ou o où $3.1 billion Vishal windfall for PE partners in IPO : Biggest capital gains for a PE in IndiaLogistical issues meant that thousands of Namibians were still waiting to vote in pivotal presidential and legislative elections late on Wednesday as the polling stations were scheduled to close. The vote could usher in the desert nation's first woman leader even as her party, the ruling South West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO) faces the strongest challenge yet to its 34-year grip on power. Some voters told AFP they queued all day, for up to 12 hours, blaming technical problems which included issues with voter identification tablets or insufficient ballot papers. According to Namibia's electoral law, those in the queue before the polls closed -- scheduled at 9:00 pm (1900 GMT) -- should be allowed to vote. "We have the obligation to make sure that they pass their vote," said Petrus Shaama, chief officer of the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN). The main opposition party, the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) has blamed the ECN for the long lines and cried foul play. "We have reason to believe that the ECN is deliberately suppressing voters and deliberately trying to frustrate voters from casting their vote," said Christine Aochamus of the IPC. She said the party had "started the process" of approaching a court "to order the ECN to extend the voting time". At one polling station inside Namibia's University of Science and Technology in the capital Windhoek, hundreds of people were still in line at 09:00 pm despite some having arrived at 6:00 am, an hour before polls opened. It was a similar situation at the Museum of Independence, according to an AFP reporter, where one voter said he arrived 12 hours earlier and was still in line with hundreds of others. SWAPO's candidate and current vice president, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, was one of the first to vote and called on Namibians "to come out in their numbers". An estimated 1.5 million people in the sparsely populated nation had registered to cast their ballot. SWAPO has governed since leading mineral-rich Namibia to independence from South Africa in 1990 but complaints about unemployment and enduring inequalities could force Nandi-Ndaitwah into an unprecedented second round. Leader of the IPC, Panduleni Itula, a former dentist and lawyer said he was optimistic he could "unseat the revolutionary movement". "We will all march from there and to a new dawn and a new era of how we conduct our public affairs in this country," the 67-year-old told reporters after voting. Itula took 29 percent of votes in the 2019 elections, losing to SWAPO leader Hage Geingob with 56 percent. It was a remarkable performance considering Geingob, who died in February, had won almost 87 percent five years before that. Namibia is a major uranium and diamond exporter but not many of its nearly three million people have benefitted from that wealth. "There's a lot of mining activity that goes on in the country, but it doesn't really translate into improved infrastructure, job opportunities," said independent political analyst Marisa Lourenco, based in Johannesburg. "That's where a lot of the frustration is coming from, (especially) the youth," she said. Unemployment among 15- to 34-year-olds is estimated at 46 percent, according to the latest figures from 2018, almost triple the national average. For the first time in Namibia's recent history, analysts say a second round is a somewhat realistic option. That would take place within 60 days of the announcement of the first round of results due by Saturday. "The outcome will be tight," said self-employed Hendry Amupanda, 32, who queued since 9:00 pm the night before to cast his ballot. "I want the country to get better and people to get jobs," said Amupanda, wearing slippers and equipped with a chair, blanket and snacks. Marvyn Pescha, a self-employed consultant, said his father was part of SWAPO's liberation struggle and he was not going to abandon the party. "But I want SWAPO to be challenged for better policies. Some opportunistic leaders have tarnished the reputation of the party, they misuse it for self-enrichment," the 50-year-old said. While lauded for leading Namibia to independence, SWAPO is nervous about its standing after other liberation-era movements in the region have lost favour with young voters. In the past six months, South Africa's African National Congress lost its parliamentary majority and the Botswana Democratic Party was ousted after almost six decades in power. clv/br/lhd/sbk

NBA Spread and Total Picks for Today, December 30

NoneTech baron Elon Musk has likened the ABC to Russian state media after the national broadcaster’s head said the likes of podcaster Joe Rogan “prey on people’s vulnerabilities” and “contribute to uncertainty in society”. Mr Musk, like Mr Rogan, has positioned himself as a free speech absolutist and mustered enormous global support for promoting unfettered debate. Taking to his social media platform X, Mr Musk reposted Mr Rogan’s reaction to ABC chair Kim Williams’ remarks overnight, writing: “From the head of Australian government-funded media, their Pravda.” Pravda is a state-owned Russian newspaper that has served as a major mouthpiece for the Kremlin for more than 100 years. Mr Rogan himself reposted a clip of Mr Williams’ comments along with a two-word reaction: “LOL WUT.” While many view both Mr Rogan’s podcast and Mr Musk’s X as allowing ideas to flow freely, they have also been accused of fuelling falsehoods and promoting harmful narratives. Mr Williams made the remarks when asked about the enormous influence of podcasters during a National Press Club appearance on Wednesday. “I think people like Mr Rogan prey on people’s vulnerabilities,” he said. “They prey on fear. They prey on anxiety. They prey on all of the elements that contribute to uncertainty in society. “And they entrepreneur fantasy outcomes and conspiracy outcomes as being a normal part of social narrative.” He said he found it “deeply repulsive” and that “to think that someone has such remarkable power in the United States is something that I look at in disbelief.” “I’m also absolutely in dismay that this can be a source of public entertainment when it’s really treating the public as plunder for purposes that are really quite malevolent,” he said. Mr Musk, the world’s richest person, has had a number of fiery encounters with the Albanese government over free speech. He will head Donald Trump’s new Department of Government Efficiency in the US president-elect’s incoming administration.

Arkansas DE Landon Jackson carted off field and taken to hospital with neck injury

Exclusive | Barclays fires over a dozen bankers, traders before Christmas — without giving them bonuses: sourcesCanada is already examining tariffs on certain US items following Trump’s tariff threat

RICE_Dickmann 31 pass from Warner (Horn kick), 12:33. USF_Wright 1 run (Cannon kick), 9:14. RICE_Jackson 12 run (Horn kick), 7:44. RICE_FG Horn 25, :22. RICE_Connors 23 pass from Warner (Horn kick), 6:32. RICE_FG Horn 25, :12. USF_S.Atkins 16 pass from Archie (Cannon kick), 12:22. RICE_Chiaokhiao-Bowman 33 pass from Warner (Sykes pass from Warner), 6:26. USF_K.Singleton 28 pass from I.Carter (Cannon kick), 3:09. USF_Brown-Stephens 32 pass from I.Carter (Cannon kick), 2:25. RUSHING_South Florida, Wright 6-35, Keith 3-31, Archie 10-21, Joiner 9-19, I.Carter 2-5. Rice, Francisco 12-42, Jackson 5-40, Connors 17-40, Chiaokhiao-Bowman 1-2, Warner 5-(minus 11). PASSING_South Florida, Archie 19-35-1-227, I.Carter 5-6-0-93, (Team) 0-1-0-0. Rice, Warner 27-42-0-437. RECEIVING_South Florida, Atkins 7-110, K.Singleton 7-107, Brown-Stephens 6-80, Singletary 2-5, Hardeman 1-12, Yaseen 1-6. Rice, Sykes 7-118, Connors 4-91, Chiaokhiao-Bowman 3-58, K.Campbell 3-52, G.Walker 3-45, Mojarro 3-16, Dickmann 2-36, B.Walker 1-12, Francisco 1-9. MISSED FIELD GOALS_Rice, Horn 41, Horn 39.

NoneAudit to generate revenueVande Bharats to get a bullet boost

Nissan and Honda talks progress to a MOU to battle the EV and Intelligent Vehicle challengePHL net external liability widens at end-SeptemberThe AP Top 25 college football poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here . RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Jaden Green and Geoffrey Jamiel scored on long plays in the fourth quarter and unseeded Lehigh rallied to defeat No. 9 Richmond 20-16 on Saturday in a first-round game of the FCS playoffs. Lehigh advances to a second-round game at eighth-seeded Idaho on Dec. 7. The Mountain Hawks trailed 16-7 early in the fourth quarter after Richmond’s Sean Clarke scored on a 7-yard pass from Camden Coleman. Green dashed 65 yards for a touchdown on the next play from scrimmage and Lehigh trailed 16-14 with 10 1/2 minutes remaining. The Mountain Hawks (9-3) forced a three-and-out, then Jamiel and Hayden Johnson connected on a 56-yard pass play for the go-ahead touchdown. The Spiders were stopped short of midfield on their final drive but nearly came up with a huge play when Lehigh’s Quanye Veney muffed the punt at his own 14-yard line. Ignatious Williams recovered the loose ball for Lehigh to preserve the win. Johnson completed 14 of 18 passes for 199 yards. Jamiel caught 10 for 137 yards. Coleman was 24-of-37 passing for 199 yards. Zach Palmer-Smith had 107 yards rushing for Richmond (10-3). RELATED COVERAGE Sellers’ 20-yard TD run with 1:08 to go lifts No. 16 South Carolina to 17-14 win over No. 12 Clemson No. 7 Tennessee gives up 1st 14 points before rallying to rout Vanderbilt 36-23 Michigan upsets No. 2 Ohio State 13-10 for Wolverines’ 4th straight win over bitter rival Richmond had 249 yards of total offense in the first half but managed only three short field goals by Sean O’Haire. The scoring drives were 76, 70 and 64 yards and Richmond controlled the ball for nearly 21 minutes in the first half. Lehigh took a 7-6 lead on Johnson’s 7-yard TD pass to Logan Galletta, but the Spiders answered with O’Haire’s third field goal for a 9-7 halftime lead. This is 13-time Patriot League champion Lehigh’s first playoff appearance since 2017. Lehigh and Richmond will have a rematch in the 2025 season opener at Lehigh. It will be Richmond’s debut as a member of the Patriot League. __ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Rams keep doing just enough to win, and a team that appeared to be rebuilding this season has climbed all the way to the brink of another playoff berth. The Rams improved to 9-6 and took control of the NFC West on Sunday with their fourth straight victory since Thanksgiving. Their 19-9 win over the New York Jets in sub-freezing temperatures was not dominant — they trailed 9-6 entering the fourth quarter, and they were outgained by nearly 100 yards — but Los Angeles still matched its largest margin of victory this season and continued to look like a looming nightmare for any postseason opponent. The Rams have now won eight of 10 since their bye week, when they were 1-4 and the NFL world wondered whether they would trade Super Bowl MVP receiver Cooper Kupp or even quarterback Matthew Stafford to spur their roster reboot. Los Angeles decided not to punt its season, and Sean McVay's team has driven from last to first. “You don’t want to ride the emotional roller coaster that these games can take you on,” McVay said Monday. “You do have the ability to stay steady, to stay the course and try to right the ship. Certainly that’s not complete by any stretch, but our guys have done an excellent job of not allowing the way that we started, especially in those first five games, to affect what we did coming off that bye.” The Rams also have clinched their seventh winning record in eight regular seasons under McVay — an achievement that shouldn’t get lost in the recent successes of a franchise that had 13 consecutive non-winning seasons before it rolled the dice and hired a 30-year-old head coach back in 2017. After winning it all in February 2022 and then having the worst season by a defending Super Bowl champion in NFL history, the Rams have made the most of their time in between true powerhouse status and a major rebuild. They also started slowly last year, entering their bye at 3-6 before a 7-1 finish. The Rams can become the first team in NFL history to make back-to-back postseason appearances after being three games under .500 each year. These Rams don't stand out on either side of the ball, although their talent level appears to be higher on offense than defense. Instead, they've mastered a delicate balance of complementary football — the offense and defense covering each other's weaknesses and setting up their teammates for success. The Rams have scored more than 30 points just once all season, and they managed only 31 points in their last two games combined. Their defense has allowed only one touchdown in the past two games — but right before that, Josh Allen and the Bills racked up 42 points and 445 yards in the most recent of a few defensive stinkers from LA this season. The Rams keep winning anyway, and now they can clinch McVay's fourth NFC West title by beating Seattle in two weeks. “Fortunately, we’re in a position where you don’t necessarily have to rely on other things to happen if you just handle your business,” McVay said. What's working Kyren Williams and the offensive line are driving the Rams' offense. After a slow start caused partly by McVay being forced to abandon the running game when the Rams repeatedly fell behind early, the 2023 Pro Bowler has surged to career highs of 1,243 yards and 13 rushing touchdowns with his 122-yard performance in New York. What needs help Stafford's 110 yards passing were his fewest with the Rams and the second-fewest in his 16-year career from a full game. Sunday's weather was a major factor, but the Rams must throw the ball effectively to somebody other than Puka Nacua. Kupp has just 193 yards receiving in his past five games combined. Stock up Defensive back Jaylen McCollough made a career-high nine tackles in only 31 snaps. The undrafted rookie continues to be a remarkable find, earning playing time alongside veteran safeties Quentin Lake and Kam Curl and fellow rookie Kam Kinchens. Stock down CB Cobie Durant didn't play for the second straight week despite being cleared to return from his bruised lung. Veteran Ahkello Witherspoon got every snap in place of Durant, who started LA's first 13 games. McVay praised Witherspoon's recent play when asked why Durant didn't get on the field in New Jersey. Injuries The Rams' improved health, particularly on both lines, is the key to their surge. McVay reported no new injuries out of the road trip following Tyler Higbee's successful season debut. Key number 12-1 — The Rams’ record in December with Stafford as their starter over his four years in LA. Next steps The Rams need to win at least one of their final two games to wrap up their first NFC West crown since 2021. They host eliminated Arizona on Saturday night, but can't clinch the division unless the Seahawks lose to moribund Chicago. The Rams are currently the NFC's third seed, but that doesn't matter a whole lot because both the third and fourth seeds will have to play one of the NFC North's two powerful wild-card teams in the opening round. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL Greg Beacham, The Associated Press