NoneThe European Central Bank has cut rates by a quarter percentage point amid signs of weakening growth and concern about the impact of political chaos in France and the possibility of new U.S. import tariffs. The bank’s rate-setting committee made the decision Thursday at its skyscraper headquarters in Frankfurt to lower the benchmark from 3.25% to 3%. The bank said that efforts to return inflation to its 2% target were succeeding. “The disinflation process is well on track,” it said in a statement accompanying the decision. It cautioned that it now foresaw “a slower economic recovery” than it did in a last set of projections in September. Lower rates should support growth amid signs that the post-pandemic recovery is slowing in the 20 countries that use the euro currency and concerns that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump might impose new tariffs, or import taxes, on goods imported to the US after he is inaugurated Jan. 20. That sends a cold chill through the business world in Europe, where exports are an outsized contributor to growth and employment. Yet there are internal risks as well. French Prime Minister Michel Barnier resigned Dec. 5 after losing a vote of confidence, leaving the France without a functioning government and no clear majority in parliament able or willing to tackle the country’s excessive budget deficit. Elections cannot be held before June. While the end of the Barnier government hasn't triggered a financial crisis, it adds uncertainty about how long it will take for France to right its finances. Germany's governing coalition broke up in November, and a new national election is expected Feb. 23. Weeks of coalition negotiations are expected to follow before a new government is in place. That leaves the two biggest eurozone economies politically adrift for months. All that has dinged the confidence that businesses need to borrow, invest, expand production and take risks. The survey index of purchasing managers compiled by S&P Global came in at 48.3 in November, with levels below 50 suggesting the economy is slowing. The Sentix survey of investor confidence fell in its first update after the U.S. election, by 4.6 points to minus 17.5. Inflation has fallen steeply to 2.3% from its peak of 10.6% in late 2022, shifting attention from reigning in consumer price increases to worries about ongoing weak growth. The eurozone is expected to grow 0.8% this year and 1.3.% next year, according to forecasts from the European Union's executive commission. Higher ECB rates helped squelch Europe’s outbreak of inflation in the wake of the pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Higher central bank benchmarks influence borrowing costs throughout the economy, making it more expensive to borrow and spend, and thus taking pressure off prices. Yet that also presents a danger in that those same high rates could stall the EU's goal of more vigorous economic growth. A drumbeat of announcements regarding job cuts in coming years at major firms in Germany has not improved the mood. They include auto technology and parts firm Bosch, which plans to drop 5,500 jobs, 3,800 of them in Germany; auto supplier ZF Friedrichshafen, which plans to drop 14,000-15,000 jobs; and Ford Motor Co., which is to drop 4,000 jobs in Europe, 2,900 in Germany, and steelmaker ThyssenKrupp with 11,000 planned cuts. Volkswagen plans to shut as many as three German plants, according to its employee representatives who are negotiating with the company in an effort to block the closings. The ECB determines interest rate policy for the 20 of 27 EU member countries that have joined the euro currency.ub99 casino 。

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes rose to more records Wednesday after tech companies talked up how much of a boost they’re getting from the artificial-intelligence boom. The S&P 500 climbed 0.6% to add to what’s set to be one of its best years of the millennium. It’s the 56th time the index has hit an all-time high this year after climbing in 11 of the last 12 days . The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 308 points, or 0.7%, while the Nasdaq composite added 1.3% to its own record. Salesforce helped pull the market higher after delivering stronger revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected, though its profit fell just short. CEO Mark Benioff highlighted the company’s artificial-intelligence offering for customers, saying “the rise of autonomous AI agents is revolutionizing global labor, reshaping how industries operate and scale.” The stock price of the company, which helps businesses manage their customers, jumped 11%. Marvell Technology leaped even more after delivering better results than expected, up 23.2%. CEO Matt Murphy said the semiconductor supplier is seeing strong demand from AI and gave a forecast for profit in the upcoming quarter that topped analysts’ expectations. All the optimistic talk helped Nvidia , the company whose chips are powering much of the move into AI, rally 3.5%. It was the strongest force pushing upward on the S&P 500 by far. They helped offset an 8.9% drop for Foot Locker, which reported profit and revenue that fell short of analysts’ expectations. CEO Mary Dillon said the company is taking a more cautious view, and it cut its forecasts for sales and profit this year. Dillon pointed to how keen customers are for discounts and how soft demand has been outside of Thanksgiving week and other key selling periods. Retailers overall have offered mixed signals about how resilient U.S. shoppers can remain. Their spending has been one of the main reasons the U.S. economy has avoided a recession that earlier seemed inevitable after the Federal Reserve hiked interest rates to crush inflation. But shoppers are now contending with still-high prices and a slowing job market . This week’s highlight for Wall Street will be Friday’s jobs report from the U.S. government, which will show how many people employers hired and fired last month. A narrower report released Wednesday morning suggested employers in the private sector increased their payrolls by less last month than economists expected. Hiring in manufacturing was the weakest since the spring, according to Nela Richardson, chief economist at ADP. The report strengthened traders’ expectations that the Fed will cut its main interest rate again when it meets in two weeks. The Fed began easing its main interest rate from a two-decade high in September, hoping to offer more support for the job market. The central bank had appeared set to continue cutting rates into next year, but the election of Donald Trump has scrambled Wall Street’s expectations somewhat. Trump’s preference for higher tariffs and other policies could lead to higher inflation , which could alter the Fed’s plans . Fed Chair Jerome Powell said Wednesday that the central bank can afford to cut rates cautiously because inflation has slowed from its peak two years ago and the economy remains sturdy. A separate report on Wednesday said health care, finance and other businesses in the U.S. services sector are continuing to grow, but not by as much as before and not by as much as economists expected. One respondent from the construction industry told the survey from the Institute for Supply Management that the Fed’s rate cuts haven't pulled down mortgage rates as much as hoped. Plus, “the unknown effect of tariffs clouds the future.” In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.18% from 4.23% late Tuesday. On Wall Street, Campbell’s sank 6.2% for one of the S&P 500’s sharper losses despite increasing its dividend and reporting a stronger profit than analysts expected. Its revenue fell short of Wall Street’s expectations, and the National Football League’s Washington Commanders hired Campbell’s CEO Mark Clouse as its team president. Gains for airline stocks helped offset that drop after JetBlue Airways said it saw stronger bookings for travel in November and December following the presidential election. It also said it’s benefiting from lower fuel prices, as well as lower costs due to improved on-time performance. JetBlue jumped 8.3%, while Southwest Airlines climbed 3.5%. All told, the S&P 500 rose 36.61 points to 6,086.49. The Dow climbed 308.51 to 45,014.04, and the Nasdaq composite rallied 254.21 to 19,735.12. In stock markets abroad, South Korea’s Kospi sank 1.4% following a night full of drama in Seoul. President Yoon Suk Yeol was facing possible impeachment after he suddenly declared martial law on Tuesday night, prompting troops to surround the parliament. He revoked the martial law declaration six hours later. In the crypto market , bitcoin climbed near $99,000 after Trump said he would nominate Paul Atkins , a cryptocurrency advocate, to chair the Securities and Exchange Commission. AP Writers Matt Ott and Zimo Zhong contributed.House rejects Democratic efforts to force release of Matt Gaetz ethics report

WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has promised to as soon as he gets into office to make good on campaign promises aiming and redefining what it means to be American. But any efforts to halt the policy would face steep legal hurdles. Birthright citizenship means anyone born in the United States automatically becomes an American citizen. It’s been in place for decades and applies to children born to someone in the country illegally or in the U.S. on a tourist or student visa who plans to return to their home country. It’s not the practice of every country, and Trump and his supporters have argued that the system is being abused and that there should be tougher standards for becoming an American citizen. But others say this is a right enshrined in the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, it would be extremely difficult to overturn and even if it’s possible, it’s a bad idea. Here’s a look at birthright citizenship, what Trump has said about it and the prospects for ending it: What Trump has said about birthright citizenship During an interview Sunday on Trump said he “absolutely” planned to halt birthright citizenship once in office. “We’re going to end that because it’s ridiculous,” he said. Trump and other opponents of birthright citizenship have argued that it creates an incentive for people to come to the U.S. illegally or take part in pregnant women enter the U.S. specifically to give birth so their children can have citizenship before returning to their home countries. “Simply crossing the border and having a child should not entitle anyone to citizenship,” said Eric Ruark, director of research for NumbersUSA, which argues for reducing immigration. The organization supports changes that would require at least one parent to be a permanent legal resident or a U.S. citizen for their children to automatically get citizenship. Others have argued that ending birthright citizenship would profoundly damage the country. “One of our big benefits is that people born here are citizens, are not an illegal underclass. There’s better assimilation and integration of immigrants and their children because of birthright citizenship,” said Alex Nowrasteh, vice president for economic and social policy studies at the pro-immigration Cato Institute. In 2019, the Migration Policy Institute estimated that 5.5 million children under age 18 lived with at least one parent in the country illegally in 2019, representing 7% of the U.S. child population. The vast majority of those children were U.S. citizens. The nonpartisan think tank said during Trump’s campaign for president in 2015 that the number of people in the country illegally would “balloon” if birthright citizenship were repealed, creating “a self-perpetuating class that would be excluded from social membership for generations.” What does the law say? In the aftermath of the Civil War, Congress ratified the 14th Amendment in July 1868. That amendment assured citizenship for all, including Black people. “All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside,” the 14th Amendment says. “No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States.” But the 14th Amendment didn’t always translate to everyone being afforded birthright citizenship. For example, it wasn’t until 1924 that Congress finally granted citizenship to all Native Americans born in the U.S. A key case in the history of birthright citizenship came in 1898, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Wong Kim Ark, born in San Francisco to Chinese immigrants, was a U.S. citizen because he was born in the states. The federal government had tried to deny him reentry into the county after a trip abroad on grounds he wasn’t a citizen under the Chinese Exclusion Act. But some have argued that the 1898 case clearly applied to children born of parents who are both legal immigrants to America but that it’s less clear whether it applies to children born to parents without legal status or, for example, who come for a short-term like a tourist visa. “That is the leading case on this. In fact, it’s the only case on this,” said Andrew Arthur, a fellow at the Center for Immigration Studies, which supports immigration restrictions. “It’s a lot more of an open legal question than most people think.” Some proponents of immigration restrictions have argued the words “subject to the jurisdiction thereof” in the 14th Amendment allows the U.S. to deny citizenship to babies born to those in the country illegally. Trump himself used that language in his 2023 announcement that he would aim to end birthright citizenship if reelected. So what could Trump do and would it be successful? Trump wasn’t clear in his Sunday interview how he aims to end birthright citizenship. Asked how he could get around the 14th Amendment with an executive action, Trump said: “Well, we’re going to have to get it changed. We’ll maybe have to go back to the people. But we have to end it.” Pressed further on whether he’d use an executive order, Trump said “if we can, through executive action.” He gave a lot more details in a . In it, he said he would issue an executive order the first day of his presidency, making it clear that federal agencies “require that at least one parent be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident for their future children to become automatic U.S. citizens.” Trump wrote that the executive order would make clear that children of people in the U.S. illegally “should not be issued passports, Social Security numbers, or be eligible for certain taxpayer funded welfare benefits.” This would almost certainly end up in litigation. Nowrasteh from the Cato Institute said the law is clear that birthright citizenship can’t be ended by executive order but that Trump may be inclined to take a shot anyway through the courts. “I don’t take his statements very seriously. He has been saying things like this for almost a decade,” Nowrasteh said. “He didn’t do anything to further this agenda when he was president before. The law and judges are near uniformly opposed to his legal theory that the children of illegal immigrants born in the United States are not citizens.” Trump could steer Congress to pass a law to end birthright citizenship but would still face a legal challenge that it violates the Constitution. __ Associated Press reporter Elliot Spagat in San Diego contributed to this report. Rebecca Santana, The Associated PressHouse rejects Democratic efforts to force release of Matt Gaetz ethics report

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Tim Keating Joins AMD as Senior Vice President, Government Relations and Regulatory Affairs

Support Independent Arts Journalism As an independent publication, we rely on readers like you to fund our journalism. If you value our coverage and want to support more of it, consider becoming a member today . Already a member? Sign in here. Support Hyperallergic’s independent arts journalism for as little as $8 per month. Become a Member The 60th edition of the Venice Biennale closed yesterday, November 24, with another strong attendance showing, organizers announced. Excluding the 27,966 visitors who attended its preview, the international art festival saw 699,304 visitors over the course of its seven-month run — the second-highest turnout in its 129-year history since 2022, when over 800,000 visitors flocked to Venice for The Milk of Dreams . The numbers signal a continuation of attendance trends that have drawn increasingly younger and foreign crowds to the “ Olympics of the art world ” in spite of the Italian city’s efforts to mitigate over-tourism . International visitors comprised a majority of attendees at this year’s event, Foreigners Everywhere , accounting for 59% of all visitors. Attendance also veered younger: Organizers reported that 30% of ticket-holders were young people and students under 26 years old. In both cases, these trends were a continuation from both 2022 and the pre-pandemic edition in 2019, which also had a high number of young attendees . The upticks in the biennale’s attendance follow an extension of the exhibition’s run time by about two weeks; iterations in 2019, 2017, and 2015 all kicked off in early May, as opposed to the third weekend of April. The festival has also recently incorporated more programming for young visitors, like its Biennale College Arte , which supports emerging international artists under the age of 30. For the program’s second year, the biennale presented the work of artists Agnes Questionmark , Joyce Joumaa , Sandra Poulson , Nazira Karimi in the Arsenale and Central Pavilion. Additionally, this was the 12th consecutive year of the Biennale Sessions project , an educational program which saw 3,000 university students from six continents participate. The 2024 biennale also saw a 67% increase in attendance to its programming focused on accessibility for individuals with mental health disabilities, housing instability, addiction issues, and other factors. Get the latest art news, reviews and opinions from Hyperallergic. Daily Weekly Opportunities Although organizers have not yet announced the curator for 2026, plans are already underway for the next edition, as countries including Canada , Estonia , and France have announced the artists that will represent their pavilions. In the meantime, the city is preparing for the 19th architecture exhibition , curated by Carlo Ratti and scheduled to open on May 10, by extending its pilot tourist tax through 2025 . This upcoming April 18 through July 27, daytrippers visiting Venice on weekends and holidays will be expected to pay a €10 (~$10.80) fee — double the charge implemented this past spring and summer. We hope you enjoyed this article! Before you keep reading, please consider supporting Hyperallergic ’s journalism during a time when independent, critical reporting is increasingly scarce. Unlike many in the art world, we are not beholden to large corporations or billionaires. Our journalism is funded by readers like you , ensuring integrity and independence in our coverage. We strive to offer trustworthy perspectives on everything from art history to contemporary art. We spotlight artist-led social movements, uncover overlooked stories, and challenge established norms to make art more inclusive and accessible. With your support, we can continue to provide global coverage without the elitism often found in art journalism. If you can, please join us as a member today . Millions rely on Hyperallergic for free, reliable information. By becoming a member, you help keep our journalism free, independent, and accessible to all. Thank you for reading. Share Copied to clipboard Mail Bluesky Threads LinkedIn FacebookA judge on Monday granted a request by prosecutors to dismiss the election subversion case against Donald Trump because of a Justice Department policy of not prosecuting a sitting president. Judge Tanya Chutkan agreed to the request by Special Counsel Jack Smith to dismiss the case against the president-elect "without prejudice," meaning it could potentially be revived after Trump leaves the White House four years from now. "Dismissal without prejudice is appropriate here," Chutkan said, adding in the ruling that "the immunity afforded to a sitting President is temporary, expiring when they leave office." Trump, 78, was accused of conspiring to overturn the results of the 2020 election he lost to Joe Biden and removing large quantities of top secret documents after leaving the White House, but the cases never came to trial. Smith also moved on Monday to drop his appeal of the dismissal of the documents case filed against the former president in Florida. That case was tossed out earlier this year by a Trump-appointed judge on the grounds that Smith was unlawfully appointed. The special counsel paused the election interference case and the documents case this month after Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris in the November 5 presidential election. Smith cited the long-standing Justice Department policy of not indicting or prosecuting a sitting president in his motions to have the cases dismissed. "The Government's position on the merits of the defendant's prosecution has not changed," Smith said in the filing with Chutkan. "But the circumstances have." "It has long been the position of the Department of Justice that the United States Constitution forbids the federal indictment and subsequent criminal prosecution of a sitting President," Smith said. "As a result this prosecution must be dismissed before the defendant is inaugurated." In a separate filing, Smith said he was withdrawing his appeal of the dismissal of the classified documents case against Trump but pursuing the case against his two co-defendants, Trump valet Walt Nauta and Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos De Oliveira. Trump, in a post on Truth Social, said the cases were "empty and lawless, and should never have been brought." "Over $100 Million Dollars of Taxpayer Dollars has been wasted in the Democrat Party's fight against their Political Opponent, ME," he said. "Nothing like this has ever happened in our Country before." Trump was accused of conspiracy to defraud the United States and conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding -- the session of Congress called to certify Biden's win, which was violently attacked on January 6, 2021 by a mob of the then-president's supporters. Trump was also accused of seeking to disenfranchise US voters with his false claims that he won the 2020 election. The former and incoming president also faces two state cases -- in New York and Georgia. He was convicted in New York in May of 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels on the eve of the 2016 election to stop her from revealing an alleged 2006 sexual encounter. However, Judge Juan Merchan has postponed sentencing while he considers a request from Trump's lawyers that the conviction be thrown out in light of the Supreme Court ruling in July that an ex-president has broad immunity from prosecution. In Georgia, Trump faces racketeering charges over his efforts to subvert the 2020 election results in the southern state, but that case will likely be frozen while he is in office. cl/sms

Matt Gaetz says he won’t return to Congress next year after withdrawing name for attorney general

Homelessness sector workers are sounding the alarm about the Ontario government’s new legislation to tackle homeless encampments, arguing that crackdowns against public drug use and heavier penalties for trespassing in places like parks could result in jails being used as de-facto shelters. In response to dozens of Ontario mayors calling for aid to address growing homelessness provincewide, Premier Doug Ford on Thursday promised more than $75 million in new housing spending, while proposing to give police and provincial offences officers more power to order people using drugs in public to stop or move along — lest they face a fine up of to $10,000 or months in a jail cell. The province is also proposing to let courts to more steeply penalize people engaging in “continuous trespassing,” as well as those seen by the court as likely to trespass again. “People are angry at encampments. I totally get it. I don’t want people in encampments, I want them in housing,” said Diana Chan McNally, a Toronto-based community worker. “But that said, it’s not their fault they ended up in the most traumatizing situation and survival that you can imagine.” She knows the provincial crackdown comes at a time of considerable public frustration with how homelessness has ballooned from overstrained shelters into shared public spaces, from parks and sidewalks to emergency rooms and library branches. But she was baffled by the heftier fines, which she said would likely go unpaid. “If they had $10,000, they would not be homeless.” Since the spring, Toronto has seen its encampment count grow from around 200 to more than 500 tents, as the shelter system has turned away hundreds of people each day — 225 on the average day in October. Sarah Ovens, a case manager at All Saints Church Community Centre in Moss Park, recognizes the sight of people in the throes of mental health crises on the street can be “alarming” for other city-dwellers. But she sees decades-long underinvestment in social services and affordable housing interventions as the culprit, rather than individual choices — pointing to factors like social assistance rates that fall well short of the cost of living. “I’m afraid that it’s going to get worse,” she said of the new legislation. While Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow has argued a heavier-handed approach to homeless encampments risks scattering people to places like transit lines and ravines, many Ontario mayors on Thursday reiterated their support for Ford’s efforts around reducing visible substance use in particular. “Illicit drugs and particularly opioids such as fentanyl used in public spaces in encampments are a serious community safety threat. There is a clear risk to families and children that live around the growing number of encampments in Ontario,” Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown was quoted as saying in the provincial news release. Homeless sector workers, meanwhile, argued that enforcement against encampments will be more expensive than focusing squarely on increasing housing options, including specialized housing sites with embedded support services for those dealing with mental health and addiction challenges. “You’ll be spending a lot more money on police, courts and hospitals as you chase homeless people around repeatedly, over and over again, without solving the underlying problems,” warned Tim Richter, head of the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness. “You can arrest people and put them into jail for open drug use, but then they’ll be released back into homelessness.” Andrew Boozary, a Toronto physician and professor at the University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health, pointed out that a month-long incarceration for a single person cost the public more than $12,000 compared with around $4,000 to operate a single supportive housing unit. “Housing is a matter of human dignity and sound health economics,” Boozary said. In his work at a Toronto drop-in, the correctional system was already described by a colleague as the “de-facto” mental health system, Boozary said. The Star has previously reported that , up to 24.4 per cent in 2020 from 13.4 per cent in 2015. If Toronto wants hope of clawing out of its current crisis, housing sector workers, advocates and experts have repeatedly stressed that housing is the answer — pointing to examples such as Finland, which through a long-term effort to create lower-cost housing, including homes with specialized supports. In Toronto, demand for housing vastly outstrips availability, with nearly 93,000 households waiting for subsidized housing, plus more than 28,000 individuals waiting for supportive housing. The housing spending unveiled Thursday includes $5.5 million for , as well as $20 million for and semi-permanent living set-ups, and $50 million for affordable housing developments. Based on past city estimates, the extra $5.5 million in subsidies provincewide could help house at least 440 people. But looking at the scale of the crisis, Chan McNally and others argue a much more robust intervention is needed to bring encampments down long-term. “At the end of the day,” Richter said, “the only solution to this is a home.”Rare golden eagle found dead after a wind turbine tore off its wing, vet experts say - in first recorded incident of its kind By NICK FORBES Published: 22:00 GMT, 25 November 2024 | Updated: 22:08 GMT, 25 November 2024 e-mail 4 View comments A golden eagle has died after a 'wind turbine strike' in Dumfries and Galloway, an investigation has concluded. The death of the locally-fledged bird, named Sparky, is the first recorded incident of its kind in the south of Scotland, according to conservation body South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project (SSGEP). The group, which monitors and researches the golden eagle population in the area, said they learned 'something untoward' had happened to the three-year-old raptor on the afternoon of August 22 this year from their satellite tagging system. They quickly found the body, which was lying 15 metres from a turbine base with its wing detached, and worked with staff at the wind farm to secure the body for pathological investigations. After carrying out a number of tests, on Monday the Veterinary Investigation Centre at Scotland's Rural College in Dumfries concluded Sparky's fatal injuries were 'typical of those associated with a wind turbine strike'. SSGEP project manager Dr Cat Barlow said: 'Our satellite tagging system allowed us to immediately detect that something untoward had happened to Sparky at Windy Rig wind farm in Galloway. 'This ensured investigators could quickly recover the body before weather and wild scavengers destroyed any evidence. 'Without our team's surveillance and ability to respond promptly, we may never have known what led to Sparky's death. A conservation group found the body which was lying 15 metres from a turbine base with its wing detached Sparky and sibling at Eyrie Site. The death of the locally-fledged bird, named Sparky, is the first recorded incident of its kind in the south of Scotland After carrying out a number of tests, on Monday the Veterinary Investigation Centre at Scotland's Rural College in Dumfries concluded Sparky's fatal injuries were 'typical of those associated with a wind turbine strike' 'Gathering knowledge from the satellite tags is vital to ensuring the continued protection of golden eagles and further reinforces the importance of our work to monitor golden eagles in southern Scotland.' She added: 'Though sustainable energy is key to addressing the climate crisis and protecting our natural world in the long-term, as Sparky's death shows, death through wind turbine collision is a risk, so it is important that charities like ours exist to support work to mitigate risks to golden eagles - both at existing sites and when new development proposals are being considered. 'We can use our unique insights to advise decision-makers, so that developments do not harm golden eagles, habitats or their prey. 'Through our monitoring work and technology, we are uniquely placed to do this in the south of Scotland.' Chris Rollie, chair of the Dumfries and Galloway Raptor Study Group - after one of whose members Sparky was named - said they were 'devastated' to learn of Sparky's death. He continued: 'Evidence to date has suggested golden eagles tend to avoid wind farms, but without the state-of-the-art satellite tagging that SSGEP provides, incidents of this nature are hard to detect. 'This reinforces the urgent need for decision-makers to work closely with the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project and our raptor study group as further wind farms are approved.' Morag Watson, director of onshore at Scottish Renewables, which represents the renewable energy sector in Scotland, said: 'All wind farms in Scotland go through years of environmental monitoring before they are built and evidence to date has suggested golden eagles tend to avoid well-sited wind farms, so it is incredibly sad to hear about this incident. Sparky's death comes after that of another eagle, named Thistle (file image of a golden eagle) issued by the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project 'The renewable energy industry works closely with bodies including the Scottish Government, NatureScot, RSPB and others to better understand bird behaviour and make sure wind developments are sensitive to bird populations. Read More Guilty, man who kept birds including 90 eagles in squalid conditions 'We look forward to working with the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project and utilising its expertise to allow the onshore wind sector to play an important role in the protection of golden eagles in southern Scotland.' Sparky's death comes after that of another eagle, named Thistle, which had been translocated by SSGEP in August 2022. Thistle was found to have been killed by another territorial eagle in what the group described as 'normal population behaviour'. Since it was set up in 2017, SSGEP has 'translocated', or introduced, more than 40 golden eagles to the area, as well as tagging a number of locally-fledged birds, and the population is now at the highest level for three centuries. The project had been due to conclude this year, but the group, which previously received public funding from a number of sources, now plans to continue its work as a standalone charity. Share or comment on this article: Rare golden eagle found dead after a wind turbine tore off its wing, vet experts say - in first recorded incident of its kind e-mail Add comment

Three Trump appointees who stayed with Biden and want to remain in their rolesBritain, Germany, France, Italy and several other European countries said Monday they would freeze all pending asylum requests from Syrians, a day after the ouster of president Bashar al-Assad. While Berlin and other governments said they were watching the fast-moving developments in the war-ravaged nation, Austria signalled it would soon deport refugees back to Syria. Far-right politicians elsewhere made similar demands, including in Germany -- home to Europe's largest Syrian community -- at a time when immigration has become a hot-button issue across the continent. Alice Weidel, of the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany, reacted with disdain to Sunday's mass rallies by jubilant Syrians celebrating Assad's downfall. "Anyone in Germany who celebrates 'free Syria' evidently no longer has any reason to flee," she wrote on X. "They should return to Syria immediately." World leaders and Syrians abroad watched in disbelief at the weekend as Islamist-led rebels swept into Damascus, ending Assad's brutal rule while also sparking new uncertainty. A German foreign ministry spokesman pointed out that "the fact that the Assad regime has been ended is unfortunately no guarantee of peaceful developments" in the future. Germany has taken in almost one million Syrians, with most arriving in 2015-16 under ex-chancellor Angela Merkel. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said many Syrian refugees "now finally have hope of returning to their Syrian homeland" but cautioned that "the situation in Syria is currently very unclear". The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees had imposed a freeze on decisions for ongoing asylum procedures "until the situation is clearer". She added that "concrete possibilities of return cannot yet be predicted and it would be unprofessional to speculate in such a volatile situation". Rights group Amnesty International slammed Germany's freeze on asylum decisions, stressing that for now "the human rights situation in the country is completely unclear". The head of the UN refugee agency also cautioned that "patience and vigilance" were needed on the issue of refugee returns. In Austria, where about 100,000 Syrians live, conservative Chancellor Karl Nehammer instructed the interior ministry "to suspend all ongoing Syrian asylum applications and to review all asylum grants". Interior Minister Gerhard Karner added he had "instructed the ministry to prepare an orderly repatriation and deportation programme to Syria". "The political situation in Syria has changed fundamentally and, above all, rapidly in recent days," the ministry said, adding it is "currently monitoring and analysing the new situation". The French interior ministry said it too would put asylum requests from Syrians on hold, with authorities in Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden and Norway announcing similar moves. Britain's interior ministry said it was taking the same measure "whilst we assess the current situation". The Italian government said late Monday after a cabinet meeting that it too was suspending asylum request "in line with other European partners." The leader of the far-right Sweden Democrats, a coalition partner in the government, said residence permits for Syrian refugees should now be "reviewed". "Destructive Islamist forces are behind the change of power" in Syria, wrote their leader Jimmie Akesson on X. "I see that groups are happy about this development here in Sweden. You should see it as a good opportunity to go home." In Greece, a government spokesman voiced hope that Assad's fall will eventually allow "the safe return of Syrian refugees" to their country, but without announcing concrete measures. In Germany, the debate gained momentum as the country heads towards February elections. Achim Brotel, president of a grouping of German communes, called for border controls to stop fleeing Assad loyalists reaching Germany. The centre-right opposition CDU suggested that rejected Syrian asylum-seekers should now lose so-called subsidiary protection. "If the reason for protection no longer applies, then refugees will have to return to their home country," CDU legislator Thorsten Frei told Welt TV. CDU MP Jens Spahn suggested that Berlin charter flights to Syria and offer 1,000 euros ($1,057) to "anyone who wants to return". A member of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats criticised the debate as "populist and irresponsible". Greens party deputy Anton Hofreiter also said "it is completely unclear what will happen next in Syria" and deportation talk was "completely out of place". Many Syrians in Germany have watched the events in their home country with great joy but prefer to wait and see before deciding whether to return. "We want to go back to Syria," said Mahmoud Zaml, 25, who works in an Arabic pastry shop in Berlin, adding that he hopes to help "rebuild" his country. "But we have to wait a bit now," he told AFP. "We have to see what happens and if it is really 100 percent safe, then we will go back to Syria." burs-fz/rlp/phz/gv/givLaBeaux 1-3 0-0 3, Walker 6-12 8-9 20, R.Felton 8-19 1-1 20, Hayes 0-6 3-4 3, Riley 4-11 1-1 9, Farell 4-7 0-0 12, Woodard 3-4 0-0 6, Soumaoro 2-2 0-0 5, Malonga 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 28-66 13-15 78. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.David Beckham called Kath Phipps “the heartbeat of Manchester United” as tributes from players past and present poured in following the long-serving receptionist’s death at the age of 85. A lifelong fan, she was an immensely popular figure with players, managers and staff at a club she joined four months after Sir Matt Busby led them to European Cup glory in 1968. Phipps initially worked at Old Trafford in the stadium offices and on matchdays, before Sir Alex Ferguson brought her to their Carrington training ground in 2000. The United great presented her with the League Managers Association’s Service to Football award in 2022, when Beckham was among those to pay tribute. “Forever in our hearts...,” the former midfielder posted on Instagram with a photo holding Phipps’ hand. “The first and last face I would always see was Kath sat at reception at Old Trafford waiting to give me my tickets for the game. “She was the heartbeat of Manchester United, everyone knew who Kath was and everyone adored her. “I moved up to Manchester at 15 and Kath made a promise to my mum and dad ‘I’ll look after your boy for you don’t you worry’ and from that first day till the last day I spent with her that’s exactly what she did. “Old Trafford will never be the same without your smile as we walk through those doors... We love you.” The club confirmed Phipps’ death on Thursday, leading to a flood of tributes on social media from those that worked with her. United’s record goalscorer Wayne Rooney said: “The heart and soul of Manchester United. Everything what the club is about. “A legend who will be greatly missed. Thanks for the memories Kathy. Thoughts with family and friends.” Fellow United former player Patrice Evra said “losing a family member never easy” alongside a photo with Phipps, who David De Gea thanked “for taking care of everyone”. Ex-United defender Rio Ferdinand said: “An absolute mainstay of Manchester United... Always welcomed me and everyone else who visited with a warm smile! Looked at life positively, incredibly selfless & would put others first! RIP.” Current squad members were also quick to pay their respects to Phipps. United skipper Bruno Fernandes reposted the club’s announcement with a heart emoji and Marcus Rashford said: “Awful news, admired by all at the club and beyond, you will be missed.” United defender Harry Maguire posted: “A legend that will never be forgotten. I will miss you. We will miss you. RIP Kath.” Right-back Diogo Dalot wrote: “We love you Kath. Thank you for showing everyday what this club is about and taking care of us.” Jadon Sancho, who is on loan at Chelsea ahead of a permanent United exit, said of Phipps: “I’m grateful that I’ve had the pleasure of meeting you, such a lovely kind hearted soul. “She always made sure I was OK and always put a smile on my face whenever I felt down, I appreciate you Kath. My condolences go out to her family through this tough time.” United have yet to confirm what tribute will be paid at Saturday’s Premier League match against Nottingham Forest. The club said in a statement: “We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our beloved colleague Kath Phipps at the age of 85. “An omnipresent figure at Manchester United since the late 1960s, Kath worked for the club for over 55 years in a variety of roles, but her contribution went beyond any particular job title. “Kath was a one-woman institution, whose memory will be cherished by everyone at the club who had the privilege of knowing her. “She said last year: ‘I can’t imagine doing anything else’. Well, we can’t imagine the place without her.” This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.

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Plans to let first-home buyers purchase a property with a smaller deposit won't be a silver bullet, the housing minister concedes, with federal parliament set to pass the reforms. or signup to continue reading Labor's Help to Buy and Build to Rent schemes will become law after the Greens agreed to wave the proposals through parliament following months of debate. The Help to Buy scheme is a shared equity program that will allow 10,000 first-home buyers each year to purchase a house with a contribution from the government. Housing Minister Clare O'Neil welcomed the end of the political stalemate on the reforms, but said the laws wouldn't immediately fix problems in the sector. "This is not a silver bullet, and it was never meant to be," she told Nine's Today program on Tuesday. "The truth is we've had a generations-in-the-making housing crisis in our country that's been building for more than 30 years and it requires our government to do lots of things differently. "We're trying to build many more homes in our country. We're trying to get a better deal for renters. We're trying to get more Australians into home ownership. It's a big, complex program, and it's going to take some time." Greens Leader Adam Bandt denied the delay by his party in agreeing to the two housing bills had kept first-home buyers out of the market. "For over the last two months, we pushed them to to go further and do what's needed to really tackle the housing crisis. They've said no," he told ABC TV. "The question that people will ask is, with all of the government's legislation passed, why is it that it's the case that we still have a housing crisis in this country?" Greens housing spokesman Max Chandler-Mather said the party had agreed to pass the reforms in order to set sites on action for renters at the next election, which is due by May. He said the minor party had not capitulated by backing the housing reforms after months of heated debate. "There comes a point where you've pushed as far as you can, and you know, we really tried to get the government to act on soaring rents, on phasing our negative gearing," he told ABC radio. "I haven't lost hope, because I think we can go to the next election with those policies, and I think we can push Labor after that." It comes as opposition housing spokesman Michael Sukkar prepares to speak at the National Press Club on Tuesday. The opposition will argue banking regulation has made it harder for first-home buyers to secure a loan. The coalition has been angling to weaken "responsible lending" obligations imposed on banks after the global financial crisis that it believes are too cumbersome and create barriers for first-time buyers. "If there's one message I want Australians to take away from my remarks today, it's that the coalition will not accept a generation of Australians not having the same opportunities that previous generations have enjoyed for home ownership," Mr Sukkar will say. DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. WEEKLY Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. WEEKLY Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. WEEKDAYS Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. TWICE WEEKLY Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday. WEEKLY Get news, reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert, ACM's exclusive motoring partner. TWICE WEEKLY Get real, Australia! Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over. AS IT HAPPENS Be the first to know when news breaks. DAILY Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! DAILY Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily! Advertisement AdvertisementJoe Thornton back as co-GM of Canada’s Spengler Cup squad

Matt Gaetz says he won’t return to Congress next year after withdrawing name for attorney general