slots help Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will unveil a refreshed frontbench line-up in late January, with Bill Shorten’s exit from parliament opening the door to a junior minister being promoted, months out from the next federal election. Senior government sources, who asked not to be named so they could speak freely, say Albanese is considering two options for his frontbench shake-up, with responsibility for Shorten’s former portfolios of Government Services and the NDIS to be handed on as the federal election is not due until May 2025. Anika Wells, Matt Keogh, Amanda Rishworth and Mark Butler are all being considered to assume outgoing Bill Shorten’s responsibilities. Credit: In the reshuffle, government sources said the first and more likely option was that Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth and Health Minister Mark Butler would be handed responsibility for one of each of the portfolios, with NDIS a better fit for Rishworth as the disability agency is part of her department. This would mean the number of cabinet ministers would shrink from 23 to 22 people. The second option being considered is promoting a member of the outer ministry, with Queensland-based Aged Care and Sports Minister Anika Wells and WA-based Veterans and Defence Personnel Minister Matt Keogh considered the frontrunners. Both are in the Labor Right faction, like Shorten. Loading Opposition Leader Peter Dutton must also replace a senior shadow minister on his frontbench after opposition Senate leader and foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham announced on Thursday that he was quitting politics. The first details of how Albanese could recast his frontbench have emerged after a successful end to the parliamentary year for the government, which included the passing of 31 new laws on the final day , after months of delay and lengthy negotiations with the Coalition or the Greens and the crossbench. As parliament wound down for the year, Labor won Senate votes on housing, food prices and a ban on social media apps for under 16s, and other measures. Albanese and Treasurer Jim Chalmers have to release a mid-year budget update before Christmas that could foreshadow more cost-of-living relief, while Dutton has hinted at more detail on the opposition’s nuclear and housing policies before Christmas too. Either scenario would mean that Victoria’s influence around the cabinet table would be reduced with Shorten’s exit, but Labor hopes to gain seats in Queensland and hold on to the swag of seats it picked up in Western Australia in 2022. Promoting a talented new minister from Queensland or WA is seen, internally, as tactically astute and unlikely to cause a fuss, whereas promoting another NSW MP to cabinet at the expense of Victoria would likely put noses out of joint. Shorten’s combined portfolios of the NDIS and Government Services were given to him when Labor won government as he had been one of the disability insurance scheme’s earliest champions. He had also been a frontrunner in pursuing and supporting the robo-debt royal commission, which made Government Services a natural fit. The government sources said the prime minister would ponder the changes during a short Christmas break. Dutton, like Albanese, is expected to be back at work by early January as both men gear up for what is widely expected to be a close election in which a hung parliament is considered a distinct possibility given the size of the crossbench. Both leaders are also planning, at this stage, to make major policy announcements in the second half of January, with a prime ministerial appearance at the National Press Club around Australia Day pencilled in and some members of both main parties anticipating an election to be called days later, though Albanese has indicated he is leaning towards May. Loading The most recent Resolve Political Monitor conducted for this masthead in early November showed the opposition’s primary vote had risen by one percentage point to 39 per cent, while Labor’s held steady at 30 per cent. These primary votes would deliver either major party, at best, a razor-thin majority in the next parliament. While Dutton will feel the loss of Birmingham, a former finance, education, trade and tourism minister at various times under Scott Morrison and Malcolm Turnbull, the need to replace a foreign affairs spokesperson heading into a domestic political campaign is less urgent. While Liberal deputy leader Sussan Ley and shadow cabinet ministers Jane Hume, James Paterson and Dan Tehan have all been put forward as possible replacements for Birmingham , moving shadow ministers from domestic portfolios months out from an election could disrupt the shadow expenditure review committee process that is now working on election policies. Another option would be for Dutton to take the portfolio in a caretaker capacity, or for former shadow cabinet minister Julian Leeser to be returned to the frontbench while former ambassador and foreign policy wonk Dave Sharma would be handed an assistant role. Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter . Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. License this article Political leadership Anthony Albanese For subscribers James Massola is national affairs editor. He has previously been Sunday political correspondent and South-East Asia correspondent. Connect via Twitter , Facebook or email . Most Viewed in Politics Loading

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Us Weekly has affiliate partnerships. We receive compensation when you click on a link and make a purchase. Learn more! Christmas is less than two weeks away. If you’re anything like Us , you probably have a few ugly sweater parties to attend before then. If you want to take a break from ordinary styles, try out funny ugly sweaters. Amazon is jam-packed with festive knits that are sure to bring the laughs and earn you tons of likes on your holiday OOTD posts . From interactive games to hilarious music quotes, Amazon’s funny ugly sweaters truly live up to the hype. Whether you prefer naughty, tongue-in-cheek style humor or more conservative jokes, there’s something for everyone. Take a look at our top picks for the best funny ugly sweaters on Amazon! 1. Our Absolute Favorite: This ugly sweater doubles as an interactive game. Just be prepared for endless conversations if you wear it — $45! 2. Mane Attraction: There’s no denying it. All it takes is one look at this cozy sweatshirt and your loved ones won’t be able to contain themselves. It features a fake hairy chest and hilariously placed ornaments — $28! 3. Music Moment: This ugly sweater features a hilarious spin on Kelis’ hit single “Milkshake” — $35! 4. Hilarious Technicality: This short-sleeve T-shirt makes a hilarious take on the economy — $19! 5. Reason for the Season: This hilarious sweater pays homage to the holiday season’s biggest birthday boy — $30! 6. Eat Up: Say goodbye to counting calories. This festive sweater shares a hilarious excuse to indulge as much as you’d like — $25! 7. Naught or Nice: This cozy sweater is an animal lover’s dream. Not only does it feature an adorable dog and cat, but it also lets everyone know which list you’ve made it to this holiday season — $40! 8. Tech Humor: Spread a little tech humor this holiday season in this sweet sweater — $34! 9. Look At his Dab: This ugly sweater showcases Santa and his trendy dance moves — $26! 10. Bottom’s Up: Prepare to bring the laughs in this hilarious sweater — $35! Check our latest news in Google News Check our latest news in Apple News 11. Trending Topic: Have you seen the hilarious “chilly guy” meme that’s been making its way around social media in the past few weeks? This cozy sweater is a funny take on the trend — $29!QB Ethan Vasko benched again for a spell as Coastal Carolina falls to Georgia Southern

BOSTON , Dec. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors (the "Board") of The China Fund, Inc. (the "Fund") has declared a distribution in the amount of $0.1497 per share. The distribution is comprised entirely of ordinary income. The dividend will be payable on January 10, 2025 , to stockholders of record on December 30, 2024 , with an ex-dividend date of December 30, 2024 . The Fund has a Dividend Reinvestment and Cash Purchase Plan (the "Plan") in which each stockholder automatically participates, unless the stockholder instructs Computershare Trust Company, N.A. (the "Plan Agent"), in writing, to have all distributions, net of any applicable U.S. withholding tax, paid in cash. If the Fund's shares are trading at a premium to the net asset value ("NAV") per share of the Fund on the distribution payment date, the Plan provides that stockholders will be issued Fund shares valued at NAV. If the Fund's shares are trading at a discount to the NAV per share, stockholders will be issued shares of the Fund valued at market price. Stockholders will not be charged a fee in connection with the reinvestment of dividends or capital gains distributions. A stockholder may terminate his or her participation in the Plan by notifying the Plan Agent in writing at the address below. Stockholders who have questions regarding the distribution may contact EQ Fund Solutions, LLC at 1-888-CHN-CALL (246-2255). The Fund is a closed-end management investment company with the objective of seeking long-term capital appreciation by investing primarily in equity securities (i) of companies for which the principal securities trading market is in the People's Republic of China (" China "), or (ii) of companies for which the principal securities trading market is outside of China , or constituting direct equity investments in companies organized outside of China , that in both cases derive at least 50% of their revenues from goods and services sold or produced, or have at least 50% of their assets, in China . While the Fund is permitted to invest in direct equity investments of companies organized in China , it presently holds no such investments. The Fund's shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "CHN." The Fund's investment manager is Matthews International Capital Management, LLC. For more information regarding the Fund and the Fund's holdings, please call 1-888-CHN-CALL (246-2255) or visit the Fund's website at www.chinafundinc.com . For more information about the Plan or to terminate your participation in the Plan, please contact Computershare Trust Company, N.A. at c/o The China Fund, Inc. at P.O. Box 43078, Providence, Rhode Island 02940-3078, by telephone at 1-800-426-5523 or via the Internet at www.computershare.com/investor . View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-china-fund-inc-declares-distributions-302331625.html SOURCE The China Fund, Inc. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.Nordson Corporation Reports Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2024 Results

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