiple email addresses. Driscoll said IUP also has contacted landlords, asking that they give students extra time to pay. IUP didn't receive its first file of information from PHEAA until early October, and it had possible awards listed for only 950 of 3,100 potentially eligible students. By Nov. 15, PHEAA had released funds for only 1,700 students, he said. "It doesn't seem like there was much contingency planning going on here," he said. "The students really deserve better." Some students also are frustrated with their colleges for not waiving payment until the grants arrive. Nora Stocovaz, a student at Dickinson College, wrote last month in the student newspaper, the Dickinsonian, that the college would not credit the grant to her account without the amount being confirmed by PHEAA. "All we can suggest at this time is, if you are able to submit payment in full for your current FA24 balance owing then please do so," the college's students account office wrote to her in an email, she said. Students then will get a refund when the grant comes through, the school said. "The government has determined neither myself nor my family can pay this sum of money," wrote Stocovaz, who is from Philadelphia, "but Dickinson College thinks I have thousands upon thousands of dollars laying around to give to this institution and just wait for the refund?" Dickinson spokesperson Craig Layne said the school "regrets the stress students have experienced during this process." "Dickinson's financial aid and student accounts offices have worked tirelessly in good faith with students and PHEAA to resolve issues related to the delays as expediently as possible," he said. PHEAA's Coleman said the agency is asking schools not to delay students from registering for classes and has worked with colleges to advance funds for student accounts when requested. Temple University took PHEAA up on that offer in September and began to slowly deposit money in accounts of students deemed eligible, said Emilie Van Trieste, director of the office of student financial services. "But it was a very time-consuming, manual process," she said. Temple, where more than 5,000 students are eligible for state grants, finally got money out to most students who were eligible earlier this month, she said. "We find ourselves in a much better position now," Van Trieste said, "but it has taken us a couple months to get here." She said she hopes next year goes more smoothly but isn't faulting PHEAA for this year's complications. "I think PHEAA has been good with the hand they were dealt," she said. The Biden administration has proposed a student loan forgiveness initiative to aid borrowers facing severe financial hardships. This relief targets those with burdens like catastrophic medical bills or economic losses from natural disasters. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona emphasized the need for accessible aid for those under severe financial strain, stating that the current system falls short for many. This proposal could assist nearly 8 million borrowers, though it faces potential Republican legal challenges. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

When Inter Miami were dumped out of Major League Soccer's playoffs in the first round, their former Spain international full-back Jordi Alba questioned the fairness of the post-season format. Miami had topped the Eastern Conference and the overall regular season standings with a record points tally a performance which earned them the 'Supporters' Shield'. But there would be no title battle against the best in the West for Lionel Messi and Company after they contrived to lose two matches in their best-of-three series against an Atlanta United team which finished ninth in the East and 20th in the overall standings. "I think this format is a bit unfair. It has been done for many years but I think it should be the champion of one conference against the champion of the other, to make it as fair as possible," Alba said. Alba's comments prompted much debate among MLS fans and plenty of accusations of sour grapes but they did serve to highlight that this year's playoffs, if not MLS's playoffs in general, would certainly not be a battle of the best versus best. Defending champions Columbus Crew, who finished second in the Supporters' Shield race, were also eliminated in the first round, adding to the sense that the knockout phase of the season is very much a competition of its own. So on Saturday, after the international break disrupted the flow of the post-season, the Conference semi-finals, will see a "Hudson River Derby" between two New York teams who couldn't finish in the top 10 in the regular season. New York City, Manchester City's sister club, have home-field advantage after finishing in 13th spot while the New York Red Bulls travel from New Jersey, having ended up in 16th place. The 'home field' isn't actually NYCFC's usual home of Yankee Stadium, which is being used for a college football game, but Citi Field, home of New York's other baseball club, the Mets. Later on Saturday, in the Western Conference, 2022 MLS Cup winners and last year's beaten finalists, Los Angeles FC, are at home to the Seattle Sounders. That fixture feels much more like the kind of playoff game that was expected -- LAFC finished top of the West while Seattle were fourth. LAFC faces the Sounders for the fourth time in an elimination match over the last 13 months, having defeated Seattle in the 2023 Western Conference semifinals, the 2024 Leagues Cup quarterfinal and the 2024 US Open Cup semifinal. Each of those matches was hosted by Seattle. LAFC, with former France stars in goalkeeper Hugo Lloris and striker Olivier Giroud, enter the encounter unbeaten in their last 10 meetings with the Sounders, with their last loss to Seattle coming in a 2-0 defeat in 2021. On Sunday, surprise package Atlanta, with their 40-year-old goalkeeper Brad Guzan having impressed so many with his heroics against Miami, will return to Florida to take on Orlando City, who finished fourth in the East. Atlanta won at Orlando on the last day of the regular campaign, a victory that allowed them to sneak into the wildcard round but which also completed a home and away double for the Georgia side. "Obviously, in Major League Soccer, anything can happen," said Orlando coach Oscar Pareja. "Our responsibility is to play one game at a time. This one, we're going to be ready for sure," he added. The weekend rounds off with Los Angeles Galaxy hosting Minnesota United who, under former Manchester United assistant coach Eric Ramsay, came through a best-of-three series against higher-ranked Real Salt Lake. The Galaxy start as favourites but, as this season has shown in abundance, that counts for little. "We know they are a top team at this level with top individual players who are very difficult to beat at home but...I feel that if we are a good version of what we have been over the last 10-12 games... I certainly won't be painting it as a one sided game," said Ramsay. sev/js Get any of our free email newsletters — news headlines, sports, arts & entertainment, state legislature, CFD news, and more.Potential $5,000 Monthly Income: 10 Investments To Buy And Hold For Next 10 YearsNissan and Honda to attempt a merger that would create the world's No. 3 automakerIn this video, Motley Fool contributors Jason Hall and Tyler Crowe explain why First Solar ( FSLR 2.25% ) is starting to look like a very good buy. *Stock prices used were from the afternoon of Nov. 21, 2024. The video was published on Nov. 23, 2024.

Cornelious Brown IV throws 5 TD passes to lead Alabama A&M past Mississippi Valley State 49-35A new peer-reviewed study shows that a back-relieving exosuit originally developed at Vanderbilt University and then commercialized by spin-off company HeroWear can simultaneously increase lifting endurance and reduce injury risk. This has important implications for the future of workplace safety and for workers in civilian and defense sectors. The results of the study, conducted with U.S. Army Soldiers, were recently by the journal . Vanderbilt biomedical researcher Katherine Rodzak and mechanical engineering Ph.D. student Paul Slaughter co-led the project, along with an interdisciplinary team under the guidance of Karl Zelik, associate professor of mechanical and and physical medicine and rehabilitation. The objective of the study was to test whether a patented new back exosuit could increase a wearer's endurance when lifting heavy objects and to assess whether lifting more cancels out the exosuit's risk reduction benefits. The study found that 88% of participants increased their lifting repetitions while wearing an exosuit, with endurance increases ranging from 28% to 75%. The exosuit tested in the study, called SABER, was developed in close collaboration with U.S. Army Soldiers to support the field artillery and other logistics and sustainment operations in the military. The study data was then used with an ergonomic assessment model to estimate the effects on cumulative back damage (an indicator of low back disorder risk) when an exosuit is worn and more lifts are performed. Participants exhibited 27% to 93% lower cumulative back damage when wearing an exosuit. Studies show that back pain is the leading cause of disability in 160 countries. Furthermore, numerous reports in 2024 from organizations like the U.S. Government Accountability Office, U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, and National Employment Law Project called for more directed efforts to address high and costly workplace injury rates, particularly in logistics and warehousing sectors. "These results confirmed that wearing an exosuit increased people's lifting ability without canceling out injury risk reduction benefits," said Zelik, who is also co-founder of HeroWear. "This scientific study affirms what we have been observing with workers wearing exosuits in warehouses and distribution centers. There is now converging evidence that these back exosuits can both boost productivity and reduce musculoskeletal disorder risks, which is huge for people who do hard physical work and for the organizations that employ them." Zelik, who co-founded and co-directs the Center for Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology at Vanderbilt, started the Nashville-based workforce wearable technology company with two other Vanderbilt alumni, Matthew Yandell and Mark Harris. Pioneering research and patented exosuit technology at Vanderbilt helped launch this endeavor to reduce back pain worldwide. Now, HeroWear's exosuit is one of the most widely used and scientifically-validated exoskeletons in the world, providing back relief to thousands of workers in over 30 countries around the globe. Last year, HeroWear introduced its newest civilian version of the , the Apex 2. Earlier this year, the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) ordered 470 additional Apex 2 exosuits, following previous purchases and pilot testing in 2023, to give its personnel an extra edge during their service.

Three years ago, Vancouver’s John Phillip Fraser was struggling to rebuild his life after falling on hard times. After securing an entry-level job at a local construction company, he faced a hurdle: the only boots he could afford were worn hand-me-downs. “There were holes in the soles,” said the 39-year-old, who immigrated to Canada from Venezuela as a child and settled in the Downtown Eastside. “My feet were always soaked and smelled like mould.” Fraser pressed on, despite his work boots being a constant reminder of his struggle. Then he heard about Working Gear, a charity dedicated to providing clothing and equipment for those who need proper workwear. Fraser visited the non-profit’s pantry, where he was welcomed by executive director Sarah Beley and outfitted with new steel-toed boots and gear donated by workwear companies such as Red Wing, Keen and Fiber. “Having clean boots and proper PPE (personal protective equipment) improved my performance, and soon after I was hired by an excavation company offering higher pay,” he said. Since then, Fraser has secured permanent housing and explored other career opportunities. “Because of this experience, I know that I will never again be that close to poverty.” Fraser’s story is one of many in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, where low-income individuals and newcomers can face barriers to employment. Beley said that due to growing demand, Working Gear, which began in 2007 as a small, volunteer-driven initiative to help residents of the DTES, has evolved to support low-income workers, immigrants and refugees throughout Metro Vancouver. Of the approximately 1,700 people served this year, Beley said 40 per cent reside outside Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. She added that over the last two years, Working Gear has seen a significant shift in its client base: newcomers now account for 66 per cent of clients, compared to 14 per cent previously. Clients used to require referrals from social service agencies, but many of them now walk into the shop after hearing about the organization from friends. “The one thing in common with all of our clients is they don’t have family or a community around,” Beley said. “Whether a youth who has aged out of foster care, a person who just got out of prison, or a newcomer from Ukraine or Africa, they just don’t have that support.” This was the case for Stephen Sijenyi, who immigrated to Vancouver and sought help from Working Gear in 2018. “I went from Kenya, where I was celebrated by a large group of family and friends, to feeling like I wasn’t trusted by others in Canada — whether because of my clothes or my immigrant status,” the 42-year-old said. “I didn’t have friends, I didn’t have anyone who I could turn to and ask for help.” Sijenyi needed work and safety gear, including steel-toe boots and waterproof pants for his first job as a labourer at a coffee recycling plant. “When I walked in, I went from facing adversity to being welcomed with open arms — it felt like family,” said Sijenyi, who made some of his first Vancouver friends at the organization. Five years later, Sijenyi owns his own business, has two children, and a large network of friends he considers family. He regularly returns to the organization as one of 60 volunteers who are mostly former clients. “I couldn’t be living the life I am today without them.” sgrochowski@postmedia.com • For 106 years, The Province’s Empty Stocking Fund has been dedicated to making the holidays brighter for B.C. residents who are less fortunate. With the generosity of our readers and supporters, the fund gives money to 25 B.C. community organizations that provide food hampers and gifts to children, needy families and single people. Donations can be made by: Scan the QR code here. Online at: https://theprovince.com/esf By mail to: The Province Empty Stocking Fund 968 East Cordova St., Vancouver, B.C., V6A 1M6 By calling: 604-253-6911Demsa Traditional Council hosts Adamawa Quranic recitation competitionThe Detroit Lions will play without two high draft picks in rookie cornerbacks Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw Jr. while possibly getting back veteran Emmanuel Moseley against the host Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. Arnold was downgraded Saturday from questionable to out because of a groin injury. He was limited at practice on Thursday and participated in a full practice on Friday. The Lions drafted Arnold with the 24th overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft out of Alabama. Arnold, 21, has started all 10 games and has 38 tackles and six passes defended. Rakestraw (hamstring) was placed on injured reserve after not practicing all week. He already had been ruled out for Sunday's game. Detroit picked Rakestraw in the second round (61st overall) out of Missouri. He has played in eight games and has six tackles. Rakestraw, 22, has played on 46 defensive snaps (8 percent) and 95 special teams snaps (42 percent). Moseley had full practice sessions all week and was activated from injured reserve on Saturday but was listed as questionable for Sunday. The 28-year-old is in his second season with Detroit and appeared in one game last season before going on IR in October 2023. He was placed on IR on Aug. 27 with a designation to return. Moseley played from 2018-22 for the San Francisco 49ers and had 162 tackles, four interceptions -- one returned for a touchdown -- and 33 passes defensed in 46 games (33 starts). Detroit elevated linebacker David Long on Saturday for game day. Long, 28, signed with the practice squad on Tuesday after the Miami Dolphins released him on Nov. 13. He had started six of eight games for the Dolphins this season and had 38 tackles. In other Lions news, the NFL fined wide receiver Jameson Williams $19,697 for unsportsmanlike conduct for making an obscene gesture during a touchdown celebration in last Sunday's 52-6 home win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, the NFL Network reported Saturday. Williams, 23, scored on a 65-yard pass from Jared Goff with 12:55 remaining in the third quarter. --Field Level Media

Short-rested Chiefs, Steelers gear up for Christmas Day clash

Nissan and Honda to attempt a merger that would create the world's No. 3 automaker TOKYO (AP) — Japanese automakers Nissan and Honda have announced plans to work toward a merger that would catapult them to a top position in an industry in the midst of tectonic shifts as it transitions away from its reliance on fossil fuels. The two companies said they signed an agreement on integrating their businesses on Monday. Smaller Nissan alliance member Mitsubishi Motors agreed to join the talks. News of a possible merger surfaced earlier this month. Japanese automakers face a strong challenge from their Chinese rivals and Tesla as they make inroads into markets at home and abroad. What a merger between Nissan and Honda means for the automakers and the industry BANGKOK (AP) — Japanese automakers Honda and Nissan will attempt to merge and create the world’s third-largest automaker by sales as the industry undergoes dramatic changes in its transition away from fossil fuels. The two companies said they had signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday and that smaller Nissan alliance member Mitsubishi Motors also had agreed to join the talks on integrating their businesses. Honda will initially lead the new management, retaining the principles and brands of each company. Following is a quick look at what a combined Honda and Nissan would mean for the companies, and for the auto industry. Nordstrom to be acquired by Nordstrom family and a Mexican retail group in $6.25 billion deal Century-old department store Nordstrom has agreed to be acquired and taken private by Nordstrom family members and a Mexican retail group in a $6.25 billion deal. Nordstrom shareholders will receive $24.25 in cash for each share of Nordstrom common stock, representing a 42% premium on the company’s stock as of March 18. Nordstrom’s board of directors unanimously approved the the proposed transaction, while Erik and Pete Nordstrom — part of the Nordstrom family taking over the company — recused themselves from voting. Following the close of the transaction, the Nordstrom Family will have a majority ownership stake in the company. An analyst looks ahead to how the US economy might fare under Trump WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump won a return to the White House in part by promising big changes in economic policy — more tax cuts, huge tariffs on imports, mass deportations of immigrants working in the United States illegally. In some ways, his victory marked a repudiation of President Joe Biden’s economic stewardship and a protest against inflation. It came despite low unemployment and steady growth under the Biden administration. What lies ahead for the economy under Trump? Paul Ashworth of Capital Economics spoke recently to The Associated Press. The interview has been edited for length and clarity. American consumers feeling less confident in December, Conference Board says American consumers are feeling less confident in December, a business research group says. The Conference Board said Monday that its consumer confidence index fell back in December to 104.7 from 112.8 in November. Consumers had been feeling increasingly confident in recent months. The consumer confidence index measures both Americans’ assessment of current economic conditions and their outlook for the next six months. The measure of Americans’ short-term expectations for income, business and the job market tumbled more than a dozen points to 81.1. The Conference Board says a reading under 80 can signal a potential recession in the near future. Stock market today: Wall Street rises at the start of a holiday-shortened week Stocks closed higher on Wall Street at the start of a holiday-shortened week. The S&P 500 rose 0.7% Monday. Several big technology companies helped support the gains, including chip companies Nvidia and Broadcom. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.2%, and the Nasdaq composite rose 1%. Honda's U.S.-listed shares rose sharply after the company said it was in talks about a combination with Nissan in a deal that could also include Mitsubishi Motors. Eli Lilly rose after announcing that regulators approved Zepbound as the first prescription medicine for adults with sleep apnea. Treasury yields rose in the bond market. The internet is rife with fake reviews. Will AI make it worse? Researchers and watchdog groups say the emergence of generative artificial intelligence tools that allow people to efficiently produce detailed and novel online reviews has put merchants, service providers and consumers in uncharted territory. Phony reviews have long plagued many popular consumer websites, such as Amazon and Yelp. But AI-infused text generation tools enable fraudsters to produce reviews faster and in greater volume, according to tech industry experts. The deceptive practice is illegal in the U.S. and becomes a bigger problem for consumers during the holiday shopping season, when many people rely on reviews to buy gifts. A tech company and watchdog group that uses software to detect fake reviews says AI-generated reviews have multiplied. Romanian lawmakers narrowly approve new pro-European coalition during period of political turmoil BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Romanian lawmakers have voted narrowly in favor of a new pro-European coalition government led by incumbent Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu. The move on Monday could usher in an end to a protracted political crisis in the European Union country following the annulment of a presidential election. Parliament approved the new administration in a 240-143 vote in the 466-seat legislature. The new coalition is made up of the leftist Social Democratic Party, the center-right National Liberal Party, the small ethnic Hungarian UDMR party and national minorities. President Klaus Iohannis swore in the new government on Monday night. Government regulators close investigation into Ford Focus recalls Government safety regulators are closing an investigation into two previous recalls of the Ford Focus after determining that Ford Motor Co. has satisfied its concerns. Ford recalled around 1.5 million Ford Focus sedans from the 2012-2018 model years in 2018 because they could lose power. The issue was a malfunctioning canister purge valve and software that didn’t adequately detect when it was stuck open. Ford fixed the software in two separate recalls, but after cars continued to stall, the government opened an inquiry last year. Earlier this fall, Ford offered to replace the canister purge valve on all of the vehicles, satisfying regulators' concerns. AI will eavesdrop on world's wildest places to track and help protect endangered wildlife PUERTO JIMÉNEZ, Costa Rica (AP) — A biologist hid 350 audio monitors across Costa Rica’s tropical rainforests to spy on endangered spider monkeys in order to help protect them. But she had to go back to collect the data and feed those sounds into artificial intelligence systems that can recognize monkey calls. Now tech giant Microsoft's philanthropic arm is hoping to supercharge AI-assisted wildlife research with new solar-powered devices that can capture sounds, images and other wilderness data for a year or more without human intervention. Researchers say more AI wildlife surveillance is urgently needed to monitor the health of species at risk of extinction.

NoneCharge your phone in your pocket with new wireless technologyNo. 21 Creighton's Steven Ashworth doubtful for Players Era Festival opener against Aztecs

By MICHELLE L. PRICE and ROB GILLIES NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s recent dinner with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his visit to Paris for the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral were not just exercises in policy and diplomacy. They were also prime trolling opportunities for Trump. Related Articles National Politics | Trump names Andrew Ferguson as head of Federal Trade Commission to replace Lina Khan National Politics | Biden issues veto threat on bill expanding federal judiciary as partisan split emerges National Politics | Trump lawyers and aide hit with 10 additional felony charges in Wisconsin over 2020 fake electors National Politics | After withdrawing as attorney general nominee, Matt Gaetz lands a talk show on OANN television National Politics | What will happen to Social Security under Trump’s tax plan? Throughout his first term in the White House and during his campaign to return, Trump has spun out countless provocative, antagonizing and mocking statements. There were his belittling nicknames for political opponents, his impressions of other political figures and the plentiful memes he shared on social media. Now that’s he’s preparing to return to the Oval Office, Trump is back at it, and his trolling is attracting more attention — and eyerolls. On Sunday, Trump turned a photo of himself seated near a smiling first lady Jill Biden at the Notre Dame ceremony into a social media promo for his new perfume and cologne line, with the tag line, “A fragrance your enemies can’t resist!” The first lady’s office declined to comment. When Trudeau hastily flew to Florida to meet with Trump last month over the president-elect’s threat to impose a 25% tax on all Canadian products entering the U.S., the Republican tossed out the idea that Canada become the 51st U.S. state. The Canadians passed off the comment as a joke, but Trump has continued to play up the dig, including in a post Tuesday morning on his social media network referring to the prime minister as “Governor Justin Trudeau of the Great State of Canada.” After decades as an entertainer and tabloid fixture, Trump has a flair for the provocative that is aimed at attracting attention and, in his most recent incarnation as a politician, mobilizing fans. He has long relished poking at his opponents, both to demean and minimize them and to delight supporters who share his irreverent comments and posts widely online and cheer for them in person. Trump, to the joy of his fans, first publicly needled Canada on his social media network a week ago when he posted an AI-generated image that showed him standing on a mountain with a Canadian flag next to him and the caption “Oh Canada!” After his latest post, Canadian Immigration Minister Marc Miller said Tuesday: “It sounds like we’re living in a episode of South Park.” Trudeau said earlier this week that when it comes to Trump, “his approach will often be to challenge people, to destabilize a negotiating partner, to offer uncertainty and even sometimes a bit of chaos into the well established hallways of democracies and institutions and one of the most important things for us to do is not to freak out, not to panic.” Even Thanksgiving dinner isn’t a trolling-free zone for Trump’s adversaries. On Thanksgiving Day, Trump posted a movie clip from “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” with President Joe Biden and other Democrats’ faces superimposed on the characters in a spoof of the turkey-carving scene. The video shows Trump appearing to explode out of the turkey in a swirl of purple sparks, with the former president stiffly dancing to one of his favorite songs, Village People’s “Y.M.C.A.” In his most recent presidential campaign, Trump mocked Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, refusing to call his GOP primary opponent by his real name and instead dubbing him “Ron DeSanctimonious.” He added, for good measure, in a post on his Truth Social network: “I will never call Ron DeSanctimonious ‘Meatball’ Ron, as the Fake News is insisting I will.” As he campaigned against Biden, Trump taunted him in online posts and with comments and impressions at his rallies, deriding the president over his intellect, his walk, his golf game and even his beach body. After Vice President Kamala Harris took over Biden’s spot as the Democratic nominee, Trump repeatedly suggested she never worked at McDonalds while in college. Trump, true to form, turned his mocking into a spectacle by appearing at a Pennsylvania McDonalds in October, when he manned the fries station and held an impromptu news conference from the restaurant drive-thru. Trump’s team thinks people should get a sense of humor. “President Trump is a master at messaging and he’s always relatable to the average person, whereas many media members take themselves too seriously and have no concept of anything else other than suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome,” said Steven Cheung, Trump’s communications director. “President Trump will Make America Great Again and we are getting back to a sense of optimism after a tumultuous four years.” Though both the Biden and Harris campaigns created and shared memes and launched other stunts to respond to Trump’s taunts, so far America’s neighbors to the north are not taking the bait. “I don’t think we should necessarily look on Truth Social for public policy,” Miller said. Gerald Butts, a former top adviser to Trudeau and a close friend, said Trump brought up the 51st state line to Trudeau repeatedly during Trump’s first term in office. “Oh God,” Butts said Tuesday, “At least a half dozen times.” “This is who he is and what he does. He’s trying to destabilize everybody and make people anxious,” Butts said. “He’s trying to get people on the defensive and anxious and therefore willing to do things they wouldn’t otherwise entertain if they had their wits about them. I don’t know why anybody is surprised by it.” Gillies reported from Toronto. Associated Press writer Darlene Superville contributed to this report.