no deposit bonus casino If any film has the power to change the world, it’s “Wicked.” When I saw it on stage, I thought it was an above-average show that would best be remembered for turning Gen Z-ers onto theater. And seeing young girls in the lobby dressed as princesses and witches was as uplifting as hearing “Defying Gravity.” But the movie version stirred me even more by doubling down on the show’s anti-bullying theme and the consequences of shutting out those who don’t look like us, messages that resonate more than ever. Plenty of people have already experienced the magic. It made $162.5 million in its opening weekend, setting it up to be the most successful film ever based on a Broadway production. It’s bound to be a contender during awards season. One of the reasons for its popularity is that it’s a companion piece to the beloved “The Wizard of Oz,” one in which we discover that Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West (Cynthia Erivo) isn’t all wicked and Glinda the Good Witch (Ariana Grande) isn’t all good. For others, that plot line is a major turn off. They’d rather face down flying monkeys than sit through a musical. But I urge skeptics to suffer through the sappy songs and focus on the moments that remind you of times you’ve felt like an outsider. Sandy Lor, a 29-year-old social influencer based in the Twin Cities, had never seen the musical when she attended a special preview before the Nov. 22 release. The initial draw for her was Grande and director Jon M. Chu, who previously helmed 2018′s “Crazy Rich Asians,” one of the best rom-coms of the last decade. Lor didn’t expect to get so emotional during the scene in which the green-faced Elphaba is ridiculed at a party for wearing a crooked, black hat and doing a dance that may remind you of Elaine Benes’ herky-jerky moves on “Seinfeld.” But the heart-wrenching moment turns to pure joy when she is joined on the floor by her college roommate Glinda, transforming them from bitter rivals to tight friends. “I’ve been in Elphaba’s shoes before,” said Lor, who uses the name @sandysprosium when offering fashion and lifestyle tips online. “Her walking onto the dance floor was like me walking into the lunch area in high school and not knowing where to sit because I didn’t have a clique. That scene shows that it takes just one person to be on your side to make a big change. I didn’t know a movie could move me this much.” The bond between the two future witches is a huge part of both the film and the musical. The crowd I saw it with erupted into applause when the original version’s pair, Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, made unexpected screen cameos. But I had completely forgotten about the dark sub-plot in which there’s a campaign to domesticate Oz’s talking animals by caging them and slowly robbing them of their ability to speak. Chu emphasizes that story line in the film by adding some sympathetic characters, including a bear nanny who nurses Elphaba through her childhood, and a cub that grows up to be the Cowardly Lion. One of the film’s more harrowing moments is when Dr. Dillamond (voiced by Peter Dinklage) is arrested for the “crime” of being a brilliant goat. “When he’s taken away, Elphaba asks, ‘What are we going to do?”' said Dan McNeil, executive director at Peacemaker Minnesota, a Roseville-based, non-profit group committed to fighting harassment in schools. “I hope that’s a question everyone asks when they see bullying going on.” The film also has a direct correlation to debates around the world about immigration, assimilating — or rejecting — other cultures. That theme was one of the reasons Chu, whose parents were born in Taiwan and China, jumped at the chance to direct “Wicked.” ‘‘’The Wizard of Oz’ had such an influence on my own family — an immigrant family that came to America with these dreams,’’ Chu told the New York Times. ‘’We’re going through such a changing period in our culture, and this hit it so on the nose — that change is difficult, that the Yellow Brick Road may not be the path for all of us.” McNeil thinks the film might inspire conversations with friends and family during the holiday season. At the very least, it may make those already standing up against discrimination feel like they’ve got reinforcements. But can a movie, even a blockbuster, really bring us closer together? It can’t hurt. “It takes schools, political leadership, corporate leadership, but also cultural influences like movies and music,” McNeil said. “Every little bit helps.”

LIVERPOOL HEAD COACH Arne Slot was far from happy with his side’s performance in the 1-0 victory at Girona which extended the Champions League leaders’ perfect start to six matches. Mohamed Salah’s 63rd-minute penalty – his 50th goal in the competition – was the difference but it was far from plain sailing with the first half particularly disturbing for Slot. “If you ask me about all the six games, I’m really pleased with all the results,” he said. “I’m really pleased with the five games, the way we played. I am far from pleased about the performance tonight.” Asked what had made him so unhappy he added: “A lot. Especially two things. “If you play against a team who has such a good idea about football and know how to bring the ball out from the back like some other teams we faced recently, like (Manchester) City or Real Madrid then you have to be so intense if you want to make it difficult for them. “But if every time you are waiting a few seconds and then if you do press, you are so easily out-played as this team can cause you problems and this is what they showed during the whole Champions League campaign, except for PSV Eindhoven away. “I almost feel sorry for them because they deserve so much more in this campaign than the three points they have now. “And every time we lost the ball we were not aggressive enough, almost every time they just went all the way to our goal. “We had hardly any control in the game, maybe the second half was better – I’m trying to be positive.” The low intensity meant goalkeeper Alisson Becker had a busier night than he would have expected after returning from two months out with a hamstring injury. He made five saves in the first half to help extend the club’s run without conceding for close to nine hours and Slot was indebted to the Brazil international. “We have an incredible goalkeeper. I said as a joke, maybe the players wanted to see how fit he was to give him so much work,” he added. “He showed today he is probably one of the best – in my opinion the best goalkeeper – in the world. “Let’s hope he can continue to keep bringing these performances and hope more he can stay fit.”A fugitive gains fame in New Orleans eluding dart guns and netsWASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers, meet your latest lobbyists: online influencers from TikTok. The platform is once again bringing influencers to Washington, this time to lobby members of Congress to reject a fast-moving bill that would force TikTok's Beijing-based parent company to sell or be banned in the United States. On Tuesday, some influencers began a two-day advocacy event in support of TikTok, which arranged their trip ahead of a House floor vote on the legislation on Wednesday. But unlike a similar lobbying event the company put together last March when talks of a TikTok ban reached a fever pitch, this year’s effort appeared more rushed as the company scrambles to counter the legislation, which advanced rapidly on Capitol Hill. Summer Lucille, a TikTok content creator with 1.4 million followers who is visiting Washington this week, said if TikTok is banned, she “don’t know what it will do” to her business, a plus-sized boutique in Charlotte, North Carolina. “It will be devastating,” Lucille said in an interview arranged by the platform. In an unusual showing of bipartisanship, a House panel unanimously approved the measure last week. President Joe Biden has said he will sign the legislation if lawmakers pass it. But it’s unclear what will happen in the Senate, where several bills aimed at banning TikTok have stalled. The legislation faces other roadblocks. Former president and current presidential candidate Donald Trump, who holds sway over both House and Senate Republicans, has voiced opposition to the bill, saying it would empower Meta-owned Facebook, which he continues to lambast over his 2020 election loss. The bill also faces pushback from some progressive lawmakers in the House as well as civil liberties groups who argue it infringes on the First Amendment. TikTok could be banned if ByteDance, the parent company, doesn’t sell its stakes in the platform and other applications it owns within six months of the bill’s enactment. The fight over the platform takes place as U.S.-China relations have shifted to that of strategic rivalry, especially in areas such as advanced technologies and data security, seen as essential to each country’s economic prowess and national security. The shift, which started during the Trump years and has continued under Biden, has placed restrictions on export of advanced technologies and outflow of U.S. monies to China, as well as access to the U.S. market by certain Chinese businesses. The Biden administration also has cited human rights concerns in blacklisting a number of Chinese companies accused of assisting the state surveillance campaign against ethnic minorities. TikTok isn’t short on lobbyists. Its Beijing-based parent company ByteDance has a strong lobbying apparatus in Washington that includes dozens of lobbyists from well-known consulting and legal firms as well as influential insiders, such as former members of Congress and ex-aides to powerful lawmakers, according to the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew will also be in Washington this week and plans to meet with lawmakers, according to a company spokesperson who said Chew’s visit was previously scheduled. But influencers, who have big followings on social media and can share personal stories of how the platform boosted their businesses — or simply gave them a voice — are still perhaps one of the most powerful tools the company has in its arsenal. A TikTok spokesperson said dozens of influencers will attend the two-day event, including some who came last year. The spokesperson did not immediately respond to questions about how many new people would be attending this year’s lobbying blitz. The company is briefing them ahead of meetings with their representatives and media interviews. Lucille, who runs the boutique in North Carolina, says has seen a substantial surge in revenue because of her TikTok page. The 34-year-old began making TikTok content focusing on plus-sized fashion in March 2022, more than a decade after she started her business. She quickly amassed thousands of followers after posting a nine-second video about her boutique. Because of her popularity on the platform, her business has more online exposure and customers, some of whom have visited from as far as Europe. She says she also routinely hears from followers who are finding support through her content about fashion and confidence. JT Laybourne, an influencer who also came to Washington, said he joined TikTok in early 2019 after getting some negative comments on videos he posted on Instagram while singing in the car with his children. Laybourne, who lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, said he was attracted to the short-form video platform because it was easy to create videos that contained music. Like Lucille, he quickly gained traction on the app. He says he also received more support from TikTok users, who reacted positively to content he produced on love and positivity. Laybourne says the community he built on the platform rallied around his family when he had to undergo heart surgery in 2020. Following the surgery, he said he used the platform to help raise $1 million for the American Heart Association in less than two years. His family now run an apparel company that gets most of its traffic from TikTok. “I will fight tooth-and-nail for this app,” he said. But whether the opposition the company is mounting through lobbyists or influencers will be enough to derail the bill is yet to be seen. On Tuesday, House lawmakers received a briefing on national security concerns regarding TikTok from the FBI, Justice Department and intelligence officials. AP Journalist Didi Tang contributed to this report. This story was originally published on March 12, 2024. It was updated on December 23, 2024 to clarify a quote by TikTok content creator Summer Lucille.

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All three major US indices scored records, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average finishing above 45,000 for the first time. "The market at this point is looking for excuses to go up, and there's not really anything that might work against that narrative," said Steve Sosnick of Interactive Brokers. "Over the last couple of days, it's managed to ignore all sorts of inconvenient things and decided that the situation in France doesn't matter for them," Sosnick said of the stock market. "The situation in Korea doesn't matter." South Korea's stock market fell less than feared and the won rebounded from earlier losses after President Yoon Suk Yeol swiftly reversed a decision to impose martial law. In Europe, Paris stocks managed to advance as France's government faced looming no-confidence votes. Late Wednesday in Paris, French lawmakers voted to oust the government of Prime Minister Michel Barnier after just three months in office, pushing the country further into political uncertainty. For the first time in over sixty years, the National Assembly lower house toppled the incumbent government, approving a no-confidence motion that had been proposed by the hard left but which crucially was backed by the far-right headed by Marine Le Pen. "Political turmoil in both France and South Korea provide a uncertain backdrop for global markets, with the likely removal of both Barnier and Yoon bringing the potential for both countries to find a fresh direction," said Joshua Mahony, chief market analyst at Scope Markets. Thomas Mathews, head of Asia-Pacific markets at Capital Economics, said the losses in Seoul could have been "much worse" had the president not aborted his plan. "Rarely does a combined sell-off in a country's stocks, bonds and currency feel like a relief rally," he said. Oil prices turned lower after surging around 2.5 percent Tuesday, mainly after the United States sanctioned 35 companies and ships it accused of involvement with Iran's "shadow fleet" illicitly selling Iranian oil to foreign markets. Major producers at the OPEC+ grouping led by Saudi Arabia and Russia were set to meet Thursday to discuss extending output limits. Back in New York, major indices were led by the Nasdaq, which piled on 1.3 percent to finish at a third straight record. Wednesday's gains came after payroll firm ADP said US private-sector hiring in November came in at a lower-than-expected 146,000 jobs, while a survey from the Institute for Supply Management showed weaker sentiment than expected in the services sector. But the lackluster data boosts expectations that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates later this month. At a New York conference, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell refrained from tipping his hand, but he "didn't say anything that would scare the market," said Briefing.com analyst Patrick O'Hare. O'Hare noted that Wednesday's gains were led by large tech names such as Nvidia and Microsoft, which are major AI players. The boost followed strong results from Salesforce, which was the biggest gainer in the Dow with an 11 percent jump. New York - Dow: UP 0.7 percent at 45,014.04 (close) New York - S&P 500: UP 0.6 percent at 6,086.49 (close) New York - Nasdaq Composite: UP 1.3 percent at 19,735.12 (close) London - FTSE 100: DOWN 0.3 percent at 8,335.81 (close) Paris - CAC 40: UP 0.7 percent at 7,303.28 (close) Frankfurt - DAX: UP 1.1 percent at 20,232.14 (close) Seoul - Kospi Index: DOWN 1.4 percent at 2,464.00 (close) Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 0.1 percent at 39,276.39 (close) Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: FLAT at 19,742.46 (close) Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 0.4 percent at 3,364.65 (close) Euro/dollar: UP at $1.0510 from $1.0509 on Tuesday Pound/dollar: UP at $1.2702 from $1.2673 Dollar/yen: UP at 150.56 yen from 149.60 yen Euro/pound: DOWN at 82.71 from 82.92 pence Brent North Sea Crude: DOWN 1.8 percent at $72.31 per barrel West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 2.0 percent at $68.54 per barrel burs-jmb/jgcNo. 25 UConn hoping Alex Karaban returns vs. Texas

Alicia Ojeda and her young daughter sat in the giant Ticket Concourse hall in Union Station with hundreds of others, anxiously awaiting the start of the holiday festivities on Monday night, Nov. 25. The mother and daughter came from South Los Angeles to see Santa switch on the 30-foot Christmas tree, listen to music from Los Rebeldes Romanticos, and sip hot chocolate in the historic train station’s north patio, said Ojeda. Her daughter, however, was wishing for something else. “Cats,” said Anastasia, twice. “Cats.” To which her mother quickly answered: “Oh, she just loves cats.” Well, the night may have disappointed Anastasia, but the crowd seemed to enjoy the 9th Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony put on by Metro Arts and LA Metro. There were no cats, per se, but there were fairies and angels adorned with electric white lights swirling their wings, and golden stars dancing in the moonlit patio — both performed on stilts — who stirred the imagination of tiny tots with eyes all aglow. Two elves in green were dwarfed by a large pot-bellied Santa in a red suit who wondered how the tree would light just by the touch of a wireless button on stage. “I don’t see any cables. Do you think it will work?” he mused, then touched the button and added golden, twinkling lights to the tree, sending oohs from the patient crowd. LA Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins and Whittier City Councilmember and Metro vice chair Fernando Dutra greeted the large crowd and helped with the tree-lighting. After getting a hug from St. Nick, Wiggins thanked him for her greatest gift so far this season. “I’ve been on the good list, Santa, all year long. We now have 1 million people riding Metro every day,” she announced. She was referring to September and October ridership on the vast Metro system surpassing the one million mark for the first time since before the pandemic, with average weekday ridership at 1,025,262 in October, the latest figures available. The standing-only crowd craned their necks to see the band, who revived the Los Angeles Bolero movement with their melodic Latin American ballads and cumbias. In between, they snuck in some Christmas classics singing in English, “Let It Snow,” a wish that, well, wasn’t happening in balmy Los Angeles. Even the clouds had parted outside, chasing away intermittent rain sprinkles. Can Los Angeles properly celebrate the holidays without snow, weather that’s frightful, or chestnuts roasting on an open fire? Just ask Yolanda McClamb, who came from Culver City riding the Metro E Line train to attend her first-ever holiday celebration in Union Station. “There are many events across Los Angeles that have that kind of holiday spirit,” McClamb said. She has attended other shows in the 1939 building, celebrating its 85th year anniversary. Union Station serves Metro’s A, B and D lines and a fleet of Metrolink and Amtrak trains, and a bus plaza, where folks can get across the city and to and from LAX. Many parents and children waited in long lines to greet Santa and have their pictures taken. Just before the event, those exiting the A Line train received free tamales from a vendor, as part of the festival. McClamb mentioned other events she’s experienced at Union Station, including the model train show and a video game extravaganza event in the recent past. But on Monday night, she discovered a new band and Boleros music. And she drew hope and encouragement from the crowd to begin the holiday season. “We just love the spirit, the camaraderie and the amazing music selection,” she said. Dutra expressed a wish of togetherness for the season during this difficult political season for many in Southern California. “I want Angelenos to have a happy, safe Christmas. I want everyone to come together, put politics aside and focus on the reason why we are here for the Christmas season,” he said in an interview after the tree lighting. Los Angeles Conservancy will be conducting 90-minute “Holidays at Union Station” tours on Dec. 5, 12 and 19 starting at 5:30 p.m. The guided tours will take visitors through the historic station at night highlighting the holiday décor. To register for tours go to: Tours & Events – LA Conservancy.

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Referee David Coote will not appeal against termination of contractBy MICHAEL RUBINKAM and MATTHEW BROWN Swaths of Pennsylvania and many other states are honeycombed with old, unstable mines that can cause the earth to suddenly give way — a phenomenon known as “ mine subsidence ” that poses a threat to people and property. That’s what searchers in Westmoreland County, just southeast of Pittsburgh, fear led to the disappearance of 64-year-old Elizabeth Pollard . Pollard and a young granddaughter were looking for a lost cat when she went missing Monday evening. At about the same time, a sinkhole appeared roughly 20 feet (6 meters) from where she had parked her car, in an area above an old coal mine. The granddaughter was found safe inside the car hours later, while the difficult and potentially dangerous search for Pollard continues. Mine subsidence has caused billions of dollars in damage in areas of the U.S. where mining once took place. In Pennsylvania alone, coal was mined in nearly half of the state’s 67 counties and there are at least 5,000 abandoned underground mines, leaving behind hazards that officials say can arise at any time. The Marguerite Mine that authorities believe resulted in the sinkhole was last operated in 1952 by the H.C. Frick Coke Co., according to the state Department of Environmental Protection. The coal seam in the area is about 20 feet (6 meters) beneath the surface. The state Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation will examine the scene when the search concludes to see if the sinkhole was indeed caused by mine subsidence, spokesperson Neil Shader said. There are as many as 500,000 abandoned mines in the U.S. — far outnumbering those that are still active, according to the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration. Related Articles National News | Two children wounded and gunman dead after shooting at Northern California school National News | Dog food recalled in 7 states for salmonella risk after puppy litter gets sick, FDA says National News | White House says at least 8 US telecom firms, dozens of nations impacted by China hacking campaign National News | Powell: Fed’s independence from politics is vital to its interest rate decisions National News | United Healthcare CEO kept a low public profile. Then he was shot to death in New York In many cases their owners simply walked away from coal or precious metals mines when they became uneconomical to operate and declared bankruptcy, leaving behind safety hazards and costly pollution cleanups that public agencies must handle. Old mines pose myriad dangers , with 381 people killed and 152 injured at abandoned mine sites nationwide between 2000 and 2013, according to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. Victims can fall into hidden shafts, get lost in underground tunnels or perish from poisonous gases present in many old coal mines. Mine shafts can extend hundreds of feet beneath the surface and often are unmarked. State and federal agencies have sealed off many old mines. But more are discovered every year and officials have yet to conduct basic risk analyses on most of the abandoned mines on federal land. Besides the safety hazards, millions of gallons of water loaded with arsenic, lead and other toxic metals flows daily from contaminated mine sites without being treated. Rubinkam reported form northeastern Pennsylvania and Brown reported from Billings, Montana.

By Jay Berry SEC teams may find themselves battling snow and freezing temperatures in the Midwest as the college football postseason approaches. The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is known for its warm-weather football, but when its teams travel north to the Midwest, they face unfamiliar winter conditions. There has been much talk and opinion on the college football playoff rankings. Some of these concerns concern the perceived media bias supporting the SEC. Depending on how the playoff rankings shake out, there could be some interesting games in the Midwest. Depends on where they play. Might actually see the SEC schools have to travel outside of the South and freeze their arses off for once. Just sayin' There is still much to play out, but the weather could be a fun factor in the first round of games. As of Thursday morning, these were the weather conditions at locations that northern colleges could potentially host a first-round playoff game as much of the Midwest got hit with their first snowfall of 2024. Ohio State: 32 degrees and snowing. Penn State: 35 degrees and raining. Indiana: 32 degrees and snowing. Notre Dame: 31 degrees and snowing. Weather right now at the schools that would currently be hosting the College Football Playoff in one month: Ohio State: 32 degrees and snowing Penn State: 35 degrees and raining Indiana: 32 degrees and snowing Notre Dame: 31 degrees and snowing pic.twitter.com/vQ81ZDNktF The first 12-team college football playoff should be nothing short of entertaining, especially given the regular season parody we’ve seen so far. A team like Georgia or Alabama could rise to the top in the most important games. That makes this playoff intriguing, especially if we get some winter-weather matchups with southern teams not prepared for the cold. With two weeks left in the regular season, there is still much to decide. This weekend, Ohio State and Indiana will play in a huge Big Ten matchup in Columbus , Ohio. With Oregon already securing a spot in the Big Ten championship game, the Buckeyes-Hoosiers game is huge for the conference. There is also a lot to work out in the SEC, with quite a few two-loss teams. Also, the conference championship game, Even Though Lane Kiffin thinks the game is too much of a risk for the team to lose and potentially be out of the playoffs. Maybe Ole Miss will make it in and play a first-round Midwest game. They would need quite a bit of the Hotty Toddy.Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari highlighted the importance of visionary leadership in shaping India’s growth story, speaking at CNBC TV18’s Indian Business Leader Awards (IBLA) 2024. Responding to a question about how his leadership style has evolved, Gadkari remarked, “For every leader, vision is very important. You can donate eyes, but you cannot donate vision. Futuristic vision for our country is crucial.” He outlined the interconnected challenges of unemployment and poverty, emphasising the critical role of infrastructure in addressing them. “We have a large population and still face unemployment and poverty. To overcome this, we need to increase productivity. Infrastructure—water, power, transport, and communication—is the foundation for attracting capital investment. Without it, we cannot grow industries, generate employment, or eradicate poverty,” Gadkari explained. The Minister linked this vision to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ambitions for India, saying, “The vision of our Prime Minister is to make India a $5 trillion economy and the third-largest economy in the world. From villages to cities, we must focus on futuristic planning and implementation to achieve this.” Days after GDP growth for the July–September quarter of FY25 slowed to 5.4%, its lowest in two years, Gadkari stressed the need to revitalise rural and tribal India, which he identified as holding untapped economic potential. Despite agriculture supporting 65% of India’s population, it contributes only 14% to the GDP. “We must integrate innovation, technology, and diversification into the agricultural sector to address this imbalance,” he urged. Gadkari also called for increased private sector participation to help drive India’s economic transformation. Also read : IBLA 2024: India will be No. 1 in alternate fuel and biofuel in 10 years, says Nitin Gadkari Reiterating his vision for alternate fuels, the Minister stated that green hydrogen is the future and that India is on the cusp of becoming a global leader in biofuels. “In 10 years, India will be number one in the world in alternate fuel and biofuel. The fossil fuel-based economy is massive, but we are moving toward sustainable alternatives,” he affirmed. Gadkari’s remarks underscored the need for grassroots planning, agricultural reforms, and infrastructure development to realise the dream of Atmanirbhar Bharat and to secure India’s position as a global economic powerhouse.Albertsons’ $24.6 billion merger with Kroger blocked by judgeLeague fines Hawks $100,000 for Young missing NBA Cup game

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By ZEKE MILLER, Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday reached a required agreement with President Joe Biden’s White House to allow his transition staff to coordinate with the existing federal workforce before taking office on Jan. 20. The congressionally mandated agreement allows transition aides to work with federal agencies and access non-public information and gives a green light to government workers to talk to the transition team. But Trump has declined to sign a separate agreement with the General Services Administration that would have given his team access to secure government offices and email accounts, in part because it would require that the president-elect limit contributions to $5,000 and reveal who is donating to his transition effort. Related Articles The White House agreement was supposed to have been signed by Oct. 1, according to the Presidential Transition Act, and the Biden White House had issued both public and private appeals for Trump’s team to sign on. The agreement is a critical step in ensuring an orderly transfer of power at noon on Inauguration Day, and lays the groundwork for the White House and government agencies to begin to share details on ongoing programs, operations and threats. It limits the risk that the Trump team could find itself taking control of the massive federal government without briefings and documents from the outgoing administration. As part of the agreement with the White House, Trump’s team will have to publicly disclose its ethics plan for the transition operation and make a commitment to uphold it, the White House said. Transition aides must sign statements that they have no financial positions that could pose a conflict of interest before they receive access to non-public federal information. Biden himself raised the agreement with Trump when they met in the Oval Office on Nov. 13, according to the White House, and Trump indicated that his team was working to get it signed. Trump chief of staff-designate Susie Wiles met with Biden’s chief of staff Jeff Zients at the White House on Nov. 19 and other senior officials in part to discuss remaining holdups, while lawyers for the two sides have spoken more than a half-dozen times in recent days to finalize the agreement. “Like President Biden said to the American people from the Rose Garden and directly to President-elect Trump, he is committed to an orderly transition,” said White House spokesperson Saloni Sharma. “President-elect Trump and his team will be in seat on January 20 at 12 pm – and they will immediately be responsible for a range of domestic and global challenges, foreseen and unforeseen. A smooth transition is critical to the safety and security of the American people who are counting on their leaders to be responsible and prepared.” Without the signed agreement, Biden administration officials were restricted in what they could share with the incoming team. Trump national security adviser-designate Rep. Mike Waltz met recently with Biden national security adviser Jake Sullivan, but the outgoing team was limited in what it could discuss. “We are doing everything that we can to effect a professional and an orderly transition,” White House national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Monday. “And we continue to urge the incoming team to take the steps that are necessary to be able to facilitate that on their end as well.” “This engagement allows our intended Cabinet nominees to begin critical preparations, including the deployment of landing teams to every department and agency, and complete the orderly transition of power,” said Wiles in a statement. The Trump transition team says it would disclose its donors to the public and would not take foreign donations. A separate agreement with the Department of Justice to coordinate background checks for vetting and security clearances is still being actively worked on and could be signed quickly now that the White House agreement is signed. The agency has teams of investigators standing by to process clearances for Trump aides and advisers once that document is signed. That would clear the way for transition aides and future administration appointees and nominees to begin accessing classified information before Trump takes office. Some Trump aides may hold active clearances from his first term in office or other government roles, but others will need new clearances to access classified data. Trump’s team on Friday formally told the GSA that they would not utilize the government office space blocks from the White House reserved for their use, or government email accounts, phones and computers during the transition. The White House said it does not agree with Trump’s decision to forgo support from the GSA, but is working on alternate ways to get Trump appointees the information they need without jeopardizing national security. Federal agencies are receiving guidance on Tuesday on how to share sensitive information with the Trump team without jeopardizing national security or non-public information. For instance, agencies may require in-person meetings and document reviews since the Trump team has declined to shift to using secure phones and computers. For unclassified information, agencies may ask Trump transition staff to attest that they are taking basic safeguards, like using two-factor authentication on their accounts. “The signing of this agreement is good news, and a positive step toward an effective transfer of power,” said Max Stier, the president and CEO of the Partnership for Public Service. “This agreement unlocks direct access to information from federal agencies, which is vital for the incoming administration to be ready to govern on Day One and critical to the transition’s success.”Trump's 25% Tariffs Would Hit These EVs The HardestThe NFL is punishing Jaguars TE Evan Engram for doing something any good teammate would have done

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BENGALURU: The IT industry has experienced significant leadership changes over the past two years. At Wipro, CEO Thierry Delaporte's exit in April led to multiple senior-level departures, particularly among those he recruited. The company appointed Srini Pallia, a 33-year company veteran, as the new CEO. Considerable leadership changes in the firm included the exits of COO Amit Choudhary, CTO Subha Tatavarti, chief delivery officer Ajit Mahale, and regional president Anis Chenchah. In Nov, Omkar Nisal became Wipro's new Europe CEO, replacing Pierre Bruno, a Delaporte appointee. Most replacements were internal candidates. The Indian IT sector has experienced numerous high-profile CFO changes within a year which have favoured internal promotions. Infosys elevated Jayesh Sanghrajka after Nilanjan Roy's departure. HCLTech selected long-term employee Shiv Walia following Prateek Aggarwal's exit. Additional CFO changes included Vinit Teredesai's move from LTIMindtree to Persistent Systems, with Vipul Chandra from Larsen & Toubro taking his place. Mphasis welcomed Aravind Viswanathan from Tanla Platforms, whilst Coforge appointed Saurabh Goel. Several executives joined competing firms, highlighting India's unenforceable non-compete clauses. Former Wipro CFO Jatin Dalal replaced the retiring Jan Siegmund. Aparna Iyer, who joined Wipro in 2003 and held various senior positions, succeeded Dalal. Phil Fersht, HFS Research's founder and chief executive officer, said: "Srini has promoted several Wipro veterans to senior positions, whilst most Delaporte recruits have departed or are leaving. Wipro is regaining momentum with new client successes as Srini prepares for key market initiatives in 2025." "Many IT service providers have implemented succession planning for senior management roles, including EVP and SVP levels. This ensures swift internal promotions maintaining continuity following senior management departures," Pareekh Jain, CEO at Pareekh Jain Consulting, said. New CEOs often bring external recruits, as demonstrated by Tech Mahindra's Mohit Joshi hiring Richard Lobo from Infosys as chief people officer. Similarly, Cognizant appointed Jatin Dalal after Ravi Kumar became CEO. Tech Mahindra saw the departure of former chief strategy officer Jagdish Mitra and Europe business head Vikram Nair. The company made lateral appointments, including Venkatesh SG as SVP and head of financial services from SunTec, where he led the customer success group. Ready to Master Stock Valuation? ET’s Workshop is just around the corner!Nissan and Honda to attempt a merger that would create the world's No. 3 automaker TOKYO (AP) — Japanese automakers Nissan and Honda have announced plans to work toward a merger that would catapult them to a top position in an industry in the midst of tectonic shifts as it transitions away from its reliance on fossil fuels. The two companies said they signed an agreement on integrating their businesses on Monday. Smaller Nissan alliance member Mitsubishi Motors agreed to join the talks. News of a possible merger surfaced earlier this month. Japanese automakers face a strong challenge from their Chinese rivals and Tesla as they make inroads into markets at home and abroad. What a merger between Nissan and Honda means for the automakers and the industry BANGKOK (AP) — Japanese automakers Honda and Nissan will attempt to merge and create the world’s third-largest automaker by sales as the industry undergoes dramatic changes in its transition away from fossil fuels. The two companies said they had signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday and that smaller Nissan alliance member Mitsubishi Motors also had agreed to join the talks on integrating their businesses. Honda will initially lead the new management, retaining the principles and brands of each company. Following is a quick look at what a combined Honda and Nissan would mean for the companies, and for the auto industry. Nordstrom to be acquired by Nordstrom family and a Mexican retail group in $6.25 billion deal Century-old department store Nordstrom has agreed to be acquired and taken private by Nordstrom family members and a Mexican retail group in a $6.25 billion deal. Nordstrom shareholders will receive $24.25 in cash for each share of Nordstrom common stock, representing a 42% premium on the company’s stock as of March 18. Nordstrom’s board of directors unanimously approved the the proposed transaction, while Erik and Pete Nordstrom — part of the Nordstrom family taking over the company — recused themselves from voting. Following the close of the transaction, the Nordstrom Family will have a majority ownership stake in the company. An analyst looks ahead to how the US economy might fare under Trump WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump won a return to the White House in part by promising big changes in economic policy — more tax cuts, huge tariffs on imports, mass deportations of immigrants working in the United States illegally. In some ways, his victory marked a repudiation of President Joe Biden’s economic stewardship and a protest against inflation. It came despite low unemployment and steady growth under the Biden administration. What lies ahead for the economy under Trump? Paul Ashworth of Capital Economics spoke recently to The Associated Press. The interview has been edited for length and clarity. American consumers feeling less confident in December, Conference Board says American consumers are feeling less confident in December, a business research group says. The Conference Board said Monday that its consumer confidence index fell back in December to 104.7 from 112.8 in November. Consumers had been feeling increasingly confident in recent months. The consumer confidence index measures both Americans’ assessment of current economic conditions and their outlook for the next six months. The measure of Americans’ short-term expectations for income, business and the job market tumbled more than a dozen points to 81.1. The Conference Board says a reading under 80 can signal a potential recession in the near future. Stock market today: Wall Street rises at the start of a holiday-shortened week Stocks closed higher on Wall Street at the start of a holiday-shortened week. The S&P 500 rose 0.7% Monday. Several big technology companies helped support the gains, including chip companies Nvidia and Broadcom. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.2%, and the Nasdaq composite rose 1%. Honda's U.S.-listed shares rose sharply after the company said it was in talks about a combination with Nissan in a deal that could also include Mitsubishi Motors. Eli Lilly rose after announcing that regulators approved Zepbound as the first prescription medicine for adults with sleep apnea. Treasury yields rose in the bond market. The internet is rife with fake reviews. Will AI make it worse? Researchers and watchdog groups say the emergence of generative artificial intelligence tools that allow people to efficiently produce detailed and novel online reviews has put merchants, service providers and consumers in uncharted territory. Phony reviews have long plagued many popular consumer websites, such as Amazon and Yelp. But AI-infused text generation tools enable fraudsters to produce reviews faster and in greater volume, according to tech industry experts. The deceptive practice is illegal in the U.S. and becomes a bigger problem for consumers during the holiday shopping season, when many people rely on reviews to buy gifts. A tech company and watchdog group that uses software to detect fake reviews says AI-generated reviews have multiplied. Romanian lawmakers narrowly approve new pro-European coalition during period of political turmoil BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Romanian lawmakers have voted narrowly in favor of a new pro-European coalition government led by incumbent Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu. The move on Monday could usher in an end to a protracted political crisis in the European Union country following the annulment of a presidential election. Parliament approved the new administration in a 240-143 vote in the 466-seat legislature. The new coalition is made up of the leftist Social Democratic Party, the center-right National Liberal Party, the small ethnic Hungarian UDMR party and national minorities. President Klaus Iohannis swore in the new government on Monday night. Government regulators close investigation into Ford Focus recalls Government safety regulators are closing an investigation into two previous recalls of the Ford Focus after determining that Ford Motor Co. has satisfied its concerns. Ford recalled around 1.5 million Ford Focus sedans from the 2012-2018 model years in 2018 because they could lose power. The issue was a malfunctioning canister purge valve and software that didn’t adequately detect when it was stuck open. Ford fixed the software in two separate recalls, but after cars continued to stall, the government opened an inquiry last year. Earlier this fall, Ford offered to replace the canister purge valve on all of the vehicles, satisfying regulators' concerns. AI will eavesdrop on world's wildest places to track and help protect endangered wildlife PUERTO JIMÉNEZ, Costa Rica (AP) — A biologist hid 350 audio monitors across Costa Rica’s tropical rainforests to spy on endangered spider monkeys in order to help protect them. But she had to go back to collect the data and feed those sounds into artificial intelligence systems that can recognize monkey calls. Now tech giant Microsoft's philanthropic arm is hoping to supercharge AI-assisted wildlife research with new solar-powered devices that can capture sounds, images and other wilderness data for a year or more without human intervention. Researchers say more AI wildlife surveillance is urgently needed to monitor the health of species at risk of extinction.

Saturday, December 7, 2024 Facebook Instagram Twitter WhatsApp Youtube Personal Finance Education Entertainment Jobs Alert Sports Hindi Technology Complaint Redressal. Fact-Checking Policy Correction policy Authors and Team DNPA Code of Ethics Onwership and Funding Cookie Policy Terms of Service Disclaimer Contact US About Us More Search Home India Scholarship News: Good news for Indians! You will get this many lakh... India Scholarship News: Good news for Indians! You will get this many lakh rupees every year for studying in France By Shyamu Maurya December 7, 2024 0 8 Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Telegram Scholarship News: Good news for Indians! You will get this many lakh rupees every year for studying in France The name of this scholarship is ‘Eiffel Excellence Scholarship Programme’, which has been started by the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France. Study In Abroad: If you want to do a master’s degree or PhD from abroad, then there is good news for you. For this, France can be your dream country. Actually, scholarships are being given to the students studying in this country. The name of this scholarship is ‘Eiffel Excellence Scholarship Program’, which has been started by the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France. This scholarship is given to those students who want to study master’s or PhD in France. Let us tell you that ‘Eiffel Excellence Scholarship Program’ has been started to attract top talent from all over the world. At present, about 10 thousand students of India are studying in France. At the same time, France wants 30 thousand Indians to study here by 2030. This scholarship can be obtained to do a master’s degree or PhD in subjects related to the field of science and technology such as Biology and Health, Ecological Transition, Mathematics and Digital and Engineering Sciences. What is the condition for this? Apart from this, scholarships are also being given for subjects of Humanities and Social Sciences such as History, French Language and Civilization, Law and Political Science and Economics and Management. However, to obtain a master’s degree, the student must be 27 years of age or less. The applicant should not be studying in France at the time of application. Scholarships will be given to students applying for scholarship for the first time. This scholarship cannot be taken with any other scholarship of the French government. Students living in France are not eligible for this. Join Informal Newz Tags Scholarship News Scholarship Programme Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Telegram Previous article LPG Price Hike: Pakistan LPG cylinder price increased by Rs 80, Check new price here Shyamu Maurya Shyamu has done Degree in Fine Arts and has knowledge about bollywood industry. He started writing in 2018. Since then he has been associated with Informalnewz. In case of any complain or feedback, please contact me @informalnewz@gmail.com RELATED ARTICLES Personal Finance LPG Price Hike: Pakistan LPG cylinder price increased by Rs 80, Check new price here December 7, 2024 Personal Finance Amrit Bharat Train: 3 Amrit Bharat Express trains will run on this route, check route and other details December 7, 2024 Personal Finance Banking System: Now bank will fine you Rs 100 per day if the transaction fails; Know RBI rules December 7, 2024 - Advertisment - Most Popular LPG Price Hike: Pakistan LPG cylinder price increased by Rs 80, Check new price here December 7, 2024 Amrit Bharat Train: 3 Amrit Bharat Express trains will run on this route, check route and other details December 7, 2024 Banking System: Now bank will fine you Rs 100 per day if the transaction fails; Know RBI rules December 7, 2024 Income Tax Notice: Income Tax Department will now send notice to these people regarding tax refund, strict action will be taken? December 7, 2024 Load more Recent Comments Gul Mohiudin on Kavita sister-in-law wore a sari without a blouse, seeing the pictures you will also be... 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