blackjack guide Dear Harriette: This Thanksgiving was an absolute disaster. I’ve been dating my boyfriend for a year, and this holiday felt like the perfect time to introduce him to my family. I was nervous because, while I love them, my family is known to be a little unconventional. They’re loud, opinionated and tend to say exactly what’s on their minds, no matter how inappropriate. From the moment we walked in, it was like a circus. My uncle started grilling my boyfriend about his job and his plans for the future, and then my aunt jumped in to question him about his political beliefs right in the middle of dinner. My cousins thought it would be hilarious to share every embarrassing story they could think of about me, and my mom kept dropping hints about how she’s “ready for grandchildren.” My boyfriend handled it all as well as he could, but I could tell he was overwhelmed. I’m worried this whole experience might have left a bad impression on my boyfriend, and I feel embarrassed about how things turned out. I want him to feel welcomed by my family, but instead, it felt like he was under a microscope. How can I smooth things over with him and also set some boundaries with my family for the future? — Crossing the Line Dear Crossing The Line: Since you already know what your family is like, you know that little that you say is going to get them to change. So don’t promise anything to your boyfriend about their behavior in the future. Instead, you can apologize for how overwhelming the experience may have been for him. If he likes being with you and wants to get to know you and your family better, he will need to learn to spar with them in an amicable way and not get too defensive. Ask him how he felt after the dinner and how he’s doing now. Find out if he is turned off by their behavior, or if he found it amusing. You never know. He may have some kooky family members, too, and he could be more OK with it than you think. Dear Harriette: After years of using traditional notebooks, I decided to transition to digital planning, especially as schools are now adapting to digital tools. Back in grade school, pen and paper were my go-to, and I loved the simplicity they offered. While I was excited about the potential for better organization, the switch hasn’t been as smooth as I hoped. I find myself missing the tactile joy of writing and feeling overwhelmed by learning new apps and systems. I don’t want to give up, but I am starting to wonder if digital tools are truly the right fit for me. The promise of efficiency and flexibility is tempting, yet the adjustment feels daunting. How can I embrace this change without losing the joy and comfort of my old ways? — Digital Planning Dilemmas Dear Digital Planning Dilemmas: Who says you have to choose? I use a mix of digital resources and old-fashioned notepads. This makes me feel comfortable and satisfies my desire to write things down. The technology is wonderful for support in organizing thoughts, dates and details quickly.

The home furnishings sector in Davie County is expanding with a Lithuanian wooden-furniture manufacturer committing Tuesday to create 250 jobs within four years as part of a proposed $70 million capital investment. SBA Group, based in Vilnius, Lithuania, plans to lease for its SBA Home division a 500,000-square-foot plant at 187 Gildan Drive in the Davie Industrial Center that has a 324,000-square-foot Hayward Industries distribution center as a neighbor. SBA debuted in 1990 and has four home furnishings plants in its home country with about 3,000 employees overall. It has been a major supplier to Swedish retailer Ikea since 1996, and exports home furnishings products to 50 countries. The company said the Mocksville plant will serve as an "innovative production facility to manufacture and distribute trendy furniture products to meet the demand of its U.S. customer bases." People are also reading... “With its wide talent pool, excellent infrastructure and logistics, support from the state, combined with SBA Home’s modern manufacturing expertise and humancentric organizational culture, we are confident this venture will create high-quality jobs and give positive impact to the region," said Jurgita Radzevičė, SBA Home's chief executive. "We believe it further bolsters partnership between Lithuania and the United States, paving the way for innovation and shared success.” Terry Bralley, president of Davie Economic Development Commission, credited the foresight of constructing speculative buildings in the center for landing SBA. "Without the speculative building and private investors, we would have never had a look at this project," Bralley said. "This project fits nicely because it's highly automated with incredible technology, and it manufactures product for the largest furniture retailers in the world." The job positions will include manufacturing and warehousing positions, as well as administrative and managerial roles. Bralley said SBA will create 200 jobs and spend $37.6 million on capital investment in phase 1, while phase 2 will include the remaining 50 jobs and $13.6 million capital investments. The jobs will pay an average annual wage of $53,470, according to N.C. Commerce Department. Home furnishings is one of six product groups for SBA that also includes apparel, investment management, modular construction and real estate. Among SBA's more than 800-product line are armchairs, cabinets, sofas and wood veneer-covered plywood furniture. SBA disclosed in November plans to open a U.S. plant by October 2025 , saying "a team of executives and professionals from SBA Home has been assembled to execute the project." At that time, the manufacturer choosing between three East Coast options that included Cherokee County, S.C. Bralley said Davie and state Commerce officials had negotiated with SBA for about a year on the project. Radzevičė described the planned investment in a November blog posting "as a significant moment not only for SBA Group, but also for the entire Lithuanian manufacturing business." "We have already purchased the equipment shipped in 300 containers from Germany to the USA. It will be a highly robotized factory with more than 200 employees." According to its website, SBA currently utilizes 62 manufacturing robots. Radzevičė said the ideal U.S. plant site would be close to "raw material suppliers, the best logistical location, the most promising labor market and the most favorable attitude towards investors." "A team of around 30 professionals from Lithuania will work on the project in the U.S." Bralley said that landing SBA could have economic benefits beyond just the plant for Davie and the Triad. "When you are dealing with an international company, if they have a positive experience in your community, they tend to tell their friends." Bralley said. SBA has been made eligible for up to $1.42 million in performance-based economic incentives from state's Job Development Grant program. Bralley said the town of Mocksville and Davie Board of Commissioners plan to provide a combined $776,734 in performance-based incentives. “The company will join the ranks of the region’s finest furniture makers that enjoy a strong supply chain and great quality of life when they invest in our community,” said N.C. Sen. Steve Jarvis, R-Davie. SBA will join Ashley Furniture Industries LLC, the nation's largest home furnishings manufacturer and retailer, with a Davie plant. Ashley has close to 1,000 full-time employees for its 3.8 million-square-foot upholstery production and distribution operation in Advance. Ashley had a workforce peak of about 1,600 when it also made wooden furniture at the plant that has been shifted to other plants. rcraver@wsjournal.com 336-727-7376 @rcraverWSJ Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.Polls close in Uruguay’s election, with ruling coalition and opposition headed for photo finishThe USS Zumwalt is at a Mississippi shipyard where workers have installed missile tubes that replace twin turrets from a gun system that was never activated because it was too expensive. Once the system is complete, the Zumwalt will provide a platform for conducting fast, precision strikes from greater distances, adding to the usefulness of the warship. “It was a costly blunder. But the Navy could take victory from the jaws of defeat here, and get some utility out of (the ships) by making them into a hypersonic platform,” said Bryan Clark, a defence analyst at the Hudson Institute. The US has had several types of hypersonic weapons in development for the past two decades, but recent tests by both Russia and China have added pressure to the US military to hasten their production. Hypersonic weapons travel beyond Mach 5, five times the speed of sound, with added manoeuvrability making them harder to shoot down. Last year, The Washington Post newspaper reported that among the documents leaked by former Massachusetts Air National Guard member Jack Teixeira was a defence department briefing that confirmed China had recently tested an intermediate-range hypersonic weapon called the DF-27. While the Pentagon had previously acknowledged the weapon’s development, it had not recognised its testing. One of the US programmes in development and planned for the Zumwalt is the Conventional Prompt Strike. It would launch like a ballistic missile and then release a hypersonic glide vehicle that would travel at speeds seven to eight times faster than the speed of sound before hitting the target. The weapon system is being developed jointly by the Navy and Army. Each of the three Zumwalt-class destroyers would be equipped with four missile tubes, each with three of the missiles for a total of 12 hypersonic weapons per ship. In choosing the Zumwalt, the Navy is attempting to add to the usefulness of a 7.5 billion US dollars (£5.9 billion) warship that is considered by critics to be an expensive mistake despite serving as a test platform for multiple innovations. The Zumwalt was envisioned as providing land-attack capability with an advanced gun system with rocket-assisted projectiles to open the way for Marines to charge ashore. But the system featuring 155mm guns hidden in stealthy turrets was cancelled because each of the rocket-assisted projectiles cost up to one million dollars (£790,000). Despite the stain on their reputation, the three Zumwalt-class destroyers: Zumwalt, Michael Monsoor and Lyndon B Johnson; remain the Navy’s most advanced surface warships in terms of new technologies. Those innovations include electric propulsion, an angular shape to minimise radar signature, an unconventional wave-piercing hull, automated fire and damage control and a composite deckhouse that hides radar and other sensors. The US is accelerating development because hypersonics have been identified as vital to US national security with “survivable and lethal capabilities”, said James Weber, principal director for hypersonics in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Critical Technologies. “Fielding new capabilities that are based on hypersonic technologies is a priority for the defence department to sustain and strengthen our integrated deterrence, and to build enduring advantages,” he said.

SAN FRANCISCO , Dec. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Silicon Valley's seasoned veterans in retail and e-commerce are rallying behind Jingo , a bold leap forward in transforming the online shopping experience. By blending personalization with advanced technology, Jingo is rethinking the way shoppers discover products and how brands connect with their audiences. A Powerhouse Backing Founded by e-commerce veterans, Ujjal Pathak and Rohan Bhanot , who bring years of experience building online shopping platforms, Jingo has secured backing from a powerhouse group of investors and advisors with expertise from leading companies such as Pinterest, Walmart, Minted, eBay, Square, Nike, Klarna, and Intuit. Their collective knowledge in e-commerce, retail, and fintech provides the strategic guidance needed to bring Jingo's vision of a smarter, more equitable shopping platform to life. Solving the Real Problem in E-Commerce Amazon has been shaping online shopping for nearly 30 years, while Walmart has stood as a retail giant for over 60. While these platforms revolutionized e-commerce for past generations, Jingo is built from the ground up to meet the needs of today's digitally native consumers. Designed with Gen Z and Millennials in mind, Jingo delivers a shopping experience that feels intuitive, personal, and deeply connected to modern lifestyles. For customers, the challenge isn't simply finding products—it's making better decisions . Endless choices often lead to decision fatigue and frustration. Jingo tackles this by prioritizing relevance over sheer quantity. Using machine learning, the platform curates and presents personalized assortments early in the shopping journey, showing the most relevant products at the right time. This thoughtful approach fosters confidence and transforms decision-making into an enjoyable process. For brands and sellers, major marketplace platforms often tie visibility to significant advertising spend, creating barriers for smaller players. Jingo flips this model by leveraging advanced machine learning to surface products only to customers with genuine interest. This precision eliminates waste, reduces noise, and ensures that every connection between brands and customers feels meaningful. Empowered by tools like real-time insights, predictive analytics, and curated discovery, brands can optimize inventory, anticipate trends, and connect with their ideal audience without relying on costly campaigns or third-party tools. Jingo is creating a marketplace where both customers and sellers thrive, redefining how value is delivered in online shopping. A Transformative Vision for the Future Jingo's ambitions go far beyond optimizing today's online shopping experience. The platform is building toward a future where commerce is redefined through intelligent systems that seamlessly integrate into users' lives. Imagine a world where shopping evolves from a process you initiate to an experience that happens intuitively. Jingo's end-state vision is to create intelligent systems capable of learning, adapting, and acting on behalf of users , delivering personalized, proactive, and effortless commerce. This approach points to a future where products appear at your doorstep before you even think about shopping, making commerce an invisible yet integral part of daily life. By designing systems that dynamically adapt and provide proactive support, Jingo aims to fundamentally change the way consumers and brands interact, setting a new standard for convenience, personalization, and connection. Flipping the Script for Brands and Sellers Beyond offering better targeting, Jingo is reimagining the commission structure to create a fairer and more seller-focused marketplace. For the first 1,000 brands and sellers who join, Jingo introduces a groundbreaking model: These incentives, coupled with Jingo's advanced tools like predictive analytics and real-time insights, empower sellers to focus on delivering quality products while Jingo ensures they reach the right customers. By reducing the noise-to-signal ratio, brands can build lasting, loyalty-driven relationships in a transparent and equitable ecosystem. Brands and sellers interested in being part of this transformative journey can contact the Jingo team at partner@jingo.app A Bold Vision for E-Commerce With the support of Silicon Valley's leading minds, Jingo is setting a new benchmark for what online shopping can achieve. By addressing decision-making challenges for consumers and creating deeper, more equitable connections for brands, Jingo is leading the next wave of e-commerce innovation. To celebrate its launch, Jingo is running a referral campaign from December 6, 2024 , to February 28, 2025 . Participants can earn credits to shop on the platform once it's live, with prizes of $50,000 for the top referrer, $30,000 for second place, and $10,000 for third. Jingo is more than a platform—it's a movement toward smarter, more personalized, and intuitive commerce. By building systems that anticipate, simplify, and deliver, Jingo is shaping the future of shopping for consumers and sellers alike. Get in Touch For PR inquiries, strategic partnerships, or more information, contact contact@jingo.app View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/redefining-the-future-of-shopping-jingo-gains-silicon-valleys-backing-302324337.html SOURCE Jingo Technologies, Inc.

The NFL on Thursday announced all 32 nominees for its annual Walter Payton Man of the Year award, and tight end Travis Kelce is the Chiefs’ representative. “I’m truly honored to be nominated as the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year,” Kelce said in a news release. “This organization and this city mean so much to me and to have the Chiefs nominate me again is special. Growing up in Cleveland Heights with supportive family and friends, I know the power of having people in your corner. It’s been incredible to be able to work towards providing that same support and inspiration to kids through Eighty-Seven & Running and our work with Operation Breakthrough and the Ignition Lab. “To see the inaugural class from the Ignition Lab getting ready to graduate is so special and something that I’ll cherish forever. I know how valuable hope and purpose is in those high school years, and these kids have really seized the opportunity. Being able to give back to the community here in Kansas City as well as show love to my hometown is not something I’ll ever take for granted. I’m forever grateful to represent Kansas City, the Hunt family, our fans and my foundation, and it’s an honor to be nominated.” The Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Charity Challenge is back, too. Fans can vote online and on social media for their favorite nominee. Nationwide will donate $35,000 to the charity of the player with the most hashtag mentions and online votes. Here’s guessing Kelce will win by a landslide. That’s because fans of superstar singer Taylor Swift, who is dating Kelce, are already mobilizing to help get out the vote. Here is what some of those Swifties were sharing on X (née Twitter). How to vote Fans can vote on X by posting #WPMOYChallenge along with the last name/X handle of their chosen nominee or by voting directly on NFL.com/ManOfTheYear . The voting started Thursday and will continue until Jan. 6. ------- ©2024 The Kansas City Star. Visit at kansascity.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Gus Malzahn is resigning as Central Florida's head coach to become Florida State 's offensive coordinator, a person familiar with the hire told The Associated Press on Saturday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the Seminoles have not confirmed Malzahn's move, which is pending a state background check. ESPN first reported the decision. The Knights made official that Malzahn is leaving in a statement released a day after UCF (4-8) concluded its season with a 28-14 loss to Utah. “We would like to thank Coach Malzahn for his contributions to our football program over the past four seasons, including our transition into the Big 12 Conference," the school said. "We appreciate his professionalism and dedication to our student-athletes throughout his tenure at UCF and wish he and his wife, Kristi, the very best in their future endeavors.” Malzahn finished with a 28-24 mark in four years at UCF, the last two ending with losing records after joining the Big 12. He coached at Auburn for eight seasons before being fired in 2020. Malzahn replaces offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Alex Atkins, who was fired Nov. 10 following a 52-3 loss at Notre Dame. The Seminoles rank 131st out of 134 in total offense and scoring offense, averaging 15.8 points a game heading into Saturday night's rivalry game against Florida. The Seminoles (2-9) have dropped significantly since going 13-1 last season and winning the Atlantic Coast Conference championship. The Knights, meanwhile, struggled mightily in Malzahn's fourth season — most of it because of quarterback issues. Four players took snaps from center as the Knights finished 2-7 in conference play. It was the program's worst record since going 0-12 in former coach George O’Leary’s final season in 2015. Florida State coach Mike Norvell fired Atkins, defensive coordinator Adam Fuller and receivers coach Ron Dugans amid the Seminoles' season-long skid. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

IN the run-up to Christmas, the Delta Marriott hotel on the outskirts of Warwick would usually be bustling with locals enjoying family meals and guests celebrating festive weddings. The four-star hotel advertises itself as the perfect location for tourists visiting Shakespeare’s birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon and boasts a restaurant with a menu drawn up by a Michelin-starred chef. But that all changed in the middle of November when security fences were put up and a plastic sheet was placed over the sign at its front entrance. The takeover of the hotel by the Home Office to house asylum seekers while their claims are ­processed came as a shock to paying guests and those living nearby, with bookings cancelled at less than 24 hours’ notice. The site is one of the seven new asylum hotels opened since the ­election, despite Labour’s manifesto pledge to end their use. With 133,409 asylum seekers ­waiting at the end of September for an initial decision on their claims, hotels are used as a quick fix for an overwhelmed system. The processing of claims ground to a halt under the previous Tory government after they passed a law which meant anyone who arrived illegally could not claim ­asylum and would instead be told they could be heading to Rwanda . When Labour won the July election they restarted the system, but a huge backlog remains on top of the nearly 100,000 people who applied for asylum in the year to September. Since the ­election, the number housed in hotels like the Delta ­Marriott has jumped by 21 per cent to 35,361. There are currently 220 such hotels in operation across the country. The Delta Marriott’s manager Naveed Hussain apologised on ­ Tripadvisor to one disgruntled guest who had had their stay cancelled, saying it was due to “unforeseen ­circumstances, as the hotel is currently committed to an exclusive-use booking until mid-February 2025”. Previously a night’s stay at the hotel cost £104 on average, according to Tripadvisor, where guests praised it for the friendly staff and “super-comfy” beds. Komal Pahl, who lives with three generations of her family a stone’s throw from the hotel, told The Sun on ­Sunday that they were given no notice of what would be happening. She said: “My sister used to go to the gym there, as did several of our neighbours, but obviously that has all changed now. “We had no knowledge of what was about to happen. We saw they covered up their hotel signs, which was odd, and the next day metal fences arrived, along with security guards. I found out from Facebook.” Komal, 25, who works for an anti-racism charity in Coventry, added: “It was a shock. I don’t know much about politics but we all voted ­Labour and for this to happen with no warning and no one telling us anything does not feel right.” Neighbour Manjit Atwal, 75, a retired company director, often visited the hotel before it closed to paying guests. He said: “My son used to be the duty manager there, the staff know us and we use it for drinks if we have guests staying. "The hotel was our neighbour. We’re not happy. We were told ­nothing about this, and as we’re in the middle of selling our house it’s very stressful.” Andrew Day, a Tory councillor on Warwick District Council, said: “You can’t blame the hotel for ­taking guaranteed revenue in the quiet months but it does represent a loss to the community.” He added: “This is just another example of Labour saying one thing to get elected, then doing another when in power. “It just shows that this is an intractable problem, no matter who is in power.” In Altrincham, Gtr Manchester, residents held a meeting to voice concerns that they have been left in an “information vacuum” after the nearby Cresta Court Hotel was turned into an asylum hotel without their knowledge. Gwyneth and Roger Roper, who have previously housed Ukrainian refugees, said they were concerned about the lack of information. Gwyneth said: “I can’t say I agree or disagree with what’s going on because we’ve just been kept in the dark and treated like mushrooms. “It’s wrong of local and central government not to consult us on something that could impact the local community.” Annually £5.38billion is spent on the UK’s asylum system, or nearly £15million a day. It is the highest total spending since comparable records began in 2010 and is up by nearly 12 times in ten years. The hotel bill was previously £8.3million a day, when the number of people housed in hotels peaked at 56,042 in September 2023. Labour’s pledge to cut that bill was laid out clearly in their manifesto, which stated: “Labour will turn the page and restore order to the asylum system so that it ­operates swiftly, firmly and fairly, and the rules are properly enforced. Among the reasons why so many people are in hotels is that for a long time the claims weren’t being ­processed “We will hire additional caseworkers to clear the Conservatives’ backlog and end asylum hotels, saving the taxpayer billions.” With more asylum seekers arriving, more accommodation is needed. But after nearly seven months, work to convert a student accommodation block in Huddersfield, West Yorks is incomplete. In the year to September, 99,790 people applied for asylum, up slightly from the 98,926 total in the previous 12 months. Of the latest arrivals, those who had crossed the Channel in small boats made up 28 per cent of the total. At a press conference this week Sir Keir Starmer said: “We must bring the cost of asylum down and we have a manifesto pledge to bring the number of hotels down, to end the use of hotels, which we are driving hard at. “The way to do that is to increase the processing of claims. Among the reasons why so many people are in hotels is that for a long time the claims weren’t being ­processed.” He added: “We’ve returned 9,600 since the election and we have got more flights off than has ever been done before.” This week Kemi Badenoch used her first major policy speech as Tory leader to say “immigration, both legal and illegal, is too high”. She said: “We can argue about the effects of migration on the economy, we can discuss the impact on public services and housing, and we haven’t done that enough. “But ­fundamentally, this country is not a dormitory or a hotel, it is our home. We need to look after it.” A Labour source said: “When the Tories were kicked out of power on July 4, the immigration system was on its knees. “Between the start of the year and the General Election, asylum decisions dropped by 75 per cent and asylum interviews fell by more than 80 per cent. “We’re now making over 10,000 asylum decisions per month, clearing the backlog. “If the chaotic Conservatives had carried on, we would have had more than 10,000 additional people in hotels by the end of the year. “We said we will fix the broken asylum system — we are getting on with the job.” FRANCE’S Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau is ready for a “showdown” with the UK over Channel crossings unless the British government opens more legal asylum routes. On a visit to Calais on Friday he said he wants a “comprehensive” deal with Britain and the wider European community rather than more UK funding to police French beaches. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is to meet him on December 9 as figures show more than 50 people have died trying to cross the Channel this year – the highest total ever. Mr Retailleau called for a deal in which the UK would accept asylum applicants, with the EU taking back those it rejects, and said he would “arm-wrestle” with the EU over the issue, adding: “Only a comprehensive deal between the UK and the EU can really turn things around.”Georgetown 100, Albany (NY) 68

Stealth destroyer to be home for 1st hypersonic weapon on a US warshipLAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. (AP) — Cavan Reilly's 18 points helped Delaware defeat Rider 72-66 on Saturday. Reilly went 6 of 12 from the field (4 for 10 from 3-point range) for the Fightin' Blue Hens (4-3). Izaiah Pasha added 15 points while finishing 7 of 10 from the floor and also had six rebounds. Erik Timko shot 5 for 9, including 3 for 7 from beyond the arc to finish with 15 points. Jay Alvarez led the Broncs (4-4) in scoring, finishing with 17 points and six rebounds. TJ Weeks Jr. added 15 points, eight rebounds and two steals for Rider. Tariq Ingraham also put up 12 points and 11 rebounds. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .None

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In an interview with Euronews, Salome Zourabichvili talks about the current wave of unrest happening across Georgia and what could happen next. Salome Zourabichvili was inaugurated as Georgia's first female president in 2018. While her role as head of state may be largely ceremonial, her personal politics aren't. She's staunchly pro-Western, sees Georgia's future as part of the European Union and is keen to see her country move out of Russia's orbit. That’s put her in direct conflict with the Georgian Dream, the populist pro-Russia party that's headed Georgia's majority government since 2016. Zourabichvili has publicly slammed some of the more contentious pieces of the party's legislation, refused to sign others into law, and now calls their rule "illegitimate" after disputed elections in October. European observers on 26 October polling day say they witnessed instances of voter intimidation and bribery at the polls and the opposition, which has subsequently boycotted parliament, claim Russia meddled in the electoral process to ensure the Moscow-sympathetic Georgian Dream would win. The EU slammed the process and demanded a rerun. In response, Georgian Dream said it was suspending accession talks until at least 2028. That decision has sparked a wave of unrest across the country which Zourabichvili sees as unprecedented. In an interview with Euronews, she explains more about what's happening now and, more importantly, what happens next. Clearly not. Because the elections that led to this parliament and to the government are not legitimate. They are not recognised by anyone. They have not been recognised by the Georgian population, in the first place. They have not been recognised by the political forces in the country, because no opposition party has recognised them as winning these partly rigged elections and nobody has entered the Parliament. So it's one party, and an illegitimate Parliament. Maybe more importantly, our Western democratic partners have, until now, not recognised them, and more than one month has gone by. The European Parliament has said that these elections where neither free nor fair and they are calling for new elections as we are calling here — for new elections. The last, very provocative decision of this illegal, illegitimate government to turn their back on the European Union and turn their front towards Russia is something that has stirred an immense protest movement in the country that is not stopping. Every day there are more people on the streets. And more importantly, there is real dissent growing in the country. In the state institutions, where people are resigning, or protesting, or signing petitions, depending on which institution we are talking about. But basically, the whole public service is falling apart in the country because people do not accept the decision of the illegitimate government to take an illegitimate direction for this country. The only ones to recognise, to approve, and to congratulate them is President Putin of Russia and the Russian Parliament. The signal of not recognising these elections is very important. The resolution of the European Parliament is extremely important. I know there is a statement of the 27 members that is in preparation on this situation. There are measures that are in preparation. What we need is strong support for the new elections. We are not preparing for a revolution. We are preparing the transition to new elections, because that's the stable way for this country to go forward and to go back to the European path. That's what the people are demanding on the streets. They are demanding two things: they want to keep their European future and they want new elections in order to have a stable, legitimate government in this country. I am the only independent institution left in the country that is not ruled by one party and one man. And I am also the president that is by mandated by the Constitution — the president until a new president is inaugurated. And since the new president is to be elected by a parliament and the parliament is illegitimate, the new elected or so-called elected president cannot be inaugurated. And my mandate, hence, stands. So we are in a transition period. It's very important that this transition is very stable. People around me, from civil society and from the political parties, are trying with our European partners and with our American partners. Trying to lead this very stable transition. I know, too, that there is today a statement by the United States. That they are stepping up the strategic partnership with Georgia. That's a very strong signal also. And that is what the Georgian population is certainly not ready to accept. And that's what they're showing on the streets very peacefully. And what is very important that beyond what I've said about the public service being in dissent, there is also the fact that all the cities in Georgia have protests, which in my memory has never happened. It was always Tbilisi that was the centre of everything. Today, all the cities have seen demonstrations. And it's touching the economy. The business which has always been in this country very loyal to any government and any regime, has seen today very many big businesses expressing their protests because clearly for them to. The European purse is the only one that they want to see for this country. The justice system is very interesting, because basically this is one of the main problems of this country with the European Union or these last years was that we do not have an independent justice system. I have introduced a plea in the Constitutional Court against the reading of the elections on which they have not even met for the time being. But we have to try all the levels. That's the way, the constitutional way to do things. And there is always hope. But because it could always be that some members of these high courts and at one point understand that the stability of the country is in their hands and the fate of the country. So we have to try to put pressure on them for security forces and describe the police is on the side of the citizens because it's a normal police that has been trained and the black guys are serving their own masters. And the 'robocops' are a state instrument to which will go where the state will go. So that's what we have to to watch. Then there is the army that is very quiet and has to remain quiet, but is very clearly on the side of pro-Western forces because they have been trained, they have been formed, they have been equipped over these past decades. And therefore, together with Americans and with European partners in international missions abroad. So it's very clear they are suffering a lot when they're told that suddenly their friends are no longer their friends. I think it's very different because Georgians are not Ukrainians. We have many things in common, because we have been basically confronting the same enemy. But things are very different because the Georgian character is very different and the dissolution of the state institutions we are witnessing now, including the church in which we are hearing dissenting voices, which is unheard of, is something that is very specific. Even in Georgia, we have not seen that earlier. So we are confronting something very new and we are part of something very new that is happening also geopolitically, I would say, where Russia not winning easily over Ukraine over these past two and a half years is now trying to win over the European Union with electoral war. I would say it's an electoral war. They have carried this electoral war in Georgia and we are fighting against it with constitutional means. They're fighting the same electoral war in Romania. And they have floated in Moldova, except that Moldova was saved by the diaspora. And in our case, we were not allowed to use the votes of our just for our members, which are numerous. So it's a strategy of Russia. And it's very important that the European Union understands that it is a strategy, a hybrid strategy to win over countries that do not want to go towards Russia through these maybe more discreet ways. But clearly in Georgia, where we have a long experience of Russia trying to take over this country and have been very resilient to that, we are going to be resilient and ensure that we prevail. The will of the people. But similar because it's different tricks and different systems. And that's what shows the systemic approach that is very adapted to each country. But the emergence of these pro-Russian leaders suddenly that nobody expected should be something that our European partners should think about, because that's the way Russia is trying to keep some of its influence. But we see that Russia is also losing in different places, like in Syria.

New books for classes 9-12 from 2026-27, says CentreMILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo was available for the Milwaukee Bucks against the Washington Wizards Saturday night after missing one game with swelling in his left knee. Antetokounmpo sat out the Bucks' 106-103 NBA Cup victory at Miami on Tuesday. The two-time MVP had been listed as probable with tendinopathy in his right patellar tendon. “He's good,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers said before the game. Antetokounmpo entered Saturday as the league's leading scorer at 32.4 points per game. He ranked fifth in rebounds (11.9) and 20th in assists (6.4). AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nbaFine Gael won 35 seats in the 2020 election, but 18 of those TDs did not seek re-election in Friday’s poll. An exit poll puts the party’s support at 21%, a fraction of a percentage behind the main opposition party Sinn Fein. Mr Harris, the outgoing Taoiseach, was elected with 16,869 first preference votes, well above the quota. He celebrated with his wife Caoimhe, his parents Bart and Mary, his sister Gemma and his political team at the count centre in Greystones, Co Wicklow. Ahead of his re-election, Mr Harris told reporters he was “cautiously optimistic” about the election result and said it was “clear that my party will gain seats”. “It’s also clear that Fine Gael will top the poll in at least 10 constituencies, many more than we did the last time, that we will gain seats in constituencies where we haven’t had seats in many years, like Tipperary South and Waterford, and that we will add second seats in other constituencies as well,” he said. “I think the people of Ireland have now spoken. We now have to work out exactly what they have said, and that is going to take a little bit of time.” In one of the five consecutive broadcast media rounds he did from the Greystones count centre, he said there were a lot of areas where there were “straight shoot-outs” between Fianna Fail and Fine Gael for final seats. He described the Sinn Fein vote as “pretty significantly down”, the Fianna Fail vote as “marginally down” and the Fine Gael vote as “static” compared with its 2020 vote. He said it was “a very close, a very competitive election” and that “we haven’t seen a Sinn Fein surge or anything like it”. He said: “It was predicted by many that I would become the Taoiseach for a brief period of time, take over from Leo Varadkar, and then have to rebuild my party from the opposition benches as Sinn Fein led a government. “We don’t know what’s going to happen on government formation yet, but that is now looking less likely than it was.” He acknowledged that it was “a very difficult day” for the Green Party and paid tribute to their work in the coalition government, alongside his party and Fianna Fail. “Definitely, politics in Ireland has gotten much more fragmented,” he said. Fine Gael minister Helen McEntee said that her party’s campaign had been “positive”. “The feeling on the doors was very much that people were relatively happy with the government,” she said on RTE Radio. “It will come down to the last seats and it will come down to transfers,” she said of the final result, adding that Fianna Fail and Fine Gael were performing better than the exit poll estimated.

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal said that Pakistan’s economy is witnessing a turnaround due to the difficult decisions taken by the government. Addressing the National Productivity, Quality, and Innovation (PQI) Summit 2024 in Islamabad on Thursday, the minister said that inflation has decreased to a single digit and exports have increased by 14 percent. He also highlighted the rapid growth of IT exports. Iqbal said, “Productivity, quality, and innovation are the bedrock of economic success. By adopting these principles, we can increase our exports from $30 billion to $100 billion.” He said that friendly countries including Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar and Azerbaijan, have identified a $29 billion portfolio investment opportunity in Pakistan. The summit began with an opening address by Federal Minister Iqbal, who emphasised the crucial role of productivity, quality, and innovation in driving sustainable economic growth and enhancing Pakistan’s global competitiveness. The Ministry of Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives inaugurated the National Productivity, Quality, and Innovation (PQI) Summit 2024 in Islamabad on Thursday. This two-day event revolves around the theme “Driving Growth Through Excellence in Productivity, Quality, and Innovation.” The event brought together a wide range of stakeholders, including esteemed academics, CEOs of leading brands, leaders from chambers of commerce and industry, and corporate executives. Senior officials from the Ministry of Planning, including members, chiefs, and project directors, also actively participated in the discussions. In his address, Iqbal highlighted Pakistan’s achievements despite early challenges post-independence. “From limited resources, Pakistan has risen to become the seventh nuclear power and is now manufacturing advanced aircraft. However, we must acknowledge that we have lagged behind in key sectors compared to other nations,” he remarked. He pointed out that in 1980, Pakistan’s per capita income was higher than China’s, but the gap has since widened, with Bangladesh and India surpassing Pakistan in economic growth. “We must decide now whether we will become a successful nation in the next 30 years,” he stated. Iqbal stressed collective responsibility to restore Pakistan’s progress. He added that since 2022, efforts have been made to revive the economy. “Today, the stock market is rising, exports are growing, inflation is down to seven per cent, and the stock market has crossed the 96,000-point threshold. To further strengthen the economy, we need political stability, policy continuity, and an export-led growth model, with focus areas in human resource development, IT, agriculture, and mining. If we align our products with global standards, Pakistan can become a competitive economy.” Speaking on the occasion, Planning Secretary Owais Manzoor Samra said that economic progress depends on adopting productivity, quality, and innovation. “Productivity is not just about working hard but working smart. We need to eliminate inefficiencies and integrate modern technologies. This seminar reflects the government’s commitment to these goals,” he added. In his concluding remarks, Iqbal announced that the prime minister will soon launch the “5Es Framework” to promote sustainable development across all sectors. “As a Muslim nation, Pakistan has unique strengths. By turning aspirations into reality, we can secure our place on the global stage. I am confident that the expert panel here will develop actionable strategies for productivity, quality, and innovation,” he concluded. The summit provided a platform for stakeholders to exchange ideas and develop strategies for accelerating Pakistan’s economic growth through productivity, quality enhancement, and innovation. During the summit, breakout sessions were held on Productivity, Quality, and Innovation, attended by research scholars, think tanks, academia, and industry representatives. These sessions focused on improving productivity for sustainable growth, raising quality standards to meet international benchmarks, and promoting innovation to build a competitive economy. The summit is set to serve as a milestone in achieving the goal of increasing exports, ensuring economic stability, and ultimately maintaining Pakistan as a trillion-dollar economy by 2035 and a three-trillion-dollar economy by 2047, under the ministry’s development framework based on the 5Es: Exports, Energy, E-Pakistan, Environment and Climate Change, Food Security, and Equity. The framework emphasizes providing equal opportunities for all, with a special focus on empowering youth, women, and minorities, as well as developing the less developed areas of the country. Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

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CHAMPIONING MENTAL HEALTH FOR NCAA STUDENT-ATHLETES: LG ELECTRONICS CONCLUDES 3RD SEASON OF 'TRANSPARENT CONVERSATIONS' PODCAST

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