t99 casino
Trump convinced Republicans to overlook his misconduct. But can he do the same for his nominees?
WNBA star tells Elon Musk to 'go back to Africa' after Donald Trump failure
I sincerely apologize if you were hoping not to read any more articles about Velus Jones Jr. Even after his release from the Chicago Bears after Week 7, the former third-round pick made some news Monday when his backpack found its way to a local Goodwill. at the local goodwill and i think @VelusJr might’ve left this in his backpack when he donated it pic.twitter.com/6xlpiPFIku The playbook is from Week 2 of the 2022 season when the Bears were set to face the Green Bay Packers. While players are often asked to return their tablets/playbooks upon being released from the team, it would seem that any extracurricular homework assignments are not. Jones Jr. ended up being inactive for that game, so whatever the assignment was, it would seem that it didn't take. This article first appeared on On Tap Sports Net and was syndicated with permission.
NoneIt wasn’t the first time I had traveled this road, the road that winds through Pulwama to Shopian—nor the first time I had been jolted out of the lulling rhythm of the journey by the haunting sight of charred houses standing starkly amidst the blazing red of the Chinar trees. This time, however, what caught my attention were the clusters of vehicles—public and private—gathered outside a newly constructed building. A modest, single-story structure, it bore a sign that read Prasad Joo Khan Heart Center . The scene was lively, with people of all ages moving in and out. Some stood by a small tea stall outside, sipping their tea. An ambulance sped up the road and parked at the entrance, adding to the sense of urgency and life that pulsed through the place. It was a stark contrast to the somber image that the village of Haal had carried for decades. Haal, located at the brink of Pulwama and Shopian, had long been a living testament to loss and grief, a village marked by the absence of those who once called it home. In the early 1990s, when the conflict in Kashmir took a violent turn, around 80 Pandit families who lived here began to leave. Over the years, almost all homes were abandoned, and scores were burnt down, leaving behind empty shells and memories of lives that once thrived. The newly opened Heart Center, brimming with activity and hope, seemed to reclaim a space long defined by sorrow. Prasad Joo Khan Heart Center Established by the Gauri Kaul Foundation, the Prasad Joo Khan Heart Center Haal is the first and only cardiac facility situated outside the capital city of Kashmir. This center provides essential cardiac care and diagnostic services to neighboring districts, where such facilities are otherwise scarce. It is a fully equipped diagnostic and treatment center addressing not only heart conditions but also other non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The Center’s facilities include ECG, echocardiography, ultrasound, treadmill testing, long-term ECG monitoring, and head-up tilt testing. Critical blood biochemistry tests are available, including rapid point-of-care diagnostics that provide results in just 10 minutes, aiding in the detection of heart failure, heart attacks, and blood clotting disorders. Additionally, the Center has a well-stocked pharmacy managed by a certified pharmacist, ensuring that patients have immediate access to necessary medications. Patients can complete their assessments, receive diagnostic results, and start treatment all in a single visit. If advanced care is required, patients are transported by ambulance to larger hospitals. The Center was established between 2020 and 2021, with funding from the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative of the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC). It was formally inaugurated in September 2022 by Dr. Alka Mittal, then CEO of ONGC. The facility is located on land that has personal significance; it is an ancestral property of Prof Upendra Kaul, a renowned cardiologist who spent his early years in Haal village. Prof Kaul’s career has been distinguished: he served as a Prof of cardiology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), along with several other esteemed institutions including the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, G. B. Pant Hospital, Batra Hospital, and Fortis Health Care. He also held prominent roles as Executive Director and Dean at Fortis Health Care in New Delhi. A former president of the Cardiological Society of India and the SAARC Cardiac Society, Prof Kaul is a Fellow of both the American College of Cardiology and the National Academy of Medical Sciences (NAMS). With over 450 published medical papers, he was honored with the Medtronic Award for Best Scientific Paper in 1983. In recognition of his contributions, he was awarded the Dr. B. C. Roy Award in 1999 and the Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian honor, in 2006. Prof Kaul considers the Heart Center as his way of giving back to the community. “It’s incredibly fulfilling to return here,” he reflects. “I’m present every Thursday, and with God’s grace, we have treated many severe cases of heart failure—patients who were misdiagnosed as having pneumonia or post-pregnancy breathing issues. Thanks to the correct diagnosis and appropriate treatment, these patients recovered dramatically. We have point-of-care tests available, which allow us to make quick and accurate diagnoses. This not only reduces the need for multiple visits but also minimizes the travel burden for patients. We use heart failure markers, HbA1C for diabetes management, and a variety of other diagnostic tools to ensure comprehensive care.” Although the Center’s services are not free, there are provisions to assist those who cannot afford the costs. “The goal isn’t to deny care based on financial constraints, but to offer specialized services that are otherwise unavailable in rural Kashmir,” Prof Kaul explains. “Without this center, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and other NCDs would often be diagnosed too late or treated improperly. Our patient base comes from all over—Shopian, Kulgam, Pulwama, Anantnag, Rajouri, and even Poonch. One thing I’ve noticed is that patients in this area tend to be very diligent about following treatment plans.” He envisions transforming the Heart Center into a full-fledged heart hospital, capable of performing procedures like angioplasty, but acknowledges that current financial limitations are a barrier. “If funding materializes, it’s certainly within reach,” he says. “At present, we have a dedicated team, including a cardiologist, a general physician, and a nephrologist, and many other doctors.” Heart on Wheels An additional grant of ₹ 80 lakh from Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) is set to fund a mobile “Cardiac Clinic on Wheels” by the end of the year or early next year. This mobile unit will be equipped with diagnostic facilities such as ECG, a portable echocardiography machine, and on-site blood sampling equipment, enabling tests that yield results within a few hours. This mobile service will visit villages across South Kashmir, following a pre-announced schedule. The first installment of ₹ 20 lakh has already been received, and the clinic is expected to be operational early next year. Patients requiring advanced care will be transferred to the Heart Center, and if necessary, to larger hospitals like SKIMS Soura or SMHS Hospital. All in a Day As Prof Kaul shares these plans, the waiting area of the Center continues to fill with patients. Some are visiting for the first time, others are regular attendees, for follow-ups. He returns to his desk, beginning with an elderly man in his late 60s who anxiously hands over medical documents. “Is my heart alright?” the man asks urgently. Prof Kaul checks his blood pressure, carefully jots down from his investigations, asks a few questions about his medication. The man answers impatiently, and repeats his question: Is my heart alright? Prof Kaul looks at him and answers: It is alright for now, the stent has set the things right. But if you don’t stop smoking, it is not going to be alright. The man’s stern look gives way to a shy smile. “I have stopped,” he answers unconvincingly. The next patient is a woman in 50s, accompanied by two female family members. She has had heart failure, but has dramatically improved ‘in just one week’ as she puts it. She has adhered to medication and wants to know if she can go about her daily routine of household chores. “Not yet. Let others take care of the house and of you for sometime. We need to perform a procedure on you,” Prof Kaul says, while explaining to her family members where and how to approach the Cardiology department at SKIMS, Soura. “We don’t have everything possible in this center. They will take care,” he says while jotting down names of a few doctors on the prescription. The group of women leave the room heavy hearted, when a young female walks in with her father. She shows her ECG reports and a few blood tests. She has been to a few nearby Government hospitals in the recent past. “I have pain in chest and it recurs very frequently,” she complains. After examination, Prof Kaul tells her to get a few more blood tests done. The girl is preparing for a competitive exam. Prof Kaul tells her to relax and take less stress. “Let us rule out there is nothing else, but it seems your pain and fast heart rate is due to stress,” he tells her, and reassures her father. The beeline of patients continues. “I will be here the whole day, these people wait for me the entire week,” he says. In the waiting hall, patients exchange stories about other healthcare facilities they’ve visited, often discussing common issues like uncontrolled diabetes and hypertension. Addressing Non-Communicable Diseases Kashmir and Ladakh face a significant public health challenge: nearly one-third of adults in these regions have hypertension. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 30 percent of adults in these areas are hypertensive. Prof Kaul’s camps in south Kashmir, extending up to Banihal, have revealed that hypertension, often due to non-compliance with treatment, sedentary lifestyles, and inadequate follow-ups, is a widespread issue. “There’s a knowledge gap concerning proper treatment and lifestyle modifications,” he points out. The Gauri Kaul Foundation has worked with local physicians, advocating for combination drugs to enhance compliance, reducing the chance of missed doses. In a study published in the Indian Heart Journal titled Uncontrolled Hypertension in Rural Kashmir, Prof Kaul and his team reported that 63 percent of known hypertensive patients in rural Kashmir had uncontrolled blood pressure. The study highlighted a particularly high prevalence among individuals aged 40 to 60 : 49 percent, followed by those over 60: 40 percent. Prof Kaul emphasizes that “hypertension is a global problem, but accurate diagnosis and consistent, correct treatment are critical.” To address this, the GKF’s SUPPORT program has empowered communities to take charge of their health. In collaboration with St. John’s Medical College Bangalore, they’ve initiated educational programs on blood pressure monitoring and when to seek medical help. Expanding Services and Honoring Roots Beyond J&K, the Gauri Kaul Foundation has expanded its outreach by organizing health camps in Manipur and Maharashtra, and it has run cervical cancer screening programs in Kashmir. One of the most impactful projects is the Telemedicine and Critical Care Ambulance initiative, funded by the CSR of IOCL. This program brings specialized healthcare to remote and difficult-to-access areas, such as Kupwara’s Machil sector near the Line of Control. In partnership with the Rashtriya Rifles, the Foundation operates a tele-unit that can perform ECGs, conduct crucial blood tests, and connect patients to distant physicians for immediate guidance. Essential medicines are also stocked in the unit. A similar telemedicine unit has been set up at Jagati migrant township near Katra, Jammu, serving displaced Pandit communities who left the Valley in the 1990s. In addition to these efforts, the Foundation has collaborated with local healthcare workers to organize cervical cancer screening initiatives. These camps, held periodically, have raised awareness about preventive health measures and provided vital screenings for women in rural areas. In regions like Manipur and Maharashtra, the Foundation’s outreach has focused on broader health concerns, including NCDs, maternal health, and basic preventive care. Prof Kaul believes in the importance of giving back to one’s roots. “I returned because this is where I grew up—my family’s home was in Haal village,” he says. “Our home is just memories and an abandoned house in Haal, but my connection to this place is strong. People in these rural regions need specialized care. We can save more lives if we expand access to advanced cardiac care. It’s essential for more healthcare professionals to support this mission. Doctors from rural areas have a unique responsibility to their communities.” WHAT’S IN THE NAME: PRASAD JOO KHAN The grandfather of Prof Upendra Kaul, Prasad Joo, worked with the Afghans and was given the title of Khan. The revenue records have their family name as Joo Khan. When Prof Kaul’s father pursued higher studies outside Kashmir, he found people amused by his name – Prem Nath Khan. Prem Nath, out of urge to avoid attention, changed his surname to Kaul, the common surname of Kashmiri pandits. “Thus, I became a Kaul, while my grandfather was Joo-Khan,” Prof Kaul shares with a smile.WASHINGTON (AP) — In the two weeks since won the presidency, he’s tried to demonstrate his dominance by naming loyalists for top administration positions, even though many lack expertise and some face sexual misconduct accusations. It often seems like he’s daring Congress to oppose his decisions. But on Thursday, Trump’s attempt to act with impunity showed a crack as , his choice for attorney general, Trump had named Gaetz, a Florida congressman, to be the country’s top law enforcement official even though he was widely disliked by his colleagues, has little legal experience and was accused of having sex with an underage girl, an allegation he denied. After being plagued by investigations during his first presidency, Trump wanted a devoted ally during his second. However, it was never obvious that Gaetz could win enough support from lawmakers to get confirmed as attorney general. Trump chose for a replacement Pam Bondi, a former Florida attorney general who defended him during his first impeachment trial and supported his false claims of voter fraud. Now the question is whether Gaetz was uniquely unpalatable, or if Trump’s other picks might exceed his party’s willingness to overlook concerns that would have sunk nominees in a prior political era. The next test will likely be Pete Hegseth, who Trump wants to lead the Pentagon despite an allegation of sexual assault that he’s denied. So far, Republicans are , an Army veteran and former Fox News host. Sen. Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican who serves on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said the controversy over Gaetz would have little bearing on Trump’s other choices. He said they would be considered “one at a time.” Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat, suggested otherwise, claiming “the dominoes are falling.” “The drip drip of evidence and truth is going to eventually doom some others,” he said. Trump’s election victory was a sign that there may not be many red lines left in American politics. He won the presidential race despite authoritarian, racist and misogynist rhetoric, not to mention years of lies about election fraud and his role in sparking the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. He was also of falsifying business records to pay hush money, and he was in a civil case. Empowered by voters who looked past his misconduct and saw him as a powerful agent of change, Trump has shown no deference to Washington norms while . The transition team hasn’t pursued for Trump’s personnel choices. While some of his selections have extensive experience in the areas they’ve been chosen to lead, others are who have impressed and flattered Trump over the years. Several have faced . Related Articles Hegseth is facing the most scrutiny after Gaetz. Once Trump announced Hegseth as his nominee for Pentagon chief, allegations emerged that he sexually assaulted a woman in California in 2017. The woman said he took her phone, blocked the door to the hotel room and refused to let her leave, according to Hegseth told police at the time that the encounter had been consensual and denied any wrongdoing, the report said. However, he paid the woman in 2023. Hegseth’s lawyer said the payment was made to head off the threat of a baseless lawsuit. Trump’s choice for secretary of health and human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has faced allegations of misconduct too. A woman who babysat for him and his second wife told Vanity Fair magazine that Kennedy groped her in the late 1990s, when she was 23. Kennedy did not deny the allegation and texted an apology to the woman after the article was published. That isn’t the only hurdle for Kennedy; he’s spent years spreading misinformation and conspiracy theories about vaccines, raising fears about making him a top health official in the new administration. Linda McMahon, chosen by Trump to be education secretary, is fighting a lawsuit connected to her former company, World Wrestling Entertainment. She’s accused of knowingly enabling sexual exploitation of children by an employee as early as the 1980s, and she denies the allegations. Tulsi Gabbard is another person who could face a difficult confirmation battle, but for very different reasons. The former Democratic representative from Hawaii has been a vocal Trump ally, and he chose her to be national intelligence director. But there’s grave concern by lawmakers and national security officials over Gabbard’s history of Critics said she would endanger relationships with U.S. allies. Gaetz was investigated by federal law enforcement for sex trafficking, but the case was closed without charges and Republicans have of a related report from the House Ethics Committee. However, some allegations leaked out, including that Gaetz paid women for sex. One of the women testified to the committee that she saw Gaetz having sex with a 17-year-old girl, according to a lawyer for the woman. As Gaetz met with senators this week, it became clear that he would face stubborn resistance from lawmakers who were concerned about his behavior and believed he was unqualified to run the Justice Department. “While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction,” Gaetz wrote on social media when announcing his withdrawal. Sen. Mike Braun, an Indiana Republican, said he believed there were four to six members of the caucus who would have voted against Gaetz, likely dooming his nomination, and “the math got too hard.” He said some of the issues and allegations around Gaetz were “maybe beyond the pale.” “I think there were just too many things, it was like a leaky dike, and you know, it broke,” Braun said. Trump thanked Gaetz in a post on Truth Social, his social media website, without addressing the substance of the allegations against him. “He was doing very well but, at the same time, did not want to be a distraction for the Administration, for which he has much respect,” Trump wrote.
Trump convinced Republicans to overlook his misconduct. But can he do the same for his nominees?Calin Georgescu, the far-right figure who shocked Romania by taking the lead in the first round of the country’s presidential election, is a pro-Russian, anti-vaxxer radical with a gift for social media. Barely known outside Romania, Georgescu’s popularity surged ahead of Sunday’s vote with viral TikTok campaigns calling for an end to aid for Ukraine and sounding a sceptical note on NATO. Georgescu, who ran as an independent, has attracted a sizeable following on platforms such as YouTube for years, away from the mainstream media. In one anti-vaccination video, the 62-year-old can be seen stripping down to jump into a snow-covered lake high in the mountains, while praising his “faith in God” and the strength of his “immune system”. Several of his TikTok videos have been viewed between two and three million times, with messages like “for Romania, for peace” especially resonating with voters worried about the war in neighbouring Ukraine. Few reporters were present when Georgescu cast his ballot on Sunday. Pre-election polls did not see him in the runoff, and even less predicted that he would get 23 percent of the vote to top the candidates. “The Internet is the only place where there is freedom of expression,” he said in a recent video. – ‘Saviour’ – Georgescu’s success can partially be attributed to him flying “under the radar”, sociologist Gelu Duminica told AFP. Unlike his opponents, Georgescu did not participate in debates with other candidates and thus was “not attacked by anyone” or his record “dismantled”, he added. Many undecided voters, who felt disappointed by the established parties, saw him as a “saviour” as there are so few leaders capable of “uniting them”, the expert said. Maria Chis, 70, said Georgescu appeared to be “a man of integrity, serious and patriotic.” A graduate of the University of Bucharest, the agricultural engineer began his career in 1992 in the environment ministry before joining the foreign ministry. In the 2010s, Georgescu had been suggested as a possible prime minister. During the Covid pandemic, he became a vocal vaccine-critic, frequently spreading his conspiracy-laden narratives. Once linked to Romania’s far-right AUR party — which tapped George Simion as their candidate in the presidential ballot — Georgescu distanced himself from it after taking a number of controversial positions. – Admirer of Putin – Georgescu has defended a notorious anti-Semite, Corneliu Codreanu, the leader of the Iron Guard between the wars, and fascist Marshal Ion Antonescu. On several occasions, he has denounced NATO as a “weak” organisation, even though Romania has emerged as a key player on the alliance’s eastern flank. He attacked the alliance’s anti-missile system based in Deveselu — which Russia has slammed as a threat — and opposed aid to Ukraine, refusing to be “dragged into a conflict that is not ours”. Romania has a long border with Ukraine. Although the Kremlin said on Monday that it was not “very familiar” with Georgescu, several years ago he expressed admiration for Vladimir Putin, saying he is “one of the rare leaders” worthy of the name, and known for “Russian wisdom”. For political scientist Remus Stefureac, spectacular rise of Georgescu is “unprecedented” in Romania’s democratic history.
The Milwaukee Bucks' recent run of winning has quieted their desperation for a trade. However, the team still could use an upgrade defensively. The pool of players who are eligible to be traded will grow significantly on December 15th. The Bucks most likely won't hesitate to initiate trade discussions after that deadline. If the Bucks early-season woes return, there could be a roster overhaul. Though an overhaul appears highly unlikely at this moment, as Giannis Antetokounmpo remains committed to the franchise that drafted him 11 years ago. In the event of an Antetokounmpo trade request, Brook Lopez could be involved in a subsequent move. It is safe to assume that the 36-year-old would not want to remain on a rebuilding Bucks team at this stage of his career. NBC Sports recently released a list of possible Los Angeles Lakers trade candidates, which included the Bucks center. "...the long shot — if things really fall apart in Milwaukee — would the Bucks moving on from Brook Lopez (that seems unlikely)." The Lakers are 10-6 and sit just two games back of the Western Conference leaders," the article stated. "A Brook Lopez trade would solidify their center depth behind Anthony Davis as they prepare for a championship run." The two big men could also play alongside each other, as they both space the floor. Lopez particularly does so on relatively low usage, which would open up the offense for Davis and LeBron James. The specifics of a deal could look similar to the following: Lakers receive: Brook Lopez, Tyler Smith Bucks receive: Jarred Vanderbilt, Cam Reddish, Gabe Vincent, 2029 first-round pick, 2025 second-round pick Milwaukee does this trade assuming an Antetokounmpo trade request has happened. As they enter a rebuild, this deal nets them first-round draft capital along with a second-rounder in a deeply talented class. Meanwhile, Vanderbilt is a 25-year-old athletic rim protector who could grow into Milwaukee's backup center of the future. Reddish is also 25 years old and could grow into a bench wing during the hypothetical rebuild. Additionally, Vincent is a cromulent 28-year-old bench point guard but was mainly included for salary-matching. The Lakers should certainly not anticipate Lopez becoming available, as the Bucks and coach Doc Rivers rely on the stretch five heavily. MORE BUCKS NEWS: Bucks predicted to cut ties with regressing All-Star via trade with MagicProtara Announces Closing of $100 Million Public Offering
NoneBoris Johnson has blamed the Church of England for Britain’s obesity crisis, saying that its failure to provide people with the “spiritual sustenance” they need is leading people to “gorge themselves”. The former prime minister said that when he was younger it was “very rare for there to be a fatso in the class. Now they’re all fatsos, and I’d be shot for saying they’re fatsos, but it’s the truth.” He criticised the Most Rev Justin Welby and other religious leaders for going on about slavery reparations”rather than addressing “people’s spiritual needs”. Johnson said it is leading to a decline in church attendance. “The living bread is being provided by Tesco,” he said. “And they’re gorging themselves on the real living bread.” Johnson was one
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Joel Embiid sounded off after details from the 76ers’ lengthy team meeting Monday night — including that teammate Tyrese Maxey called out the 2023 NBA Most Valuable Player for tardiness — surfaced through multiple reports citing anonymous sources, saying “whoever leaked that is a real piece of [expletive].” “We talked about a lot of things [during the meeting],” Embiid said Wednesday after the Sixers’ 117-111 loss to the Grizzlies. “I don’t want to get into the details, but that whole thing [with Maxey] probably took 30 seconds. But then again, it’s Joel Embiid, so we’ve got to make everything blown out of proportion. “It’s whatever. I’ll take it all. I’m the reason for everything, so I’ll take the blame for everything.” Embiid’s answer was triggered by a question about why his relationship with Maxey — which has developed into a well-known close friendship during their four-plus seasons as teammates — is strong enough to have those difficult, candid conversations. For Wednesday’s game in Memphis, Embiid and Maxey were situated in the same corner of the visitors’ locker room, and spent the bulk of the postgame period open to the media chatting with no noticeable tension. Even in the immediate aftermath of Monday’s meeting, which followed the Sixers’ loss at the Miami Heat, Embiid walked over to Maxey for a quick talk during the period when reporters were present. “That’s the relationship we have — nothing malicious,” Embiid said. “I like when people are telling me what I’m not doing good, what I need to do better. Even though that part [the tardiness] maybe happened once or twice, when I wasn’t playing. ... “So I need to be better. I need to be perfect. I need to be on point, which I’m going to do. Which I’ve always done.” It was the second time in recent weeks that Embiid publicly expressed his displeasure about coverage of him or the Sixers, who on Wednesday dropped to 2-12 during a dreadful start to a season that opened with championship aspirations. After not holding a media session for more than a month while dealing with a knee condition stemming from meniscus surgery last February, Embiid said “I’ve done way too much for this [expletive] city” in firing back at outside criticism for missing the start of the season. Following a Nov. 2 game home game against the Grizzlies, Embiid shoved a Philadelphia Inquirer columnist during a locker-room altercation, which resulted in a three-game suspension by the NBA. “It’s kind of annoying having to deal with the same things over and over and over,” Embiid said Wednesday. “It’s been like that my whole career. All I try to do is focus on basketball, and trying to make the best living for my family, on and off the court. “But it’s unbelievable. It just feels like negativity keeps following us, which I don’t understand why. But it is a shame, but it doesn’t change the fact that we’ve still all got to be better.” Embiid’s comments Wednesday occurred after his best game of the season, as he finished with 35 points and 11 rebounds in 35 minutes. It was supposed to be the Sixers’ first game that their three All-Stars — Embiid, Maxey, and newcomer Paul George — played together, but George left early in the third quarter after hyperextending his left knee. “We talked about a bunch of stuff [in the meeting],” Embiid said. “At times, we executed what we talked about, and at times, we didn’t. Right now, we don’t have a lot of margin for error, so we need to be perfect in everything we do on both ends of the floor.” ©2024 The Philadelphia Inquirer. Visit inquirer.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.NoneAs 2024 draws to a close, CDT editors are compiling a series of the most notable content ( Chinese ) from across the Chinese internet over the past year. Topics include this year’s most outstanding quotes, reports, podcasts and videos, sensitive words, censored articles and essays, “People of the Year,” and CDT’s “2024 Editors’ Picks.” CDT Chinese publishes a column called CDT Reports , which collects external reports from think tanks, academic journals, NGOs, the media, and other sources on topics related to various human rights issues in China. This year, CDT Chinese published 150 of these report columns, covering freedom of speech, freedom of the press, public opinion polls, transnational repression, Uyghur human rights, Tibetan human rights, religious freedom, digital authoritarianism, labor rights, China’s economy, the rights of women and LGBTQ+ groups, and U.S.-China relations. The list below is a sample of the most notable reports of 2024, as chosen by CDT Chinese editors. 1. V-Dem, “ Democracy Report 2024: Democracy Winning and Losing at the Ballot ” This flagship report by the V-Dem Institute at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden measured the receding ground of democracies around the world. It noted that autocratization is ongoing in 42 countries, home to 35 percent of the world’s population, and that “[a]lmost all components of democracy are getting worse in more countries than they are getting better, compared to ten years ago.” China is ranked 171 out of 179 countries on the report’s Liberal Democracy Index, and it falls similarly close to the bottom in the four related categories. The report also labels the BRICS+, which is largely led by China, a “Club of Autocracies.” ( CDT Reports column ) 2. Human Rights Watch, “ ‘Educate the Masses to Change Their Minds’: China’s Forced Relocation of Rural Tibetans ” This report shows that Chinese media coverage in many cases contradicts official claims that rural Tibetans gave their consent to relocate to urban areas. Drawing on over one thousand official Chinese media articles as well as government publications and academic field studies, the report indicates that participation in “whole-village relocation” programs in Tibet is compulsory and enforced by coercion. Between 2000 and 2025, the Chinese authorities will have relocated over 930,000 rural Tibetans, according to official statistics. ( CDT Reports column ; CDT English coverage .) 3. Amnesty International, “ ‘On my campus, I am afraid’: China’s targeting of overseas students stifles rights ” Using in-depth interviews with 32 Chinese students, including 12 from Hong Kong, studying at universities in Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the U.K., and the U.S., the report highlights the climate of fear on university campuses, along with responses from university administrations. Among the various findings, the report details how the Chinese government’s transnational repression has frightened some Chinese students to such an extent that it causes isolation and severe health problems. ( CDT Reports column ; CDT English coverage ) 4. Exovera’s Center for Intelligence Research and Analysis for the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, “ Censorship Practices of the People’s Republic of China ” This report outlines the nature and reach of China’s censorship apparatus, the methods and technologies that underpin it, the international activities it conducts, and the implications for the U.S. It states that under Xi Jinping, the Chinese Party-state has streamlined control over online content, improved censors’ technical skills, and made legal reforms to broaden state supervision over media. The outcome is what the Commission calls “the world’s most elaborate and pervasive censorship apparatus.” ( CDT Reports column ; CDT English coverage ) 5. Amnesty International and Chinese Human Rights Defenders, “ ‘I yearn to see you’ – Valentine’s letters to activists detained in mainland China and Hong Kong ” Ahead of Valentine’s Day, the partners of three detained Chinese human rights activists wrote letters to express their love and highlight the severe treatment of their partners. The group included Geng He and her husband Gao Zhisheng, a human rights lawyer who was forcibly disappeared; activist Ye Du under police surveillance in Guangzhou and her partner Chow Hang-tung, a lawyer detained for organizing a vigil for the Tiananmen crackdown; and Luo Shengchun, the wife of human rights lawyer Ding Jiaxi, who was sentenced to 12 years in prison for subversion of state power. ( CDT Reports column ) 6. Google Threat Intelligence Group, “ Seeing Through a GLASSBRIDGE: Understanding the Digital Marketing Ecosystem Spreading Pro-PRC Influence Operations ” Google researchers documented an umbrella group of four different private companies operating hundreds of fake websites that posed as news sites and newswire services from dozens of countries. These sites demonstrated an ability to tailor their content to specific regional audiences and to appear as legitimate news. The examples in this report suggest that the companies took instructions from a shared customer that was organizing a coordinated influence campaign aligned with PRC political agendas. ( CDT Reports column ) 7. The China Quarterly, “ Do Chinese Citizens Conceal Opposition to the CCP in Surveys? Evidence from Two Experiments ” Erin Baggott Carter, Brett L. Carter, and Stephen Schick at the University of Southern California published findings from two public opinion surveys that challenged common understandings of how Chinese people feel about the CCP. In addition to asking directly for Chinese citizens’ views of the CCP, which elicits extremely high degrees of support, the researchers also asked in the form of list experiments that provide a greater sense of anonymity. The result of this second method was the CCP receiving support among only 50 to 70 percent of respondents. The Chinese leadership may therefore not be as popular as previously thought. ( CDT Reports column ) Categories : CDT Highlights , China & the World , Hong Kong , Human Rights , Law , Level 2 Article , Politics , Sci-Tech , Society Tags : Amnesty International , BRICS , CCP , censorship , democracy , Ding Jiaxi , external propaganda , Gao Zhisheng , Internet censorship , online censorship , overseas Chinese students , overseas students , public opinion , relocation , Tibet Related Posts CDT 2024 Year-End Roundup: Sensitive Words CDT 2024 Year-End Roundup: Quotes of the Year (Part 2) Quote of the Day, as Blogger’s Prison Sentence is Confirmed: “Before You Can Plant Crops, You Must Improve the Soil” Dam Construction in Tibet Threatens Local Communities and Environment Interview: Gerald Roche on the Erasure of Tibet’s Minority Languages Words of the Week: “Aim the Rifle an Inch Higher” (枪口抬高一厘米, qiāngkǒu táigāo yī límǐ) Two Years After Zero-COVID, A Rare White Paper Remembrance Censors Remove Reflections on Democracy Inspired by Korean Crisis Frank Speeches by Economists Gao Shanwen, Fu Peng Result in Mass Online Censorship, WeChat Bans Chinese Government Leverages Inbound Tourism to Boost External Propaganda Global Public Opinion Polls Show Polarized Views of China Reflections on Family Relationships and Generational Change Under the CCP Can “Journey to the West” Help Explain A Spate of Killings in China?
Special counsel moves to dismiss election interference and classified documents cases against TrumpThe five-part series will debut globally on December 10, following elite global players on and off the field as they compete in the US Open Polo Championship in Wellington, Florida. A trailer for the series titled Polo, executive produced by Harry and Meghan, was released on Thursday, giving a behind-the-scenes look at the “fast-paced and glamorous world of polo”. In a statement, Harry said: “This series offers audiences an unprecedented, behind-the-scenes look into the passion and determination driving some of the world’s elite polo players, revealing the grit behind the glamour. “We’re proud to showcase the true depth and spirit of the sport — and the intensity of its high-stakes moments.” It has been produced by the Sussexes’ Archewell Productions, having previously released three documentaries with Netflix as part of a multimillion-pound deal with the streaming giant. Heart Of Invictus, which aired last August, followed a group of service members on their road to the Invictus Games, the Paralympic-style sporting competition set up by Harry in 2014 for injured and sick military personnel and veterans. Netflix also released the documentary series Live To Lead and the controversial six-part Harry & Meghan documentary in December 2022. Harry and Meghan moved to the US in 2020 after stepping down from royal duties.Con goles de Mbappé y Valverde, Real Madrid somete 3-0 al Leganés
FROM DUNGEON TO DAYLIGHT
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Carolina rookie tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders has been discharged from the Carolinas Medical Center after suffering a neck injury in the Panthers' 30-27 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. Panthers coach Dave Canales offered no update on Sanders’ status other than to say he was released from the hospital after being evaluated by doctors. Team officials said Sanders had full use of all of his extremities. Sanders, who has been a budding young star on the Panthers offense, caught a 10-yard pass near the sideline before being upended by Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie near the end of the first half. He flipped in the air and landed on the back of his head and remained on the ground for several minutes as teammates gathered around him. Sanders was put on a backboard and taken to the locker room. He appeared to raise his arms with a trainer's hand draped on top of them as he left the field. Sanders had three catches for 49 yards before the injury. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFLCHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Carolina rookie tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders has been discharged from the Carolinas Medical Center after suffering a neck injury in the Panthers' 30-27 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. Panthers coach Dave Canales offered no update on Sanders’ status other than to say he was released from the hospital after being evaluated by doctors. Team officials said Sanders had full use of all of his extremities. Sanders, who has been a budding young star on the Panthers offense, caught a 10-yard pass near the sideline before being upended by Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie near the end of the first half. He flipped in the air and landed on the back of his head and remained on the ground for several minutes as teammates gathered around him. Sanders was put on a backboard and taken to the locker room. He appeared to raise his arms with a trainer's hand draped on top of them as he left the field. Sanders had three catches for 49 yards before the injury. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
MONTREAL, Dec. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — announces some updates about the Company and takes this opportunity to thank its shareholders, partners and suppliers for their trust throughout 2024 and wishes them a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2025. The Company announces that it has received all its results related to the summer and fall 2024 exploration campaigns on the Mirabelli SM and Maqua SM properties. These do not reveal any significant grades in the metals and minerals initially sought. Management announces that exploration work will not be continued on these properties. The Company also announces that it no longer intends to continue exploration related to Lithium and will focus on the gold potential of its properties, in particular, the now 100% owned and which contains numerous gold showings. Mosaic announces that it has received formal notification from Castlebar Capital Corporation that it is abandoning the option agreement to acquire 100% of the Lichen property ( ). Mosaic is regaining control of this property which consists of 282 claims covering a total area of 15,622 hectares and is located approximately 100 km west of the Chibougamau mining camp. The property is underlain by volcanic rocks of the Obatogamau Formation intersected by intermediate stocks and plutons. The volcanic belt parallels two known gold-bearing volcanic belts, the Bachelor Lake gold zone to the west and the Osisko-Windfall gold zone to the south. The Nelligan and Monster Lake gold projects are located at the eastern end of the volcanic belt. The Company also announces that it has received formal notification from Panther Minerals Inc. (formerly Lithium Lion Metals Inc.) that the latter is abandoning the option agreement to acquire 100% of the 113 North property ( ). Mosaic is regaining control of this property which is located in the southeastern part of the Abitibi Greenstone Belt and comprises 59 cells totaling 3,010 hectares within a 6- to 12-kilometre-wide band of volcano-sedimentary rocks located between the Josselin and Montgay granodiorite-tonalite batholiths. The volcanic rocks in this group have felsic, intermediate and mafic compositions and are cut by dunite, gabbro and diorite dykes. Iron formations (sulphides and oxides) and clastic sedimentary rocks, such as greywackes and schists, are also present. Gold, copper, nickel, platinum and palladium occurrences have been discovered in this geological environment near the project. The scientific and technical information of Mosaic Minerals Corporation included in this press release has been reviewed and approved by Gilles Laverdière, P.Geo, Vice-President Exploration of Mosaic Minerals and qualified person under National Instrument 43-101 respecting information concerning mining projects (“Regulation 43-101”). Mosaic Minerals Corp. is a Canadian mining exploration company listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE: MOC) focusing on the exploration of critical minerals such as Nickel in the province of Quebec. Source: M. Jonathan Hamel President & CEO This release contains certain “forward-looking information” under applicable Canadian securities laws concerning the Arrangement. Forward-looking information reflects the Company’s current internal expectations or beliefs and is based on information currently available to the Company. In some cases, forward-looking information can be identified by terminology such as “may”, “will”, “should”, “expect”, “intend”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “projects”, “potential”, “scheduled”, “forecast”, “budget” or the negative of those terms or other comparable terminology. Assumptions upon which such forward-looking information is based includes, among others, that the conditions to closing of the Arrangement will be satisfied and that the Arrangement will be completed on the terms set out in the definitive agreement. Many of these assumptions are based on factors and events that are not within the control of the Company, and there is no assurance they will prove to be correct or accurate. Risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted herein include, without limitation: that the remaining conditions to the Arrangement will not be satisfied; that the business prospects and opportunities of the Company will not proceed as anticipated; changes in the global prices for gold or certain other commodities (such as diesel, aluminum and electricity); changes in U.S. dollar and other currency exchange rates, interest rates or gold lease rates; risks arising from holding derivative instruments; the level of liquidity and capital resources; access to capital markets, financing and interest rates; mining tax regimes; ability to successfully integrate acquired assets; legislative, political or economic developments in the jurisdictions in which the Company carries on business; operating or technical difficulties in connection with mining or development activities; laws and regulations governing the protection of the environment; employee relations; availability and increasing costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of exploration and development; contests over title to properties, particularly title to undeveloped properties; and the risks involved in the exploration, development and mining business. Risks and unknowns inherent in all projects include the inaccuracy of estimated reserves and resources, metallurgical recoveries, capital and operating costs of such projects, and the future prices for the relevant minerals. The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES OR ANY US NEWS WIRE SERVICES AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER OF THE TITLES DESCRIBED HEREIN.OTB hotel expansion delayed
‘Well-planned conspiracy by UP CM Adityanath, BJP-RSS’: Cong on Sambhal violenceA bankruptcy judge on Monday ordered a new hearing in conspiracy theorist Alex Jones' effort to stop the satirical news outlet The Onion from buying Infowars and turning it into a parody. Jones alleges fraud and collusion marred the bankruptcy auction in which The Onion was named the winning bidder on Nov. 14 over a company affiliated with him. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez had been scheduled to hear an emergency motion to disqualify The Onion's bid, but decided to put it off until either Dec. 9 or Dec. 17. That's also when the judge will hear arguments on a request to approve the sale of Infowars to The Onion. Lopez said similar arguments are being made in both requests. Lopez could ultimately allow The Onion to move forward with its purchase, order a new auction or name the other bidder as the winner. At stake is whether Jones gets to stay at Infowars’ studio in Austin, Texas, under a new owner friendly to him, or whether he gets kicked out by The Onion. The other bidder, First United American Companies, runs a website in Jones’ name that sells nutritional supplements. Regardless, Jones has set up a new studio, websites and social media accounts that would allow him to keep airing his show. And his personal account with 3.3 million followers on the social platform X was not part of the sale, although Lopez will be deciding whether it should be included in the liquidation and sold off later. In a new court filing Monday, lawyers for X objected to any sale of the accounts of both Jones and Infowars, saying X is the owner of the accounts and that it has not given consent for them to be sold or transferred. Jones has praised X owner Elon Musk on his show and suggested that Musk should buy Infowars. Musk has not responded publicly to that suggestion and was not among the bidders. Jones' bankruptcy and the liquidation of his assets came about after he was ordered to pay nearly $1.5 billion to relatives of victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. Jones was found liable for defamation and emotional distress damages in lawsuits in Connecticut and Texas for repeatedly calling the 2012 shooting that killed 20 first graders and six educators a hoax staged by actors to increase gun control. Proceeds from the liquidation are to go to Jones' creditors, including the Sandy Hook families who sued him. Jones alleges The Onion’s bid was the result of fraud and collusion involving many of those families, the humor site and a court-appointed trustee who is overseeing the liquidation. First United American Companies submitted a $3.5 million sealed bid, while The Onion offered $1.75 million in cash. But The Onion's bid also included a pledge by Sandy Hook families to forgo some or all of the auction proceeds due to them to give other creditors a total of $100,000 more than they would receive under other bids. The trustee, Christopher Murray, said that made The Onion's proposal better for creditors and he named it the winning bid. He has denied any wrongdoing. Jones and First United American Companies claimed that the bid violated Lopez’s rules for the auction by including multiple entities and lacking a valid dollar amount. Jones also alleged Murray improperly canceled an expected round of live bidding and only selected from among the sealed bids that were submitted. Jones called the auction “rigged” and a “fraud” on his show, which airs on the Infowars website, radio stations and Jones' X account. He filed a counter lawsuit last week against Murray, The Onion's parent company and the Sandy Hook families in the bankruptcy court. In a court filing on Sunday, Murray called the allegations a “desperate attempt” to delay the sale of Infowars to The Onion and accused Jones, his lawyers and attorneys for First United American Companies of a “vicious smear campaign lobbing patently false accusations.” He also alleges Jones collaborated with First United American Companies to try to buy Infowars. Lopez’s September order on the auction procedures made a live bidding round optional. And it gave broad authority to Murray to conduct the sale, including the power to reject any bid, no matter how high, that was “contrary to the best interests” of Jones, his company and their creditors. But at a Nov. 14 hearing Lopez said he was concerned about the process and transparency. “We’re all going to an evidentiary hearing and I’m going to figure out exactly what happened,” he said. “No one should feel comfortable with the results of this auction.” The assets of Infowars' parent company, Free Speech Systems, that were up for sale included the Austin studio, Infowars' video archive, video production equipment, product trademarks, and Infowars' websites and social media accounts. Jones is appealing the $1.5 billion in judgments citing free speech rights, but has acknowledged that the school shooting happened . Jones has brought in millions of dollars a year in revenue by hawking nutritional supplements, clothing, survival gear and other merchandise, including more than $22 million this year through Sept. 30 from his Infowars Store website, according to court documents. Many of Jones’ personal assets, including real estate, guns and other personal belongings, also are being sold as part of the bankruptcy. Documents filed in court this year say Jones has about $9 million in personal assets, while Free Speech Systems has about $6 million in cash and more than $1 million worth of inventory. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
