Esports World Cup Foundation offers $20M in partner club expansion
‘Oh, Canada’ review: Richard Gere shows the price of a lifetime of deceptionA view of the Essaouira beach in the seaside city of Agadir, one of the hottest tourist sites in Morocco. (Photo by Yang Feiyue/China Daily) China and Morocco share a longstanding positive relationship, with the synergy fostered under the Belt and Road Initiative holding great promise for both nations, said Abdelkader El Ansari, Morocco's ambassador to China. Ambassador El Ansari, who began his tenure in February, has visited several places across China, including Shandong province and the Inner Mongolia autonomous region. "Everywhere I've visited, I've seen significant dynamism, growth and ongoing projects. It reflects a national momentum," El Ansari told China Daily. "The infrastructure and major companies I've visited across various provinces highlight the tremendous potential for deeper economic cooperation between our two countries. This aligns perfectly with Morocco's role in the Belt and Road Initiative." With its strategic position as a gateway to Africa and its proximity to European markets, Morocco has naturally emerged as a key partner in the BRI. "Morocco will be a main pillar in implementing this initiative in our region," Ansari said. In 2017, Morocco and China signed a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly advance the Belt and Road Initiative. In 2022, Morocco became the first country in North Africa to sign an implementation plan for the BRI. Currently, China is Morocco's largest trading partner in Asia and third-largest globally. Morocco is a key trade partner for China in Africa. In 2016, the two countries decided to establish a China-Morocco strategic partnership. One of the key projects in the partnership with China is the Mohammed VI Tangier Tech City, launched in 2017. It is expected to host around 200 Chinese companies and include a 1,000-hectare industrial acceleration zone, Morocco World News reported. "In this smart city, we hope to welcome Chinese companies to implement next-generation projects with high technological value, particularly in the automotive, electronics and robotics sectors," he said. Morocco's automotive exports surged to 160 billion dirhams ($16 billion) in 2023, according to a report from the Exchange Office, the country's foreign trade regulator. Morocco has become a leading auto exporter "thanks to a conducive business environment", Ansari said. Electric vehicles are one of the many sectors where Moroccan and Chinese companies have built strong synergies, he said at a forum organized last week by the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University of China. "In Morocco, we have the human resources and the raw materials needed for electric vehicles and, especially, the batteries. To produce electric vehicles, you need raw materials, technology and skilled labor — elements that Morocco possesses — along with access to other markets." Chinese EV battery giant Gotion High-Tech signed a $1.3 billion agreement in June with the Moroccan government to build a gigafactory in Kenitra. On Nov 13, an MoU was signed between Gotion and Morocco's state-owned investment fund to advance the project. Morocco is aligning its development strategy with the BRI across 14 sectors, including infrastructure, energy, health, education and tourism. "The initiative represents a comprehensive cooperation program between Morocco and China," Ansari said. In 2016, Morocco introduced a visa waiver policy for Chinese citizens, quickly becoming a popular destination for Chinese tourists. Before the visa waiver program, Morocco received about 15,000 Chinese visitors every year. Three years after the policy, the number surged to 200,000. "I am confident that within the next three to four years, we will reach the target of 500,000 visitors," he said. Ansari also highlighted his active participation in key events, such as the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum. "These platforms provide an excellent framework for China, African and Arab partners to celebrate shared friendship and solidarity, discuss mutual interests and build a common vision for the future," Ansari added.Wake Forest still experimenting ahead of Detroit Mercy game
India's former prime minister Manmohan Singh, architect of economic reforms, dies at 92iShares MSCI South Korea ETF (NYSEARCA:EWY) Position Reduced by OneDigital Investment Advisors LLC
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) — Luke Altmyer found Pat Bryant for a catch-and-run, 40-yard touchdown pass with 4 seconds left, sending No. 24 Illinois to a wild 38-31 victory over Rutgers on Saturday. Illinois (8-3, 5-3 Big Ten) was down 31-30 when it sent long kicker Ethan Moczulski out for a desperation 58-yard field goal with 14 seconds to go. Rutgers coach Greg Schiano then called for a timeout right before Moczulski’s attempt was wide left and about 15 yards short. After the missed field goal was waved off by the timeout, Illinois coach Bret Bielema sent his offense back on the field. Altmyer hit Bryant on an in cut on the left side at the 22, and he continued across the field and scored untouched in a game that featured three lead changes in the final 3:07. Rutgers (6-5, 3-5) gave up a safety on the final kickoff return, throwing a ball out of bounds in the end zone as players passed it around hoping for a miracle touchdown. Altmyer was 12-of-26 passing for 249 yards and two touchdowns. Bryant finished with seven receptions for 197 yards. Altmeyer put Illinois in front with a 30-yard TD run with 3:07 to go. He passed to Josh McCray on the 2-point conversion, making it 30-24. Rutgers responded with a 10-play, 65-yard drive. Athan Kaliakmanis had a 15-yard run on fourth down. He passed to running back Kyle Manangai for a 13-yard TD with 1:08 remaining. Illinois then drove 75 yards in eight plays for the unexpected win. Kaliakmanis was 18 for 36 for 174 yards and two touchdowns. He also had 13 carries for 84 yards and two TDs. Monangai had a career-high 28 carries for 122 yards. Kaliakmanis found Ian Strong for a 2-yard touchdown in the final seconds of the first half, and he scored on a 1-yard run to lift Rutgers to a 24-15 lead early in the fourth quarter. Illinois responded with Aidan Laughery’s 8-yard TD run, setting up the roller-coaster finish. The start of the second half was delayed because of a scrum between the teams. There were no punches thrown and the officials called penalties on both schools. Monangai become the third player in Rutgers history to rush for 3,000 yards when he picked up 4 on a third-and-1 carry early in the second quarter. The defending conference rushing champion joins Ray Rice and Terrell Willis in hitting the mark. Illinois: The great finish keeps the Illini in line for its first nine-win season since 2007 and a prestigious bowl game this season. Rutgers: The Scarlet Knights were seconds away from their first in-conference three-game win streak since joining the Big Ten in 2014. Illinois: At Northwestern next Saturday. Rutgers: At Michigan State next Saturday. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-pollRoot Number 6 individuals (born on the 6th, 15th, or 24th of any month) will have their fair share of highs and lows in 2025. The total value of the year is equal to 9, which is controlled by Mars, the planet of activity. Mars will bring energy in the year; you can work toward your goals passionately and vigorously. Still, the Moon (number 2) and Mercury (number 5) will temper this energy. Hence, this will be a year where you need to balance action and emotion. Under the influence of the Moon, you will be more connected with your feelings and look for harmony in your private life. Your gut will be your compass for the whole year. Also Read Numerology for 2025: Find your personal year number in 2025 Career Horoscope 2025 Considering the numerology predictions of Root Number 6 people in 2025, if one knows how to combine desire with rationality and empathy, one can expect a year full of great opportunities in their career field. The energy of the communication planet Mercury will help you in your interviews and make a good impression if you seek a new job. Your self-promoting skills will be high, so you can easily find employers or partners for your project. The year allows you to be unique in the job market, especially if the position needs creativity, emotional intelligence, or communication. For others, 2025 may be the year of a new job responsibility. The aspect of Mars will help you continue your efforts and stand up for yourself in your current occupation. Your superiors will quickly see your aspirations; you could have better prospects if you have pushed yourself. But with the Moon, you may need to bond emotionally and have more stability in the workplace than usual. The combination of passion and sensitivity will be the key to sustained career success. Finance Horoscope 2025 For Root Number 6 people, 2025 will be a year of financial success, but choosing the right risk management strategy is necessary. One of the most important things that you will have to master when it comes to your finances this year is the art of getting your head around the idea of short-term gains and long-term stability. This year, fixed-income investments with an element of growth will be most suitable. Do not get carried away and enter into land deals because they appear financially rewarding at the surface level. Other possibilities include stock market investments. Investing in bonds and stocks will help ensure a financially stable future. This is also a favourable year to work on personal development. You can learn new skills, gain certifications or even improve your qualifications. You might also want to think about health and wellness since this is a long-term investment, and it helps you feel healthy and energetic to tackle other financial goals. Love Horoscope 2025 For Root Number 6 people, the year 2025 is going to be a year of emotional maturity in their relationship life. Singles will have a combination of fun and self-reflection on their plates. Mars will inspire you to act and chase love fervently, but the Moon’s influence will make you sensitive and help you aim for deeper love. You may feel a greater need to pursue relationships beyond mere physical attraction. For those who are newly dating, this is an interesting but rather vulnerable year. Mars’ passion and the Moon’s emotional sensitivity will help one easily fall in love with a new partner. There will be a lot of chemistry between you, but there will be a powerful need for comfort and order. The roles in a relationship should be clearly understood by both of you, as well as your emotional requirements and expectations for the future. 2025 will be a year of personal growth and development in terms of emotional state for those in a relationship. This year can become the year of deepening feelings, provided you will express yourselves and listen to your partner. If some outstanding problems are not solved, this is the right time to solve them and move forward. Health Horoscope 2025 In the physical sense, Root Number 6 people are usually robust, but due to the energies in 2025, you may need to be more careful with some areas of your body. Mars, the planet of energy and action, rules the muscles and the adrenal glands. You may want to take your body to extremes this year, but do not let yourself get carried away. You may easily experience muscle strain or injury, especially if you are involved in physically demanding activities. Mercury will impact your nervous system and communication. You are likely to be more mentally alert than usual, which can cause stress or overthinking. The particular months that might be problematic are March, July, and November because the energies of Mars and Mercury might cause increased stress and physical fatigue.
Analysis: Week 12 full of sloppy play, especially on special teams
Analysis: Week 12 full of sloppy play, especially on special teamsCalifornia will revive its own subsidy programs for electric vehicles if Donald Trump guts US federal tax breaks for such cars, the state's governor said Monday. The president-elect has said repeatedly he would scrap what he called the "electric vehicle mandate" -- actually a $7,500 federal rebate for anyone who purchases an EV. Gavin Newsom, who heads the solidly Democratic state and has pitched himself as a leader of the anti-Trump political resistance, said Monday California was not "turning back" towards polluting transport. "We will intervene if the Trump Administration eliminates the federal tax credit, doubling down on our commitment to clean air and green jobs in California," Newsom said. "We're not turning back on a clean transportation future -- we're going to make it more affordable for people to drive vehicles that don't pollute," he added. "Consumers continue to prove the skeptics wrong -– zero-emission vehicles are here to stay." If Trump scraps the tax credit, California could revive its own Clean Vehicle Rebate Project, which ran until November 2023, granting rebates of up to $7,500 for people buying battery-powered cars, a press release said. California leads the nation in electric vehicle adoption, and is the single biggest market in the country, representing around a third of all units sold in the United States. State figures show that more than two million so-called "zero emission vehicles" -- which include fully electric vehicles as well as plug-in hybrids -- have now been sold in the state, with one-in-four new cars in that category. On the campaign trail, Trump was frequently hostile to electric vehicles, which he has linked with what he calls the "hoax" of climate change. He vowed repeatedly that under his watch the United States would become "energy dominant," chiefly through expanded oil and gas extraction. For many in California, such pledges are anathema, with the state frequently battered by the tangible effects of climate change, from huge wildfires to droughts to furious storms. Newsom -- who many believe has White House ambitions of his own -- has positioned himself as a bulwark against the feared excesses of an incoming Trump administration on issues from climate change to immigration, vowing to be a check on its power. With 40 million people, the sheer size of California's market has for a long time helped set the national tone when it comes to pollution standards for automakers. Rather than make two versions of the same vehicles, Detroit giants have willingly adopted California's tougher rules on emissions and efficiency for nationwide sales. That de facto standard-setting power has angered Republicans like Trump, who say -- on this issue -- states should not be allowed to set their own rules. hg/aha
So far, ByteDance has shown zero willingness to spin off TikTok in the US. The Chinese parent company seems to be banking on the Supreme Court or President-elect rescuing the app . The obvious names that would would buy TikTok if they could — Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, Oracle, etc. — are sitting on the sidelines and waiting to see what happens in the coming weeks. The clock is ticking. Congress to and reminding them that they will be legally liable for continuing to host TikTok in their app stores after January 19th. Then there’s , the real estate billionaire and former owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers. For months, McCourt has been very public about his desire to buy TikTok. He has ramped up his drumbeat since ByteDance recently lost its legal fight on appeal. This week, he pitched more investors on his Project Liberty plan to buy the app’s US operations. When I spoke with McCourt over Zoom in between those investor meetings, he told me he currently has roughly $20 billion behind him for a bid. He has asked , who was briefly TikTok’s CEO the time it was almost banned from the US, to be involved, though Mayer hasn’t signed on. McCourt told me his team has talked to “most” of ByteDance’s biggest American investors and that they’re “very interested” in his plan. (Spokespeople for these firms either declined to comment or didn’t respond to my pings, and Mayer didn’t have a comment.) There are several reasons McCourt’s attempt to buy TikTok is a long-shot, the biggest being that, even if ByteDance wanted to sell, the Chinese government may not let it. Then there are the technical details of his proposal, which would see TikTok put on a that is funded by McCourt and untested with a platform of TikTok’s size. For me, the biggest red flag of all is that there’s a cryptocurrency called Frequency tied to the project. McCourt has high-minded ambitions for how the internet should work that are in line with the rise of federated platforms like ActivityPub and Bluesky. He imagines TikTok offering a marketplace of user-created algorithms, much like Bluesky does today, and users having the ability to own their profiles. Keep reading for more from our conversation this week... Having seen the harms of social media and where the internet was going as it became highly centralized, I dedicated some resources to start a public policy school at my alma mater, Georgetown. I was perhaps naive in retrospect, but I thought that we could get the policymaking apparatus out in front of the problem and steer things in a better direction out of that school. Then I realized that the public policy making apparatus is no match for Big Tech, so I began to go back to my roots. My family has been building infrastructure for 131 years, so this actually isn’t very far afield from our core competency when you think about this not as software at the app layer, but as infrastructure at the base layer. I talked to a few brilliant computer scientists that we have in the company and put the task to them of solving this from an engineering perspective if you had no limitations. The answer came back that you would go ahead and create another protocol that would connect us, just like TCP/IP connects devices and HTTP connects data. Our goal here is bigger than buying TikTok. It’s reimagining how the internet works. Purchasing TikTok and moving 170 million people to a reimagined, upgraded internet would catalyze that alternative and compress time. I see it as both and we’ve been very careful to separate the two. Project Liberty has an institute, a 501(c)(3), that’s purely not-for-profit. DSNP has been gifted to the world. That is being supported by the institute. The layer-one blockchain, Frequency, is tokenized. The community will own the majority of the tokens but that will be a commercial endeavor. TikTok, when we buy it, will be a commercial endeavor. Probably not because I don’t know how you would achieve the objectives we want to achieve, which is to be able to run the platform without the algorithm and give people ownership and control of their relationships. You need an implementation device to use DSNP. I would be totally open, however, if someone else built an alternative to Frequency. We’re looking to decentralize, not further centralize. I admire all the people who are doing that because they are trying to improve the internet and respect individuals. A federated approach is very different than having a universal social graph that’s globally accessible. We’re saying that something has to change fundamentally with the internet. What is doing with Bluesky is great but you still have a Bluesky identity. You’re still on Bluesky and your relationships are on Bluesky. Let’s stipulate that it’s better but you’re still there, right? At some point maybe Jay is not there. People are super excited about this and capital will not be an issue at all. The issue is going to be what ByteDance does. We’ve been saying for over six months that we felt the government was going to win the case. I don’t think ByteDance’s appeal is going to be successful. This is going to be a shut-it-down or sell it scenario. Like President-elect Trump, I’d like to see it not banned. We’re not asking China for the algorithm. We’re not an antitrust threat. We’ll pass CFIUS vetting. We don’t need or want the algorithm. We have a clean stack where the user base can migrate. We don’t know what ByteDance is going to decide. We certainly hope they decide to sell and preserve some value for their shareholders. We’ll do it on terms that we think can be a win-win. China keeps the algorithm. US citizens are protected. The app stays alive. That’s what we’ve got circled right now and that’s an order of magnitude what we think this is worth. Now, I say that with a huge caveat: we don’t know what ByteDance is selling. We think we have a very good idea of what the current numbers are, but it’s not like there’s a data room that ByteDance has set up and we’re inside of it. I think we have a good sense of what this would be worth if ByteDance keeps the algorithm and sells the user base and the content and the brand. There are three categories of investors. One group is the existing American companies that have invested in ByteDance. We’ve talked to most of them. They’re very interested, assuming ByteDance agrees to sell. They would either put more capital in or keep their capital in. A second category are people that are familiar with the asset because they’ve looked at it in the past. Some are looking at it for the first time. These are the large balance sheets that deploy big amounts of capital and they’re interested in what we’re doing. The third category is the bucket of cultural capital, people with influence who are interested in being a part of this and bringing their communities with them. We’ll be able to share once we know what ByteDance is doing. It makes no sense to be barking up the wrong tree here. That’s correct. I reached out before the decision. They were not interested in speaking at that time. We’ll try it again. They know at this stage of the game that we exist, we’re interested, and we hope that there’s incoming at some point as well. But we respect their decision-making process. They’re going to decide what they think is best for their interests. We’re in the process of reaching out. I’ve heard President-elect Trump say he doesn’t want to see the app banned. I’m very interested in having that conversation once this gets sorted on the China side and they decide what they’re going to do. I don’t see the big incumbents being bidders here for a couple of reasons. One is antitrust, obviously. Secondly, imagine you were a tobacco company and you built a big business and then people started to get worried because people were getting sick and dying because of the addiction of cigarettes and carcinogens. If you bought a tobacco company after the surgeon general’s warning, then you were putting a target on your back because you were buying it with the awareness that your product kills people. The growth of these platforms happened really fast. Then we discovered that there are harms. Anybody buying TikTok and replicating the current design, which is to scrape peoples’ data, apply algorithms, and manipulate people, they’re buying this with their eyes wide open. So I don’t see a lot of bidders because people realize they’re just putting a target on their back. Let’s take this problem and actually use it to catalyze an upgraded internet. Then, a lot of the problems go away. A lot of the lawsuits go away. A lot of the harms go away. That’s Project Liberty. Hundreds of the world’s top researchers gathered this week in Vancouver, Canada for NeuralPS, one of the world’s top academic gatherings in the field of AI. I asked (who just published ) what it was like being there on the ground: The conversation came up sometimes, but this is not the place where people actually believe that. AI safety was something I wound up talking about a lot. A research topic that also came up a lot was what focuses on, which is helping AI understand the world like we do in terms of physics and objects. That touches a bunch of cool things — robotics, agents, advanced reasoning. This conference was filled with students from Waterloo and University of Toronto who basically want AI job. (It was quite sweet sometimes watching those students corner an AI exec at a party.) If parties are any indicator, everyone wants to get as close to OpenAI as possible. This is a highly academic conference with lots of people just wanting to do good, deep research. The Midjourney party was 4x oversubscribed and researchers kept sending me the RSVP link. Everyone was asking about the secret OpenAI parties, though. There are plenty of interesting takeaways from . The Microsoft AI CEO doesn’t seem to agree with on the timing of AGI’s arrival, and he revealed that Microsoft won’t train its own frontier models when OpenAI is doing it for them anyway. He also takes some shots at Google’s management culture versus Microsoft’s, which I’m sure will cause some eyes to roll in Mountain View, given the way Suleyman excited. As a follow-up to this conversation, I recommend with and . Reading between the lines, it’s clear that there is ongoing tension between the level of compute Altman wants and what Nadella feels comfortable spending. For those closely following Nvidia’s stock price, Nadella also mentions that Microsoft no longer feels GPU constrained but rather constrained by the power requirements for its data centers. If you aren’t already getting new issues of , , which includes unlimited access to all of our stories and an improved ad experience on the web. You’ll also get , featuring scoops about companies like Google, Meta, OpenAI, and more. As always, I want to hear from you, especially if you have a tip or feedback. Respond here, and I’ll get back to you, or . I’m happy to keep you anonymous. Thanks for subscribing. /Romania braces for parliamentary vote after far right's poll upset
Democrats plan to elect new party leader just days after Trump's inauguration
Their ages vary. But a conspicuous handful of filmmaking lions in winter, or let’s say late autumn, have given us new reasons to be grateful for their work over the decades — even for the work that didn’t quite work. Which, yes, sounds like ingratitude. But do we even want more conventional or better-behaved work from talents such as Francis Ford Coppola? Even if we’re talking about “Megalopolis” ? If Clint Eastwood’s “Juror #2” gave audiences a less morally complicated courtroom drama, would that have mattered, given Warner Bros.’ butt-headed decision to plop it in less than three dozen movie theaters in the U.S.? Coppola is 85. Eastwood is 94. Paul Schrader, whose latest film “Oh, Canada” arrives this week and is well worth seeking out, is a mere 78. Based on the 2021 Russell Banks novel “Foregone,” “Oh, Canada” is the story of a documentary filmmaker, played by Richard Gere, being interviewed near the end of his cancer-shrouded final days. In the Montreal home he shares with his wife and creative partner, played by Uma Thurman, he consents to the interview by two former students of his. Gere’s character, Leonard Fife, has no little contempt for these two, whom he calls “Mr. and Mrs. Ken Burns of Canada” with subtle disdain. As we learn over the artful dodges and layers of past and present, events imagined and/or real, Fife treats the interview as a final confession from a guarded and deceptive soul. He’s also a hero to everyone in the room, famous for his anti-Vietnam war political activism, and for the Frederick Wiseman-like inflection of his own films’ interview techniques. The real-life filmmaker name-checked in “Oh, Canada” is documentarian Errol Morris, whose straight-to-the-lens framing of interview subjects was made possible by his Interrotron device. In Schrader’s adaptation, Fife doesn’t want the nominal director (Michael Imperioli, a nicely finessed embodiment of a second-rate talent with first-rate airs) in his eyeline. Rather, as he struggles with hazy, self-incriminating memories of affairs, marriages, one-offs with a friend’s wife and a tense, brief reunion with the son he never knew, Fife wants only his wife, Emma — his former Goddard College student — in this metaphoric confessional. Schrader and his editor Benjamin Rodriguez Jr. treat the memories as on-screen flashbacks spanning from 1968 to 2023. At times, Gere and Thurman appear as their decades-young selves, without any attempt to de-age them, digitally or otherwise. (Thank god, I kind of hate that stuff in any circumstance.) In other sequences from Fife’s past, Jacob Elordi portrays Fife, with sly and convincing behavioral details linking his performance to Gere’s persona. We hear frequent voiceovers spoken by Gere about having ruined his life by age 24, at least spiritually or morally. Banks’ novel is no less devoted to a dying man’s addled but ardent attempt to come clean and own up to what has terrified him the most in the mess and joy of living: Honesty. Love. Commitment. There are elements of “Oh, Canada” that soften Banks’ conception of Fife, from the parentage of Fife’s abandoned son to the specific qualities of Gere’s performance. It has been 44 years since Gere teamed with Schrader on “American Gigolo,” a movie made by a very different filmmaker with very different preoccupations of hetero male hollowness. It’s also clearly the same director at work, I think. And Gere remains a unique camera object, with a stunning mastery of filling a close-up with an unblinking stillness conveying feelings easier left behind. The musical score is pretty watery, and with Schrader you always get a few lines of tortured rhetoric interrupting the good stuff. In the end, “Oh, Canada” has an extraordinarily simple idea at its core: That of a man with a movie camera, most of his life, now on the other side of the lens. Not easy. “I can’t tell the truth unless that camera’s on!” he barks at one point. I don’t think the line from the novel made it into Schrader’s script, but it too sums up this lion-in-winter feeling of truth without triumphal Hollywood catharsis. The interview, Banks wrote, is one’s man’s “last chance to stop lying.” It’s also a “final prayer,” dramatized by the Calvinist-to-the-bone filmmaker who made sure to include that phrase in his latest devotion to final prayers and missions of redemption. “Oh, Canada” — 3 stars (out of 4) No MPA rating (some language and sexual material) Running time: 1:34 How to watch: Opens in theaters Dec. 13, running 1in Chicago Dec. 13-19 at the Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State St.; siskelfilmcenter.org Michael Phillips is a Tribune critic.A female grizzly has explored a vast swath of Yellowstone National Park since being to the region in July while her male counterpart has been more of a homebody. The two bears were trapped by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks staff in a remote area near the Middle Fork of the Flathead River, just south of Glacier National Park in northwestern Montana. Where the bears roamed was captured by GPS collars the bears are wearing, a map of which was released by FWP on Friday. “We are very pleased to see that both bears have remained in the (Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem), even staying mostly within remote areas of the Recovery Zone,” said Cecily Costello, FWP grizzly bear researcher. “It’s not always easy for a bear to adjust after being moved like this, but they seem to be settling in. We believe both have recently found a den site for the winter.” The grizzlies, both subadults, were moved as a way to genetically connect bear populations in two of the animals' strongholds. The hope is the bears will breed with locals, since the GYE population has been genetically isolated for decades. Grizzly bears in the Lower 48 are currently protected under the Endangered Species Act, although that could change in 2025 as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is expected to rule on petitions to delist the animals in the GYE and the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem, which includes Glacier National Park. Chris Servheen, who who for 35 years worked as grizzly bear recovery coordinator for the USFWS, this week urging his old employer to manage the two populations, as well as those in the Cabinet, Selkirk and Bitterroot mountains, as one metapopulation to promote genetic connectivity. Although Servheen said he was pleased to hear the two relocated bears are doing well so far, he said the state of Montana does not "have adequate regulatory mechanisms in place anywhere outside the areas covered by the NCDE and GYE conservation strategies. "A mandatory requirement of the Endangered Species Act for a species to be recovered and delisted is that adequate mortality management mechanisms and habitat management mechanisms be in place to assure that grizzlies remain healthy and recovered after they are removed from ESA protections," Servheen wrote in an email. "There are no habitat regulatory mechanisms on public lands or mortality regulatory mechanisms of any kind in the areas between the ecosystems where grizzlies need to be to connect ecosystems." FWP said, "Both ecosystems have populations of grizzly bears that have surpassed recovery goals." The agency also said translocation could occur again, "depending on how close the two populations eventually grow." “This just jump starts what very likely will also happen naturally,” said Ken McDonald, head of FWP's Wildlife Division. Servheen said natural connectivity between the separate bear populations is unlikely given current FWP management. "FWP currently allows black bear hound hunting in connectivity areas thus risking grizzly mortalities that will rarely be reported," he said. He also noted the agency recently lost a court case that to between Jan. 1 and Feb. 15 can occur in grizzly bear core habitat to avoid trapping bears outside their hibernation period. "However, that ruling is based on listed status for grizzlies," Servheen said. "If grizzlies were delisted, that federal court ruling would be moot anywhere grizzlies were delisted." The two translocated bears were captured and collared within a day of each other southwest of east Glacier in a remote area and driven overnight to the GYE. One was a 3- to 4-year-old female; the other was a 4- to 5-year-old male. “We were looking for the ideal bears,” McDonald said. “It’s actually not that easy to capture two bears that are prime candidates for translocation.” In this case, the ideal bears were subadult, meaning they were older than cubs but not at sexual maturity yet, had no history of conflict and weighed enough to prepare for hibernation, McDonald said. Bears of this age are often in search of their permanent home range, therefore they are more likely to stay in the relocation than more mature individuals, the agency said. FWP worked with partners from the National Park Service and the Wyoming Game & Fish Department on the translocation destinations. The male bear was hauled by boat to the southern end of Yellowstone Lake. The female was taken to a remote location in the Blackrock Creek drainage west of Dubois, Wyoming. Montana has petitioned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to delist bears in the NCDE, and Wyoming, with support from Montana and Idaho, has petitioned to delist grizzly bears in the GYE. In both ecosystems, FWP said states have met the delisting requirements and addressed concerns identified by the public or lined out by federal courts that have overturned previous delisting efforts. These elements include: Reaching population recovery; having conflict prevention and response programs in place ; continuing with research and monitoring ; establishing a regulatory framework for managing grizzly bears once delisted; continuing with education and outreach about grizzly bears; and safeguarding genetic health. In his report, Servheen cited concerns about Montana, Wyoming and Idaho's "regressive state anti-carnivore policies," such as reducing wolf populations, as evidence they cannot be trusted to preserve grizzly bears. His report was supported by several other grizzly bear biologists. According to McDonald, Montana and Wyoming have and will continue to act on their commitment to connectivity, and the agencies will continue to monitor the bears and their genetics to check for population diversity. “That these bears are exploring their new ecosystem and seem to be doing well is an indication that they’ll thrive in their new environment,” McDonald said. “It also reflects the commitment Montana has to grizzly bear conservation.” In a talk this summer, , a U.S. Geological Survey research biologist and leader of the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team, called connectivity a "non-issue." He said the greater concern should be about protecting landscapes within both ecosystems from greater development and more recreation.
Article content There are any number of ways to approach the scourge of speeding in residential neighbourhoods — but one Colorado resident went a few extra steps than most. And so now cops in Colorado are seeking whoever’s responsible for the manufacture and installation of road signs which take a blunt approach in telling drivers to slow down. Popping up around the city of Boulder, the signs are the correct shape and colour (and close enough in font) to, at first glance, be official signage. However, the wording on them is definitely not approved by the council. They trade typical messaging such as “Slow Down Kids at Play” for a far more blunt “Don’t Kill Any Kids Today.” A simple “Slow the F*** Down” has also appeared, with the four-letter F-word appearing uncensored. One outlet says about five signs total have been spotted. Harsh but fair, we feel, especially given the fact that any deaths or injuries caused by inattentive or reckless driving are too many. Still, there are rules in society preventing the unauthorized addition or alteration of official traffic signs, a law this vigilante effort flouts. “I appreciate the fact that it’s drawing attention to the fact that we’d like people to slow down and not be on their phones,” police commander Darren Fladung told Denver’s 9News. “But there’s probably, again, a few more appropriate ways about getting that message out.” Local media reports the Transportation Department has removed all the rogue signage ; we idly wonder how many of them now reside on the walls of DoT offices as creatively worded trophies. These signs seem to be professionally manufactured in metal and not just simple sheets of laminated paper some frustrated resident duct taped to a pole. An interactive data set said to be maintained by the City of Boulder until about a year ago suggests there were approximately five fatal crashes in and around the area last year . The same data says just under half of the roughly 1,200 total crashes resulted in some sort of injury or potential injury. Numbers appear to have spiked pre-pandemic at about 2,100 crashes involving vehicles, about 600 of which may have caused some injury or fatality. Sign up for our newsletter Blind-Spot Monitor and follow our social channels on X , Tiktok and LinkedIn to stay up to date on the latest automotive news, reviews, car culture, and vehicle shopping advice.I did not envision that during the twilight of my life, I would spend so much time on bended knee, arms extended, hands cupped, and begging, “Please, pretty please, will you kindly make a donation.” But here I am, and for the second week in a row I find myself doing just that. Hopefully, this week will generate a better response than last week’s effort on behalf of the Robeson County Humane Society, which was a complete dud. A couple of days ago I got a call from Tate Johnson, executive director of the Lumber River United Way, and Anthony Dial, Child Support program manager at the Department of Social Services, concerning the Empty Stocking Fund and their worry about its sluggishness. The Empty Stocking Fund is a fundraiser created by The Robesonian in 1978 that provides Christmas for needy children throughout Robeson County, of which there is an abundance. The Robesonian provides a platform for fundraising, and I, as its editor for almost a quarter century, had the delight of pushing for donations during a time in which they trended upward each year. But even after my departure, record totals have been established, so the key has never been me. The key is and always has been the people of this county, and their generosity, which has added up to more than $2 million raised over the lifetime of this effort. United Way manages the fundraising, Social Services screens and approves applicants, and makes sure families get the $60 vouchers to spend on their children. But here is the urgency: With a deadline of Dec. 23, just 10 days away, there has been only $17,890 raised at the time of this writing, woefully short of what is needed to accommodate all the children who have been approved for help. According to Johnson and Dial, 1,532 children are in line for help, meaning at $60 each that the fund needs to generate $91,920 in donations so they all will be smiling on Christmas morning. While that number seems like a bridge too far, more than that has been raised during multiple campaigns. Making a donation to the fund has never been easier, with four ways to do so. They are: — Visit The Robesonian, which is at 2175 Roberts Ave., from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and make a gift in person. — Mail a check to Lumber River United Way at P.O. Box 2652, Lumberton, N.C., 28359. — Call 910-816-1980 and donate by phone. — Visit www.lumberriveruw.org, click donate, and select Empty Stocking Fund – Robeson County. I just visited The Robesonian and made a gift; it is amazing how satisfying that felt. Your turn. Donnie Douglas is a longtime Lumberton resident. Contact him by email at ddouglas521@hotmail.com.
Gabriela Serpa, comic actress of ‘ JB on ATV ‘, was surprised live during her participation in ‘ Magaly TV, the firm ‘, where it was revealed that her lawyer, Elio Riera, who sent her romantic gifts, has a partner and even a daughter. Serpa denied being aware of this information and assured that she has no interest in maintaining a relationship with him, generating a stir in the entertainment world. Gabriela Serpa clarifies her relationship with Elio Riera The model Gabriela Serpa appeared on the program Magaly Medina to talk about the controversy generated by the romantic gifts he received from his lawyer, Elio Riera . In the space hosted by ‘Urraca’, it was revealed that Riera has a partner and even a daughter, a fact unknown to Serpa until that moment. “I didn’t know he was compromised... There is nothing to hide, because the doctor has never pursued me or anything, nor has he told me ‘hey, we have to go out’. It’s the doctor’s problem,” Serpa clarified before the cameras. The controversy began when Serpa boasted on his social networks the romantic details sent by Riera. However, the show’s production discovered that the lawyer was in a relationship. Riera’s partner, upon finding out about his flirtations with the actress, published a message on social networks calling him “disloyal, a liar and unfaithful”, which sparked even more controversy. Elio Riera also sent gifts to other influencers During the program, Magaly Medina revealed a new twist in the story: Elio Riera would have sent similar gifts to Vanessa Lopez ex-partner of ‘Tomato’ Barraza . Given this information, Gabriela Serpa reacted with surprise: “Ah, I’m not the only one,” she commented, making it clear that she was unaware of the lawyer’s intentions. Although she admitted that she frequented Riera’s office for legal issues, Serpa assured that she has no interest in a romance with him. “I don’t see anything wrong with him, what’s my fault, Magaly. I’m not innocent, but I don’t have anything to do with his relationship problems either,” added the actress, seeking to distance herself from the scandal. Join our entertainment channel
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