As the Christmas decorations are packed away and the last of the mince pies finally eaten, this is the ideal time to start planning your next skiing adventure. While skiing is often considered a luxury escape, it’s entirely possible to enjoy a memorable trip without breaking the bank if you plan wisely. With countless destinations to choose from, ranging from the picturesque Alpine resorts to lesser-known gems, there’s something for everyone to discover. Whether you’re a seasoned pro carving through the snow or a beginner taking to the slopes for the first time, thoughtful planning and budget-friendly travel tips can make all the difference. The key to securing an affordable ski holiday lies in being flexible, taking advantage of early-bird deals, and considering cost-saving options like self-catered accommodation . Skiing offers the chance to explore stunning, snow-covered mountains while enjoying the thrill of gliding down the slopes, no matter your level of experience. It’s a family-friendly activity that combines adventure, fitness, and the beauty of nature in a truly memorable way. European ski resorts are famous not only for their exceptional skiing but also for their lively off-piste attractions, including vibrant après-ski scenes filled with delicious food, music and entertainment. Eager to plan your next ski holiday but worried about the cost? We’ve gathered some of the best tips to help you enjoy the slopes without breaking the bank. Book early You can spread out the cost of your holiday by paying a deposit upfront when you book early. You can also get the best choice of resorts and accommodation, especially during popular times. The European ski season lasts until late March so there is still plenty of time, but being weather dependant late season ski trips may also come with less snow. If you can't find a good enough deal for this year, consider waiting a while and booking for 2026 instead. The summer months are usually known as "offer season" when ski resorts offer discounts on lift passes and hotels may add perks for early bookers Book off-peak Avoid busy holidays and weekends, including the February half term holiday period and Easter if it falls in March. If you can take advantage of last-minute deals, January can represent excellent value for money, with the colder weather likely to deter fair weather skiers on higher ground. The best European snow falls are often found in February, but do keep in mind that French schools also have a break around this time meaning some resorts can get very busy. Be flexible Flexibility with your travel dates lets you take advantage of cheaper midweek flights and reduced accommodation rates during off-peak periods. You can also find last-minute deals and align your trip with the most budget-friendly options. Departing mid week can also mean you are more likely to find cheaper travel and lodging options., as does opting for 5 or 10 day holidays, instead of the usual 7 or 14 nights stays. Choose a budget resort Being seen on the slopes at Courchevel or Val d’Isère may be a dream for the upper classes, but for those of us on a budget these resorts aren't even worth considering. Luckily enough incredible skiing can be found throughout Europe with resorts such as Bansko in Bulgaria, Jasná in Slovakia, Livigno in Italy, Les Houches in France, Andorra and Söll in Austria, amongst other, still offer first class slopes without the pretentious price tag. It's also worth noting that some smaller resorts have sky runs that connect to the more upmarket destinations, meaning you can still show of your skiing prowess with having to spend a fortune. Go self catering Self-catering is often more affordable than staying in a fully-catered hotel. You’ll save on meal costs, which can add up quickly in ski resorts where dining out is expensive. Cooking your own meals also allows you to control your food budget, and most ski resorts will have local supermarkets where you can stock up on heart warming food and beverages. Rent your equipment This is a bit obvious as most brits won't want to buy a load of skiing gear to fly around Europe with them. Hire prices can really hike up the price of your holiday, but making some clever choices could keep costs down. Always book in advance if you have time as most rental shops offer discounts for online bookings. It also pays dividends to hire off-slope as equipment in the resort can be more expensive that shops based just outside. In some cases renting for longer periods offers bigger discounts and you can always return them early, and there is no need to pay for premium brands when standard gear and 'basic' packages will serve you just as well.Sportlync Outlines 2025 Roadmap, With Expanded Sports Offerings And Enhanced User ExperiencesMcGregor must pay $250K to woman who says he raped her, civil jury rules711bet apk latest version 。

Usyk retains world titles The electrifying clash between British Tyson Fury and Ukrainian heavyweight Oleksandr Usyk was watched by millions as all three judges scored the fight in Usyk’s favour by four points. Hence, Usyk retained all four WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight boxing championship belts after beating his rival in Saudi Arabia. In the closely matched contest between the pair, the judges were unanimous in the points decision, with all three scoring the fight 116-112 in Usyk’s favour. I salute Usyk for finding gaps in Fury’s defences, and despite giving up advantages in height, weight and reach to his opponent, Usyk worked hard and smart during the rematch. He landed punches more frequently and with greater vigor and impact. When the fight concluded, Fury left the ring, disappointed at the defeat. Usyk is the first boxer to hold all four heavyweight titles simultaneously since Lennox Lewis did so in 1999. Having retained the championship belts, the 37-year-old Usyk proved that no matter how difficult it was, his will to win took him through. Rajnesh Ishwar Lingam, Nadawa, Nasinu Fruit cakes Festive seasons have been around similar to previous years but I believe consumers have been deceived by very attractive packaging of Christmas cakes. The packages contain almost dry cakes with very little pieces of fruit. There are hardly any cherries, orange rinds etc. Several companies wholesale these Christmas delicacies in shops around the country with different prices. Cake lovers should not be lured by colourful packaging but enjoy delicious, moist fruit cakes come 2025. SARITA LAL, Lautoka Power and position There is a proverb which tells us: “Familiarity breeds contempt”. Sometimes, being too long in a position allows complacency to breed. In my view, the Prime Minister of Fiji, in our new constitution, should be limited to no more than two terms of four years, each. No more. A breath of fresh air can be vitalising. There are capable women and men around. Similarly, I am also of the opinion, EFL could do with a wholesome change in the position of CEO. Some modernisation could do well in Fiji’s benefit. Some up-and-coming MBA with required prerequisites, could revitalise the monopoly in power generation. Happy New Year Fiji. RONNIE CHANG , Martintar, Nadi Cabinet reshuffle Prime Minister is very frank in stating that he is loaded with extra work because some of the ministers’ performance are not up to par (FT25/12). Hence the need for a reshuffle. How can some ministers devote more time doing their actual duties when most of the times they are out of the country? And please don’t tell me it is important for them to attend to all the overseas meetings and conferences. We are not that gullible. Despite being assured that there will be a cut down on these junkets as promised during the election, nothing seems to have changed. On the contrary, the size of the delegation appears to have increased. I would urge the PM to also look into this and set ground rules for approving such travels in future. Let’s hope the PM will exercise his prerogative in reassigning the portfolios in a fair and transparent manner to the most capable members of his Cabinet so he is relieved from the nightmare of seeing the files in his sleep. SELWA NANDAN, Lautoka Flooding at Nadi Growing up I got used to referring to the Nausori airport as Luvuluvu, which in Fijian refers to the constant state of being flooded. I believe around the late 1960s major earthworks were undertaken along the Rewa River banks resulting in the flood-free status of the airport we now see. Nadi Town, being the major hub that tourists initially encounter and considering how important tourism is to Fiji, can something similar to Luvuluvu be undertaken for Nadi Town? We have to be thankful for the resilience of the businesses in Nadi, else it will become a deserted town. MAREKO VULI, Sydney, Australia April Fool’s Day? The papers are reporting that Donald Trump wants Greenland as the 51st state or as a protectorate at least. Usually, April Fool’s Day is April 1st, not December 25 but then again with some of the presents given over the decades, it’s not that certain. On the more serious side, Denmark is boosting the defence of Greenland and any increase in military action is always a worry. Does he also know that Greenland is mostly ice and Iceland is mostly green? A lot of 78-year-old seniors start to get confused easily. DENNIS FITZGERALD, Melbourne, Australia Government assistance We have seen a few stories about the Seafaring Entrepreneurial Assistance Programme under which many people have been given boats, trucks, farming equipment and the like. It is always good to see that assistance is provided to people who are driven to succeed. I suspect we will see more and more of this as the election draws closer. My personal view is that people who are most successful are self-driven and motivated and do not rely on or ask for assistance. So, it would be interesting to know how these people who are being given assistance fare in a year’s time. On what basis is this assistance assessed? Is the basis on which the assistance handed out legal and based on equality and fairness? Is this type of assistance given depending on your ethnic background? On another note, what is this fixation with wrapping the boats, trucks and equipment with reels and reels of tapa cloth? I saw a report recently where even a new gravel road was adorned with tapa cloth. When did this tradition kick in? Where was the cake and the salusalu or is it the case that I will not understand because I am a vulagi? In addition, what is the fixation about ministers and assistant ministers having pictures plastered in newspapers and social media handing out this assistance. Is that to show us what a good job they are doing? They can pretend in the pictures all they want because I believe they are doing a hopeless job. JAN NISSAR, Sydney, Australia PM’s Christmas message Two years in office, and PM Sitiveni Rabuka has gone through a lot. Age is fast catching up and the PM has had to endure a lot in taking the People’s Coalition Government forward. I thank him for his patience and steadfastness in steering the nation forward ahead of challenges posed by the rise in crime rate, cases of drug abuse, violence and murder, littering, drop in literacy and numeracy rates and rise in cost of living. As Fijians celebrated Christmas, the PM reminded Fijians that Christmas was not just a celebration, but it was a time for peace, forgiveness and unity. As he spoke about the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, he reiterated how that humble beginning was a reminder of God’s desire to bring people closer to him. He added that Christmas allowed us to focus on healing, restoring relationships and coming together as a community. Furthermore, the PM urged Fijians to seek inspiration from the teachings of Jesus, focusing on reconciliation, unconditional love, kindness, selflessness, sacrifice, compassion, care for each other, and the ability to forgive and seek forgiveness. He concluded on a positive note, hoping that our beloved Fiji would continue to grow in the spirit of love, hope and reconciliation. I thank the PM for his service to our nation. Two years and two more to go! A lot has to be done in terms of addressing the pressing issues faced by many Fijians. RAJNESH ISHWAR LINGAM, Nadawa, Nasinu Municipal council CEOs The Local Government Ministry has reportedly begun the process of recruiting individuals to take on the roles of chief executive officers across ten of Fiji’s municipal councils. I believe the individuals who are to be appointed had applied in accordance with the advertisement. According to the advertisement, these leadership positions are critical for ensuring the efficient delivery of municipal services, overseeing transformative projects and spearheading key reforms. It is to be noted that most of the CEO positions have been vacant for a while because of the departure and expiry of contracts of individuals who had been there. It is good to know that the positions were publicly advertised which gives everyone a fair chance and opportunity to apply. The advertisement highlighted that the ministry is seeking candidates who could drive municipal operations toward modernisation, address community needs and promote sustainable practices. The councils seeking new CEOs are: Ba, Labasa, Lami, Lautoka, Levuka, Nadi, Tavua, Rakiraki, Savusavu. As a ratepayer, I am pleased to know that this process was taking place finally. Last but not the least, we hope that only the best candidates and candidates who are appropriately experienced and qualified are selected. We have seen enough of appointments made along party lines. Please don’t do that. SURESH CHAND, Nadi Thank you WHY should I say thank you today if I’m hoping for the best tomorrow, for you and I. AREKI DAWAI, Suva Difficult two years A VERY difficult two years, says PM (FT 25/12) of governing the country under a Coalition Government. Their consolation is the hefty pay rise they were able to give themselves. I believe the last two years were so much more difficult for the ordinary people of Fiji from what I gather from the public reaction to the quality of political leadership and governance in Fiji. Is the “people-centred” Rabuka government aware of that? RAJEND NAIDU, Sydney, Australia Rainy Christmas SUBSTANTIAL rainfall is anticipated in the western region this Christmas season. Given the current nationwide flash flooding and heavy precipitation, caution is advised. I urge everyone to prioritise safety and support one another during this time. JAHEED BUKSH, Sigatoka There is tomorrow SHALL we indulge in alcohol consumption on December 31 like there is no tomorrow? While there is reason to celebrate the coming of another year, let us be reasonable and make the work of our law enforcement officers easier and more importantly, our neighbours deserve a safe environment. By the way, may 2025 bring forth opportunities and challenges which allow us and our families to grow from strength to strength. FLOYD ROBINSON, Mirconesia Damaged ships MY request to the Coalition Government to stop handing new multi-million dollar Navy vessels to the Fiji military and Navy until they can first demonstrate that they not only have the capacity but also the discipline and the maturity to be entrusted with a significant national asset. SAVERIO BALEIKANACEA , Delainavesi, Lami Holding office ARE there any current female or male politicians around the globe that have a naughty video or pictures available publicly, but are still holding onto office? AREKI DAWAI, Suva Unkept resolutions IF resolutions are meant to be broken, then you’re just making them in jest, so when you make a list of them, you’re just adding to the long pile instead. Just do what you can, honestly and diligently, promises will remain just that, unless you’ll follow them up faithfully! EDWARD BLAKELOCK, Pacific Harbour

Another stowaway caught on Delta flight raises major concerns about airport safety

Tyler Herro on Amen Thompson Fight: I'd Be Mad If Someone Was Scoring, Dishing Dimes

Yet another stowaway managed to board a major airline’s plane – renewing serious questions and concerns about airport safety during the busiest travel season of the year. This time, a stowaway tried to hitch a ride on Delta Air Lines Flight 487 at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on Christmas Eve. The unticketed passenger was discovered while the plane was still taxiing out for takeoff to Honolulu, Delta Air Lines told CNN. The Transportation Security Administration and the Port of Seattle confirmed the incident to CNN. The incident came less than a month after another stowaway boarded a Delta airplane Thanksgiving week. That unticketed passenger made it all the way from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport to Paris . Delta Air Lines planes are seen parked at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on June 19, 2024, in Seattle, Washington. And on Christmas Eve, of a United Airlines plane shortly after it traveled from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport and landed in Maui. Hiding in a plane’s wheel well is the most common method used by , the Federal Aviation Administration said. Stowaways often get crushed when the landing gear retracts, and oxygen levels plummet as a plane reaches higher altitudes. In the Seattle incident, the stowaway went through a TSA security checkpoint the evening before the flight but wasn’t holding a boarding pass, an airport spokesperson told CNN. The next day, the person “gained access to the loading bridge without a scanned ticket at the gate,” airport media relations manager Perry Cooper said. Once the person was discovered, the Airbus A321neo returned to the gate to remove the unticketed passenger, Delta said. Port of Seattle police officers were dispatched to gate B1 at the airport around 1:05 p.m. for “a report of a suspicious circumstance” on the Delta flight. The person “ran out” of the aircraft before officers arrived, Cooper told CNN Friday. “The aircraft returned to the terminal and the subject departed the aircraft,” the Port of Seattle said. “With the help of video surveillance, POSPD were able to locate the subject in a terminal restroom. The subject was arrested for criminal trespass.” The unticketed passenger didn’t have any prohibited items, the TSA told CNN. “The aircraft was swept by K9 as well as all areas in the terminal accessed by the subject,” the Port of Seattle said. “The aircraft was deplaned and all passengers were escorted by TSA to return to the security checkpoint for rescreening.” CNN has reached out to the Port of Seattle for additional comment. Delta said the flight was delayed by two hours and 15 minutes. After the rescreening, it continued to Honolulu at 3 p.m. “As there are no matters more important than safety and security, Delta people followed procedures to have an unticketed passenger removed from the flight and then apprehended,” the Atlanta-based airline said in a statement. “We apologize to our customers for the delay in their travels and thank them for their patience and cooperation.” TSA said it “takes any incidents that occur at any of our checkpoints nationwide seriously. TSA will independently review the circumstances of this incident at our travel document checker station at Seattle/Tacoma International.” How the person got through airport security is a question many want answered. There are a number of factors at play, according to former commercial airline pilot and aviation analyst, John Nance. “There are multiple causes that come into this, and they probably involve not only a bit of lackadaisical inattention,” Nance told . “It may be training, it may be compliance, but it’s probably all of that.” It’s “embarrassing” for this situation to happen twice to the same airline and TSA, according to former Department of Homeland Security official Keith Jeffries, who was federal security director when he left the DHS in 2022. In his 20 years working with DHS and the TSA, Jeffries said he’s seen these situations multiple times. “It has happened before. It will happen again until they continue to strengthen that vulnerability,” Jeffries said. “The fact that it happened to the same airline, of course, couldn’t be more embarrassing, especially back-to-back, and during the holiday season, when there’s an extra alertness associated with the large holiday season,” Jeffries added. During the holidays, Jeffries explained, there’s typically more staffing at the airports being “extra vigilant.” TSA, airlines and airports have even more people present to ensure things like this don’t fall through the cracks, making these cases “even more concerning,” he said. If there is a “silver lining,” Jeffries said, it’s that Delta did catch the stowaway during the taxi, and they didn’t make it to Hawaii. The stowaway also didn’t have prohibited items when scanned through TSA, which is another plus, he said. “Everybody’s going to have to work together; TSA and the airlines on how they can strengthen both of those vulnerabilities, and in some cases, even work with the airport,” he said. Congress will likely scrutinize these incidents, Nance added. “But there will be no one paying more attention than the airlines themselves,” he said. Elise Mertens, of Belgium, serves against Naomi Osaka, of Japan, at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament, on March 11, 2024, in Indian Wells, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) An adult periodical cicada sheds its nymphal skin on May 11, 2024, in Cincinnati. There are two large compound eyes, which are used to visually perceive the world around them, and three small, jewel-like, simple eyes called ocelli at center. 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(AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) A cleric holds up his son as he celebrates Iran's missile strike against Israel during an anti-Israeli protest at Felestin (Palestine) Square in Tehran, Iran, on Oct. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi) Kenya Wildlife Service rangers and capture team pull a sedated black rhino from the water in Nairobi National Park, Kenya, on Jan. 16, 2024, as part of a rhino relocation project to move 21 of the critically endangered beasts hundreds of miles to a new home. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga) A pod of Beluga whales swim through the Churchill River near Churchill, Manitoba, Canada, on Aug. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel) Atmaram, who goes by one name and was found living on the street a day earlier, eats breakfast at Saint Hardyal Educational and Orphans Welfare Society, a home for the aged and unwanted, on April 12, 2024, in New Delhi, India. (AP Photo/David Goldman) Buildings cover Gardi Sugdub Island, part of San Blas archipelago off Panama's Caribbean coast, on May 25, 2024. Due to rising sea levels, about 300 Guna Indigenous families are relocating to new homes, built by the government, on the mainland. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix) People help Liudmila, 85, board a bus after their evacuation from Vovchansk, Ukraine, on May 12, 2024. Her husband was killed in their house during a Russian airstrike on the city. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka) Members of the water safety team move into the impact zone on a jet ski to rescue a surfer under a rainbow during a training day ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics surfing competition in Teahupo'o, Tahiti, on July 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull) Children play with the ropes of a ship docked on a beach in Parika, Guyana, on June 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa) Actors make final adjustments to their costumes before the start of Ramleela, a dramatic folk re-enactment of the life of Rama according to the ancient Hindu epic Ramayana, in New Delhi, India, on Oct. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup) Muslim pilgrims circumambulate the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque, during the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, on June 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool) Christophe Chavilinga, 90, suffering from mpox, waits for treatment at a clinic in Munigi, eastern Congo, on Aug. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa) Two men in Russian Cossack uniforms pose for a selfie with the Historical Museum in the background after visiting the mausoleum of the Soviet founder Vladimir Lenin, marking the 154th anniversary of his birth, in Moscow's Red Square, on April 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko) A fisherman carries his catch of the day to market in Manta, Ecuador, on Sept. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Dolores Ochoa) Ama Pipe, from Britain, center, receives the baton from teammate Lina Nielsen in a women's 4 X 400 meters relay heat during the World Athletics Indoor Championships at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, Scotland, on March 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue) Ultra-Orthodox Jews look at part of an intercepted ballistic missile that fell in the desert near the city of Arad, Israel, on April 28, 2024. (AP Photo/ Ohad Zwigenberg) Margarita Salazar, 82, wipes sweat from her forehead in her home during an extreme heat wave in Veracruz, Mexico, on June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez) People drive along a road littered with fallen power lines after the passing of Hurricane Rafael in San Antonio de los Banos, Cuba, on Nov. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa) Palestinian activist Khairi Hanoon walks with the Palestinian flag on a damaged road following an Israeli army raid in Tulkarem, West Bank, on Sept. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) Vero Almarche, right, hugs her neighbor Maria Munoz, who was born in the house where they are photographed and which was destroyed by flooding in Masanasa, Valencia, Spain, on Nov. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti) Wearing a device that measures his energy consumption, Israel Amputee Football Team player Ben Maman, left, fights for the ball with a young soccer player from a local team during a practice session in Ramat Gan, Israel, on April 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) Fans interfere with a foul ball caught by Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts during the first inning in Game 4 of the baseball World Series against the New York Yankees, on Oct. 29, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis) Pope Francis gestures during an annual gathering of pro-family organizations at the Auditorium della Conciliazione, in Rome, on May 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) Models wait backstage for a show to start during China Fashion Week in Beijing on March 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump attends the 2024 Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, on July 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Sara Chen weeps over the grave of her longtime friend, Staff Sgt. Avraham Nerya Cohen, who was killed in action on Oct. 7, 2023, as Israel marks the first anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel, at the Mount Herzl military cemetery in Jerusalem on Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo) Female Israeli soldiers pose for a photo in southern Israel, on the border of the Gaza Strip, on Feb. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Tsafrir Abayov) A gaucho, or South American cowboy, bathes a horse during the Criolla Week rodeo festival, in Montevideo, Uruguay, on March 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico) Debris is visible through the window of a damaged home following severe storms in Lakeview, Ohio, on March 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel) Friends and family fuss over a quinceañera in preparation for her photo session at Colon square in the Zona Colonial neighborhood of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on May 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix) Jewish ultra-Orthodox men dressed in costumes celebrate the Jewish festival of Purim in Bnei Brak, Israel, on March 24, 2024. The holiday commemorates the Jews' salvation from genocide in ancient Persia, as recounted in the Book of Esther. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty) A voter fills out a ballot during general elections in Nkandla, Kwazulu Natal, South Africa, on May 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti) A mural of former Argentine first lady María Eva Duarte de Perón, better known as Eva Perón, or Evita, depicting her with a saint's halo, adorns a wall inside the Peron Peron restaurant in the San Telmo neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Friday, Feb. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) A girl plays a jump rope game at a school housing residents displaced by gang violence in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on May 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa) A cosplayer dressed as Deadpool attends a Comic-Con convention in Panama City on Sept. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix) A person carrying a handgun and a sign depicting Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump stands outside the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on July 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) Prisoners reach out from their cell for bread at lunchtime at the Juan de la Vega prison in Emboscada, Paraguay, on July 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) A supporter of Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump waits for the start of his campaign rally in Doral, Fla., on July 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) Lava flows from a volcanic eruption that started on the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco di Marco) A polar bear and a cub search for scraps in a large pile of bowhead whale bones left from the village's subsistence hunting at the end of an unused airstrip near the village of Kaktovik, Alaska, on Oct. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) First-graders attend the traditional ceremony for the first day of school in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, on Sept. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka) Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!

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Biden pledges £472m for rail project to improve access to Africa’s mineralsThe team that President-elect Donald Trump has selected to lead federal health agencies in his second administration includes a retired congressman, a surgeon and a former talk-show host. All could play pivotal roles in fulfilling a political agenda that could change how the government goes about safeguarding Americans' health — from health care and medicines to food safety and science research. In line to lead the Department of Health and Human Services secretary is environmental lawyer and anti-vaccine organizer Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Trump's choices don't have experience running large bureaucratic agencies, but they know how to talk about health on TV . Centers for Medicare and Medicaid pick Dr. Mehmet Oz hosted a talk show for 13 years and is a well-known wellness and lifestyle influencer. The pick for the Food and Drug Administration, Dr. Marty Makary, and for surgeon general, Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, are frequent Fox News contributors. Many on the list were critical of COVID-19 measures like masking and booster vaccinations for young people. Some of them have ties to Florida like many of Trump's other Cabinet nominees: Dave Weldon , the pick for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, represented the state in Congress for 14 years and is affiliated with a medical group on the state's Atlantic coast. Nesheiwat's brother-in-law is Rep. Mike Waltz , R-Fla., tapped by Trump as national security adviser. Here's a look at the nominees' potential role in carrying out what Kennedy says is the task to “reorganize” agencies, which have an overall $1.7 trillion budget, employ 80,000 scientists, researchers, doctors and other officials, and effect Americans' daily lives: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention The Atlanta-based CDC, with a $9.2 billion core budget, is charged with protecting Americans from disease outbreaks and other public health threats. Kennedy has long attacked vaccines and criticized the CDC, repeatedly alleging corruption at the agency. He said on a 2023 podcast that there is "no vaccine that is safe and effective,” and urged people to resist the CDC's guidelines about if and when kids should get vaccinated . The World Health Organization estimates that vaccines have saved more than 150 million lives over the past 50 years, and that 100 million of them were infants. Decades ago, Kennedy found common ground with Weldon , 71, who served in the Army and worked as an internal medicine doctor before he represented a central Florida congressional district from 1995 to 2009. Starting in the early 2000s, Weldon had a prominent part in a debate about whether there was a relationship between a vaccine preservative called thimerosal and autism. He was a founding member of the Congressional Autism Caucus and tried to ban thimerosal from all vaccines. Kennedy, then a senior attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council, believed there was a tie between thimerosal and autism and also charged that the government hid documents showing the danger. Since 2001, all vaccines manufactured for the U.S. market and routinely recommended for children 6 years or younger have contained no thimerosal or only trace amounts, with the exception of inactivated influenza vaccine. Meanwhile, study after study after study found no evidence that thimerosal caused autism. Weldon's congressional voting record suggests he may go along with Republican efforts to downsize the CDC, including to eliminate the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, which works on topics like drownings, drug overdoses and shooting deaths. Weldon also voted to ban federal funding for needle-exchange programs as an approach to reduce overdoses, and the National Rifle Association gave him an “A” rating for his pro-gun rights voting record. Food and Drug Administration Kennedy is extremely critical of the FDA, which has 18,000 employees and is responsible for the safety and effectiveness of prescription drugs, vaccines and other medical products, as well as overseeing cosmetics, electronic cigarettes and most foods. Makary, Trump’s pick to run the FDA, is closely aligned with Kennedy on several topics . The professor at Johns Hopkins University who is a trained surgeon and cancer specialist has decried the overprescribing of drugs, the use of pesticides on foods and the undue influence of pharmaceutical and insurance companies over doctors and government regulators. Kennedy has suggested he'll clear out “entire” FDA departments and also recently threatened to fire FDA employees for “aggressive suppression” of a host of unsubstantiated products and therapies, including stem cells, raw milk , psychedelics and discredited COVID-era treatments like ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine. Makary's contrarian views during the COVID-19 pandemic included questioning the need for masking and giving young kids COVID-19 vaccine boosters. But anything Makary and Kennedy might want to do when it comes to unwinding FDA regulations or revoking long-standing vaccine and drug approvals would be challenging. The agency has lengthy requirements for removing medicines from the market, which are based on federal laws passed by Congress. Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services The agency provides health care coverage for more than 160 million people through Medicaid, Medicare and the Affordable Care Act, and also sets Medicare payment rates for hospitals, doctors and other providers. With a $1.1 trillion budget and more than 6,000 employees, Oz has a massive agency to run if confirmed — and an agency that Kennedy hasn't talked about much when it comes to his plans. While Trump tried to scrap the Affordable Care Act in his first term, Kennedy has not taken aim at it yet. But he has been critical of Medicaid and Medicare for covering expensive weight-loss drugs — though they're not widely covered by either . Trump said during his campaign that he would protect Medicare, which provides insurance for older Americans. Oz has endorsed expanding Medicare Advantage — a privately run version of Medicare that is popular but also a source of widespread fraud — in an AARP questionnaire during his failed 2022 bid for a U.S. Senate seat in Pennsylvania and in a 2020 Forbes op-ed with a former Kaiser Permanente CEO. Oz also said in a Washington Examiner op-ed with three co-writers that aging healthier and living longer could help fix the U.S. budget deficit because people would work longer and add more to the gross domestic product. Neither Trump nor Kennedy have said much about Medicaid, the insurance program for low-income Americans. Trump's first administration reshaped the program by allowing states to introduce work requirements for recipients. Surgeon general Kennedy doesn't appear to have said much publicly about what he'd like to see from surgeon general position, which is the nation's top doctor and oversees 6,000 U.S. Public Health Service Corps members. The surgeon general has little administrative power, but can be an influential government spokesperson on what counts as a public health danger and what to do about it — suggesting things like warning labels for products and issuing advisories. The current surgeon general, Vivek Murthy, declared gun violence as a public health crisis in June. Trump's pick, Nesheiwat, is employed as a New York City medical director with CityMD, a group of urgent care facilities in the New York and New Jersey area, and has been at City MD for 12 years. She also has appeared on Fox News and other TV shows, authored a book on the “transformative power of prayer” in her medical career and endorses a brand of vitamin supplements. She encouraged COVID-19 vaccines during the pandemic, calling them “a gift from God” in a February 2021 Fox News op-ed, as well as anti-viral pills like Paxlovid. In a 2019 Q&A with the Women in Medicine Legacy Foundation , Nesheiwat said she is a “firm believer in preventive medicine” and “can give a dissertation on hand-washing alone.” National Institutes of Health As of Saturday, Trump had not yet named his choice to lead the National Institutes of Health, which funds medical research through grants to researchers across the nation and conducts its own research. It has a $48 billion budget. Kennedy has said he'd pause drug development and infectious disease research to shift the focus to chronic diseases. He'd like to keep NIH funding from researchers with conflicts of interest, and criticized the agency in 2017 for what he said was not doing enough research into the role of vaccines in autism — an idea that has long been debunked . Associated Press writers Amanda Seitz and Matt Perrone and AP editor Erica Hunzinger contributed to this report. The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. This story has been corrected to reflect that the health agencies have an overall budget of about $1.7 trillion, not $1.7 billion. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Build your health & fitness knowledge Sign up here to get the latest health & fitness updates in your inbox every week!

Richard Osman, his Thursday Murder Club... and an eight-year war of words between Scots librarians! Click here to visit the Scotland home page for the latest news and sport By STUART MACDONALD FOR THE SCOTTISH DAILY MAIL Published: 21:25, 4 December 2024 | Updated: 21:27, 4 December 2024 e-mail 1 View comments It is a spat that has seen two of Scotland’s most remote libraries rib each other over their services for eight years. The friendly rivalry between staff in Orkney and Shetland began in 2016 when bestselling author Richard Osman vowed to mention Orkney in his next Thursday Murder Club book after an online exchange with the island’s library. Since then staff at the two libraries have been have been trading jibes on social media platform X, formerly Twitter , leading to them both gaining thousands of followers. Osman responded to a post on Orkney Library’s X account which pointed out he was one of the only authors on their most borrowed list who didn’t have a connection to the area. The post read: ‘A lot of our most borrowed books are set in Orkney, written by people from Orkney, or written by people who have visited Orkney. But also Richard Osman.’ Osman, 54, replied ‘Sounds like I better move there’ leading the library to say, 'Well you’re doing pretty well without any Orkney content but maybe something to think about’. The Pointless and House of Games host then agreed to a compromise by saying ‘I’ll slip an “Orkney” into the new Thursday Murder Club book’. Best-selling author Richard Osman is at the heart of a spat between two Scots libraries Richard Osman's crime novels are a huge hit The library’s account responded by posting: ‘You heard it here first. ‘Do that and we’ll slip the new Thursday Murder Club book into Orkney (library).’ However, Osman’s pledge led to him being contacted by the X account of Shetland’s library who asked him: ‘Richard! You wouldn’t slip Orkney in without us, would you?.’ In a reference to author Ann Cleeves’ Shetland novels which have been turned into the successful BBC TV series, he replied: ‘Do you honestly think you’ve been under-represented in crime fiction?’ Orkney Library then got back in touch with Osman to say, ‘Careful or they’ll start going on about being “the most northerly “yadi yadi yah’. Click here to visit the Scotland home page for the latest news and sport Advertisement In 2016 when Orkney Library’s account received a coveted blue ‘tick’ - given to public figures and institutions to establish the authenticity of their identity - it wasted no time in tweeting: ‘Do you like our blue tick ShetlandLibrary? We know you already have blue ticks but ours isn’t caught off sheep.’ An hour later, they received the reply: ‘OrkneyLibrary Assume this ‘blue tick’ business is a bit like when Debenhams have a sale, identifying what’s knocked down & had its day?’ Orkney Library has built up a following of 85,000 people on X with its amusing posts while Shetland Library has 21,000. Osman is currently working on the fifth instalment of The Thursday Murder Club series which has continually broken publishing records since the first novel was published in 2020. The books are set around a group of pensioners living in a retirement village who crack the mysteries behind a series of killings. The original Thursday Murder Club book is being turned into a film by Steven Spielberg’s company Amblin Entertainment with Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Celia Imrie, Ben Kingsley and David Tennant all due to appear. Richard Osman Share or comment on this article: Richard Osman, his Thursday Murder Club... and an eight-year war of words between Scots librarians! e-mail Add comment

President Joe Biden pledged another 600 million US dollars (£472 million) on Wednesday for an ambitious multi-country rail project in Africa as one of the final foreign policy moves of his administration. Mr Biden told African leaders the resource-rich continent of more than 1.4 billion people had been “left behind for much too long”. “But not anymore,” Mr Biden added. “Africa is the future.” Mr Biden used the third and final day of a visit to Angola – his long-awaited, first trip to sub-Saharan Africa as president – to travel to the coastal city of Lobito and tour an Atlantic port terminal that’s part of the Lobito Corridor railway redevelopment. Mr Biden described it as the largest US investment in a train project outside America. The US and allies are investing heavily in the project that will refurbish nearly 1,200 miles of train lines connecting to the mineral-rich areas of Congo and Zambia in central Africa. The corridor, which likely will take years to complete, gives the US better access to cobalt, copper and other critical minerals in Congo and Zambia that are used in batteries for electric vehicles, electronic devices and clean energy technologies that Mr Biden said would power the future. China is dominant in mining in Congo and Zambia. The US investment has strategic implications for US-China economic competition, which went up a notch this week as they traded blows over access to key materials and technologies. The African leaders who met with Mr Biden on Wednesday said the railway corridor offered their countries a much faster route for minerals and goods – and a convenient outlet to Western markets. “This is a project that is full of hope for our countries and our region,” said Congo President Felix Tshisekedi, whose country has more than 70% of the word’s cobalt. “This is not just a logistical project. It is a driving force for economic and social transformation for millions of our people.” The leaders said the corridor should spur private-sector investment and improve a myriad of related areas like roads, communication networks, agriculture and clean energy technologies. For the African countries, it could create a wave of new jobs for a burgeoning young population. Cargo that once took 45 days to get to the US – usually involving trucks via South Africa – would now take around 45 hours, Mr Biden said. He predicted the project could transform the region from a food importer to exporter. It’s “something that if done right will outlast all of us and keep delivering for our people for generations to come,” he said. The announcement of an additional $600 million took the U.S.’s investment in the Lobito Corridor to 4.0 billion dollars (£3.15 billion).

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Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP Securities Litigation Partner James (Josh) Wilson Encourages Investors Who Suffered Losses Exceeding $50,000 In PACS Group To Contact Him Directly To Discuss Their Options If you suffered losses exceeding $50,000 in PACS Group between (a) common stock pursuant and/or traceable to the registration statement and prospectus (collectively, the “Registration Statement”) issued in connection with the Company’s April 11, 2024 initial public offering (“IPO” or the “Offering”); and/or (b) all persons and entities that purchased or otherwise acquired PACS common stock pursuant, or traceable, or both, to the SPO Materials (as defined herein) issued in connection with PACS’ September 2024 secondary public offering (the “SPO”); and/or (c) securities between April 11, 2024 and November 5, 2024 inclusive (the “Class Period”) and would like to discuss your legal rights, call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310). [You may also click here for additional information] NEW YORK, Dec. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP , a leading national securities law firm, is investigating potential claims against PACS Group, Inc. (“PACS Group” or the “Company”) (NYSE: PACS) and reminds investors of the January 13, 2025 deadline to seek the role of lead plaintiff in a federal securities class action that has been filed against the Company. Faruqi & Faruqi is a leading national securities law firm with offices in New York, Pennsylvania, California and Georgia. The firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors since its founding in 1995. See www.faruqilaw.com . As detailed below, the complaint alleges that the Company and its executives violated federal securities laws by making false and/or misleading statements and/or failing to disclose that: (1) that the Company engaged in a “scheme” to submit false Medicare claims which “drove more than 100% of PACS’ operating and net income from 2020 – 2023”; (2) that the Company engaged in a “scheme” to “bill thousands of unnecessary respiratory and sensory integration therapies to Medicare”; (3) that the Company engaged in a scheme to falsify documentation related to licensure and staffing; and (4) that, as a result of the foregoing, Defendants’ positive statements about the Company’s business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. On April 11, 2024, PACS Group conducted its IPO, selling 21,428,572 shares of common stock at a price of $21.00 per share, received net proceeds of approximately $450 million. On September 3, 2024, PACS filed with the SEC a registration statement for a secondary offering on Form S-1 (the “SPO Registration Statement”). On September 6, 2024, PACS filed with the SEC a prospectus for the SPO on Form 424B4, which formed part of the SPO Registration Statement (the “SPO Prospectus” and together with the SPO Registration Statement and attendant materials filed or published with these forms, the “SPO Materials.” PACS issued 2,777,778 shares of common stock at $36.25 per share for proceeds of $100.7 million to the Company. Through the SPO, PACS insiders also sold 16,256,704 shares of common stock at $36.25 per share for proceeds of $589.3 million. On November 4, 2024, Hindenburg Research published a report based on a 5-month investigation that included interviews with 18 former PACS Group employees, competitors, and an analysis of more than 900 PACS facility cost reports. The report alleged the Company had “abused a COVID-era waiver” in a “scheme” that involved falsely submitting false Medicare claims which “drove more than 100% of PACS’ operating and net income from 2020 – 2023, enabling PACS to IPO in early 2024 with the illusion of legitimate growth and profitability.” The report further alleged the Company engaged in a scheme to maintain revenue by “bill[ing] thousands of unnecessary respiratory and sensory integration therapies to Medicare Part B regardless of clinical need or outcomes.” The report also alleged a widespread practice of falsifying documentation, including by engaging in a “scheme whereby PACS attempts to fool regulators by ‘renting’ licenses from third parties to ‘hang’ on buildings” and then “either employs unlicensed administrators or has administrators manage multiple buildings in excess of state mandated limits.” Similarly, the report alleges the Company engaged in a scheme related to licensure and staffing of nurses, whereby “PACS secretly lists uncertified nurse aides (NAs) as certified in the system, in an apparent scheme to cheat staffing ratios” and “retroactively add fake RN hours” in order “to meet minimum staffing requirements, boost star ratings, and avoid costly penalties.” On this news, the Company’s share price fell $11.93 or 27.78%, to close at $31.01 per share on November 4, 2024, on unusually heavy trading volume. Then, on November 6, 2024, before the market opened, the Company announced that it would postpone its fiscal third quarter 2024 earnings release. The Company further disclosed it had “received civil investigative demands from the federal government regarding the Company’s reimbursement and referral practices that may or may not be related to this week’s third-party report.” On this news, the Company’s share price fell $11.45 or 38.76%, to close at $18.09 per share on November 6, 2024, on unusually heavy trading volume. By the commencement of this action, PACS Group stock has traded as low as $18.09 per share, a more than 13.9% decline from the $21 per share IPO price. The court-appointed lead plaintiff is the investor with the largest financial interest in the relief sought by the class who is adequate and typical of class members who directs and oversees the litigation on behalf of the putative class. Any member of the putative class may move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff through counsel of their choice, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision to serve as a lead plaintiff or not. Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP also encourages anyone with information regarding PACS Group’s conduct to contact the firm, including whistleblowers, former employees, shareholders and others. To learn more about the PACS Group class action, go to www.faruqilaw.com/PACS or call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310). Follow us for updates on LinkedIn , on X , or on Facebook . Attorney Advertising. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP ( www.faruqilaw.com ). Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your particular case. All communications will be treated in a confidential manner. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5e848124-9c14-4bab-ba13-256ecec0c433Lori Borgman | The little house that sat empty and alone