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WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday voiced his support for the dockworkers union before their contract expires next month at Eastern and Gulf Coast ports, saying that any further “automation” of the ports would harm workers. The incoming president posted on social media that he met Harold Daggett, the president of the International Longshoreman's Association, and Dennis Daggett, the union's executive vice president. “I’ve studied automation, and know just about everything there is to know about it,” Trump posted. “The amount of money saved is nowhere near the distress, hurt, and harm it causes for American Workers, in this case, our Longshoremen. Foreign companies have made a fortune in the U.S. by giving them access to our markets. They shouldn’t be looking for every last penny knowing how many families are hurt.” The International Longshoremen’s Association has until Jan. 15 to negotiate a new contract with the U.S. Maritime Alliance, which represents ports and shipping companies. At the heart of the dispute is whether ports can install automated gates, cranes and container-moving trucks that could make it faster to unload and load ships. The union argues that automation would lead to fewer jobs, even though higher levels of productivity could do more to boost the salaries of remaining workers. The Maritime Alliance said in a statement that the contract goes beyond ports to “supporting American consumers and giving American businesses access to the global marketplace – from farmers, to manufacturers, to small businesses, and innovative start-ups looking for new markets to sell their products.” “To achieve this, we need modern technology that is proven to improve worker safety, boost port efficiency, increase port capacity, and strengthen our supply chains,” said the alliance, adding that it looks forward to working with Trump. In October, the union representing 45,000 dockworkers went on strike for three days, raising the risk that a prolonged shutdown could push up inflation by making it difficult to unload container ships and export American products overseas. The issue pits an incoming president who won November's election on the promise of bringing down prices against commitments to support blue-collar workers along with the kinds of advanced technology that drew him support from Silicon Valley elite such as billionaire Elon Musk. Trump sought to portray the dispute as being between U.S. workers and foreign companies, but advanced ports are also key for staying globally competitive. China is opening a $1.3 billion port in Peru that could accommodate ships too large for the Panama Canal. There is a risk that shippers could move to other ports, which could also lead to job losses. Mexico is constructing a port that is highly automated, while Dubai, Singapore and Rotterdam already have more advanced ports. Instead, Trump said that ports and shipping companies should eschew “machinery, which is expensive, and which will constantly have to be replaced.” “For the great privilege of accessing our markets, these foreign companies should hire our incredible American Workers, instead of laying them off, and sending those profits back to foreign countries,” Trump posted. “It is time to put AMERICA FIRST!”Shares of some of the market's hottest stocks took a big step back this week as investors reconsidered whether these stocks have run too far too fast in 2024. According to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence , shares of IonQ ( IONQ 12.80% ) fell as much as 22.3% this week, AppLovin ( APP -0.53% ) dropped 20%, and BigBear.ai ( BBAI -5.26% ) fell 28.4%. As of Friday at 2:30 p.m. ET, these three stocks were down 12.2%, 19.2%, and 26.9%, respectively. The hottest stocks on the market It's worth looking at how these three stocks have performed over the past three months alone. You can see they were hot ahead of the election and then took off post-election on speculation the economy would boom in 2025 and beyond. IONQ data by YCharts . The bounce in shares was almost entirely speculation and not a fundamental improvement in the business, so eventually, that speculation ended. Fundamentals may be returning to the forefront While these stocks have been hot, they haven't all been performing all that well financially. AppLovin is very profitable, but the others are not and may be years away from reporting a consistent profit. IONQ Net Income (TTM) data by YCharts . TTM = trailing 12 months. At the same time, valuations are starting to look stretched. Even AppLovin's 26 price-to-sales multiple is extremely high for an established player in advertising. IONQ PS Ratio data by YCharts . PS Ratio = price-to-sales ratio. Add all this together, and valuation may have gotten ahead of fundamentals for all three stocks. Volatility is the price we pay Highly volatile stocks like this can be market beaters over time, but they don't often go up and to the right in a straight line. There are fits and starts both in operations and in valuation. That's part of what we're seeing today. AppLovin is catching up from being undervalued coming out of the impact of Apple 's ATT changes and may have now overshot its fundamentals. IonQ is benefiting from the emerging visibility in quantum computing, particularly after the announcement this week from Alphabet 's Google. BigBear is growing nicely, with revenue up 22% last quarter and adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) moving positive. But even those results may be volatile given the nascency of artificial intelligence (AI) in the company's markets. While the past three months were great, that trend reversed this week, and I think that's the takeaway from trading. The market's speculation and fundamental reality Short term, the market is driven by speculation about the next big thing. But going from hot technology, like quantum computing or AI, to a profitable business can be a long journey. And stocks often pull back when the hype cycle ends. This was only one week of trading, so it isn't worth panicking, but it's also a reminder that stocks go down more quickly than they go up. If the market starts to worry about economic growth or interest rates in the coming months, we could see all of the recent gains in stocks given back. And unless a company has profits to fall back on, that can be a real challenge.

New Zealand grants visa to controversial US pundit Candace OwensLONDON — Ukrainians were already having doubts about their future with the West before former President Donald Trump’s reelection on Nov. 5 likely raised more questions. Gallup surveys show that Ukraine’s hopes for quick accession to NATO and the European Union were beginning to wane and that approval of the leadership of Ukraine ’s biggest military backer — the United States — was falling. In August, just over half of Ukrainians surveyed (51%) expected that Ukraine will become a NATO member in the next decade, down from well over 60% in the first two years of the Russia-Ukraine war. Twenty-two percent think Ukraine will never be accepted into the bloc, about double the rate from previous years. Ukrainians’ expectations for their country’s accession to the EU follow a similar trajectory. In 2022 and 2023, 73% of Ukrainians believed their country would be accepted within the next 10 years. While a majority (61%) in 2024 continue to expect this, it is 12 percentage points lower than before. Fifteen percent think Ukraine will never be accepted into the EU, more than double the 7% who said so in 2023. Ukrainians’ hopes for a quick accession to the EU slipped even as formal talks began in June 2024, one decade after the Euromaidan protests put Ukraine on a path to greater alignment with the West. The path to joining NATO — a military alliance, unlike the EU — is somewhat more complex. In October, former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg referenced the possibility of Ukraine joining NATO even if Russia occupied parts of its territory. But Ukraine’s accession to NATO faces challenges from within the EU. For example, Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico recently reiterated his promise to block Ukraine’s accession to NATO while he remains in office, even though he supports Ukraine joining the EU. Goodwill Toward U.S. Leadership Fizzles For many years, Ukrainians’ opinions of U.S. leadership were largely mixed. Between 2014 and 2021, approval of U.S. leadership typically hovered between 20% and 40%, with a similar percentage expressing disapproval. That changed dramatically with the onset of the war in 2022. The U.S. became Ukraine’s largest provider of military aid, and approval of its leadership jumped accordingly to 66%, one of the highest rates in the world at the time. Since then, assistance to Ukraine has become a politically charged topic in the United States, with many Republicans seeking to delay and even halt the flow of military aid that Ukraine relies on. In 2024, approval of U.S. leadership has fallen to 40%, broadly in line with pre-2022 sentiments. Nearly as many now disapprove of U.S. leadership (37%) as approve, and the goodwill that the U.S. built up following Russia’s invasion has disappeared. Approval of Berlin Much More Stable Ukrainian attitudes toward Germany’s leadership have followed a different path. When the war began, disapproval of Berlin rose from 20% to 35%, while approval remained stable. In the early months of the war, Germany was among the more hesitant Western powers with regard to introducing sanctions against Russia, given their reliance on Russian energy imports. In 2023, Ukrainian approval and disapproval of Germany’s leadership (53% vs. 20%, respectively) were on par with U.S leadership (53% vs. 22%). As Ukraine’s approval toward the U.S. has declined further in 2024, Germany’s leadership remains stable and broadly in line with pre-war levels. For the first time since the war began, Berlin is now viewed more highly than Washington.

Alex Orji opted to head for the exits rather than await his fate at Michigan. Faced with a backup role or position switch after the Wolverines signed No. 1 overall recruit Bryce Underwood, Orji became the second Wolverines quarterback to choose the transfer portal. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Cardlytics reports that card-linked cash-back offers represent a strategic stocking stuffer for smart shoppers navigating the expensive holiday landscape. Click for more. Holiday spending hacks: How to unwrap savings without sacrificing festive cheer

Daily Post Nigeria Kotu ta haramta kama mai magana da yawun gwamnan Kano bayan korafin Ganduje Home News Politics Metro Entertainment Sport Hausa Kotu ta haramta kama mai magana da yawun gwamnan Kano bayan korafin Ganduje Published on December 13, 2024 By Nana Ismail Babbar kotun tarayya ta bayar da umarnin hana Sufeton ‘yan Sanda (IGP), DSS, da sauran hukumomin tsaro kama Malam Sanusi Bature Dawakin-Tofa, mai magana da yawun gwamna Abba Kabir Yusuf. Kotun ta bayar da wannan umarnin a ranar 12 ga Disamba, 2024, wanda ke kare Dawakin-Tofa daga “kame ko tsarewa, da tsoratarwa” daga IGP, DSS, da sauran hukumomin tsaro. An kuma fadada wannan umarni zuwa ga mataimakin Sufeton ‘yan Sanda (AIG) na zone 1, kwamishinan ‘yan sanda na Kano, SP Mojirade Obisiji, DCP Akin Fakorede, hukumar tsaro ta NSCDC da sauransu. Wannan kariya ta shari’a ta biyo bayan zargin da Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, shugaban jam’iyyar APC na kasa, ya yi cewa Dawakin-Tofa shi ne ya kitsa dakatar da shi a matakin mazabar APC watanni shida da suka wuce. Rikicin ya fara ne bayan Ganduje ya yi zargin cewa akwai wani tuggu da Dawakin-Tofa, wanda suke mazaba daya, da kuma gwamnatin juhar Kano karkashin jagorancin NNPP suka kitsa. Ganduje ya bayyana cewa wannan mataki na dakatar da shi wani yunkuri ne na rage tasirinsa a siyasa. Biyo bayan korafin Ganduje, IGP ya gayyaci Dawakin-Tofa zuwa Abuja tare da shugabannin mazabar APC na Ganduje, inda aka yi masa zargin kulla tuggu da aikata abubuwan da ka iya haddasa rashin zaman lafiya. Wannan rikici, wanda ya samo asali daga takaddamar siyasa tsakanin manyan jiga-jigan siyasar Kano guda biyu, ya kara ta’azzara dangantakar da ke tsakanin Ganduje da gwamna Yusuf. Dawakin-Tofa, ta bakin lauyoyinsa karkashin jagorancin Barr. Haruna Musa Muhammad, ya kalubalanci wannan gayyata ta hanyar kai kara gaban kotu, yana mai bayyana hakan a matsayin wani yunkuri na siyasa don bata masa suna da kuma hana shi gudanar da aikinsa. Related Topics: kano Kotu Don't Miss Chelsea, kar ku dauko Salah – William Gallas You may like Kotu ta soke hukuncin da ya hana jihar Ribas kudadenta Gobara ta kashe ma’aurata a Kano Za mu yi fito na fito da fadan saba – Gwamnatin Kano Kano: Gwamna Abba ya sallami SSG da kwamishinoni 5 Gov Yusuf sacks SSG, Chief of Staff, moves Deputy to another ministry KAROTA za ta bi kadun jami’anta da aka sassara a bakin aiki Advertise About Us Contact Us Privacy-Policy Terms Copyright © Daily Post Media Ltd

Blackbaud Announces Impairment Charge Related to EVERFI Assets

Navi Mumbai: 2-Day ICFoST Panel At Dr DY Patil University Discusses Food Safety, Sustainability, And Social Media's Impact On Consumer ChoicesNews Business Reporter {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. It was a dicey premise from the start: taking niche Hamburg grocer Braymiller Market and plunking it down in the urban center of Buffalo. Then-Mayor Byron Brown, knowing he needed amenities to attract wealthier residents to the city's core, convinced Braymiller owner Stuart Green that an opportunity existed where other grocers didn’t see one. Both thought the opportunity would grow as more apartments were built. Brown assured Green the city would be behind him every step of the way, and Green set out to appeal to a critical mass of higher-end shoppers that doesn't yet exist downtown. Stuart Green unloads a Braymiller Market truck on Dec. 6, 2024. Now, just three years later – despite tax breaks and a more than $1 million bailout – Braymiller Market will close by month's end. That is despite Green's attempts – with prodding from the Buffalo Urban Development Corp. – to turn his store into something it was never meant to be. The shoppers Braymiller was trying to appeal to – the more affluent consumers newly moving from the suburbs into upscale lofts downtown – aren't the type of city dwellers who walk down the block to buy ingredients for the night's dinner each day. Instead, they tend to hop into their cars and stock up elsewhere. That's part of the appeal of living in a city where you can get anywhere in 20 minutes. The bulk of residents who live downtown today, the ones who really need and would stock up at a grocery store within walking distance, are those who are used to stretching their dollar as far as it will go. That demographic calls for a no-frills deep discounter offering wholesome food at affordable prices. The Buffalo Urban Development Corp. and other city officials could suggest all the tweaks they wanted and Braymiller Market would never be Save A Lot or Aldi. Opening a successful grocery store in downtown Buffalo would have been an uphill battle even without the Covid pandemic that gutted the city's commuter population. Green knew that, which is why he designed a business plan that relied equally on the store's deli, to feed workers on their lunch breaks, and a wholesale supply line delivering fresh produce to the city's restaurants. The shutdown, which is expected to take place in seven to 10 days, once again will leave downtown without a grocery store to serve the residents in the nearby apartments that have sprouted up in converted buildings over the last few years. But Covid slashed deeply into that worker population and much of that restaurant business, and neither have recovered to pre-pandemic levels. The store's deli has a devoted following among commuters – there just aren't enough of them. On Friday, as the city staged a press conference to announce the market's closure, the deli's customers mourned the news. Isabelle LaBarbera had made the jaunt from her job at the Liberty Building as she does most weekdays. "It's one of the only places open past 2 p.m. around here to get lunch," she said. "It's quick and really good food." Octavia Butts had driven downtown from South Buffalo just to get one of Braymiller's subs. "I literally travel down here just to get a sub," she said. "I love the turkey clubs. They have really good mac n’ cheese. I love the desserts, cupcakes, anything." They're glimmers that show Braymiller could have been a success if not for Covid – the unthinkable that no one could have seen coming. But what Braymiller really needed was shoppers who filled their carts with $100 worth of groceries, maybe even $200. And those shoppers were hard to come by. If Green had known how the Covid pandemic would change traffic patterns in downtown Buffalo, he wouldn't have touched the project with a 10-foot pole. Business conditions were much more favorable when Green took the gamble on downtown, and he was still the only one willing to take the chance. Who would step up today, knowing what we know now? If anything, a lot would have to change for another grocer to give things another shot. Will we have to wait years for the commuter population to return? What if the changes that have transformed the city since Covid are permanent? Buffalo Acting Mayor Christopher Scanlon on Friday noted that there now are 30,000 fewer workers coming downtown to the office than there were just a few years ago. Those are 30,000 potential Braymiller customers who might have stopped in to pick up groceries or dinner at the end of the workday. "We have to work on the downtown core as well and getting people back down here, and repair the situations that led to the closure," Scanlon said. "You can't just say, 'All right, come on in and turn the key and open the grocery store again.' You have to work with our partners in the private sector and otherwise, to make sure we have more people in downtown Buffalo, build this core up," he said. "Get people living down here. Get people visiting down here, entertainment, everything you can to get people living down here so that there's this store, this location, or another location, whatever it might be, could be successful in the future." So, soon, downtown Buffalo will again be without a supermarket, and officials will resume trying to attract one. But Buffalo has a lot of work to do if it wants to build downtown back up to the place it was when it was able to lure tiny Braymiller into the city – and that was with the promise of tax abatements and subsidies. How much more will it have to do to bring in a Tops or Aldi? Only this time around, it will be much harder for the city to attract a new one. In fact, it will be harder now than if Braymiller had never opened in the first place. That's because downtown grocery was previously an untested, untried idea. Now it has a track record of failure. Any other grocer the city approaches will have that at the front of their minds. And that will make a downtown grocery store an even harder sell. The shutdown of the Save A Lot in the Broadway Market won't help either. New grocery prospects, instead of forecasting how things might go, will have an idea of how things already went. The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. News Business Reporter {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.

Trump offers support for dockworkers union by saying ports shouldn't install more automated systems

What it costs to live on the new, convenient Metro lineDem Rep. Goldman: If Trump Attempts to Jail 'Political Enemies,' That's 'Banana Republic Stuff'Toronto, Dec 13 (AP) Canada's most populous province may bar American-made alcohol in addition to restricting electricity exports to Michigan, New York and Minnesota if US President-elect Donald Trump imposes sweeping tariffs on all Canadian products, a senior official has said. The official in Ontario Premier Doug Ford's government said on Thursday that it's contemplating restricting Ontario's liquor control board from buying American-made alcohol. Also Read | 'Maverick Diplomacy': Donald Trump Invites China's President Xi Jinping to Inauguration for 'Open Dialogue' Despite Tariff Threats. Ontario is also considering restricting exports of critical minerals required for electric vehicle batteries and preventing US-based companies from the government's procurement process, the official said on condition of anonymity because the functionary wasn't authorized to speak publicly about the potential measures. Ford confirmed on Wednesday evening that Ontario is contemplating restricting electricity exports to the three states. He reiterated that on Thursday and said it would make electricity unaffordable for Americans. Also Read | Donald Trump Named Time Magazine’s Person of Year, Rings New York Stock Exchange’s Opening Bell. “It's a last resort,” Ford said. “I don't think President-elect Trump wants that to happen. We're sending a message to the US If you come and attack Ontario, you attack the livelihoods of people in Ontario and Canadians, we are going to use every tool in our tool box to defend Ontarians and Canadians. Let's hope it never comes to that." Trump has threatened to impose a 25 per cent tax on all products entering the United States from Canada and Mexico unless they stem the flow of migrants and drugs. Ontario powered 1.5 million homes in the US in 2023. "That's OK if he does that. That's fine,” Trump told CNBC when asked about Ford's remarks on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. “The United States is subsidizing Canada and we shouldn't have to do that," Trump said. “And we have a great relationship. I have so many friends in Canada, but we shouldn't have to subsidize a country." The CNBC reporter said Trump told him off camera that they hope they can work something out with Canada. The premier of the oil rich Canadian province of Alberta ruled out cutting off oil exports. “Under no circumstances will Alberta agree to cut off oil and gas exports,” Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said. “Instead, we're taking a diplomatic approach and we're meeting with our allies in the US We're making the case for Alberta oil and gas to be part of the solution to energy affordability and energy security.” Canada supplies more oil to the US than any other country, nearly 4.5 million barrels a day. About 60 per cent of US crude oil imports are from Canada and a fifth of the crude refined in the US comes from Canada. “If you put a 25 per cent tariff on oil from Alberta that increases every gallon of gasoline by one dollar,” Ford said. About 85 per cent of US electricity imports come from Canada as well. Canada also has 34 critical minerals and metals the Pentagon is eager for. Nearly 3.6 billion Canadian dollars (USD2.7 billion) worth of goods and services cross the border each day. Canada is the top export destination for 36 US states. Canada has promised more border security spending to address Trump's border concerns. Ford said that will include more border and police officers, as well as drones and sniffer dogs. Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc, who along with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently had dinner with Trump at Mar-a-Lago, his private club in Florida, said they plan to share details of those border plans with the incoming Trump administration soon. Alberta's government is creating a new sheriff patrol unit that will include about 50 sheriffs, 10 cold weather surveillance drones and four drug detection dogs. Alberta officials said a two-kilometre deep zone along the border with Montana will be deemed critical infrastructure, so sheriffs can arrest without a warrant anyone found attempting to cross illegally or trafficking illegal drugs or weapons. At the Mar-a-Lago dinner, Kristen Hillman, Canada's ambassador to the US, said that Washington's trade deficit with Canada was also raised. Hillman said the US had a USD75 billion trade deficit with Canada last year but noted a third of what Canada sells into the US is energy exports and prices have been high. Trudeau said this week that US-imposed tariffs would be “absolutely devastating” for the Canadian economy, but it would also mean real hardship for Americans. Canada imposed duties in 2018 against the US in a tit-for-tat response to new taxes on Canadian steel and aluminum. Canadian officials have said that it's unfair to lump Canada in with Mexico. LeBlanc said that illegal migration from Canada to the US is only 0.6 per cent of the total, and fentanyl from Canada is 0.2 per cent of the total of US seizures. Canada Border Services Agency President Erin O'Gorman said the US Drug Enforcement Administration has characterized the amount of fentanyl coming from Canada as small amounts sent over for personal use, mostly by mail. Quebec Premier Françoise Legault said Trump told him in Paris last week that he doesn't want to see anymore illegal immigration coming from Canada. Legault noted Trudeau's plan to strengthen border security. “I prefer that than starting a war and stopping sending energy to the United States,” Legault said. Newfoundland Premier Andrew Furey said he had a call with New England governors this week and said there is a significant concern on both sides of the border. “We hope it is just bluster,” Furey said. “We are preparing as if it is not. There will be no winner in a trade war." (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)

Lindsey Vonn competes in a pair of downhills, another step on her comeback trail at the age of 40

Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Ananda Wijepala told Parliament there is a sinister campaign aiming to create division and conflict between the North and the South of the country, highlighting the manipulative intent behind the false narratives. Making a special statement in Parliament on Wednesday (December 4), the Minister said an organised politically bankrupt group had orchestrated the campaign, confirming that investigations had identified their involvement. He said that several arrests have already been made in connection with the dissemination of false information which also includes a political activist from Boralesgamuwa who had contested the last general election under the Cylinder symbol. The Minister said that the photographs from the past LTTE Mahaviru commemorations that were held even in other countries in 2017 and 2022 had been circulated on social media, to create the impression that similar events were taking place in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka in 2024 under the current administration. Minister Wijepala said of the 244 Mahaviru commemoration events held in the Northern Province from November 21 to 27, LTTE-related symbols were displayed at 10 of them. The Police had taken action in response to these incidents. The Kilinochchi Magistrate’s Court had reported about two such incidents while the Point Pedro Magistrate’s Court had reported four similar incidents. In addition, the Jaffna Magistrate’s Court had reported one such incident. A person from Chunnakam had also been arrested for attempting to promote the LTTE. Fake post on Mahaviru commemoration Social activist Kelum Jayasumana who was arrested for sharing a post related to the Mahaviru commemoration on social media was granted bail after being produced before the Colombo Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday (December 4). During the trial, the officers of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) told court that the suspect had downloaded and reposted a picture which was initially posted by a French woman on Facebook that contained proscribed symbols of the LTTE organisation. They said that this had disrupted public order and ethnic harmony, and that no such event had been held in the North. Since the investigation has not been completed, the officers of the CID requested that the suspect be further remanded. Subsequently, Colombo Magistrate Thilina Gamage questioned the CID officers whether statements confirming that public order had been violated due to this act had been recorded and submitted to the court. In response, the CID officers said that no such statements had been recorded. Questioning how the suspect could be further remanded without evidence confirming that a public disturbance had occurred, the Magistrate said the suspects cannot be remanded further without proper evidence. Accordingly, the Magistrate ordered the suspect to be released on two surety bails and ordered the case to be taken up again on April 3, 2025. Minister of Justice and National Integration Harshana Nanayakkara told Parliament on Wednesday (December 4), that a new political culture has emerged in the country and that is peace building and social cohesion. The country will never move forward unless there is an effort by the Government with peace building and social cohesion. Our international friends have worked with us so long providing us resources, sharing their knowledge and expertise. But how much have we achieved when it comes to social cohesion and peace building? We have not progressed that much. If that is the case then this society must reject all forms of racism outright. But still we feel there are certain elements in the society who are continuing it because old habits die hard. Most of the Governments in power had only paid lip service to the concept of peace building and social cohesion. It was merely a show either to appease Geneva or to get a donation or just to plead some international donor. But this Government doesn’t consider peace building and social cohesion as a mere show. It is our main project and we will push Government policies forward to that end. The Minister said, “We understand we are culturally different and we have different ethnic identities and cultural identities. We respect them all and the Government will make policies to encourage and preserve each other’s cultural identities. No matter how many laws you bring in and whatever the policies speak about to build peace, social cohesion and friendship, the bridge of friendship must be built first. It should start in our minds. Still, we geographically speak about the North and the South. That mindset has to be settled first and that is a serious problem. We are here to represent Sri Lankans of all ethnic origins, races and casts. No matter whatever the divisions, we have to create a unified Sri Lanka. Social inclusion, gender equality and inclusive principles, respecting cultural diversity is essential. Otherwise, this country will not go forward. I am happy to say that my Ministry of National Integration takes this job seriously and encourages all those stakeholders in the Government as well as non-Government to be hopeful and work with us on peace building and social cohesion because this Government is very serious about it.” Right to commemorate the dead Minister Nanayakkara said some of these old habits die hard. As Minister Ananda Wijepala had told Parliament false information was circulated in the media about the Mahaviru commemorations held in the North. We admit the fact that in a civilised society the relatives of those who died have the right to commemorate them or invoke blessing on them. However, that did not happen when it came to the North. When we were in the Opposition we were subjected to state suppression and their stringent laws, violating our human rights. Therefore, as a party, we will not introduce any law to restrict the freedom of expression of the people or violate their rights to engage in politics. We govern with the mandate of the public will. The law is not so essential to a Government which has a clear public mandate and we always appear on behalf of the people. There is an accepted law in the country. As a policy we admit that the PTA should be abolished. However, even in developed countries, they have legislation to face global terrorism. We should formulate a counter terrorism act to suit international best practices and definitions. Definition given to the word ‘terrorism’ in all those recently introduced bills had restricted the freedom of expression of the people which has been enshrined in the Constitution. Until we formulate new laws, if any form of racism or religious extremism emerges, we will have to deal with such incidents in keeping with the prevailing laws. He said, “I admit the fact that freedom of expression is essential and this Government will take positive action to ensure that. However, the freedom of expression and committing a crime are two closely related facts. People can post anything on Facebook and that is their freedom of expression. However, Minister Ananda Wijepala had clearly explained what had really happened. One person who had got involved in that incident was a DNF candidate. He had circulated fake social media posts on Mahaviru commemorations that were not held in the North. What is their ulterior motive? Is it just an attempt to exercise their right legally? Otherwise, is this an attempt to create a division and conflict between the North and the South, paving the way to emerge yet another ethnic conflict in the country? I would like to appeal before writing songs and poems on the freedom of expression, please look into this aspect as well. We are new to govern but we are not new to politics. It is normal for the Opposition to test our strengths and limits from time to time and that is something we expect. They can clash with us ideologically and differ from us politically. We would respond to them democratically and politically. But any citizen in this country who thinks that race and religion could be used again for political gain, I tell you to think again and again.” No racism or religious extremism The Minister said, “This Government will not stand for racism or religious extremism in any form or the other. It will be defeated with whatever the laws we have enforced. If we are in the Government or the Opposition, we all are against racism and religious extremism. We all can join hands from that particular point but we will not be able to do so in some other matters. However, as the new Parliament, we all should join hands for this particular aspect by setting a new example. Although we have different political ideologies, all MPs who represent this Parliament are against racism and religious extremism. If we can take this message to the bottom level, there will be true social cohesion and peace building. So, I am inviting all Parliamentarians to help the Government with that initiative. Yes, we can fight politics another day on another topic. But let’s unite for this because the country has suffered enough and more. Enough tears had been shed in the North and the South and enough blood had run through this land. It has to come to an end and that can only happen by respecting one another’s cultural identities and diversities.” Minister Nanayakkara said the laws belong to the people and that laws are there to protect the people and their interest. Laws are essential for those who are marginalised, weak and poor. Our laws must focus not only on the making of them or even the implementation to make sure that their rights are protected. Three Bills, Proceeds of Crime Bill, Rescue, Rehabilitation and Insolvency Bill and amendments to the Audit Act will be presented to Parliament in the first quarter of next year. The whole idea of this is to recover stolen assets, trace the proceeds of crimes with one law and to effectively deter money laundering, drug trafficking and all related vices. The Audit Act and Insolvency Bill are there to improve the creditor’s confidence and to protect the debtor’s right to bring some uniformity and update. So, this Government is serious about what is said about it. Let’s build this country together. Let’s fight politics and that’s another matter. But I invite you all, let’s uphold the rule of law. There are so many law delays causing massive issues. Some of the delays are due to lack of resources and some human and technical errors. There are over one million court cases in the entire court system. At present, the ease of doing business in the country is very low-ranking and the rule of law far less. SJB Parliamentarian Dayasiri Jayasekara told the Sunday Observer that his personal opinion is that nobody can prevent the right of a person to light a lamp in memory of a deceased person. Since 2009, we have been maintaining this stance. However, it was not allowed those days. These Mahaviru commemorations have been held since 2011. The issue is these commemorations are held during the Mahaviru week. It was LTTE Leader Vellupillai Prabhakaran who declared the Mahaviru week. Should these commemorations be held during the Mahaviru week? A circular has been issued in 2011 specifying guidelines as to how these commemorations should be held. A large number of Mahaviru commemorations were held by violating the guidelines in that particular circular. Except for two persons, those who violated the circular had not yet been arrested. However, a person in the South who shared information of those incidents took place in the North was arrested under the PTA. But those who violated the law have not been arrested. Outdated law It is completely wrong to arrest people under the PTA. The PTA is an outdated law in the country. I would like to say that anybody should not be arrested or detained under the PTA and it should be implemented equally to North and the South. However, the PTA is used to arrest people in the South and the ordinary law is used to deal with the incidents that take place in the North. This is the issue I raised in Parliament. As the JVP holds Il Maha Viru Samaruma to commemorate their fallen comrades, the people in the North also have the right to talk about the deaths of their people and conduct Mahaviru commemorations. We should also keep in mind that thousands of war heroes and police personnel sacrificed their lives to safeguard the motherland. In addition, a large number of people had died and some became disabled due to LTTE bomb attacks. Therefore, they also might feel hurt when such incidents occur. I told Parliament that the Government should seriously consider this issue. There are some extremist groups in all parts of the country including North, East and the South. However, there is a law in the country to prevent any form of extremist acts and I would like to say that the law should be implemented equal to everybody. The new political transformation in the North is a very positive development. The people in the North and the East who were trapped by Tamil and Muslim parties had voted for a national political party in the South. It is a very significant development and it was unable to do so over the past many years. I think it is the responsibility of all of us to safeguard the trust and mandate given by the people in the North and the East.Lindsey Vonn competes in a pair of downhills, another step on her comeback trail at the age of 40