magical ocean tales of pirates Trump threatens to try to take back the Panama Canal. Panama's president balks at the suggestion

Kwanzaa across Chicago encourages unity, strength: 'It's relevant to all people'

(Bloomberg) — As the tax-loss selling season approaches, Bank of Nova Scotia is recommending switch trades in a year where broad-based gains necessitate more targeted action. “Overall, investors do not have as large of choice for tax losses purposes this year, which may exacerbate selling pressure,” Scotiabank analysts including Hugo Ste-Marie wrote in a note Friday. “Given that investors have to sell them to crystallize their losses, these stocks may continue to experience downward pressures until year-end.” The bank is recommending tactical switch trades: selling a year-to-date loser to buy a stock with exposure in the same sector to capture potential upside. In some cases, these are short-term ideas, and the recommendation is to switch back into underperforming names early in 2025. Toronto-Dominion Bank is down 8.7% year to date following a series of regulatory penalties in the US. Scotia recommends dropping TD for competitor Royal Bank of Canada, which is up 30% year to date, or Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, up 43%. Other large switch-trade candidates include selling Canadian National Railway, down 6.6%, to buy Cargojet, up 3.7%, in the logistics space; and selling potash producer Nutrien Ltd., down 12%, to buy West Fraser Timber Co., up 17%. The switch-trade ideas come amid broader outperformance in the Canadian market this year than in the US. The S&P/TSX Composite Index has closed at 40 new highs this year, with more than three stocks gaining for every one that has fallen year to date. The breadth of that rally has surpassed that of the S&P 500, where performance has been more narrowly concentrated in mega-cap tech stocks including the Magnificent Seven. For the two Canadian industries with most of their constituents in the red this year — renewables and telecommunications — Scotia suggested investors replace all names with a sector ETF or structured note. The last day to make trades that will settle in 2024 is Dec. 30.DETROIT — Fifty years later, a man who grew up in suburban Detroit tried to return a very overdue baseball book to his boyhood library. The answer: You can keep it — and no fine. Chuck Hildebrandt, 63, of Chicago said he visited the public library in Warren while in town for Thanksgiving, carrying a book titled "Baseball's Zaniest Stars." He borrowed it in 1974 as a 13-year-old "baseball nut" but never returned it. Chuck Hildebrandt of Chicago holds the book "Baseball's Zaniest Stars," which was due Dec. 4, 1974, at the Warren, Mich., library, on Dec. 10. "When you're moving with a bunch of books, you're not examining every book. You throw them in a box and go," said Hildebrandt, who lived in many cities. "But five or six years ago, I was going through the bookshelf and there was a Dewey decimal library number on the book. 'What is this?'" Inside the book was a slip of paper indicating it was due back at the Warren library on Dec. 4, 1974. Hildebrandt told The Associated Press he decided to keep the book until 2024 — the 50th anniversary — and then try to return it. He figured the library might want to publicize the long overdue exchange. Chuck Hildebrandt of Chicago shows the library slip in the overdue book "Baseball's Zaniest Stars" on Dec. 10. He said he recently met library director Oksana Urban, who listened to his pitch. Hildebrandt said he hasn't heard anything since then, though Urban told the Detroit Free Press that all is forgiven. "Some people never come back to face the music," she said of patrons with overdue books. "But there was really no music to face because he and the book were erased from our system." So "Baseball's Zaniest Stars" is back on Hildebrandt's shelf. In return, he's now trying to raise $4,564 for Reading is Fundamental , a nonprofit literacy group. The amount roughly represents a 50-year overdue library fine. Hildebrandt seeded the effort with $457. The Major League Baseball draft is unique among professional sports drafts. The 30 organizations pick teenagers and college students who will not join their big league clubs for years—if ever. These athletes will spend that time honing their craft in the minor leagues, where long bus rides and minuscule paychecks are the norm. A few will move quickly up the ranks, seizing playing time opportunities to advance their careers and making their names known to scouts, fans, and other observers around the country. Some of the best will become MLB stars, but there's minimal correlation to draft position. Four of the players on this list were picked after hundreds of other diamond darlings, and only two were #1 overall selections. There's also more than a handful who didn't do much for the teams that drafted them, including superstars such as Nolan Ryan, Ozzie Smith, and Randy Johnson. Each of these players was traded before they evolved into Hall of Famers. Still, calling the draft a "crapshoot" might be going too far. College players are " slightly more likely " than high schoolers to reach the revered stadiums of the majors, and third-rounders have a better chance than fifth-rounders, for example, though the margins are slim, as Vice reported. Teams not only make picks based on years-in-advance projections but also whether they can sign players, a step that must be completed before those youngsters begin playing professionally. To see how clubs have fared since the inaugural draft in 1965, ATS.io compiled a list of the best draft pick by each franchise using data from Baseball Reference . The players were ranked using career wins above replacement , so not one recent choice was named. The amazing Mike Trout, a 32-year-old selected in 2009, is the youngest player. Unsigned picks were not considered, and players who were traded as picks were credited to their acquiring teams. Data is as of June 5, 2024. - Draft: 1st overall pick in 1990 - Position: Shortstop - Games played: 2,499 - Career stats: 468 home runs, .303 batting average, .930 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: The Bolles School (Jacksonville, Fla.) - Wins above replacement: 85.3 - Draft: 48th overall pick in 1978 - Position: Third baseman - Games played: 3,001 - Career stats: 431 home runs, .276 batting average, .788 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: Aberdeen HS (Aberdeen, Md.) - Wins above replacement: 95.9 - Draft: 19th overall pick in 1983 - Position: Pitcher - Games played: 709 - Career stats: 354 wins, 3.12 earned run average, 1.17 walks plus hits per inning - College/HS: University of Texas at Austin (Austin, Texas) - Wins above replacement: 139.2 - Draft: 31st overall pick in 1984 - Position: Pitcher - Games played: 744 - Career stats: 355 wins, 3.16 earned run average, 1.14 walks plus hits per inning - College/HS: Valley HS (Las Vegas, Nev.) - Wins above replacement: 106.6 - Draft: 7th overall pick in 1989 - Position: First baseman - Games played: 2,322 - Career stats: 521 home runs, .301 batting average, .974 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: Auburn University (Auburn, Ala.) - Wins above replacement: 73.8 - Draft: 36th overall pick in 1965 - Position: Catcher - Games played: 2,158 - Career stats: 389 home runs, .267 batting average, .817 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: Binger HS (Binger, Okla.) - Wins above replacement: 75.1 - Draft: 333rd overall pick in 1989 - Position: Shortstop - Games played: 2,543 - Career stats: 612 home runs, .276 batting average, .956 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: Illinois Central College (East Peoria, Ill.) - Wins above replacement: 73.1 - Draft: 8th overall pick in 1995 - Position: First baseman - Games played: 2,247 - Career stats: 369 home runs, .316 batting average, .953 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: University of Tennessee (Knoxville, Tenn.) - Wins above replacement: 61.8 - Draft: 2nd overall pick in 2004 - Position: Pitcher - Games played: 518 - Career stats: 260 wins, 3.25 earned run average, 1.12 walks plus hits per inning - College/HS: Old Dominion University (Norfolk, Va.) - Wins above replacement: 81.7 - Draft: 428th overall pick in 1988 - Position: Outfielder - Games played: 2,103 - Career stats: 130 home runs, .299 batting average, .794 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: University of Arizona (Tucson, Ariz.) - Wins above replacement: 68.4 - Draft: 29th overall pick in 1971 - Position: Shortstop - Games played: 2,707 - Career stats: 317 home runs, .305 batting average, .857 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: El Segundo HS (El Segundo, Calif.) - Wins above replacement: 88.6 - Draft: 25th overall pick in 2009 - Position: Centerfielder - Games played: 1,518 - Career stats: 378 home runs, .299 batting average, .991 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: Millville Senior HS (Millville, N.J.) - Wins above replacement: 86.1 - Draft: 7th overall pick in 2006 - Position: Pitcher - Games played: 425 - Career stats: 210 wins, 2.48 earned run average, 1.00 walks plus hits per inning - College/HS: Highland Park HS (Dallas, Texas) - Wins above replacement: 79.7 - Draft: 76th overall pick in 2007 - Position: First baseman - Games played: 1,589 - Career stats: 417 home runs, .258 batting average, .874 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: Notre Dame HS (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) - Wins above replacement: 44.3 - Draft: 3rd overall pick in 1973 - Position: Shortstop - Games played: 2,856 - Career stats: 251 home runs, .285 batting average, .772 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: William Howard Taft Charter HS (Woodland Hills, Calif.) - Wins above replacement: 77.4 - Draft: 55th overall pick in 1969 - Position: Pitcher - Games played: 692 - Career stats: 287 wins, 3.31 earned run average, 1.20 walks plus hits per inning - College/HS: Santiago HS (Garden Grove, Calif.) - Wins above replacement: 94.5 - Draft: 295th overall pick in 1965 - Position: Pitcher - Games played: 807 - Career stats: 324 wins, 3.19 earned run average, 1.25 walks plus hits per inning - College/HS: Alvin HS (Alvin, Texas) - Wins above replacement: 81.3 - Draft: 6th overall pick in 1992 - Position: Shortstop - Games played: 2,747 - Career stats: 260 home runs, .310 batting average, .817 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: Central HS (Kalamazoo, Mich.) - Wins above replacement: 71.3 - Draft: 96th overall pick in 1976 - Position: Outfielder - Games played: 3,081 - Career stats: 297 home runs, .279 batting average, .820 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: Oakland Technical HS (Oakland, Calif.) - Wins above replacement: 111.1 - Draft: 30th overall pick in 1971 - Position: Shortstop - Games played: 2,404 - Career stats: 548 home runs, .268 batting average, .908 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: Ohio University (Athens, Ohio) - Wins above replacement: 106.9 - Draft: 6th overall pick in 1985 - Position: Outfielder - Games played: 2,986 - Career stats: 762 home runs, .298 batting average, 1.051 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: Arizona State University (Tempe, Ariz.) - Wins above replacement: 162.8 - Draft: 86th overall pick in 1977 - Position: Shortstop - Games played: 2,573 - Career stats: 28 home runs, .262 batting average, .666 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (San Luis Obispo, Calif.) - Wins above replacement: 76.9 - Draft: 1st overall pick in 1993 - Position: Shortstop - Games played: 2,784 - Career stats: 696 home runs, .295 batting average, .930 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: Westminster Christian School (Miami, Fla.) - Wins above replacement: 117.6 - Draft: 402nd overall pick in 1999 - Position: Third baseman - Games played: 3,080 - Career stats: 703 home runs, .296 batting average, .918 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: Metropolitan Community College-Maple Woods (Kansas City, Mo.) - Wins above replacement: 101.4 - Draft: 3rd overall pick in 2006 - Position: Third baseman - Games played: 1,986 - Career stats: 342 home runs, .264 batting average, .804 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: California State University, Long Beach (Long Beach, Calif.) - Wins above replacement: 58.6 - Draft: 4th overall pick in 1986 - Position: Pitcher - Games played: 486 - Career stats: 211 wins, 3.28 earned run average, 1.22 walks plus hits per inning - College/HS: Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta, Ga.) - Wins above replacement: 67.8 - Draft: 17th overall pick in 1995 - Position: Pitcher - Games played: 416 - Career stats: 203 wins, 3.38 earned run average, 1.18 walks plus hits per inning - College/HS: Arvada West HS (Arvada, Colo.) - Wins above replacement: 64.2 - Draft: 36th overall pick in 1985 - Position: Pitcher - Games played: 618 - Career stats: 303 wins, 3.29 earned run average, 1.17 walks plus hits per inning - College/HS: University of Southern California (Los Angeles, Calif.) - Wins above replacement: 101.1 Data reporting by Karim Noorani. Story editing by Carren Jao. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Robert Wickwire. Photo selection by Clarese Moller. This story originally appeared on ATS.io and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. - Draft: 11th overall pick in 2006 - Position: Pitcher - Games played: 457 - Career stats: 214 wins, 3.15 earned run average, 1.08 walks plus hits per inning - College/HS: University of Missouri (Columbia, Mo.) - Wins above replacement: 75.0 - Draft: 2nd overall pick in 1985 - Position: First baseman - Games played: 1,976 - Career stats: 284 home runs, .303 batting average, .880 on-base plus slugging - College/HS: Mississippi State University (Mississippi State, Miss.) - Wins above replacement: 56.5 Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!

CeeDee Lamb out for season: Cowboys' Micah Parsons, Cooper Rush appreciate star wideout's 'warrior' toughness

Quick Links A unique and useful item for everyday use Airplane tags Model aircraft Apparel Aviation-themed games Literature Merry Christmas It can be very hard to find the right gift for a person. Every gift giver desires to give something that will truly demonstrate how much they appreciate someone and that will truly be appreciated and remembered by the receiver. A good gift demonstrates that the giver is in tune with the receivers' interests and passions and is a token of humility that puts the other person first. Much could be said about gift giving and the thought behind it. Gift giving at Christmas is not merely the exchange of material possessions. Jeffrey A. Tucker writes in The Epoch Times : "The materialism of our times makes it all the more crucial that we understand that it is not ultimately about the thing but the idea. And that idea is the dignity and value of each individual person." Indeed, when all is said and done, it is the thought and the attitude of truly caring for others that matters. So don't stress, it may be really hard to find the perfect gift for an avgeek and that is okay. Don't be afraid to ask them what they would like. In the meantime, here are a few ideas for Christmas gifts that will put a smile on the face of any aviation aficionado. A unique and useful item for everyday use Often, the best gifts are those items that can be used every day yet tips a hat to the person's allegiances and passions. At the Air Hub Store , one can find a variety of Airbus or Boeing themed items that range from unique desktop clocks to pens. One such item is a Boeing-themed travel bag that is sure to remind people of the popular slogan, “if it's not Boeing, I’m not going.” The nylon bag from Red Canoe boasts sturdy handles and an adjustable strap. It measures 26 by 23 by 50 cm, making it a useful size for everyday use. If the Boeing travel bag is not up to one’s taste, they might enjoy the Airbus-themed carbon fiber pen that shows off their loyalty to their favorite manufacturer of airliners. Indeed, pens make a nice gift for everyday use. It is interesting to note how many people value a collection of good pens that show off their loyalties. One pen that any avgeek may enjoy is the P-51 Mustang themed Retro 51 Tornado Fountain Pen. This pen from the Goulet Pen Company “is acid-etched and printed to recreate the iconic WWII fighter plane.” If Fountain pens are not their taste, maybe the slightly less expensive, Corsair-themed or PANAM Clipper Retro rollerball pen will put a smile on their face. Get the latest aviation news straight to your inbox: Sign up for our newsletters today. Airplane tags A more recent development, aviation tags have become an increasingly popular gift for airplane enthusiasts. These tags are made from the aluminum skin of retired aircraft. These can range from retired airliners to historic aircraft. Each tag bears the unique features of the airplane it came from. One company, Aviationtag , remarks on this process: “The Aviationtags themselves consist of 100% original and authentic aircraft skin. The origin of the material can be traced back to the original delivery of the aircraft and we always provide our customers with important and interesting information on the history of the aircraft.” Aviationtag offers tags made from the skin of a recently retired Corsair Boeing 747 to aircraft like the historic English Electric Canberra. Another company, Planetags , has a large selection that varies from types such as a scrapped A380 that served with Qantas, a Boeing 727 from Northwest, or an F-14 Tomcat. The selections are diverse, but quantities are limited, making these tags a great collection item. Model aircraft Another great gift that every avgeek will enjoy is a model aircraft. The selections are great. Online stores like the Aircraft Model Store (AMS) in the UK or the Airplane Shop in the USA have a vast collection of model brands, aircraft types, and airline companies to choose from. There are highly detailed models, desktop models, and even toy airplanes for children. AMS and the Airplane Shop also ship worldwide. The price range of aircraft models vary widely and are based on the quality, materials, and detail of the models. Some shops, like Custom Air Models , will build any aircraft the customer desires: “We can build any plane you want... Hand carved from solid mahogany and hand painted to showroom quality. We attach every accessory reproducible for true to life accuracy.” They include every detail right down to the aircraft registration. If someone has a connection to or special memory of a specific airplane, this is the way to go. Apparel When it's cold, a lot of aviators like to wear a classic leather bomber jacket. It's practical and yet stylish, and reminiscent of the days when aviation was a lot more adventurous. That said, a gift an avgeek may appreciate and that is a little more representative of the jet age and those who broke the sound barrier is the Alpha Industries CWU-45 Flight Jacket . This quilted nylon jacket is not only comfortable and stylish, but also very functional and warm. Alpha Industries offers it in black, blue, gey, or tsage gree. The CWU-45 is still issued to pilots in the USAF and USN to this day. When the weather is cold this flight jacket will keep any plane spotter comfortably warm. For those in warmer climates, an airplane-themed polo or button-up shirt such as those sold at Sportys will most certainly draw admiration. There is a wide selection of prints available, but the "Takeoff at Sunset Short Sleeve" shirt will most likely bring a smile. Sportys claims, “it's as comfortable as it is good-looking.” This is the kind of shirt that makes someone want to sit on Maho Beach in Sint Maarten. But if that is not possible, it will turn any beach into a plane spotters paradise. Maho Beach, on the approach path to Princess Juliana International Airport, is indisputably the world's most famous airplane spotting beach. Located on the Caribbean island of Sint Maarten, the spot is a highlight for locals and tourists and famously received Boeing 747 flights from KLM. Beaches surrounding Gibraltar, Cyprus, and Barcelona airports are also popular with plane spotters. Scotland is even home to a beach runway on the Island of Barra. Phuket hosts one of Asia's most famous plane-spotting locations, and rumors of a secret beach near Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport abound.What are some of the best beach-spotting locations you have found? Aviation-themed games For the airplane fan that is ready for some competition, the board game Pan Am is most certain to be a huge hit. Named after the iconic airline, Pan Am is a board game similar to the popular railroad-themed Ticket to Ride, but now the goal is dominance of the world’s air routes. Step back into the golden age of air travel, pioneer routes around the world, trade stocks, earn profits, buy new planes, and do everything that Pan Am did, but don’t go bankrupt. Another game that is proving to be popular (in fact, supply is not keeping up with demand) is called Sky Team. No, this is not named after the airline alliance, rather this is a game for two people. Thirsty Meeples describes the game as : “ a co-operative game, exclusively for two players, in which you play a pilot and co-pilot at the controls of an airliner. Your goal is to work together as a team to land your airplane in different airports around the world.” To play the game, players assign the dice to the correct spaces in order to control the plane to a safe landing. Sky Team comes with multiple airports and scenarios to work through, and additional challenges can be added to the game. Literature One of the greatest aviation books of all time, Ernest K Gann’s Fate is the Hunter is a classic and must-read for any avgeek. Ernest tells of the early days of commercial aviation and describes the life of a commercial pilot in those days when the DC-3 was the world’s most prolific airliner and new things were being learned every day about flight, weather, and limitations. A review from The Chicago Tribune describes this masterpiece of literature: “This purely wonderful autobiographical volume is the best thing on flying and the meaning of flying that we have had since Antoine de Saint-Exupéry took us aloft on his winged prose in the late 1930s and early 1940s.... It is a splendid and many-faceted personal memoir that is not only one man's story but the story, in essence, of all men who fly." Indeed, though this book was written long ago, it is a timeless aviation treasure. Readers will not be able to put this book down as they sit with Ernest in the cockpit and learn what it was like to fly in those days. New prints can still be bought at places like My Pilot Store , but used prints are also abundant. Merry Christmas There are a multitude of great gifts to give to an avgeek. From award-winning IWM Spitfire themed Gin to old airline memorabilia there is no shortage of gifts to be found. Simple Flying has provided just a few ideas here, but even if these items do not match one's particular taste, the stores listed have a wide selection of aviation gear. When all is said and done, it’s the thought that truly matters and while a great deal of time can be taken trying to find the right gift, it’s important to remember that meaningful time in the company of friends is the best gift. In the end, don't fret too much over finding the perfect gift and make sure to give folks your time and attention. That said, regardless of where our readers are in the world, Simple Flying thanks you and wishes you a Merry Christmas and all the best in the coming New Year.Scotland Unleashes New Powerful Upgrades For InterCity Trains boosting domestic travel sector

Comedy Legends Gather! M-1 Grand Prix Makes WavesBy WILL WEISSERT, JUAN ZAMORANO and GARY FIELDS PANAMA CITY (AP) — Teddy Roosevelt once declared the Panama Canal “one of the feats to which the people of this republic will look back with the highest pride.” More than a century later, Donald Trump is threatening to take back the waterway for the same republic. Related Articles National Politics | President-elect Trump wants to again rename North America’s tallest peak National Politics | Inside the Gaetz ethics report, a trove of new details alleging payments for sex and drug use National Politics | An analyst looks ahead to how the US economy might fare under Trump National Politics | Trump again calls to buy Greenland after eyeing Canada and the Panama Canal National Politics | House Ethics Committee accuses Gaetz of ‘regularly’ paying for sex, including with 17-year-old girl The president-elect is decrying increased fees Panama has imposed to use the waterway linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. He says if things don’t change after he takes office next month, “We will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to the United States of America, in full, quickly and without question.” Trump has long threatened allies with punitive action in hopes of winning concessions. But experts in both countries are clear: Unless he goes to war with Panama, Trump can’t reassert control over a canal the U.S. agreed to cede in the 1970s. Here’s a look at how we got here: It is a man-made waterway that uses a series of locks and reservoirs over 51 miles (82 kilometers) to cut through the middle of Panama and connect the Atlantic and Pacific. It spares ships having to go an additional roughly 7,000 miles (more than 11,000 kilometers) to sail around Cape Horn at South America’s southern tip. The U.S. International Trade Administration says the canal saves American business interests “considerable time and fuel costs” and enables faster delivery of goods, which is “particularly significant for time sensitive cargoes, perishable goods, and industries with just-in-time supply chains.” An effort to establish a canal through Panama led by Ferdinand de Lesseps, who built Egypt’s Suez Canal, began in 1880 but progressed little over nine years before going bankrupt. Malaria, yellow fever and other tropical diseases devastated a workforce already struggling with especially dangerous terrain and harsh working conditions in the jungle, eventually costing more than 20,000 lives, by some estimates. Panama was then a province of Colombia, which refused to ratify a subsequent 1901 treaty licensing U.S. interests to build the canal. Roosevelt responded by dispatching U.S. warships to Panama’s Atlantic and Pacific coasts. The U.S. also prewrote a constitution that would be ready after Panamanian independence, giving American forces “the right to intervene in any part of Panama, to re-establish public peace and constitutional order.” In part because Colombian troops were unable to traverse harsh jungles, Panama declared an effectively bloodless independence within hours in November 1903. It soon signed a treaty allowing a U.S.-led team to begin construction . Some 5,600 workers died later during the U.S.-led construction project, according to one study. The waterway opened in 1914, but almost immediately some Panamanians began questioning the validity of U.S. control, leading to what became known in the country as the “generational struggle” to take it over. The U.S. abrogated its right to intervene in Panama in the 1930s. By the 1970s, with its administrative costs sharply increasing, Washington spent years negotiating with Panama to cede control of the waterway. The Carter administration worked with the government of Omar Torrijos. The two sides eventually decided that their best chance for ratification was to submit two treaties to the U.S. Senate, the “Permanent Neutrality Treaty” and the “Panama Canal Treaty.” The first, which continues in perpetuity, gives the U.S. the right to act to ensure the canal remains open and secure. The second stated that the U.S. would turn over the canal to Panama on Dec. 31, 1999, and was terminated then. Both were signed in 1977 and ratified the following year. The agreements held even after 1989, when President George H.W. Bush invaded Panama to remove Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega. In the late 1970s, as the handover treaties were being discussed and ratified, polls found that about half of Americans opposed the decision to cede canal control to Panama. However, by the time ownership actually changed in 1999, public opinion had shifted, with about half of Americans in favor. Administration of the canal has been more efficient under Panama than during the U.S. era, with traffic increasing 17% between fiscal years 1999 and 2004 . Panama’s voters approved a 2006 referendum authorizing a major expansion of the canal to accommodate larger modern cargo ships. The expansion took until 2016 and cost more than $5.2 billion. Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino said in a video Sunday that “every square meter of the canal belongs to Panama and will continue to.” He added that, while his country’s people are divided on some key issues, “when it comes to our canal, and our sovereignty, we will all unite under our Panamanian flag.” Shipping prices have increased because of droughts last year affecting the canal locks, forcing Panama to drastically cut shipping traffic through the canal and raise rates to use it. Though the rains have mostly returned, Panama says future fee increases might be necessary as it undertakes improvements to accommodate modern shipping needs. Mulino said fees to use the canal are “not set on a whim.” Jorge Luis Quijano, who served as the waterway’s administrator from 2014 to 2019, said all canal users are subject to the same fees, though they vary by ship size and other factors. “I can accept that the canal’s customers may complain about any price increase,” Quijano said. “But that does not give them reason to consider taking it back.” The president-elect says the U.S. is getting “ripped off” and “I’m not going to stand for it.” “It was given to Panama and to the people of Panama, but it has provisions — you’ve got to treat us fairly. And they haven’t treated us fairly,” Trump said of the 1977 treaty that he said “foolishly” gave the canal away. The neutrality treaty does give the U.S. the right to act if the canal’s operation is threatened due to military conflict — but not to reassert control. “There’s no clause of any kind in the neutrality agreement that allows for the taking back of the canal,” Quijano said. “Legally, there’s no way, under normal circumstances, to recover territory that was used previously.” Trump, meanwhile, hasn’t said how he might make good on his threat. “There’s very little wiggle room, absent a second U.S. invasion of Panama, to retake control of the Panama Canal in practical terms,” said Benjamin Gedan, director of the Latin America Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington. Gedan said Trump’s stance is especially baffling given that Mulino is a pro-business conservative who has “made lots of other overtures to show that he would prefer a special relationship with the United States.” He also noted that Panama in recent years has moved closer to China, meaning the U.S. has strategic reasons to keep its relationship with the Central American nation friendly. Panama is also a U.S. partner on stopping illegal immigration from South America — perhaps Trump’s biggest policy priority. “If you’re going to pick a fight with Panama on an issue,” Gedan said, “you could not find a worse one than the canal.” Weissert reported from West Palm Beach, Florida, and Fields from Washington. Amelia Thomson-Deveaux contributed to this report from Washington.

Move over Colesworth. There are some bigger rip-off artists in townEverything you need to know about digiscopingFormer Prime Minister and senior Congress leader Manmohan Singh passed away at the age of 92 at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on Thursday, December 26. He was admitted to the emergency department of AIIMS, Delhi earlier that evening after his health deteriorated. He is survived by his wife Gusharan Kaur and their three daughters. Singh served as a member of the Rajya Sabha till April this year. One of India’s longest serving Prime Ministers, next only to Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Narendra Modi, Manmohan Singh served as India’s PM for a decade for United Progressive Alliances I and II (UPA) — from May 2004 to May 2014. In this period, Singh was at the helm of many important decisions and reforms — the Right to Education Act, the Right to Information Act, the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, National Food Security Act and more. Towards the latter half of his first term as Prime Minister, the UPA government was almost toppled after Left parties pulled their support from the coalition due to opposition to the Indo-US nuclear deal, often hailed as ‘historic’. The government then survived a vote of confidence, winning by 19 votes. In his second term, Singh presided over the government as it was battered by allegations of the 2G scandal with regard to alleged irregularities in spectrum allocation, the coal allocation scam (when he was also the coal minister), the Commonwealth Games (CWG) scam.. By the end of his tenure, Singh was often the subject of ridicule, being termed as a ‘puppet prime minister’ and ‘silent prime minister’, after his second term was rocked by a string of controversies, ministers being arrested over corruption allegations, a slumping economy, rising food prices and skyrocketing inflation — and his silence to both economic and political crises. He was subject to criticism not only from the public, but also members of his own party. However, apart from his Prime Ministerial tenure, Singh is largely credited with the 1991 economic liberalisation of India, when he was Finance Minister in then Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao’s cabinet. At the time, India’s balance of payments had swelled, and the country barely had three weeks of foreign exchange reserves to finance imports. With the country near bankruptcy, Singh is credited with the LPG policy — Liberalisation, Privatisation and Globalisation — which led to the opening up of the economy. The rupee was devalued, and the economy saw a turnaround. As Vinod Jose in the Caravan: “As the Finance Minister and then as Prime Minister, Singh quietly but decisively presided over the dismantling of the two foundational principles that had, for decades, defined both the Congress party and the nation: a socialist planned economy and a non-aligned foreign policy.” Singh’s foreign policy is equally a part of his legacy as much as his political career in India by expanding relations with multiple countries including the United States, China and Pakistan. Singh also had a run in the bureaucracy prior to active political life. In 1971, he became the economic adviser to the Ministry of Foreign Trade. Within a year, he was the Chief Economic Adviser in the Finance Ministry, and then the Secretary in the Finance Ministry from 1976. He was also the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India in 1982, and the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission in 1985. Prior to being chosen as India’s Finance Minister in 1991, Singh was the advisor to the Prime Minister on economic affairs. It was then that he was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Assam, a position he held for five terms till 2019. He has never been a member of the Lok Sabha. Born in a village in the Punjab province of undivided India on September 26, 1932, Manmohan Singh was born to a dry fruits trader. He completed his matriculation examination from the Punjab University in 1948. He then studied economics at the University of Cambridge in the UK degree in 1957. He then completed his D.Phil in Economics at Oxford University in 1962. He has taught economics at Panjab University, the Delhi School of Economics, and has had a stint at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the UN’s trade body. In 1987, he was conferred the Padma Vibhushan. Towards the fag end of his second and final term as Prime Minister, Singh had said that he did not believe that he was a weak PM, and that “history will be kinder to me than the contemporary media or for that matter the Opposition in Parliament”. With the current state of the Indian economy, that may already be coming true.

BILLINGS, Mont. – A senior official in President Joe Biden's administration who oversaw its contentious efforts to address climate change by curbing oil drilling on federal lands while expanding renewable power was named Tuesday as the next president of a prominent environmental group. U.S. Bureau of Land Management Director Tracy Stone-Manning will become president of The Wilderness Society effective next February, the Washington, D.C.-based group announced. Recommended Videos Stone-Manning's 2021 nomination by Biden was bitterly opposed by Republicans who labeled her an “eco-terrorist” over her past ties with environmental extremists. Senate Democrats pushed through her confirmation on a party-line vote. The land bureau has jurisdiction over almost a quarter-billion acres (100 million hectares) of land, primarily in western states, that is used for oil exploration, mining, livestock grazing, recreation and other purposes. Under Stone-Manning, it sharply reduced oil and gas lease sales and raised royalty rates that companies must pay to extract the fuel. It also issued a rule elevating the importance of conservation , by making it a “use” of public lands on par with drilling or grazing. That marked a sharp departure from the land bureau's longstanding reputation for favoring commercial development over environmental preservation. The moves drew pushback from the energy, mining and ranching industries and their Republican allies in Congress. They have vowed to undo actions taken by Stone-Manning when the GOP assumes control in Washington next year as a result of its 2024 election wins. The land bureau also approved new solar and wind power projects and opened more public lands to renewable energy development under Biden. Before joining the administration, Stone-Manning worked as a senior aide to Montana Democrats U.S. Sen. Jon Tester and Gov. Steve Bullock. Her nomination by Biden sparked intense Republican opposition because of Stone-Manning's involvement in a 1989 environmental sabotage case. As a 23-year-old graduate student at the University of Montana, Stone-Manning sent a letter to federal officials in 1989 saying spikes had been inserted into trees in Idaho’s Clearwater National Forest. Spiking trees involves inserting metal or ceramic rods into trunks so they can’t be safely cut down, and the tactic has sometimes been used to halt timber sales. Two men were charged in the case, and Stone-Manning later testified against them, saying she mailed the letter at the request of one of the men and to prevent people from getting hurt. She was given immunity to testify and was never charged with any crimes, although an investigator later said she had stonewalled the criminal probe . During the debate over her nomination, GOP lawmakers called her a dangerous choice. She was confirmed with backing from moderate Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia. President-elect Donald Trump nominated Republican North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum to be secretary of the Interior, which includes the Bureau of Land Management. His selection for the land bureau director has not yet been announced. During Trump's first-term, the bureau went without a Senate-confirmed director. The Republican instead used acting directors who did not have to go before the Senate to advance his agenda to increase U.S. energy production. The bureau's headquarters were relocated to Colorado under Trump, leading to the resignation or retirement of hundreds of employees before it was returned to Washington, D.C., under Biden.

N ear the Anzac Bridge, workers in hi-vis vests and aprons move among crates of stock, greeting regular customers with handshakes and waves. Families weave in and out of stores as pelicans try to sneak scraps of fish. Sydney Fish Market is experiencing its usual bustle for the Friday before Christmas – but this year will likely be the market’s last festive season in this location. Over the sound of the crowd, snippets of conversation about the move can be heard. “Are you excited?” “The last authentic fish market you will see.” “It should have been done 10 years ago!” “Won’t be the same.” Towards the end of next year, the fish market will be moving to a new site along Blackwattle Bay. It’s a huge departure for the venue, which has been at its existing site since 1966. While some patrons and workers are looking forward to a new space with more shops and a modern design, others are disappointed to say goodbye to the traditional market. Evolution of an ‘already iconic’ site Tony Tsiklas, the manager of Claudio’s Seafood in the market’s car park, has been working there for 38 years – he started as an 18-year-old doing deliveries. Over the years, Tsiklas has watched the market grow busier and busier. “From the old days, I remember it wasn’t crazy like this. We were busy, but not like now. Now ... it’s like a stampede.” Tsiklas wonders about the move – he’s not sure it will be easy. He’s worried about space to put containers, scales, windows, freezers and other facilities required to run the business. “I want to transition smoothly,” he says. “We don’t know what it is going to be like, [if] there is a limited space for containers on the other side.” Operating on the harbour close to the CBD as both an authentic fish market and a retail venue, the site is “already iconic”, says Gus Dannoun, the head of Sydney Fish Market’s quota and operations. “You will find it very hard to find that whole combination in the one location, in a fish market, anywhere else.” Dannoun started working in technology for the New South Wales Fish Marketing Authority in 1981, when the market was a “very trade-oriented business”. “You hardly saw any general public come on to the site.” Over time, the number of retailers grew from two to six, and more of the public came to buy their products. “We also started discovering the fish market started having tourist appeal,” Dannoun says. That “truly transformed the business”. “Some might say it happened organically ... by accident, but I think it is the fact that the site was evolving.” The next evolution of the market, he says, is moving into the new precinct. The new market, designed by architects 3XN, has been pitched as “Sydney’s most significant harbourside building since the Opera House” by the NSW government . The site will be both a “purpose-built authentic operating fish market” and a “major food and dining attraction”. ‘I’m actually pretty excited’ Patrons Carla and Craig Waghorn visit weekly to shop for their end-of-week seafood dinners. Craig says he will miss the original fish market. “I’m disappointed,” he says. “I just love the fact that it is actually smelly.” But Carla is looking forward to something more “cosmopolitan”. “I think it will present everything a little bit more nicely, so I’m actually pretty excited. I’m sure they will have other shops and restaurants over there as well.” She adds that she is excited to bring her parents to the new precinct when they visit from Italy. Bill Dawes thinks the move should have happened years ago. “It has gotten busier and busier and busier, and needs a makeover,” he says. Dawes was a chef for 25 years and spent five of those years at the fish market. As a student, he used to visit the market’s auction house. Now he visits as a shopper. “The wife’s always getting me to stop in the place. I’m off to the relos, the in-laws, for Christmas.” He is skipping the Christmas Eve and Day rush this year – when the market is famously open for a marathon 36 hours straight . Last year, he visited, had a look around, then “took off”. “It was too busy,” he says. “Christmas Day rush is go, go, go, even from a packer’s point of view. They are real fast, real quick, and if you know what you want, you’re going to get looked after very quickly. “You’ve got to know what you got, pre-plan what you want, hit them up for a quick fish special, get it, get out.” Dawes has been watching the new site’s development over the last year and a half. “I’m excited to see what is in store,” he says. “It looks big.” Despite Tsiklas’ reservations, he’s certain patrons will flock to the new site. “I’m sure a lot of people are going there. [Even] if they haven’t been before, they will come to have a look because there are a lot more stores in there.” And he is committed to carrying on Claudio’s at the new precinct. “Same name,” he says. “Same name, until I retire.”Trump threatens to try to take back the Panama Canal. Panama's president balks at the suggestion

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