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Australia breaks ranks with top ally in UN vote on pathway for Palestinian statehoodHudson Meek, the child actor known best for his performance in the 2017 film "Baby Driver," has died, authorities said. He was 16. Meek was pronounced dead Dec. 21 at University of Alabama Hospital in Birmingham, Alabama, the Jefferson County Coroner confirmed to CBS News. He succumbed to blunt force injuries he'd suffered two days earlier, when he fell from a moving vehicle, according to the coroner's report. The coroner said the circumstances around Meek's death are under investigation by the police department in Vestavia Hills, the Birmingham suburb where the actor lived and the incident occurred. A post on Meek's Instagram account Sunday announced he had died but did not share details about what happened. "Our hearts are broken to share that Hudson Meek went home to be with Jesus tonight. His 16 years on this earth were far too short, but he accomplished so much and significantly impacted everyone he met," the post's caption read in part. A memorial service for Meek is scheduled to take place at Dawson Memorial Baptist Church in Homewood, Alabama, this Saturday, Dec. 28, and will be available to livestream, according to a second post shared to social media Wednesday and an obituary . The obituary described as "reflective and thoughtful" yet "tenacious when he set his mind to something." "Hudson's personality was one of a kind," it said. "He was confident, convicted in his beliefs, spontenous, and quick-witted. He never let the facts get in the way of a funny story, and he loved friendly banter. He was a prankster, loved a good joke, and was happiest when he was making others laugh." Meek was a sophomore at Vestavia Hills High School, where he played football and was a member of the choir as well as the school's fellowship of Christian athletes, according to the obituary. His acting career took off in 2017, when he played the younger version of Ansel Elgort's titular character in the action-crime movie "Baby Driver."

Oliver’s housing report cools concernsPresident-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers urge judge to toss his hush money conviction

urbazon/iStock via Getty Images In my previous analysis covering Verano Holdings Corp. ( NEOE: VRNO:CA ) ( OTCQX:VRNOF ), despite reporting positive financial results for Q4 2023, the company's stock price declined by nearly 10% due to its delay in filing 10-K Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of VRNO:CA either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.North Korean nationals indicted in scheme using IT workers to funnel money for weapons programs

World Bank estimates total external debt stocks at $130.847bn by end 2023Over £2.75 million worth of counterfeit goods have been seized from shops in north London. Christmas shoppers are being urged to be careful when buying “bargain designer products as gifts” ahead of the holidays. The goods were found after police forced entry into two shops and a storage unit on December 11 in and around Camden High Street. They found fake products, which were illegal to sell, including bags of watches, trainers, clothes and bags. “Christmas presents a lucrative opportunity for counterfeiters, with many of us looking for the best bargains ahead of the festive break. Some consumers get conned, some end up with a poor-quality product and the money that runs through the counterfeit goods trade funds organised crime ,” said Detective Sergeant Ben Hobbs, from the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) at City of London Police . “Businesses in Camden that actively engage in this illegal activity should know that it is not a matter of if, but when, we will enter their store to take away their counterfeit stock.” Counterfeiting is the second largest criminal income worldwide, according to the United Nations Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice. Due to the illegal activity, counterfeit goods, such as electronics and cosmetics, don’t go through the same testing as genuine products which puts consumers at risk. To check if a product is fake: Compare it the product on the manufacturers website Check the packaging for errors and quality Compare the price to the real product Check the website for a terms and conditions page, contact details and returns policy Make sure the domain doesn’t contain words such as genuine’, ‘replica’, ‘discount’ and ‘offer’ A legitimate website will begin with ‘https’ Be wary of retailers asking for payment via bank transfer Look up feedback on independent review platforms to ensure the retailer has a solid sales history Any suspected counterfeit goods can be reported to Citizens Advice via https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/ or on 0800 144 8848. They can also be reported anonymously to Crimestoppers. Got a story? Please get in touch at katherine.gray@reachplc.com You can sign up to get the latest news, top stories and exclusives sent straight to your WhatsApp from the MyLondon team. To get stories sent to you, you need to already have WhatsApp. All you need to do is click this link and select 'join community'. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the MyLondon team. We also treat our subscribers to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you’re curious, you can read our privacy notice . Click here to sign up for WhatsApp alerts. Get the top stories from across London directly to your inbox. Sign up for MyLondon's The 12 HERE to get the biggest stories every day

IPSWICH, England (Reuters) -Crystal Palace eked out a 1-0 victory at Ipswich Town, with Jean-Philippe Mateta capitalising on a slip from his marker to score the winner just before the hour mark in Tuesday’s Premier League clash. The French striker broke free in the 59th minute, as Ipswich’s Jacob Greaves lost his footing, before lifting the ball over keeper Arijanet Muric. Palace are 16th in the table with 12 points, while Ipswich are second-to-bottom with nine points. It was a first away win of the league campaign for Palace, while the hosts are still waiting for their first victory at Portman Road since winning promotion. “Very pleased with the result. It was not about performing brilliantly. We expected a big fight and it was a big fight,” Palace manager Oliver Glasner told Match of The Day. “I told the players we had to expect a big fight today and it was a big fight, especially at the end. We expected them to play man to man, big pressure. “We’re pleased with our defensive performance, we didn’t allow them a chance from open play, just one from a set piece in the first half and one in the second half.” As the largely uneventful first half drew to a close, Palace began to take control, pressing Ipswich back after what had been an even contest. Palace’s Eberechi Eze nearly made the breakthrough just before halftime, firing his shot under pressure at Muric’s legs. The hosts created an opportunity minutes later when Jack Clarke connected with a corner at the near the post, but Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson kept out his header. Ipswich pressed forward after Mateta’s goal and went close in the final minutes when Greaves’s header hit the post, with no Ipswich players on hand to capitalise on the rebound. “We can do better than we did tonight. I don’t think that performance was on the level of some of our home performances. We didn’t hit our best level tonight,” Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna said. “We started the second half really well, looked like we were going to grow into the game, we knew we had some good impact off the bench. Then we gave away a poor goal from our point of view. That really decides the game.” (Reporting by Tommy Lund in GdanskEditing by Toby Davis) Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from the Reuters news service. ThePrint holds no responsibilty for its content. var ytflag = 0;var myListener = function() {document.removeEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);lazyloadmyframes();};document.addEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);window.addEventListener('scroll', function() {if (ytflag == 0) {lazyloadmyframes();ytflag = 1;}});function lazyloadmyframes() {var ytv = document.getElementsByClassName("klazyiframe");for (var i = 0; i < ytv.length; i++) {ytv[i].src = ytv[i].getAttribute('data-src');}} Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );

Artful Interpretation of Christmas: AET REMOULD Unveils 2024 Limited Edition WatchesWestern Washington Medical Group Partners with IKS Health to Enhance Revenue Cycle Operations and Patient AccessMT lawmakers vote down bathroom rule change aimed at trans legislators

LAS VEGAS — If Texas coach Steve Sarkisian holds aloft the College Football Playoff trophy next month, that will be bad news for BetMGM Sportsbook. It would be similarly disappointing if any of the coaches at Boise State, Indiana or Arizona State end up celebrating a title with confetti falling all around them inside Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Wait, what? Texas has attracted a lot of money all season to go all the way, but those other schools provide the hope of a big payoff. The fifth-seeded Longhorns are the co-favorite at BetMGM with No. 1 and unbeaten Oregon at 7-2 odds; the other three are least 40-1, while Georgia is right behind Oregon and Texas as the next favorite. “These teams get hot and people just want to have a flyer on them,” BetMGM trading manager Seamus Magee said. “They don’t want to be standing there and not have a ticket on some of these long-shot teams.” People are also reading... Expanding the playoff field from four to 12 teams this year meant more betting in general on college football and more varieties of wagering on the postseason. There were meaningful games played in the final month by not only Arizona State, Boise State and Indiana, but also SMU, Army and UNLV — a number of teams not always in the national title conversation. “It’s one of the highest handles we’ve ever had on our national-championship market,” Magee said. “We’re in more states, for one, but the activity and the betting patterns we’re seeing, it definitely feels a lot more than it has in years past.” Magee said BetMGM has received action on both sides of the first-round game between 11th-seeded SMU and sixth-seeded Penn State, but the Mustangs have drawn notable action at DraftKings and Caesars Sportsbook. Money on SMU dropped Penn State from a 9-point favorite at DraftKings to 8 1/2. “Any time they’ve played a real good team, they’ve had trouble,” Johnny Avello, DraftKings race and sports operations director, said of the Nittany Lions. “SMU shows that they’re pretty good on both sides of the football and pretty resilient as a team. Always in the game. Always finds ways to fight back.” Joey Feazel, who oversees football trading for Caesars, said much of the early betting in general was on underdogs. “Usually, you see the dog money for these teams come late, especially on the sharps’ (professional bettors) side,” Feazel said. Boise State, which as the third seed has a first-round bye, will be the underdog in its quarterfinal matchup with Penn State or SMU. The Broncos got into the field as the highest-ranked Group of Five champion, but Avello said that doesn’t mean they are one of the nation’s top 12 teams (they are ranked No. 8 by AP and No. 9 by CFP). Avello said BYU, Colorado and Miami — none of which made the playoff — all would be favored over them. “There are a lot of teams that aren’t in the playoffs that would be favored,” Avello said. “That’s just not the way these playoffs work.” Feazel said Boise State not being able to play at home on its blue carpet will be a notable disadvantage. Boise State’s quarterfinal game will be at the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Arizona. “It will be all neutral,” Feazel said. “It’s a big step up in class for Boise.” Instead of all the games being played in climate-controlled domes or warm-weather locales — as has been in the case in past postseasons — three of the four first-round matchups will take place in the Northeast and Midwest. While that might not make a difference when Notre Dame hosts in-state foe Indiana, Ohio State will be at home against Tennessee and SMU visits Penn State. BetMGM favors all four home teams by more than a touchdown. “You have to take the weather into account for some of these games,” Magee said. “It’s going to be really cool to see a team like Tennessee that will have to go up to Columbus, where it can get really cold. SMU has to go from Dallas to Happy Valley. That’s definitely going to be one of the coldest games a lot of those kids have played in their lives.” SMU was the last team in the field, getting the benefit of the doubt over Alabama. The Mustangs had one fewer defeat than the three-loss Crimson Tide, who did not appear in the SEC title game. SMU lost on a 56-yard field goal to Clemson in the ACC championship. The sportsbook operators said the Tide would be favored by 5-10 points if they met SMU on a neutral field. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

QNA DOHA: Minister of Social Development and Family HE Buthaina bint Ali Al Jabr Al Nuaimi honoured the winners of the 7th edition of the Theater Festival for Persons with Disabilities in the Gulf Cooperation Council. The award ceremony was held at the Opera House in the Cultural Village Foundation Katara and was attended by officials from the Ministry of Social Development and Family, the Executive Office of the GCC Council of Ministers of Labor and Social Affairs, as well as several ambassadors accredited to the State. Copy 04/12/2024 10Meet Smith at CES 2025 in Las Vegas

Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info The I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! 2024 camp has bid adieu to another celebrity as Melvin Odoom became the fourth star to be evicted from the show on Tuesday evening. In tense scenes that left many viewers on the edge of their seats, the final vote came down to Melvin and Maura Higgins before the public vote officially confirmed that Melvin’s time in the jungle was over. Upon hearing his name, the 44 year old told the rest of the camp "it's good" and admitted it is time to "celebrate" before hugging the campmates goodbye. He followed Tulisa out of the jungle, with the N-Dubz star having been eliminated just one day earlier, following the departures of Dean McCullough and Jane Moore, reports the Mirror . Packing up this things, Melvin then set off to go and meet with Geordie presenting duo Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, who couldn’t resist making a cheeky quip at his less than fresh scent, after two weeks in the jungle. Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile , select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Despite his departure, Melvin appeared to be in high spirits, as he told the duo: "I was ready to go. The best thing about that camp is the people, I loved every single person in there.” He affectionately referred to Oti Mabuse as his "sister" in the camp and openly praised their deep rooted connection in a heartwarming comment. Addressing his close bond with the former Strictly Come Dancing star, Melvin shared: "Oti reminds me of my sister who I am really close to. As you guys, know she's super positive and super funny at all times which you need in camp.” It wasn’t all sunshine and roses however, as Melvin later confessed he had found it “difficult” adapting to camp life, but did concede that he had learnt from the experience, as he discovered he possessed “quite a caring nature.” And that caring nature also extended to refusing to speak ill about his fellow campmates, including controversial character Dean McCullough, who raised more than a few eyebrows with his work ethic while in the jungle. "Dean's my boy, I don't want to throw him to the wolves,” Melvin said, while keeping things diplomatic - despite having branded the star “Houdini” earlier in the show for constantly vanishing when chores needed to be done. Following his exit, fans were heartbroken to see the departure of such a down to earth star, with many taking to social media to express their thoughts. One person wrote: "Melvin is going, I can't handle anyone else leaving this camp #imaceleb." Another added: "MELVIN I was going to be upset no matter who it was.” Meanwhile a third said: "Ohhh didnt expect melvin to go surprised maura in bottom 2 though." While a fourth stone echoed: "Sad Melvin has gone though. Genuinely such a nice guy #imaceleb." Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond. Sign up to our daily newsletter .Health care continues to be a top priority for Manitobans. The shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic and cuts from previous governments still hang over the sector, and many Manitobans have long been waiting for improvements. CityNews reporter Joanne Roberts sat down with Manitoba Minister of Health, Seniors and Long-term Care Uzoma Asagwara to find out how the NDP government is working to turn the system around. Joanne Roberts (JR) : You made it very clear that a main priority for your government was health care, and the care of all Manitobans, not just here in the city, but also rural Manitobans as well. Reflecting on the past year, how do you feel your government has held up to this promise? Minister Uzoma Asagwara (UA) : I feel our government has done a really good job of listening to Manitobans from every corner of the province in terms of what they want to see their health care look like. We know in order to make the changes that Manitobans want to see, we have to understand what they want to see. So, the premier and I have had the opportunity to undertake a listening tour. We’ve been all across the province. We’ve been in Winnipeg, rural Manitoba, we’ve been in the north listening to frontline health-care workers and Manitobans, sharing with us their hopes, their ideas, concerns and experiences of the health-care system. And through that listening tour and through the work we’ve been doing with our partners, I think we’ve been able to take some really important steps in making health care better and fixing the previous damage that was done to the health-care system that was done over seven-and-a-half years. JR : Can you talk about what you’ve learned this last year being on the front lines, being all over the province, and hearing from both patients and staff? UA : What I’ve learned and what’s been reinforced is health care is Manitobans’ No. 1 priority. It doesn’t matter where you go in our province, people are talking about their experiences in emergency rooms, or trying to see a specialist or a doctor. And they’ve been sharing a lot about what health care means to them. Being able to access essential health care no matter where they live. So, what we know as a government and what we’ve heard resoundingly is that we need more people on the front lines of our health-care system. We need more nurses, doctors, allied health-care professionals and staff and it’s been wonderful to hear directly from those folks about how we do the real work of actually retaining those folks on the front lines and also recruiting and training more health-care professionals. Through that listening, through that learning, and through taking real action, we’ve been able to take some big steps; like hiring a net, new 873 health-care workers on the front lines of our health-care system across Manitoba. JR : Is there a particular moment over the last year, is there somebody that you’ve met, given your experience in this industry, is there something you’ve learned, that you were surprised to learn and it’s now guiding you through the next year. UA : I would say we’ve had the incredible opportunity to meet folks from all aspects of health care. We’ve heard from folks who always haven’t had the opportunity to have their voices and expertise heard directly by the government. What I’ve really taken away is that every single perspective matters. Every single person who helps keep our health-care system, from the environmental staff workers, housekeeping, frontline folks, there’s administrators who understand the inner workings of the front line. We need to listen to those folks and invite them into the conversation as to how we fix health care – together. I would say one of the biggest pieces in doing this work and learning from folks who have been generous in sharing their knowledge with us, has been the way that people want to do the work together. There were a lot of years before our government, where people weren’t engaged. They weren’t listened to. They weren’t heard. Their expertise wasn’t valued and people are really eager to share what they know with us, and be a part of the solution. So, we know that doing things together is the way we accomplish hard things. Here in Manitoba, we’ve got the best communities who do that work, and the best health-care workers who do that work. We’re committed to working together, working in collaboration and partnership and continuing the work of moving our health-care system in a better direction. JR : You’ve also been honest in the last year, that all of these strides that you are making, there’s still a long way to go. We’ve also heard from nurses who are saying morale is at an all-time low. We’ve heard from patients who are still feeling like they are left behind, or they are falling through the cracks, because of the existing health-care system and how long it takes to make these changes. What would you say to people who feel they are still not seeing an impact, despite all you’ve accomplished over the last year? UA : Like every other Manitoban, I want and I wish to see these changes, big changes, tomorrow. But we know these things take time. We didn’t get to where we are in health care overnight. It took seven-and-a-half years of cuts, of closures, of chaos for us to see the level of damage done to our health-care system that has created a lot of the tough challenges we’re facing right now, but there’s hope. There’s hope when we can talk about a net, new 873 health-care workers that have joined the front lines. There’s hope when we see that we have more access to primary care with the extended hours primary care clinics we’ve opened. And there’s hope when we see we’ve hired a net new – a record number – 116 doctors to our health-care system. I know that it’s frustrating. Folks are carrying frustration that they’ve experienced for years into their experiences today. But we are seeing things get better and we are going to continue to take steps — even if they are just little steps — we’re going to keep taking those steps in the right direction. I want to reassure Manitobans that their No. 1 priority is going to continue to be our No. 1 priority. JR : Can you talk about the new year? A fresh start for many people. What is your government planning to do over the next year? What can you share with us today? UA : In year one, our government was able to do some really big things. Universal free birth control for all Manitobans was a really big step. We were able to do a lot around health-care recruitment and retention. We were able to do a lot in terms of bringing MRI, mobile MRI technology, to the north. The first time ever the north has ever had this diagnostic capacity. But looking into the future, looking into the new year, we just want to keep that momentum going. We have a target of hiring a net new 1,000 health-care workers. We are well on our way to achieving that very, very ambitious target. READ MORE: Manitoba announces mobile primary health-care clinic pilot So for 2025, we’re going to continue to set really ambitious goals. Manitobans deserve to have an ambitious government. They deserve to have a team that’s committed to making health care better and really doing the work, the heavy lifting and the hard work, of changing the culture in health care. That’s a really big part of how we improve the morale of nurses and front-line folks. It’s a big part of how we make the health-care system a place where we can attract people and keep people working happily and with a good balance. 2025, for me, is going to be a continuation of 2024. Where we continue to build on the good things we’ve done. We continue to do the work of changing the culture in health care, continue to build and repair relationships with front-line health-care workers and making sure, at the bedside, Manitobans feel the improvements right there. JR : Speaking about changing the culture in health care, your recent announcement of the request for proposals to move from agency nurses, back to nurses funded by the province. Nurses that are working for us, for the good of Manitobans. Many people called that a big and bold move and I know when you had announced that, you signalled to Manitobans that their health care comes first and profit does not come first. With that announcement as well, what did you want to signal to all of the health-care workers? UA : We know that health-care workers care deeply making sure that all Manitobans receive the best quality of care. I can’t thank nurses enough for what they do for Manitobans everyday in our health-care system. I’m a nurse myself. I was a nurse for a number of years before going into politics, so I know firsthand what it means to provide care at the bedside and it’s a calling. It’s something that is a really sacred responsibility and role. What we want is for more folks to be working in the public system, as part of a team — a structure — that we know results in the best outcomes for Manitobans who need care. RELATED: Manitoba vowing to crack down on overuse, lack of scrutiny by private health agencies The RFP is making sure that we put clear controls in place. That we can manage the costs around agencies, which are completely out of control and there were no controls in place for many years. We know that when you have these controls in place, that you can also improve the quality of care, and you can hold agencies accountable to making sure that they’re taking an approach that supports a strong public health-care system. It is a bold step, but again, Manitobans deserve a bold government. They deserve a government that’s going to take important steps to make health care better and this is just one part of that. It’s a way for us to also make sure we’re moving in the right direction of strengthening health care in the system for nurses and the health-care workers alike. JR : We all know that everyone struggles, Manitobans are not exempt from that, and I imagine being a provincial leader and also just the person that you are, that you are not exempt from criticism from every corner that you are in. I’m wondering if you could reflect on a difficult day you’ve had as our deputy premier this year, and how you made it through this day? UA : That’s a really big question. I’m a human. I’m a Manitoban just like everyone else. I love this province, I love our province. I’m so proud to be a Manitoban and I’m so fortunate to have been given the opportunity to serve Manitobans and our province in this way. It’s something I don’t take for granted; it’s the highest honour of my life. So, for all of the tough days and tough moments, I reflect on what this opportunity really means and it means that I get to be a part of making Manitoba better for all families. We’ve got great leadership in our Premier Wab Kinew; he’s somebody who is really guiding our province in a much brighter direction than where it was being led previously and it’s something I take really seriously. So for the tough days that do come up, and they absolutely do come up, for the challenges that maybe I have in my own personal life, we all have families, we have relationships we navigate and I want the same things for my family that Manitobans want for their families. I want my family to be healthy and safe. And doing the work of making health care better not only supports my family, but it supports all Manitoban families, and so I do this work with the province that I love at the heart of it, with my own family, my own community at the heart of it, and I’m just grateful to be able to continue to serve in this role and be there for Manitobans.

President Emmanuel Macron is to name a new prime minister on Friday, aides said, after days of deadlock over finding a candidate to replace Michel Barnier whose ousting by parliament pushed France into a fresh crisis. Barnier was toppled in a historic no-confidence vote on December 4 and there had been expectations Macron would announce his successor in an address to the nation even a day later. But in a sign of the stalemate in French politics after inconclusive legislative elections this summer, he did not name his successor then and has now missed a 48-hour deadline he gave at a meeting meeting of party leaders on Tuesday. On Thursday, Macron left France on a day-long trip to key EU and NATO ally Poland but shortened the visit in an apparent bid to finalise the appointment. "The statement naming the prime minister will be published tomorrow (Friday) morning," said an aide to to the president, asking not to be named, late Thursday just after Macron touched down from the trip to Poland. "He is finishing his consultations," the aide added, without giving further details. Whoever is named will be the sixth prime minister of Macron's mandate after the toppling of Barnier, who lasted only three months, and faces an immediate challenge in thrashing out a budget to pass parliament. Each premier under Macron has served successively less time in office and there is no guarantee for the new premier that they will not follow this pattern. Macron remains confronted with the complex political equation that emerged from the snap parliamentary polls -- how to secure a government against a no-confidence vote in a bitterly divided lower house where no party or alliance has a majority. All the candidates widely floated so far have encountered objections from at least one side of the political spectrum. "They are stuck," said a person close to Macron, asking not to be named and lamenting that "each name gets blocked." "No one is in agreement around the president," added the source, expressing hope Macron will surprise everyone with an unexpected choice. Macron's rumoured top pick, veteran centrist Francois Bayrou, raises hackles on the left -- wary of continuing the president's policies -- and on the right, where he is disliked by influential former president Nicolas Sarkozy. Beyond Bayrou, prime ministerial contenders include former Socialist prime minister Bernard Cazeneuve, current Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu, a Macron loyalist, and former foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian. Another name being discussed in the media is Roland Lescure, a former industry minister, but the nomination of the former Socialist risks inflaming the right. These "are names that have been around for years and haven't seduced the French. It's the past. I want us to look to the future," Greens leader Marine Tondelier said. "The French public want a bit of enthusiasm, momentum, fresh wind, something new," she told France 2 television. Polls indicate the public is fed up with the crisis. Just over two-thirds of respondents to one Elabe poll published on Wednesday said they want politicians to reach a deal not to overthrow a new government. But confidence is limited, with around the same number saying they did not believe the political class could reach agreement. In a separate IFOP poll, far-right National Rally (RN) figurehead Marine Le Pen was credited with 35 percent support in the first round of a future presidential election -- well ahead of any likely opponent. She has said she is "not unhappy" that her far-right party was left out of the horse-trading around the government, appearing for now to benefit from the chaos rather than suffer blame for bringing last week's no-confidence vote over the line. In a critical looming moment, Le Pen on March 31, 2025 faces the verdict in an embezzlement trial on charges she denies. If convicted, she could lose the chance of standing in the 2027 elections and with it her best chance yet of winning the Elysee. burs-tgb-sjw/rlpSezzle Inc. (SEZL) Investigated for Securities Fraud; Block & Leviton Encourages Investors ...

Expanded CFP field draws more bets and on more teams

Stock market today: Stocks drift higher as US markets reopen after a holiday pauseUN investigators have said that accountability must be taken at the highest level after the downfall of the hardline ruler on Sunday. Here is what we know about the extent of the abuses committed: In 2013 a former Syrian army photographer known by the codename "Caesar" fled the country, taking with him some 55,000 graphic images taken between 2011 and 2013. The photos, authenticated by experts, show corpses tortured and starved to death in Syrian prisons. Some people had their eyes gouged out. The photos showed emaciated bodies, people with wounds on the back or stomach, and also a picture of hundreds of corpses in a shed surrounded by plastic bags used for burials. Assad's Syrian government said only that the pictures were "political". But Caesar testified to a US Congress committee and his photographs inspired a 2020 US law which imposed economic sanctions on Syria and judicial proceedings in Europe against Assad's entourage. In Germany and Sweden eight people suspected of crime against humanity were arrested in July in an operation codenamed "Caesar". Germany, the Netherlands and France have since 2022 convicted several top officials from the Syrian intelligence service and militias. UN investigators say they have lists with the names of 4,000 government officials and operatives responsible for abuses. Human Rights Watch (HRW) in 2012 spoke of a "torture archipelago" in which the "use of electricity, burning with car battery acid, sexual assault and humiliation, the pulling of fingernails, and mock execution" were practised in government prisons. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said in 2022 more than 100,000 people had died in the prisons since 2011. In 2023, the UN's top court, the International Court of Justice, ordered Syria to stop "inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment". In 2020, seven Syrian refugees filed a complaint in Germany saying that they had been victims of torture and sexual violence, including rape, electric shocks on the genitals, forced nudity or forced abortion between 2011 and 2013. The UN said in 2018 there had been systmatic rape and sexual violence against civilians by soldiers or pro-Assad militias. It said an investigation had found rebels had committed similar crimes, but fewer. On November 25, 2024, the Syrian Human Rights Network (SNHR) said there had been at least 11,553 incidents of sexual violence against women, including girls aged under 18, by the warring parties since March 2011. Some 8,024 could be blamed on the Assad government and the others mainly on the jihadist Islamic State. In 2016 UN investigators said Syrian authorities were responsible for acts which came down to "extermination" and could be compared to "crimes against humanity". It pointed to the Saydnaya prison outside Damascus, which was described in 2017 by Amnesty International as a human slaughter house carrying out a "policy of extermination". The United States said there was a "crematorium" at the prison which was used to dispose of the bodies of thousands of inmates. In 2022 the Syrian Observatory for Human Righs said around 30,000 people had been killed at Saydnaya, some of them after being tortured. In April 2020, the chemical weapons watchdog OPCW accused the Syrian army of chemical weapons attacks in Latamne in northern Syria in 2017. In November 2023 France issued international arrest warrants against Bashar al-Assad, his brother Maher and two generals on suspicion of complicity in the chemical attacks in August 2013 near Damascus, which according to US intelligence left 1,000 dead. Assad's forces have also been accused of using sarin gas on the rebel town of Khan Sheikhun in April 2017, and also of chlorine gas attacks. Assad's government denied using chemical weapons. Israel says it has staged strikes on some chemical weapons sites this week to stop supplies falling into the hands of extremists. acm-lc/jmy/twZayn Malik CANCELS Newcastle show at the last minute leaving fans devastated as he apologises for letting concert-goers down