casino card game 4 letters New Delhi, Nov 23 (PTI) The Congress on Saturday described the Maharashtra poll outcome as "unexpected and inexplicable", and claimed that the level-playing field in the state was disturbed in a targeted manner as part of a conspiracy to defeat it. The opposition party, however, hailed the poll results in Jharkhand, saying the people of the state have categorically rejected the "politics of polarisation" peddled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance swept the Maharashtra polls, decimating the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) with a landslide victory, while the INDIA bloc retained Jharkhand, voters in both states giving the parties in power an emphatic thumbs up. Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters here, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh asserted that his party may have lost the polls in Maharashtra but it would continue to raise the issues that it has been raising since the parliamentary polls. "On Maharashtra, there can be no two ways about it that in a targeted manner, the level-playing field, a phrase that the Election Commission often uses, was disturbed. The election results are unexpected, very surprising and inexplicable," Ramesh said. "Some people are analysing the poll results of Maharashtra and saying this is a victory of development, and an NCP leader has stated that the Congress party's fake narrative has been rejected by the people of the state. This is wrong, there should not be any doubt that the agenda we had during the Lok Sabha polls -- economic inequalities, social polarisation, protection of the Constitution, a caste census and the Modani scams -- these issues are as important and we will continue to raise those," he added. The people of Maharashtra have not rejected this, the Congress leader said. The Congress will analyse the results but even those who won did not expect this, Ramesh said. "We were expecting that we will get the mandate. Farmers were upset and everyone believed that we will get the mandate. The results are absolutely opposite to this, but this does not mean that we will deviate from our agenda," he said. "We will re-energise our organisation on the basis of this agenda. We have gotten a jolt but this jolt was given. There was a conspiracy to defeat us," Ramesh claimed. He said Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had a word with AICC Maharashtra in-charge Ramesh Chennithala and in the next 24 to 36 hours, there will be a meeting where various issues related to the poll results will be discussed. Hailing the Jharkhand Assembly polls verdict, Ramesh congratulated the people of the state for showing the country a new way and "categorically rejecting" the politics of polarisation. "(Assam Chief Minister) Himanta Biswa Sarma, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, (Union minister) Shivraj Chouhan, Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi -- what all did they not say? The entire election was about one issue and one word -- 'ghuspetiya' (infiltrators). Attempts were made to create fear but people have given a decisive verdict," he said. "This is a positive message for the whole country that politics of polarisation can be defeated and we will defeat it," the Congress leader asserted. Addressing the presser, Congress's media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said as the principal opposition party, "we find it our responsibility to keep raising issues of transparency in elections". "The Lok Sabha election was fought in the name of Modiji in Maharashtra and the BJP did not do well. The same state gives the same BJP 132 out of 148 seats (contested by the saffron party) within four-five months. What kind of a strike rate is this? Is this strike rate possible? Democracy is our concern," Khera said. "Whether we win or lose, we will continue to question the election process and raise issues of transparency. In a country where exam papers are leaked, can we blindly trust the machines? You cannot shut us up by showing the results of Jharkhand. To date, apart from poetry, we have not received any concrete answer from the Election Commission," he said. (This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)

WASHINGTON (AP) — A top White House official on Wednesday said at least eight U.S. telecom firms and dozens of nations have been impacted by a Chinese hacking campaign. Deputy national security adviser Anne Neuberger offered new details about the breadth of the sprawling Chinese hacking campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans. Neuberger divulged the scope of the hack a day after the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued guidance intended to help root out the hackers and prevent similar cyberespionage in the future. White House officials cautioned that the number of telecommunication firms and countries impacted could still grow. The U.S. believes that the hackers were able to gain access to communications of senior U.S. government officials and prominent political figures through the hack, Neuberger said. “We don’t believe any classified communications has been compromised,” Neuberger added during a call with reporters. She noted that because the hack appeared to be targeting a relatively small group of individuals, only a small number of Americans' phone calls and texts have been compromised. Neuberger added that impacted companies are all responding, but none “have fully removed the Chinese actors from these networks.” “So there is a risk of ongoing compromises to communications until U.S. companies address the cybersecurity gaps the Chinese are likely to maintain their access,” Neuberger said. She said that President Joe Biden has been briefed on the findings and that the White House “has made it a priority for the federal government to do everything it can to get to the bottom this.” The Chinese embassy in Washington on Tuesday rejected the accusations that it was responsible for the hack after the U.S. federal authorities issued new guidance. “The U.S. needs to stop its own cyberattacks against other countries and refrain from using cyber security to smear and slander China,” embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu said. The embassy did not immediately respond to messages on Wednesday. White House officials believe that the hacking was regionally targeted and the focus was on very senior government officials. Federal authorities confirmed in October that hackers linked to China targeted the phones of then-presidential candidate Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance, along with people associated with Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris. The number of countries impacted by the hack is currently believed to be in the “low, couple dozen,” according to a senior administration official. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House, said they believed the hacks started at least a year or two ago. The suggestions for telecom companies released Tuesday are largely technical in nature, urging encryption, centralization and consistent monitoring to deter cyber intrusions. If implemented, the security precautions could help disrupt the operation, which has been dubbed Salt Typhoon, and make it harder for China or any other nation to mount a similar attack in the future, experts say. Neuberger pointed to efforts that have been made to beef up cybersecurity in the rail, aviation, energy and other sectors following the May 2021 ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline . “So, to prevent ongoing Salt typhoon type intrusions by China, we believe we need to apply a similar minimum cybersecurity practice,” Neuberger said. The cyberattack by a gang of criminal hackers on the critical U.S. pipeline, which delivers about 45% of the fuel used along the Eastern Seaboard, sent ripple effects across the economy, highlighting cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the nation’s aging energy infrastructure. Colonial confirmed it paid $4.4 million to the gang of hackers who broke into its computer systems as it scrambled to get the nation's fuel pipeline back online. Associated Press writer David Klepper contributed reporting.The Rome Court said its ruling was based on international legal principles and represents worldwide attempts to negotiate the Israeli-Palestinian dispute by taking an impartial position on the controversial matter of al-Quds’s ownership. “Acknowledging (al-Quds) as Israel’s capital would go against international law and go against Italy’s promises to support peace and neutrality in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” the court said. The ruling highlighted the global stance that the city’s status must be resolved through negotiations. The Rome Court said the decision underscores Italy’s commitment to peace and neutrality in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, emphasizes diplomacy over unilateral actions, and reflects the complexities of achieving a fair, lasting resolution to al-Quds’s contentious status. The ruling was welcomed by pro-Palestinian organizations and human rights groups seeing it as a confirmation of the global legal system that upholds Palestinian rights. They said that declaring al-Quds as Israel’s “capital” without a negotiated agreement “weakens the chances for peace and validates Israeli actions in territories under occupation.” Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on the rights situation in Palestine, also reacted to the Italian court’s ruling and praised the “important” decision. “Today it doesn’t rain, it pours. Important decision in the Italian justice system re the status of (al-Quds): stop calling it the capital of Israel, it is not. And the judge’s motivation is really touching,” Albanese wrote in a post on her X social media account. The United Nations, through resolutions like UN Security Council Resolution 478, has clearly stated that Israel’s declaration in al-Quds is invalid, advising member countries against setting up diplomatic offices there. Negotiations between the occupying entity and Palestine are expected to determine the final status of the city under the two-state solution framework. More than 700,000 Israelis live in over 230 settlements built since the 1967 Israeli occupation of the West Bank and East al-Quds. The international community views the settlements as illegal under international law and the Geneva Conventions due to their construction on the occupied territories. Palestinians want the West Bank as part of a future independent Palestinian state with East al-Quds as its capital.

In the backdrop of a new exhibition ‘Fonseca: An Indic Lexicon’ at the Xavier Institute Historical Research, Porvorim, NT NETWORK examines how the late Goan artist Angelo da Fonseca is gradually finding more ground in his homeland KALYANI JHA | NT NETWORK Goa has been the birthplace of many artists, some of whom have gained world prominence. Yet, not all of them were fully accepted by their community in their homeland. Among these was the great modernist painter late Angelo da Fonseca. Indeed, the St. Estevam-born artist, faced ire from the Portuguese administration in Goa at that time, the church, and his village, for his portrayal of Christian icons in Indian settings, which went against the then popular European version of Christianity. This led the Shantiniketan School of Art artist to leave Goa and settle in Pune where he produced most of his works at the Anglican Christa Prema Seva Ashram. His works went on to feature in major exhibitions, including in Rome. In fact, he also received a knighthood from the pope and two medals from Pope Pius XII. And now, over 50 years since his passing away in 1967, this forgotten artist in Goa with over 1,000 paintings exploring Christian art themes in the Indian context and colours is being reviewed, studied, and slowly getting his due recognition. Leading this revival of interest in his art is writer and artist Savia Viegas who has been studying Fonseca’s works since 2009. In fact, after presenting a paper on his work in Gujarat at the MS University, Baroda, Viegas received a one-year grant from the India Foundation for the Arts in 2010 to do further research. She has since curated a number of exhibitions on Fonseca at the Xavier Centre of Historical Research (XCHR), Porvorim. “I found his ideas very fascinating. Very few people looked at it that way. They just think he is an iconic painter. But when I saw the connection between development of the nation and polity and the kind of icons Fonseca was painting, it was fascinating,” she shares. She further explains that Fonseca started painting in 1931 and continued till 1967. These were the years of the freedom movement in India with major developments in the process of de-colonisation. “So, there are a lot of ideas about freedom struggle, Indian-ness, about having God look like Indian and not European which are embedded in his ideas,” says Viegas. Dwelling on the unkindness that Fonseca received for his works back in the day, Viegas states that this can be observed in some of his correspondence that she has access to. “It didn’t affect his painting but it definitely made him very despondent. He said, ‘I paint for the public but the public doesn’t accept my images’,” shares Viegas. “At one point of time he says, ‘How does it matter who I paint, who I don’t paint? What matters is that looking at a painting you are inspired by the ideas I am trying to convey’.” Viegas says that when she shared her ideas with the Jesuits at XCHR, they were helpful in allowing her to have a freehand in curating the exhibitions. In fact, the XCHR are the custodians of a collection of Fonseca’s original artworks which have been gifted to the centre by his widow Ivy. The Centre has been making these accessible for public viewing through these various exhibitions like ‘A Christmas Story’ which showed his paintings on Christmas and nativity, ‘The Power and The Glory’ which dwelt on the Lenten period, and ‘Maiden, Muse and Madonna’. Recently, a new exhibition ‘Fonseca: An Indic Lexicon’ opened at the centre. “This year, we decided to look at some paintings that were made during the year that India as a nation was being born after a colonial period,” says Viegas. She adds that this art exhibition has gotten a better response from people. “An artist collection is not to be kept in archive. It is to be shown to people because it was painted for people. The Jesuits are doing a fantastic job in this respect,” says Viegas. In fact, director of XCHR Fr. Rinald D’ Souza admits to learning more about Fonseca through the last three exhibitions he curated with Viegas. “Every time I look at Fonseca, I discover something more about him and something more about myself,” he says. Talking about the deep connection of the Jesuits and Fonseca, Fr. D’Souza explains that Fonseca had a deep association with Fr. Matthew Lederle who was also writing a lot on Indian Christian art. “Lederle was also instrumental in Fonseca’s travel to Nuremberg, Germany where a substantial portion of his collection resides. A lot of work was done for the Jesuits at that time,” he shares. He adds that Fonseca was one of the most important artists of the 20th century not just from the Goan and Christian perspective. “One of the things was that he made this change that moved the face of Christian iconography,” he says, adding that as a cultural institution, the XCHR has to do their best to promote Fonseca. But this journey to get this master artist his due, is an ongoing struggle, reveals Viegas. “I don’t think it is easy for an artist, especially in Goa, to make a mark, no matter how good he is. People are a little apathetic to art. We have good infrastructure now. But cultural appreciation and critique has to come from people. It is only then Fonseca and other forgotten artists will be redeemed,” says the curator. In fact, with the goal of throwing more light on Fonseca, two years ago, Fr. Délio Mendonça, while working at the XCHR, published a coffee table book titled ‘Fonseca’. “I had access to some literature on Fonseca from our library and to his many originals. But there was no book or relatively complete monograph on the artist. There were brief essays about this artist but not easily accessible. This lacuna is one of the reasons that led me to write the book,” he shares. Since the XCHR was the custodian of the Fonseca artworks and with plans for an art gallery for his large legacy, Fr. Mendonca thought that a book dedicated to the magnum opus of Fonseca was necessary to showcase Fonseca’s art and his thoughts to a larger public in India and in the Church; and to prevent Fonseca from falling into total oblivion. Architect Gerard Da Cunha who published the book adds that it was done for the simple reason that everybody had forgotten Fonseca. “I suppose books and exhibitions have popularised him now and he is getting into the mainstream as being one of Goa’s main artists. He was an artist beyond his time. And it takes time to bring a man back to his history,” he says. Fr. Mendonca too opines that books and exhibitions are a sign of recognition of the artist. But more needs to be done. “His works, his thoughts and the motivation for creating a new Christian iconography for India and the world can inspire religious, social and political life,” says Fr. Mendonca. “It is not easy to acknowledge the works of persons when these disturb our holy traditions and question our cherished assumptions. But art should also disturb, provoke and renew our commitments.” He adds that there is a need for an art gallery to bring out Fonseca’s art. “His universal thoughts and spirituality are important for contemporary India,” says Fr. Mendonca, adding that Fonseca’s work reflected human and divine representations emanating peace, devotion, tenderness and serenity. To take the interest in Fonseca’s artworks further, Viegas will soon be coming out with her monograph titled ‘Angelo da Fonseca: An Artist of His Time’with six chapters dealing with different facets of Fonseca’s life and art. “It looks at his early life, at his Bengal school influence of other artists. It also looks at the kind of technique he used and the kind of colours he made. The book also examines all the images he created. There is a special chapter on Our Lady and then the last chapter deals with how people responded to his work,” she shares. The XCHR is also looking at further plans to bring Fonseca into mainstream art discussion. “A lot more has to be done. This includes an extensive website to get Fonseca to the public and to make the collection known. We also would like to start educational programmes for school children and public and invite lecturers,” shares Fr. D’Souza. “But in terms of him getting his due, that depends on the public and how they accept Fonseca as their own.”

Hayward Holdings CEO Kevin Holleran sells $799,140 in stock

How to Watch Top 25 Women’s College Basketball Games – Monday, November 25BEIRUT -- Thousands of people fled the central Syrian city of Homs, the country’s third largest, as insurgents seized two towns on the outskirts Friday, positioning themselves for an assault on a potentially major prize in their march against President Bashar Assad. The move, reported by pro-government media and an opposition war monitor, was the latest in the stunning advances by opposition fighters over the past week that have so far met little resistance from Assad’s forces. A day earlier, fighters captured the central city of Hama , Syria’s fourth largest, after the army said it withdrew to avoid fighting inside the city and spare the lives of civilians. The insurgents, led by the jihadi Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, have vowed to march to Homs and the capital, Damascus, Assad’s seat of power. Videos circulating online showed a highway jammed with cars full of people fleeing Homs, a city with a large population belonging to Assad’s Alawite sect, seen as his core supporters. If Assad’s military loses Homs, it could be a crippling blow. The city, parts of which were controlled by insurgents until 2014, stands at an important intersection between Damascus and Syria’s coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus, where Assad enjoys wide support. Homs province is Syria’s largest in size and borders Lebanon, Iraq and Jordan. The city is also home to one of Syria’s two state-run oil refineries. Pressure on the government intensified from multiple directions. Opposition protesters stormed security posts and army positions in the southern province of Sweida, opposition activists said. U.S.-backed Kurdish forces who control eastern and northeastern Syria began to encroach on government-held territory. After years of largely being bottled up in a northwest corner of the country, the insurgents burst out a week ago, captured the northern city of Aleppo, Syria’s largest , and have kept advancing since. Government troops have repeatedly fallen back. The sudden offensive has flipped the tables on a long-entrenched stalemate in Syria’s nearly 14-year-old civil war. Along with HTS, the fighters include forces of an umbrella group of Turkish-backed Syrian militias called the Syrian National Army. Turkey has denied backing the offensive , though experts say insurgents would not have launched it without the country's consent. HTS’s leader, Abu Mohammad al-Golani, told CNN in an exclusive interview Thursday from Syria that Assad’s government was on the path to falling, propped up only by Russia and Iran. “The seeds of the regime’s defeat have always been within it,” he said. “But the truth remains, this regime is dead.” A key question about Assad’s ability to fight back is how much top ally Russia — whose troops back Assad’s forces — will throw support his way at a time when it is tied up in the war in Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said he planned to discuss the developments in Syria with his Turkish and Iranian counterparts at a meeting Friday in the Qatari capital, Doha. In an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, he said international actors were backing the insurgents’ advances and that he would discuss “the way to cut the channels of financing and arming them.” Meanwhile, Russia’s embassy in Syria issued a notice reminding Russian citizens that they may use commercial flights to leave the country “in view of the difficult military-political situation.” The foreign ministers of Iran, Iraq and Syria — three close allies — gathered Friday in Baghdad to consult on the rapidly changing war. Syrian Foreign Minister Bassam Sabbagh said the current developments may pose “a serious threat to the security of the region as a whole.” The insurgent fighters on Friday took over the central towns of Rastan and Talbiseh, putting them 5 kilometers (3 miles) from Homs, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor. “The battle of Homs is the mother of all battles and will decide who will rule Syria,” said Rami Abdurrahman, the Observatory’s chief. Pro-government Sham FM said the insurgents entered Rastan and Talbiseh without facing any resistance. There was no immediate comment from the Syrian military. The Observatory said Syrian troops had left Homs. But the military denied that in comments reported by the state news agency SANA, saying troops were reinforcing their positions in the city and were “ready to repel” any assault. In eastern Syria, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces coalition said it had moved into the government-held half of the city of Deir el-Zour, apparently without resistance. One of the main cities in the east, Deir el-Zour had long been split between the government on the western side of the Euphrates River and the SDF on the eastern side. The SDF also said it took control of further parts of the border with Iraq. That appeared to bring it closer to the government-held Boukamal border crossing. The crossing is a vital for the government because it is the gateway to the corridor to Iran, a supply line for Iran-backed fighters, including Lebanon’s Hezbollah. At the same time, insurgents seized Syria’s sole crossing to Jordan, according to opposition activists. Jordan announced it was closing its side of the crossing. Lebanon also closed all but one of its border crossings with Syria. The opposition assault has struck a blow to Syria’s already decrepit economy. On Friday, the U.S. dollar was selling on Syria’s parallel market for about 18,000 pounds, a 25% drop from a week ago. When Syria’s conflict erupted in March 2011, a dollar was valued at 47 pounds. The drop further undermines the purchasing power of Syrians at a time when the U.N. has warned that 90% of the population is below the poverty line. Syria’s economy has been hammered for years by the war, Western sanctions, corruption and an economic meltdown in neighboring Lebanon, Syria’s main gate to the outside world. Damascus residents told The Associated Press that people are rushing to markets to buy food, fearing further escalation. The worsening economy could be undermining the ability of Syria’s military to fight, as the value of soldiers’ salaries melts away while the insurgents are flush with cash. Syria’s military has not appeared to put up a cohesive counteroffensive against the opposition advances. SANA on Friday quoted an unnamed military official as saying the Syrian and Russian air forces were striking insurgents in Hama province, killing dozens of fighters. Syria’s defense minister said in a televised statement late Thursday that government forces withdrew from Hama as “a temporary tactical measure” and vowed to gain back lost areas. “We are in a good position on the ground,” Gen. Ali Mahmoud Abbas said, saying troops remained “at the gates of Hama.” He spoke before the opposition advanced further south toward Homs. He said the insurgents, whom he described as “takfiri” or Muslim extremists, are backed by foreign countries. He did not name the countries but appeared to be referring to Turkey and the United States. ___ Associated Press writers Albert Aji in Damascus, Syria, and Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey, contributed to this report.True freshman Luke Kromenhoek threw three touchdown passes and Caziah Holmes ran for two more as host Florida State routed Charleston Southern 41-7 on Saturday afternoon in Tallahassee, Fla. The Seminoles (2-9) convincingly snapped a six-game losing streak and ensured that the Buccaneers (1-11) would finish theirs on a 10-game skid. Florida State has not had much to celebrate during one of its worst seasons in program history. But on Saturday, the Seminoles overcame a rough start and put together one of their more complete efforts of the season. Florida State had not scored more than 21 points in a game prior to Saturday's contest and its 175 rushing yards more than doubled its average (80.5 per game) this season. No single runner had over 40 yards, but seven rushers combined for that output on 34 attempts. The Seminoles entered the game ranked 130th out of 133 FBS teams in rushing offense. Holmes, a senior, finished with three carries for 38 yards, including touchdown runs of 3 and 18 yards. Kromenhoek gave Florida State a sliver of hope for its quarterback future as he completed 13 of 20 passes for 209 yards and no interceptions. He threw TD passes for Amaree Williams, Ja'Khi Douglas and Hykeem Williams. The highlight was a 71-yard touchdown pass to Douglas on the first play from scrimmage of the second half to put the Seminoles ahead 24-0. Douglas finished with 82 yards receiving on three catches, and 10 different Florida State players caught passes for 240 total yards. The Seminoles went 6 of 10 on third downs after averaging only a 25 percent conversion rate all season. Their defense held Charleston Southern to 275 total yards (57 rushing) and forced two turnovers. Florida State was unable to hang on to the shutout, however, as Bucs quarterback Kaleb Jackson found Landon Sauers for a 7-yard touchdown pass with 57 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Jackson completed 22 of 32 passes for 218 yards, one touchdown and one interception. The Bucs defense recorded three sacks led by Davion Williams, who had eight tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and one sack. The Seminoles will conclude their season next Saturday at home against rival Florida. --Field Level Media

In the backdrop of a new exhibition ‘Fonseca: An Indic Lexicon’ at the Xavier Institute Historical Research, Porvorim, NT NETWORK examines how the late Goan artist Angelo da Fonseca is gradually finding more ground in his homeland KALYANI JHA | NT NETWORK Goa has been the birthplace of many artists, some of whom have gained world prominence. Yet, not all of them were fully accepted by their community in their homeland. Among these was the great modernist painter late Angelo da Fonseca. Indeed, the St. Estevam-born artist, faced ire from the Portuguese administration in Goa at that time, the church, and his village, for his portrayal of Christian icons in Indian settings, which went against the then popular European version of Christianity. This led the Shantiniketan School of Art artist to leave Goa and settle in Pune where he produced most of his works at the Anglican Christa Prema Seva Ashram. His works went on to feature in major exhibitions, including in Rome. In fact, he also received a knighthood from the pope and two medals from Pope Pius XII. And now, over 50 years since his passing away in 1967, this forgotten artist in Goa with over 1,000 paintings exploring Christian art themes in the Indian context and colours is being reviewed, studied, and slowly getting his due recognition. Leading this revival of interest in his art is writer and artist Savia Viegas who has been studying Fonseca’s works since 2009. In fact, after presenting a paper on his work in Gujarat at the MS University, Baroda, Viegas received a one-year grant from the India Foundation for the Arts in 2010 to do further research. She has since curated a number of exhibitions on Fonseca at the Xavier Centre of Historical Research (XCHR), Porvorim. “I found his ideas very fascinating. Very few people looked at it that way. They just think he is an iconic painter. But when I saw the connection between development of the nation and polity and the kind of icons Fonseca was painting, it was fascinating,” she shares. She further explains that Fonseca started painting in 1931 and continued till 1967. These were the years of the freedom movement in India with major developments in the process of de-colonisation. “So, there are a lot of ideas about freedom struggle, Indian-ness, about having God look like Indian and not European which are embedded in his ideas,” says Viegas. Dwelling on the unkindness that Fonseca received for his works back in the day, Viegas states that this can be observed in some of his correspondence that she has access to. “It didn’t affect his painting but it definitely made him very despondent. He said, ‘I paint for the public but the public doesn’t accept my images’,” shares Viegas. “At one point of time he says, ‘How does it matter who I paint, who I don’t paint? What matters is that looking at a painting you are inspired by the ideas I am trying to convey’.” Viegas says that when she shared her ideas with the Jesuits at XCHR, they were helpful in allowing her to have a freehand in curating the exhibitions. In fact, the XCHR are the custodians of a collection of Fonseca’s original artworks which have been gifted to the centre by his widow Ivy. The Centre has been making these accessible for public viewing through these various exhibitions like ‘A Christmas Story’ which showed his paintings on Christmas and nativity, ‘The Power and The Glory’ which dwelt on the Lenten period, and ‘Maiden, Muse and Madonna’. Recently, a new exhibition ‘Fonseca: An Indic Lexicon’ opened at the centre. “This year, we decided to look at some paintings that were made during the year that India as a nation was being born after a colonial period,” says Viegas. She adds that this art exhibition has gotten a better response from people. “An artist collection is not to be kept in archive. It is to be shown to people because it was painted for people. The Jesuits are doing a fantastic job in this respect,” says Viegas. In fact, director of XCHR Fr. Rinald D’ Souza admits to learning more about Fonseca through the last three exhibitions he curated with Viegas. “Every time I look at Fonseca, I discover something more about him and something more about myself,” he says. Talking about the deep connection of the Jesuits and Fonseca, Fr. D’Souza explains that Fonseca had a deep association with Fr. Matthew Lederle who was also writing a lot on Indian Christian art. “Lederle was also instrumental in Fonseca’s travel to Nuremberg, Germany where a substantial portion of his collection resides. A lot of work was done for the Jesuits at that time,” he shares. He adds that Fonseca was one of the most important artists of the 20th century not just from the Goan and Christian perspective. “One of the things was that he made this change that moved the face of Christian iconography,” he says, adding that as a cultural institution, the XCHR has to do their best to promote Fonseca. But this journey to get this master artist his due, is an ongoing struggle, reveals Viegas. “I don’t think it is easy for an artist, especially in Goa, to make a mark, no matter how good he is. People are a little apathetic to art. We have good infrastructure now. But cultural appreciation and critique has to come from people. It is only then Fonseca and other forgotten artists will be redeemed,” says the curator. In fact, with the goal of throwing more light on Fonseca, two years ago, Fr. Délio Mendonça, while working at the XCHR, published a coffee table book titled ‘Fonseca’. “I had access to some literature on Fonseca from our library and to his many originals. But there was no book or relatively complete monograph on the artist. There were brief essays about this artist but not easily accessible. This lacuna is one of the reasons that led me to write the book,” he shares. Since the XCHR was the custodian of the Fonseca artworks and with plans for an art gallery for his large legacy, Fr. Mendonca thought that a book dedicated to the magnum opus of Fonseca was necessary to showcase Fonseca’s art and his thoughts to a larger public in India and in the Church; and to prevent Fonseca from falling into total oblivion. Architect Gerard Da Cunha who published the book adds that it was done for the simple reason that everybody had forgotten Fonseca. “I suppose books and exhibitions have popularised him now and he is getting into the mainstream as being one of Goa’s main artists. He was an artist beyond his time. And it takes time to bring a man back to his history,” he says. Fr. Mendonca too opines that books and exhibitions are a sign of recognition of the artist. But more needs to be done. “His works, his thoughts and the motivation for creating a new Christian iconography for India and the world can inspire religious, social and political life,” says Fr. Mendonca. “It is not easy to acknowledge the works of persons when these disturb our holy traditions and question our cherished assumptions. But art should also disturb, provoke and renew our commitments.” He adds that there is a need for an art gallery to bring out Fonseca’s art. “His universal thoughts and spirituality are important for contemporary India,” says Fr. Mendonca, adding that Fonseca’s work reflected human and divine representations emanating peace, devotion, tenderness and serenity. To take the interest in Fonseca’s artworks further, Viegas will soon be coming out with her monograph titled ‘Angelo da Fonseca: An Artist of His Time’with six chapters dealing with different facets of Fonseca’s life and art. “It looks at his early life, at his Bengal school influence of other artists. It also looks at the kind of technique he used and the kind of colours he made. The book also examines all the images he created. There is a special chapter on Our Lady and then the last chapter deals with how people responded to his work,” she shares. The XCHR is also looking at further plans to bring Fonseca into mainstream art discussion. “A lot more has to be done. This includes an extensive website to get Fonseca to the public and to make the collection known. We also would like to start educational programmes for school children and public and invite lecturers,” shares Fr. D’Souza. “But in terms of him getting his due, that depends on the public and how they accept Fonseca as their own.”NoneWASHINGTON – Military leaders are rattled by a list of “woke” senior officers that a conservative group urged Pete Hegseth to dismiss for promoting diversity in the ranks if he is confirmed to lead the Pentagon. The list compiled by the American Accountability Foundation includes 20 general officers or senior admirals and a disproportionate number of female officers. It has had a chilling effect on the Pentagon’s often frank discussions as leaders try to figure out how to address the potential firings and diversity issues under President-elect Donald Trump. Recommended Videos Those on the list in many cases seem to be targeted for public comments they made either in interviews or at events on diversity, and in some cases for retweeting posts that promote diversity. Tom Jones, a former aide to Republican senators who leads the foundation, said Friday that those on the list are “pretty egregious” advocates for diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, policies, which he called problematic. “The nominee has been pretty clear that that has no place in the military,” Jones said of Hegseth. Hegseth has embraced Trump’s effort to end programs that promote diversity in the ranks and fire those who reflect those values. Other Trump picks, like Kash Patel for FBI director, have suggested targeting those in government who are not aligned with Trump. But Hegseth has been fighting to save his nomination as he faces allegations of excessive drinking and sexual assault and over his views questioning the role of women in combat. He spent the week on Capitol Hill trying to win the support of Republican senators, who must confirm him to lead the Pentagon, doing a radio interview and penning an opinion column. Some service members have complained in the past about the Pentagon's DEI programs, saying they add to an already heavy workload. The Pentagon still has a long way to go in having a general officer corps or specialty occupations such as pilots that have a racial and gender makeup reflective of the country. A defense official who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the list said senior leaders are hoping that once Trump is sworn in, they will be able to discuss the issue further. They are prepared to provide additional context to the incoming administration, the official told The Associated Press, which is not publishing the names to protect service members’ privacy. Former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Friday that the list would have “considerable, wide and deep consequences.” He said when military members see people singled out, they will start focusing on their own survival rather than the mission or their job. “You will drive people out,” Hagel said. “It affects morale as widely and deeply as anything — it creates a negative dynamic that will trickle through an organization." The list, which was first reported by The New York Post, includes nine Air Force general officers, seven Navy admirals of different ranks and four Army general officers. Eight of those 20 are women even though only 17% of the military is female. None are Marines. One female Navy officer was named because she gave a speech at a 2015 Women’s Equality Day event, where she noted that 80% of Congress is male, which affects what bills move forward. The officer also was targeted because she said “diversity is our strength.” The phrase is a widely distributed talking point that officers across the Pentagon have used for years to talk about the importance of having a military that reflects different educational, geographic, economic, gender and racial backgrounds in the country. An Air Force colonel, who is white, was called out for an opinion piece he wrote following the death of George Floyd, saying, “Dear white colonel, we must address our blind spots about race.” A female Air Force officer was targeted because of “multiple woke posts” on her X feed, including a tweet about LGBTQ rights, one about “whiteness” and another about honoring the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on a stamp. Another female Air Force officer was on the list because she “served as a panelist for a diversity, equity and inclusion” discussion in 2021. The list names an Army officer who traveled to 14 historically Black colleges to expand the military’s intelligence recruitment efforts, and an Air Force officer partly because he co-chairs the Asian-Pacific Islander subgroup of the service’s diversity task force. Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for the Trump transition team, said in a statement that “No policy should be deemed official unless it comes directly from President Trump.” But in an interview Wednesday for Megyn Kelly’s SiriusXM satellite radio show, Hegseth said Trump told him he wanted a “warfighter” who would clean out the “woke crap.” Hegseth got a boost Friday from Trump, who posted on his social media site that Hegseth “will be a fantastic, high energy, Secretary of Defense.” The president-elect added that “Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that!!!” Jones told the AP in June that his American Accountability Foundation was investigating scores of federal employees suspected of being hostile to Trump's policies. The work aligns with the Heritage Foundation’s far-reaching Project 2025 blueprint for a conservative administration. A letter Jones sent to Hegseth containing the list, dated Tuesday, says “purging the woke from the military is imperative.” The letter points to tensions with Iran, Russia and China and says “we cannot afford to have a military distracted and demoralized by leftist ideology. Our nation’s security is at stake.” Conservatives view the federal workforce as overstepping its role to become a power center that can drive or thwart a president’s agenda. During the first Trump administration, government officials came under attack from the White House and congressional Republicans, as Trump's own Cabinet often raised objections to some of his more singular or even unlawful proposals. ___ AP writer Courtney Bonnell contributed from Washington.

Police say they’ve arrested several people following an anti-NATO protest that included two car fires and left some businesses with smashed windows. Montreal police say they made at least three arrests following a demonstration that began late afternoon Friday. Police say that during the march, smoke bombs were deployed, metal barriers were thrown into the street and windows of businesses and at the convention centre were smashed. Delegates from NATO member states and partner countries are in Montreal this weekend to discuss issues including support for Ukraine, climate change and the future of the alliance. The protest was planned by the groups Divest for Palestine and the Convergence of Anti-Capitalist Struggles, who did not immediately respond to requests for comment Saturday. Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly condemned the protests in a Saturday morning post on social media platform X, saying that “rioting is not peaceful protest and has no place in Montreal or anywhere in Canada.” “Those who spread hate and antisemitism, use violence, loot and destroy property must be condemned and held accountable,” she added. Police spokesperson Manuel Couture says the demonstrators were completely dispersed at around 7 p.m. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 23, 2024.

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(Reuters) – Data analytics firm Palantir Technologies and defense tech company Anduril Industries have partnered to use defense data for artificial intelligence training, the companies said on Friday. The partnership will leverage Palantir’s AI platform to structure, label and prepare defense data for training to deploy those models onto national security systems, while Anduril’s systems will aid in the retention and distribution of government defense data. Companies across sectors have increasingly shifted focus toward AI to automate their workflows. However, its application in defense is still nascent, as data needed to train models in the sector is sometimes sensitive. “U.S. companies are developing world-leading models but struggling to deploy them at scale with government partners for defense applications,” the companies said. The partnership comes days after Anduril announced a partnership with ChatGPT-maker OpenAI aimed at developing and deploying advanced AI solutions for national security missions. Founded in 2017, Anduril offers autonomous solutions across a wide range of defense operations and also has experience automating robotic systems in tactical areas. Palantir, one of the largest beneficiaries of the GenAI boom, has seen strong spending from governments and rising demand for its software services from businesses looking to adopt the technology. (Reporting by Utkarsh Shetti in Bengaluru; Editing by Alan Barona) Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from the Reuters news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content. var ytflag = 0;var myListener = function() {document.removeEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);lazyloadmyframes();};document.addEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);window.addEventListener('scroll', function() {if (ytflag == 0) {lazyloadmyframes();ytflag = 1;}});function lazyloadmyframes() {var ytv = document.getElementsByClassName("klazyiframe");for (var i = 0; i < ytv.length; i++) {ytv[i].src = ytv[i].getAttribute('data-src');}} Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );Reports: Rangers G Igor Shesterkin agrees to record $92M deal

Goalkeeper Donovan Leon was in fine form as reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain were held to a goalless draw by hosts Auxerre in Ligue 1. Léon's string of superb saves thwarted PSG's attacking stars, who went goalless for the first time this season on Friday. After a fairly even first 45 minutes, PSG camped in the Auxerre half but could not find a way past León, who made memorable stops from Gonçalo Ramos, Achraf Hakimi, Kang-In Lee, Désiré Nonka-Maho and Randal Kolo Muani. Vitinha saw one curling shot come back off the bar. PSG had 25 shots to Auxerre's six and 15 corners to Auxerre's three but the home side still could have stolen all three points, as PSG keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma had to make a smart stop from Hamed Traorè. PSG remained eight points clear on top of Ligue 1, while Auxerre are eighth. At the Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Canadian striker Jonathan David scored two and made another as Lille brushed past Brest 3-1 to extend their unbeaten run to 10 games in the league. The last time Lille lost to Brest at home was in 1989 and that long run never looked likely to fall as David turned in a man-of-the-match performance. He put Lille ahead from the penalty spot after nine minutes and he got away from his marker and crossed for Hákon Haraladsson to clip home a second just before half-time. Ludovic Ajorque got one back for Brest early in the second half but David restored Lille's two-goal cushion when he pounced on a loose ball to slide home his team's third. David's goals took his season total to 17 in 23 games. Those were his 10th and 11th in the league and lifted him to the top of the Ligue 1 goal-scoring chart. Lille joined Marseille and Monaco in second place on 26 points.Iowa turns to former walk-on QB to start against MarylandQ. My husband recently retired from a high-level position. He has things to do but nothing seems to rekindle his spark. I think he is going through a mid-life crisis in later life. Is there such a thing? M.N. What you are describing might be called a late-life crisis . Such a crisis is described by Richard Leider and David Shapiro in their book, “What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Old? The Path of Purposeful Aging” (2021, Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc.). Here are some signs the authors identify: experiencing dissatisfaction, a loss of identity, an expectations gap and the feeling that life has peaked. Some also may believe life is a downhill journey. It’s having a feeling of being irrelevant. And it’s not just a guy thing. Both men and women are likely to experience it equally. Several events can cause a crisis in later life. Among them is the death of a loved one, an illness, money problems or no longer being able to walk the usual number of miles or having difficulty with poses in a yoga class. It also could be just boredom, doing the same thing day after day. Then there is retirement , which also can be a cause. For many, the loss of the work role can leave a huge gap in the reason to get up in the morning. For many, work is more than just a paycheck . It can provide a sense of purpose, social connection, structure for the day and knowing someone or some entity expects something from us. In a sense, it’s knowing we are needed. But other causes can cause a crisis in addition to the loss of the work role. For example, being out of touch with current technology, feeling unemployable and invisible in social situations or the marketplace. How do individuals know if they are experiencing a late-life crisis? Here are several questions that can serve as a clue, suggested by Leider and Shapiro. One key to avoiding or managing a late-life crisis is to not go it alone. “Isolation is fatal,” write Lieder and Shapiro. This makes me want to share examples from a recent discussion, not necessarily of a crisis, but increased awareness of the question of “who am I now and who do I want to be?” This discussion took place at a meeting with a group of women who are not going it alone. The group was made up of retired career women who are part of Renewment , a small grassroots movement that supports and inspires career women from work to retirement and beyond. Most were not going through a crisis, yet raised questions that indicated there are issues that may not reach the crisis level, yet still are important. For example, a retired successful entrepreneur asked the question, “Am I doing as much as I am capable of? Do I want to have an impact on a small or large scale?” A recent widow said, “Being a widow is not where I wanted to be at this time in my life; it’s not my identity. I feel so fragmented exploring who I am.” Another added, “I continue to be so hard on myself; always feeling I should do more; I am busy but not happy.” These same women and others in the group shared tips on avoiding problems that could lead to a late-life crisis. A therapist has emerged as an artist in New York and another was deeply involved in the election. A retired professor is traveling to Cuba and a former teacher launched a foundation. They have engagements that reflect a passion and sense of purpose. That’s the topic for next week. A point to remember: No one gets through this life alone. As Leider and Shapiro warn against isolation, remember that finding friends, colleagues, counselors or family members to talk about what’s going on can help avoid a crisis. Stay well everyone and as always, be kind. Helen Dennis is a nationally recognized leader on issues of aging and the new retirement with academic, corporate and nonprofit experience. Contact Helen with your questions and comments at Helendenn@gmail.com . Visit Helen at HelenMdennis.com and follow her on facebook.com/SuccessfulAgingCommunity