q9 casino During a televised address, President Zelensky addressed the nation and shocked the world by revealing the actual number of Ukrainian military personnel who have lost their lives in the ongoing conflict. Contrary to Trump's allegations, Zelensky disclosed that the death toll was, in fact, much higher than previously reported, painting a grim picture of the sacrifices made by Ukrainian soldiers in defense of their country's sovereignty. The emotional speech struck a chord with citizens and international observers alike, shedding light on the human cost of the conflict and the bravery of those who have paid the ultimate price.Israel strikes Houthi rebels in Yemen's capital while the WHO chief says he was meters away JERUSALEM (AP) — A new round of Israeli airstrikes in Yemen have targeted the Houthi rebel-held capital of Sanaa and multiple ports. The World Health Organization’s director-general said the bombardment on Thursday took place just “meters away” as he was about to board a flight in Sanaa. He says a crew member was hurt. The strikes followed several days of Houthi attacks and launches setting off sirens in Israel. Israel's military says it attacked infrastructure used by the Houthis at the international airport in Sanaa, power stations and ports. The Israeli military later said it wasn’t aware that the WHO chief was at the location in Yemen. An uneasy calm settles over Syrian city of Homs after outbreak of sectarian violence HOMS, Syria (AP) — Syria’s new security forces checked IDs and searched cars in the central city of Homs a day after protests by members of the Alawite minority erupted in gunfire and stirred fears that the country’s fragile peace could break down. A tense calm prevailed Thursday after checkpoints were set up throughout the country’s third-largest city, which has a mixed population of Sunni and Shia Muslims, Alawites and Christians. The security forces are controlled by the former insurgent group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which led the charge that unseated former President Bashar Assad. The US says it pushed retraction of a famine warning for north Gaza. Aid groups express concern. WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials say they asked for — and got — the retraction of an independent monitor's warning of imminent famine in north Gaza. The internationally Famine Early Warning System Network issued the warning this week. The new report had warned that starvation deaths in north Gaza could reach famine levels as soon as next month. It cited what it called Israel's “near-total blockade” of food and water. The U.S. ambassador to Israel, Jacob Lew, criticized the finding as inaccurate and irresponsible. The U.S. Agency for International Development, which funds the famine-monitoring group, told the AP it had asked for and gotten the report's retraction. USAID officials tell The Associated Press that it had asked the group for greater review of discrepancies in some of the data. Trump has pressed for voting changes. GOP majorities in Congress will try to make that happen ATLANTA (AP) — Republicans in Congress plan to move quickly in their effort to overhaul the nation’s voting procedures, seeing an opportunity with control of the White House and both chambers of Congress. They want to push through long-sought changes such as voter ID and proof-of-citizenship requirements. They say the measures are needed to restore public confidence in elections. That's after an erosion of trust that Democrats note has been fueled by false claims from Donald Trump and his allies of widespread fraud in the 2020 election. Democrats say they are willing to work with the GOP but want any changes to make it easier, not harder, to vote. Americans are exhausted by political news. TV ratings and a new AP-NORC poll show they're tuning out NEW YORK (AP) — A lot of Americans, after an intense presidential election campaign, are looking for a break in political news. That's evident in cable television news ratings and a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The poll found nearly two-thirds of Americans saying they've found the need recently to cut down on their consumption of political and government news. That's particularly true among Democrats following President-elect Donald Trump's victory, although a significant number of Republicans and independents feel the same way. Cable networks MSNBC and CNN are really seeing a slump. That's also happened in years past for networks that particularly appeal to supporters of one candidate. New York to charge fossil fuel companies for damage from climate change ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Large fossil fuel companies would have to pay fees to help New York fight the effects of climate change under a bill signed by Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul. The governor signed the new law Thursday. It requires companies responsible for substantial greenhouse gas emissions to pay into a state infrastructure fund for repairs or projects that help avoid future damage from climate change. Lawmakers approved the bill earlier this year. It's meant to make big oil and gas companies contribute to the cost of repairs after extreme weather events or for resiliency projects. Such projects may include restoring coastal wetlands or upgrading roads, bridges and water drainage systems. Legal challenges to the new law are expected. Aviation experts say Russia's air defense fire likely caused Azerbaijan plane crash as nation mourns Aviation experts say that Russian air defense fire was likely responsible for the Azerbaijani plane crash the day before that killed 38 people and left all 29 survivors injured. Azerbaijan is observing a nationwide day of mourning on Thursday for the victims of the crash. Azerbaijan Airlines’ Embraer 190 was en route from Azerbaijan’s capital of Baku to the Russian city of Grozny in the North Caucasus on Wednesday when it was diverted for reasons yet unclear and crashed while making an attempt to land in Aktau in Kazakhstan. Cellphone footage circulating online appeared to show the aircraft making a steep descent before smashing into the ground in a fireball. Ukraine's military intelligence says North Korean troops are suffering heavy battlefield losses KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine's military intelligence says North Korean troops are suffering heavy losses in Russia's Kursk region and face logistical difficulties as a result of Ukrainian attacks. The intelligence agency said Thursday that Ukrainian strikes near Novoivanovka inflicted heavy casualties on North Korean units. Ukraine's president said earlier this week that 3,000 North Korean troops have been killed and wounded in the fighting in the Kursk region. It marked the first significant estimate by Ukraine of North Korean casualties several weeks after Kyiv announced that North Korea had sent 10,000 to 12,000 troops to Russia to help it in the almost 3-year war. How the stock market defied expectations again this year, by the numbers NEW YORK (AP) — What a wonderful year 2024 has been for investors. U.S. stocks ripped higher and carried the S&P 500 to records as the economy kept growing and the Federal Reserve began cutting interest rates. The benchmark index posted its first back-to-back annual gains of more than 20% since 1998. The year featured many familiar winners, such as Big Tech, which got even bigger as their stock prices kept growing. But it wasn’t just Apple, Nvidia and the like. Bitcoin and gold surged and “Roaring Kitty” reappeared to briefly reignite the meme stock craze. Why this Mexican American woman played a vital role in the US sacramental peyote trade MIRANDO CITY, Texas (AP) — Amada Cardenas, a Mexican American woman who lived in the tiny border town of Mirando City in South Texas, played an important role in the history of the peyote trade. She and her husband were the first federally licensed peyote dealers who harvested and sold the sacramental plant to followers of the Native American Church in the 1930s. After her husband's death in 1967, Cardenas continued to welcome generations of Native American Church members to her home until her death in 2005, just before her 101st birthday.

RIVERWOODS, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 26, 2024-- Discover Financial Services (NYSE: DFS) plans to report its Fourth quarter 2024 results after the market closes on Wednesday, January 22, 2025. The earnings release will be available through Discover's Investor Relations website at https://investorrelations.discover.com . A conference call to discuss the firm's results and related matters will be held on Thursday, January 23, 2025, at 7:00 a.m. Central Time and will be limited to prepared remarks. The live audio webcast will be accessible to the general public through Discover’s Investor Relations website at https://investorrelations.discover.com . An audio replay will be available on the website following the call. About Discover Discover Financial Services (NYSE: DFS) is a digital banking and payment services company with one of the most recognized brands in U.S. financial services. Since its inception in 1986, the company has become one of the largest card issuers in the United States. The company issues the Discover® card, America's cash rewards pioneer, and offers personal loans, home loans, checking and savings accounts and certificates of deposit through its banking business. It operates the Discover Global Network® comprised of Discover Network, with millions of merchants and cash access locations; PULSE®, one of the nation's leading ATM/debit networks; and Diners Club International®, a global payments network with acceptance around the world. For more information, visit www.discover.com/company . View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241226401237/en/ CONTACT: Investor Contact: Erin Stieber Investor Relations 224-405-4555 investorrelations@discover.comMedia Contact: Matthew Towson Public Relations 224-405-5649 matthewtowson@discover.com KEYWORD: ILLINOIS UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: PROFESSIONAL SERVICES PAYMENTS OTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES TECHNOLOGY FINANCE FINTECH BANKING SOURCE: Discover Financial Services Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/26/2024 04:15 PM/DISC: 12/26/2024 04:16 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241226401237/enHow major US stock indexes fared Thursday, 12/26/2024

NoneMayor Ken Sim announced Thursday that abolition of the elected Vancouver park board and bringing parks and recreation under the control of city council will lead to $70 million in savings over the next decade. In what the mayor described as a streamlining of services, the transition is expected to achieve further savings once a new governance model is established, including millions of dollars in infrastructure project costs. “And these are conservative estimates,” Sim told reporters at city hall Thursday. A city staff report that goes before council Nov. 27 estimated savings of $1.5 million to $3 million per year alone on “position savings,” which staff at a technical briefing prior to the news conference said will see park board staff fill city vacancies. "Our goal is not to have any staff layoffs," said deputy city manager Sandra Singh, adding that staff continues to meet with unions representing park board workers. Savings of $1.8 million to $3.3 million per year were identified under a category called “early operational integration opportunities.” For example, staff who currently support the elected park board could move into the city clerk’s office. Arts and culture, communications and marketing and social policy were some of the other areas identified as amalgamating to avoid duplication of services. The report estimated, so far, that 10 to 20 positions could be affected by duplication. Abolishing the seven-member elected board would translate to a savings of $280,000 per year, or $2.8 million over 10 years, said the report, which gave no indication when the park commissioners would be phased out. The hurdle for Sim since he announced in December 2023 that he wanted to abolish the board has been getting the provincial government to make the necessary amendments to the Vancouver Charter. Premier David Eby initially committed to honouring the mayor’s request — which was supported by the seven councillors belonging to his ABC Vancouver party — but suggested during the recent election campaign that it wasn’t a priority. “It's very unlikely this would be a priority for the province before the next municipal election [in 2026], and they've got a lot of work ahead of them,” Eby told an audience at an all-candidates’ meeting Oct. 12 at St. James Community Square. Glacier Media contacted the provincial government Thursday for an update on Vancouver’s request. Municipal affairs now falls under Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon’s portfolio. “We have received the City of Vancouver’s transition report, and we are reviewing it," Kahlon said in an emailed statement. “We have been that clear our top priority will be to deliver on the priorities of British Columbians. That includes the costs of daily life, strengthening healthcare, and building safe communities in a strong economy.” Asked about Eby’s position, Sim said he wouldn’t comment on private conversations he has had with the premier but added that his office had “an incredible working relationship” with the premier’s office. Brennan Bastyovanszky, chair of the park board, was at city hall Thursday to hear what Sim and city staff told reporters about the transition. Bastyovanszky was a member of ABC Vancouver until Sim announced he wanted to abolish the board. He told reporters after the news conference that he didn’t believe the numbers staff provided regarding savings, calling them “dubious.” He also questioned how city councillors could add parks and recreation to their duties, when they already put in long hours. “The amount of workload that the councillors would take on equates to an extra two days of work a week, on top of a full-time job,” Bastyovanszky said. “I don't see how the council is going to be able to manage that. It's going to remove access to elected officials and decision-makers.” Added Bastyovanszky: “This is a centralization of power that does not benefit the people in Vancouver. It erodes the trust in democracy.” The mayor said the transition will allow the city to legally designate 89 acres of land as permanent parkland, including sections of Stanley Park. Sim said the land would be protected, accessible and sustainable for generations to come. Beyond saving money and securing more green space, the transition is about improving how the city gets things done, said Sim, who was joined on a podium by First Nations leaders, city councillors and members of the transition team. “Right now, we are seeing significant delays in critical projects that impact our city — sewer upgrades, green infrastructure, streets, public spaces — they're being delayed, in some cases, by up to two years,” he said, noting a recent pump station project saw costs increase by $2 million because of extended negotiations with the park board. [email protected] X/@HowellingsNone

DUP ministers Peter Robinson and Nigel Dodds were sanctioned in 2000 by Stormont’s leaders over their plan to disrupt the powersharing Executive. Minutes of an Executive meeting from June of that year state further action would be considered “as appropriate” if the DUP went ahead with a threat to rotate its ministers. The minutes are within files which have been declassified at the Public Record Office in Belfast. Devolved powersharing had been restored to Northern Ireland in May 2000 when Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble had received the backing of his party to go back into the Assembly, despite there having been no decommissioning of IRA arms at that point. Then DUP deputy leader Mr Robinson and Mr Dodds took up the offices as ministers for regional development and social development, but refused to attend Executive meetings due to the presence of Sinn Fein ministers. The party also said it would rotate its ministerial posts to prevent other parties from taking them. A minute of an Executive meeting on June 8 said Mr Robinson and Mr Dodds had refused a request from First Minister Mr Trimble and deputy First Minister Seamus Mallon to meet with them “to discuss recent public comments by the DUP concerning their positions as ministers”. The minute records that the Executive endorsed a proposal from the First and deputy First Ministers to write again to the two DUP ministers setting out sanctions against them. It says: “The First Minister and and Deputy First Minister would assume responsibility for representing the Executive Committee on transport matters at the British-Irish Council in place of the Minister for Regional Development. “The Minister for Social Development and the Minister for Regional Development would not be nominated to attend meetings of the Joint Ministerial Committee. “Pending the receipt of satisfactory assurances from DUP Ministers regarding the confidentiality and integrity of Executive Committee business, the Minister for Social Development and Minister for Regional Development would not receive Executive Committee papers as of right. “The First Minister and Deputy First Minister would seek briefing, as appropriate, from officials in the Department for Regional Development and Department for Social Development.” The minute continues: “If the DUP carried out their threat to change the holders of the two Ministerial offices on a frequent basis, the Executive Committee would consider other action as appropriate.” Mr Robinson and Mr Dodds resigned as ministers on June 27 and were replaced by party colleagues Gregory Campbell and Maurice Morrow. A minute from an Executive meeting that day says: “The Executive Committee noted that the Minister for Social Development and Minister for Regional Development would be resigning their posts that afternoon, and expressed concern at the proposed rotation of the ministries held by their Party Members.”

According to the official statement released by Alibaba Group's spokesperson, the fire was detected in one of the server rooms at the data center. The prompt response of the on-site firefighting team prevented the fire from spreading to other areas of the facility. However, it led to a temporary disruption in the services provided by Alibaba Cloud to some customers. The affected customers were promptly notified about the situation and advised on the measures being taken to restore the services.

Declassified files show the note to former MP John Spellar also said the republican party had ignored the “visceral component of sectarianism” in responding to a new government good relations strategy. Mr Spellar, then a Northern Ireland Office minister, had launched a consultation on the “A Shared Future” document, an attempt to address community divisions, segregation and sectarianism in the region at a time when the devolved powersharing institutions were suspended. A file at the Public Record Office in Belfast shows that OFMDFM official Chris Stewart wrote to the minister in July about a response to the document from Sinn Fein representative Bairbre de Brun. Mr Stewart told Mr Spellar that Ms de Brun’s letter had been critical of the document and was clearly intended to “mark your card”. He said among a number of points raised by de Brun was that “the promotion of equality is the key to improving community relations”. His memo adds: “Sinn Fein is clearly seeking to position or align the issue of community relations within its equality and human rights agenda. “This general Sinn Fein position has resulted in a simplistic analysis of community relations, which is flawed in its description of the causes and necessary policy response. “There is of course, no doubt that a lack of equality has been a contributing factor to poor community relations. “However, Sinn Fein ignores the many other factors, not least the violent conflict that resulted in over 3,000 deaths. “Sinn Fein also portrays poor community relations (for nationalists) as being a purely rational response to the political situation. “This ignores the more visceral component of sectarianism, which is all too prevalent in both communities.” Mr Stewart continues: “To suggest, as Sinn Fein does, that the promotion of equality should be the key component of good relations policy is to ignore the key message in A Shared Future, that indirect approaches alone are insufficient to deal with sectarianism and the abnormal relationship between sections of the Northern Ireland community.” The official recommended the minister invite representatives of Sinn Fein to a meeting to discuss the policy. The file also contains a note about Mr Spellar’s meeting with DUP representatives Maurice Morrow and Peter Weir the following month to discuss the document. The note says: “Morrow said he had no problem with sharing the future and suggested that the first step to that would be an election to decide who spoke for whom – though he was quick to say he didn’t want politics to dominate the meeting.” It adds: “Weir said that the biggest step towards improving community relations would be the creation of a political environment that had the broad support of both unionism and nationalism, and the GFA (Good Friday Agreement) could not create that environment.”

Tyronn Lue, the former head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers and assistant coach of the LA Clippers, recently made headlines for turning down the head coaching position with the Los Angeles Lakers due to what he perceived as a lack of respect in their offer. The Lakers' reported offer of a 3-year contract with a team option for the fourth year, along with a significantly lower salary than what Lue expected, has sparked discussions about the importance of respect and fair treatment in professional sports.

A critical vulnerability has recently been discovered in the NX-OS system used in Cisco's switches, putting countless organizations at risk of falling victim to cyber attacks. This flaw allows hackers to exploit the system and inject malicious software, potentially leading to devastating consequences for the affected networks.The investigation into Samantha's disappearance is far from over, as the search for answers continues and the truth behind her ordeal slowly comes to light. The road to recovery may be long and arduous, but with the support of her family, friends, and the community, Samantha is on the path to healing and restoration.

Commentary: Capitalism is the unsung hero of South Korean democracy

AZEK ( NYSE:AZEK – Free Report ) had its target price raised by BMO Capital Markets from $49.00 to $51.00 in a report published on Wednesday morning, Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a market perform rating on the stock. Several other research firms have also issued reports on AZEK. Loop Capital lowered AZEK from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $47.00 price objective for the company. in a research note on Friday, October 4th. Truist Financial cut their price objective on AZEK from $57.00 to $52.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, August 8th. Stifel Nicolaus decreased their price objective on shares of AZEK from $52.00 to $50.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, August 8th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their target price on shares of AZEK from $52.00 to $48.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, August 13th. Finally, Robert W. Baird increased their price target on shares of AZEK from $52.00 to $54.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $49.24. Read Our Latest Stock Report on AZEK AZEK Stock Performance Institutional Investors Weigh In On AZEK A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its position in shares of AZEK by 3.2% in the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 13,482,323 shares of the company’s stock valued at $677,082,000 after acquiring an additional 413,297 shares during the period. CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co grew its stake in shares of AZEK by 180.4% in the first quarter. CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co now owns 36,912 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,856,000 after purchasing an additional 23,746 shares during the last quarter. Vaughan Nelson Investment Management L.P. increased its holdings in AZEK by 15.9% during the 2nd quarter. Vaughan Nelson Investment Management L.P. now owns 734,446 shares of the company’s stock valued at $30,942,000 after purchasing an additional 100,719 shares during the period. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD raised its position in AZEK by 66.8% during the 1st quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 1,466,145 shares of the company’s stock valued at $73,631,000 after purchasing an additional 587,107 shares during the last quarter. Finally, WCM Investment Management LLC lifted its holdings in AZEK by 2.2% in the 3rd quarter. WCM Investment Management LLC now owns 539,494 shares of the company’s stock worth $25,232,000 after buying an additional 11,770 shares during the period. 97.44% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. About AZEK ( Get Free Report ) The AZEK Company Inc engages in the design, manufacturing, and selling of building products for residential, commercial, and industrial markets in the United States and Canada. It operates through two segments: Residential and Commercial. The Residential segment designs and manufactures engineered outdoor living products, such as decking, railing, trim and molding, siding and cladding, pergolas and cabanas, and accessories under the TimberTech, AZEK Exteriors, VERSATEX, ULTRALOX, StruXure, and INTEX brands. Recommended Stories Five stocks we like better than AZEK What is a Death Cross in Stocks? Vertiv’s Cool Tech Makes Its Stock Red-Hot The Basics of Support and Resistance MarketBeat Week in Review – 11/18 – 11/22 What is a Dividend King? 2 Finance Stocks With Competitive Advantages You Can’t Ignore Receive News & Ratings for AZEK Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for AZEK and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .NI public advised not to visit forests, country parks or nature reserves ahead of Storm BertTrimble and Mallon sanctioned DUP ministers over rotation plan

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