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Late kickoff return TDs by Turpin and Thomas spark the Cowboys as they end their 5-game skid

Late kickoff return TDs by Turpin and Thomas spark the Cowboys as they end their 5-game skid

OTTAWA — Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly welcomed president-elect Donald Trump's pick for the next U.S. ambassador in Ottawa, a former longtime Michigan congressional representative who voted for NAFTA and later wavered on new free trade deals. Joly said at a news conference on Thursday at the Canadian Embassy in Washington, D.C., that she takes it as a good sign that Trump endorsed the Canada-U.S.-Mexico free-trade deal when he announced Pete Hoekstra as his next envoy to Canada. She also posted on social media Thursday that Canada looks forward to working with Hoekstra to strengthen bilateral ties and advance shared priorities "as close allies and neighbours." The minister was in Washington to talk trade and security with U.S. senators from both parties. Her meeting schedule included top Republican senators Lindsey Graham, Rick Scott and Lisa Murkowski. Following this trip, Joly is headed to the Halifax International Security Forum, where she said she will be meeting with more U.S. lawmakers, including Sen. James Risch from Idaho. Hoekstra will still have to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate, but his early nomination is being taken as a good sign by several former diplomats. Former Canadian diplomat Colin Robertson, who has met with Hoekstra before, said he's someone Canada can work with. "He's not from the (WWE) or Fox News. He's an ambassador in the Netherlands previously ... and he's from Michigan, so somebody who understands Canada," Robertson said. "He's well suited to the posting and I think it'll be easier to do business with somebody who has his depth of experience." Canada's ambassador in Washington, Kirsten Hillman, also congratulated Hoekstra on the nomination, posting on social media she looks forward to working with him to make the bilateral relationship "even stronger." Hoekstra was a nine-term border-state lawmaker and holds high esteem in Trump's world. His long career in politics left a wake of stunning headlines, including for a 2012 Super Bowl ad critics and even some Republicans slammed as blatantly racist. He was Trump's chosen chairman for the Michigan GOP during a power struggle between two pro-Trump camps. He spoke at Trump rallies in the swing state during the campaign and earned high praise from the president-elect. "This guy, Hoekstra — he's unbelievable," Trump said at a February rally in Waterford Township, Mich. "Everything he did in Congress, he was incredible, and then he was an unbelievable ambassador." In his first term as president, Trump tapped Hoekstra to serve as U.S. ambassador to the Netherlands, where he was at one point embroiled in a political interference scandal for hosting a fundraiser at the U.S. Embassy with members of the far-right party Forum for Democracy. In a 2019 public talk organized by a Dutch news magazine, he said it's "not an unrealistic ask" that every member of NATO meets the target of spending the equivalent of two per cent of GDP on defence by 2024 — something Trump has railed about, and something Canada will not do until at least 2032. At an event in Ottawa last month, Trump's former ambassador to Canada Kelly Craft said his administration would expect Canada to meet that target much sooner than 2032. Hoekstra was a representative for Michigan from 1993 until 2011 and chaired the powerful House Intelligence Committee. In 2019, Trump floated him as a possible pick for national intelligence director. Not long after he was first elected, he voted in favour of the NAFTA trade deal in 1993 — something he called at the time a simple choice yet also the "toughest decision I have had to face in my first 11 months in office," according to Michigan newspaper reports from the time. By 2003, he was opposed to inking free-trade deals, including two proposed with Singapore and Chile, saying that NAFTA led to manufacturers in Michigan to "shift production to Canada and Mexico." Nearly a decade later, in 2011, he singled out NAFTA as something that had "come to symbolize what Americans believe is unfair trade." In the early 2000s, he was one of a number of Michigan lawmakers from both parties raising ire over Toronto shipping its trash into his state. "Michigan is better than taking Canadian trash," he was quoted saying in 2004 in the local Michigan newspaper the Ludington Daily News. The next year he co-signed a letter advocating for a bill that would clamp down on "foreign municipal solid waste" entering his state, according to an Associated Press report from the time. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 21, 2024. Kyle Duggan, The Canadian Press

DALLAS – If you attended a high school dance at any point in the 1980s, you no doubt heard “Chicago” lead singer Peter Cetera croon these words: “Everybody needs a little time away, I heard her say, from each other...” ADVERTISEMENT The members of the Minnesota Wild seem to genuinely enjoy each other’s company, and their willingness to work together for the good of the order shows in their 21 wins thus far, and their flirtation with the top spot in the Western Conference standings. But following their 4-3 win over Chicago (the Blackhawks, not the band) on Monday, the NHL mandates that every team take a three-day break for Christmas. At risk of the hefty fine from the league, teams cannot get together for practice, nor may they travel to road games until the morning of Friday, Dec. 27. That means the Wild were gameday arrivals in North Texas for their Friday evening meeting with the Stars. And as much hassle as that may be, most Wild players and coaches were eager for the time off by the time the final horn sounded on Monday. “The way I see it is I think this is a break at a key time for us, and I give the players a lot of credit. We’ve been going at max capacity and really dialed in from training camp till now and there’s been way more success than there has been failure,” coach John Hynes said, after his team snapped a four-game skid with the win over the Blackhawks. “But I also think that guys have really pushed, and I think guys have produced at certain times. I think it’s important for our group now to be able to get away from it for a few days, come off a win in a game that we played well, and then now it’s come back and we just reset and get moving forward.” As has been the case for much of this injury-riddled season to date, the biggest question about moving forward is which players it will involve. For example, top-line center Joel Eriksson Ek, whose big body and noteworthy skill have been missed since a lower-body injury in early December, looked to be inching closer to a return during the team’s last pre-Christmas practice. Getting some rest before facing a tough team like Dallas on the road is one positive factor, the Wild hope. Another pick-me-up was getting the victory by whatever means necessary versus Chicago, to end a season-worst losing streak. “It’s nice to go into the break with a win, but the games before, we’re not happy with,” Wild captain Jared Spurgeon admitted. “It’s tough throughout the year to be at 100 (percent) mentally and physically, so to have three days at this point, it’s big for us to sort of just relax, get away from it, hang with family friends and do something a little different.” ADVERTISEMENT And once they get back on the ice in Dallas, they plan to get back to more of the theme of the early season – namely getting contributions from throughout the lineup and competing for the lead in the Central Division. “I’m pretty convinced that after the break we come back then we get set for another while,” Hynes said, noting their next extended time off comes after Minnesota hosts the New York Islanders on Feb. 8. “You got Christmas basically until the 4 Nations break and that’s when we can re-plug in and get guys dialed in, get the team dialed in.” ______________________________________________________ This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. Forum Communications Company uses content from agencies such as Reuters, Kaiser Health News, Tribune News Service and others to provide a wider range of news to our readers. Learn more about the news services FCC uses here .From British rule in India to cinema actors turning politicians, the predictions of Potuluri Veera Brahmendra Swamy have intrigued generations. Known for his remarkable foresight, Brahmendra Swamy authored the Kalagnanam, a book containing over 14,000 prophecies in Telugu poetry, offering a glimpse into the future of the world. While modern technology enables us to predict natural disasters like cyclones and famines, Brahmendra Swamy’s predictions continue to captivate us with their uncanny accuracy. Here are the 20 predictions by Potuluri Veera Brahmendra Swamy that came true. World Wars and Disasters - Brahmendra Swamy predicted that the 5000 years of Kaliyuga would be marked by devastating events, including natural disasters and wars. The 1939-1945 World War II and the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, which killed over 230,000 people, align with his predictions of massive destruction. British Rule in India - Swamy’s prophecy about "fair-faced people" ruling India came true with the British colonization, where the British controlled India for nearly 200 years. A Woman Would Rule for 16 Years - He predicted that a woman would rule for 16 years, which matches the tenure of Indira Gandhi, India’s first female Prime Minister, who ruled from 1966-1977 and again from 1980-1984. The Advent of Automobiles - The "non-living vehicles" predicted by Swamy refer to the invention of cars, trains, and planes, which revolutionized transportation. Electricity and Hydroelectric Power - He foresaw that "lamps would be lit with water," symbolizing the development of electricity and hydroelectric power, where water is used to generate energy. Fraudulent Gurus - Swamy predicted that genuine spiritual teachers would be rare, and fraudulent ones would be plentiful. This reflects the rise of self-proclaimed gurus today. End of Monarchies, Rise of Democracy - He predicted that traditional monarchies would end, and democracies would rise. This is seen in India after independence in 1947 when democracy replaced monarchy. San Francisco Earthquake - Swamy predicted a huge earthquake in San Francisco, which occurred in 1906, causing significant destruction. Cinema Actors Turned Politicians - Swamy’s prediction that "images on the screen would rule countries" has come true with film stars like N.T. Rama Rao, M.G. Ramachandran, and Arnold Schwarzenegger entering politics. Global Mobility - Swamy predicted that people would move constantly for work or other reasons, which is true in today’s globalized world. Decline in Social Morality - Swamy predicted that immoral actions, like the sale of children and increased affairs, would become common. These issues are being reported more today. Rise of Cruel Husbands - He predicted the rise of cruel husbands who treat their wives poorly. Unfortunately, this is seen in many instances of domestic violence today. Religious Conflicts - Swamy warned that conflicts based on religion would harm humanity, which is evident in ongoing religious extremism and terrorism. Rising Oceans and Global Warming - Swamy’s prophecy about rising oceans swallowing cities aligns with today’s fears of global warming and rising sea levels. Foreigners in Power and New Education Systems - Swamy predicted that foreigners would rule and bring a new education system. This happened with British colonial rule, which introduced Western education systems in India. Extinction of Wild Animals - Swamy foresaw the extinction of wild animals like lions due to poaching and habitat destruction, with many species now endangered.Selling of Merit - Swamy predicted that people would prioritize money over merit, seen today in education where management quotas and donations often replace merit-based admissions. Musi River Flood in Hyderabad - Swamy predicted the Musi River flood in Hyderabad, which happened in 1908, causing widespread destruction. Adulteration of Goods - He foresaw widespread adulteration of food and goods, which is a common issue today with fake products and compromised quality. The Birth of Gandhi - Swamy’s mention of a great soul named "Gandhi" refers to Mahatma Gandhi, who led India to independence through non-violence. Disclaimer: This article is based on popular beliefs. Times Now is not responsible for the accuracy or completeness of the information and facts provided here. Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from Astrology and around the world.

Number of women who are state lawmakers inches up to a record highROCHESTER — Castle Con, a tabletop gaming convention, will make its debut in Downtown Rochester from Jan. 24-26, 2025, at the Historic Chateau Theatre. Castle Con will have a variety of board games ranging from family-friendly classics to role-playing adventures, making it an exciting experience for all ages and skill levels. ADVERTISEMENT “Castle Con is for everyone, whether you’re a seasoned board game enthusiast or just curious to try something new,” said David Razidlo, owner of Game Haven and the visionary behind Castle Con. “There will be organized events, open gaming tables, specialty food and drinks, contests, and giveaways. Board gaming has become an increasingly popular way to connect offline, and Castle Con is a perfect chance to escape the winter blues, have fun, and create memories in a remarkable venue.” Participants can join for a single day or the entire weekend. Volunteers will be on hand to guide attendees through games and provide a welcoming experience for newcomers. “When David first came to the Rochester Downtown Alliance office to share his vision and apply for an RDA Start-Up Grant, we were immediately thrilled about Castle Con,” said Shawn Fagan, executive director of the RDA. “David’s passion for gaming and connecting people is extraordinary. Whether your go-to is Uno or a deep-dive tabletop campaign, this event has something for you. It’s an amazing way to bring people together and experience something unique in Rochester this January.” Razidlo added, “Board games have an incredible way of breaking down barriers. You don’t need to share interests or backgrounds to sit down and enjoy a game with someone. That’s what Castle Con is all about — creating opportunities to make new friends and lasting memories.” Single day tickets are $15 a day with Sunday being only $5. However, those interested can also buy a full weekend pass for $25. Tickets are available on the Game Haven website.

Trump asks Supreme Court to delay TikTok sale deadlineBack in 2005 World of Warcraft was ravaged by a digital plague that once removed from the raid dungeon it spawned in infected some four million players, spread across servers as how to give it to others was discovered, and left cities barren, skeleton-littered wastelands for a month before developers Blizzard were able to fix it. Now, somehow, briefly, someone managed to yet again spread the dreaded disease in World of Warcraft Classic. Posted to Reddit a few days ago is a bit of footage of WoW classic characters in Alliance capital Stormwind spreading the plague amongst each other in true 2005 fashion. It's not clear how the debuff got out of the raid instance this time. Some have suggested it wasn't that precise Corrupted Blood effect from the raid, rather one created by a weaker version of boss Hakkar the Soulflayer in another dungeon. Corrupted Blood is perhaps one of the most famous events in the history of MMOs, breaking containment at that time to even be covered in mainstream press and receive attention from scientific authorities. In 2007 a study of the corrupted blood incident was published in The Lancet, one of the oldest and most respected peer-reviewed medical journals in the world. To quote that piece: "The Corrupted Blood outbreak in World of Warcraft represents both a missed opportunity and an exciting new direction for future epidemiological research." That turned out to be entirely true. During the 2020 Covid-19 Pandemic that data was referenced and considered by those same researchers while looking at the spread of the real-world disease . We told the story of the Corrupted Blood incident in full ourselves in the documentary series Tales from the Hard Drive, hosted by Lenval Brown, the voice actor who narrated Disco Elysium: World of Warcraft has remained the top of the pack in MMOs for the full 20 years since 2004, a fact we recently marveled over and examined in a big ol' feature. The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.

Should the U.S. increase immigration levels for highly skilled workers?

Flydubai, a United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based budget airline, has suspended flights from Dubai to two Russian cities—Sochi and Mineralnye Vody—starting December 28 to January 5, 2025, because of security concerns. The announcement comes after Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8432 crashed near Aktau, killing 38 people and injuring 29 others on Wednesday, December 25, en route to Grozny, the Chechnya region’s capital. In a statement on Friday, December 27, the Association of Russian Tour Operators said that the suspension will affects over 2,000 passengers, 90 percent of whom are clients of tour operators, the Anadolu Agency (AA) reported. The tour operators are actively working to rectify the disruption, it added. In addition, Kazakh airline ‘Qazaq Air’ has temporarily suspended flights between Astana and Yekaterinburg for a month. due to security concerns. Following the suspension of flights from Baku to Grozy and Makhachkala on Wednesday, Azerbaijan Airlines said on Friday that it would also discontinue service to eight further Russian destinations. Azerbaijan Airlines is halting services to Mineralnye Vody, Sochi, Volgograd, Ufa, Samara, Saratov, Nizhny Novgorod, and Vladikavkaz.

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With U.S. stocks closing 2024 on a high note, investors are anticipating continued momentum into mid-January. This period sees a mix of market-shaping economic data and a significant political transition in the U.S. The S&P 500 saw a 25% rise in 2024, driven by standout performance in technology stocks, while the Nasdaq Composite soared over 31%. Yet, recent profit-taking has led to a temporary market selloff. Economic forces in early 2025, including employment data and fourth-quarter earnings, could determine how long this upward trajectory persists. Investors remain optimistic, particularly with President-elect Trump expected to unveil policies that could lower taxes and regulations. (With inputs from agencies.)Some tech industry leaders are pushing the incoming Trump administration to increase visas for highly skilled workers from other nations. Related Articles National Politics | Trump threat to immigrant health care tempered by economic hopes National Politics | In states that ban abortion, social safety net programs often fail families National Politics | Court rules Georgia lawmakers can subpoena Fani Willis for information related to her Trump case National Politics | New 2025 laws hit hot topics from AI in movies to rapid-fire guns National Politics | Trump has pressed for voting changes. GOP majorities in Congress will try to make that happen The heart of the argument is, for America to remain competitive, the country needs to expand the number of skilled visas it gives out. The previous Trump administration did not increase the skilled visa program, instead clamping down on visas for students and educated workers, increasing denial rates. Not everyone in corporate America thinks the skilled worker program is great. Former workers at IT company Cognizant recently won a federal class-action lawsuit that said the company favored Indian employees over Americans from 2013 to 2022. A Bloomberg investigation found Cognizant, and other similar outsourcing companies, mainly used its skilled work visas for lower-level positions. Workers alleged Cognizant preferred Indian workers because they could be paid less and were more willing to accept inconvenient or less-favorable assignments. Question: Should the U.S. increase immigration levels for highly skilled workers? Caroline Freund, UC San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy YES: Innovation is our superpower and it relies on people. Sourcing talent from 8 billion people in the world instead of 330 million here makes sense. Nearly half our Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or their children. Growing them also relies on expanding our skilled workforce. The cap on skilled-worker visas has hardly changed since the computer age started. With AI on the horizon, attracting and building talent is more important than ever. Kelly Cunningham, San Diego Institute for Economic Research YES: After years of openly allowing millions of undocumented entrants into the country, why is there controversy over legally increasing somewhat the number having desirable skills? Undocumented immigration significantly impacts lower skill level jobs and wages competing with domestic workers at every skill level. Why should special cases be made against those having higher skills? Could they just not walk across the border anyway, why make it more inconvenient to those with desirable skills? James Hamilton, UC San Diego YES: Knowledge and technology are key drivers of the U.S. economy. Students come from all over the world to learn at U.S. universities, and their spending contributed $50 billion to U.S. exports last year. Technological advantage is what keeps us ahead of the rest of the world. Highly skilled immigrants contribute much more in taxes than they receive in public benefits. The skills immigrants bring to America can make us all better off. Norm Miller, University of San Diego YES: According to Forbes, the majority of billion-dollar startups were founded by foreigners. I’ve interviewed dozens of data analysts and programmers from Berkeley, UCSD, USD and a few other schools and 75% of them are foreign. There simply are not enough American graduates to fill the AI and data mining related jobs now exploding in the U.S. If we wish to remain a competitive economy, we need highly skilled and bright immigrants to come here and stay. David Ely, San Diego State University YES: Being able to employ highly skilled workers from a larger pool of candidates would strengthen the competitiveness of U.S. companies by increasing their capacity to perform research and innovate. This would boost the country’s economic output. Skilled workers from other nations that cannot remain in the U.S. will find jobs working for foreign rivals. The demand for H-1B visas far exceeds the current cap of 85,000, demonstrating a need to modify this program. Phil Blair, Manpower YES: Every country needs skilled workers, at all levels, to grow its economy. We should take advantage of the opportunity these workers provide our employers who need these skills. It should be blended into our immigration policies allowing for both short and long term visas. Gary London, London Moeder Advisors YES: San Diego is a premiere example of how highly skilled workers from around the globe enrich a community and its regional economy. Of course Visa levels need to be increased. But let’s go further. Tie visas and immigration with a provision that those who are admitted and educated at a U.S. university be incentivized, or even required, to be employed in the U.S. in exchange for their admittance. Bob Rauch, R.A. Rauch & Associates NO: While attracting high-skilled immigrants can fill critical gaps in sectors like technology, health care and advanced manufacturing, increasing high-skilled immigration could displace American workers and drive down wages in certain industries. There are already many qualified American workers available for some of these jobs. We should balance the need for specialized skills with the impact on the domestic workforce. I believe we can begin to increase the number of visas after a careful review of abuse. Austin Neudecker, Weave Growth YES: We should expand skilled visas to drive innovation and economic growth. Individuals who perform high-skilled work in labor-restricted industries or graduate from respected colleges with relevant degrees should be prioritized for naturalization. We depend on immigration for GDP growth, tax revenue, research, and so much more. Despite the abhorrent rhetoric and curtailing of visas in the first term, I hope the incoming administration can be persuaded to enact positive changes to a clearly flawed system. Chris Van Gorder, Scripps Health YES: But it should be based upon need, not politics. There are several industries that have or could have skilled workforce shortages, especially if the next administration tightens immigration as promised and expected. Over the years, there have been nursing shortages that have been met partially by trained and skilled nurses from other countries. The physician shortage is expected to get worse in the years to come. So, this visa program may very well be needed. Jamie Moraga, Franklin Revere NO: While skilled immigration could boost our economy and competitiveness, the U.S. should prioritize developing our domestic workforce. Hiring foreign nationals in sensitive industries or government-related work, especially in advanced technology or defense, raises security concerns. A balanced approach could involve targeted increases in non-sensitive high-demand fields coupled with investment in domestic STEM education and training programs. This could address immediate needs while strengthening the long-term STEM capabilities of the American workforce. Not participating this week: Alan Gin, University of San DiegoHaney Hong, San Diego County Taxpayers AssociationRay Major, economist Have an idea for an Econometer question? Email me at phillip.molnar@sduniontribune.com . Follow me on Threads: @phillip020

What Singh’s frustrations tell us about governance EVERY Manmohan Singh obit noted the following: his decency, role as a reformer, hidden political savvy and govt dysfunction in his second term as PM. What’s got very little press is his frustration – he spent most of UPA-2 (2009-2014) as a PM unable to work on what he saw as a priority: the faltering economy. A decade back, in 2014, in a commentary in TOI (‘History will be kind to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’), Swaminathan Aiyar had caught this frustration – it took a long time for Singh to convince Sonia, who was focused only on rights-based policies, that GDP growth mattered, and when she finally listened, it was too late. Added to this was a forest of new green regulations that stalled work on projects. Politics is different now. Modi as PM is a powerful boss, even in a coalition govt. But there are useful lessons to be still learnt from the good doctor’s frustrations. First, politics is not about binaries – you can focus on welfare/rights activism and growth at the same time. And if you forget the latter, peril awaits. This can hardly be more relevant when every party is looking to devise a new cash transfer scheme and no party wants to talk up growth policies. Reforms, as today’s accompanying piece shows, have become a mantra devoid of meaning. Second, don’t pit growth/project work against environment. During UPA-2, projects stalled because of green rules. These days, mountains and hills are under threat because of project work. Ten years ago, govts were blind to this in a certain way, and now, they are blind to it in a different way. Third, remember, very few leaders, even those that start well, leave office on a high – Singh didn’t. When you still have time to change this outcome, don’t waste it on politics as usual.At Caesars Superdome on Sunday, Dec. 29, the Las Vegas Raiders play the New Orleans Saints, kicking off at 1 p.m. ET. The Saints should win, based on our computer model — continue reading to find more tips regarding the point spread, over/under and even the final score. Looking for NFL tickets? Head to StubHub today and see your team live. The Raiders rank fourth-worst in scoring offense (17.6 points per game), but they’ve been slightly better on defense, ranking 27th with 26 points allowed per game. In terms of points scored the Saints rank 22nd in the NFL (20.6 points per game), and they are 17th on defense (23.1 points allowed per contest). BetMGM is one of the most trusted Sportsbooks in the nation. Start with as little as $1 and place your bets today . Ready to make your pick? Head to BetMGM using our link and start betting today. Watch this game on Fubo (Regional restrictions may apply) Rep your favorite NFL players with officially licensed gear. Head to Fanatics to find jerseys, shirts, hats, and much more. Catch every NFL touchdown with NFL RedZone on Fubo. Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER .Browns vs. Dolphins Predictions & Picks: Odds, Moneyline, Spread – Week 17

Impressive Herbert leads Chargers into playoffs