Chainlink Price Aims for $100 Amid Dogecoin's Decline – Is Now the Right Time to Join BlockDAG's March Toward $30?Over 30 companies participated in the bidding process, including Tata Advanced Systems, Dhruva, PierSight, Centum, and IIFCL The winning entities will be designing and building a constellation of satellites that are equipped with achromatic, multispectral, hyperspectral, and microwave imaging IN-SPACe chairman Pawan Goenka said that 9 applications have been received, with each applicant representing a consortium The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) has reportedly received bids from 30 entities, including spacetech startups Pixxel and SatSure, to build and manage a space-based earth observation (EO) system. While a report by Reuters said that Tata Advanced Systems is also in the race to build the EO system, ET reported that Dhruva, SatSure, PierSight, Centum, and IIFCL also took part in the bidding process. This comes nearly two weeks after IN-SPACe closed proposals to build the said system. Over 30 companies participated in the process, IN-SPACe chairman Pawan Goenka told Reuters. “We have received 9 applications ... Each applicant represents a consortium, involving a total of 30 companies,” added Goenka. He also said that the nodal agency expects to finish technical evaluations by the end of January 2025, after which a tender will be floated to determine the winning bidder. A consortium of four members is allowed to jointly apply for the tender. The report by ET pegged the cost of building and operating the EO satellites constellation at around INR 1,500 Cr. The government will reportedly offer a grant of up to INR 350 Cr to the winning consortium to build the system and the clutch of winning bidders will have to repay this grant amount over the operational period of the constellation. The expression of interest (EOI) for the EO was floated by IN-SPACe in July 2024 , inviting non-government entities (NGEs) based in India to set up the system under a public private partnership (PPP). The winning entities will be designing and building a constellation of satellites that are equipped with achromatic, multispectral, hyperspectral, and microwave imaging. It will also involve applicants launching the satellites through Indian Satellite Launch Vehicles, monitoring and controlling the spacecraft health, establishing and operating their own ground stations or through ground stations as a service (GSaaS) providers. The applicants will be judged based on multiple parameters set by IN-SPACe, including funding, valuation, and revenue. To qualify for the project, the applicants should have raised at least INR 85 Cr in funding or INR 42.5 Cr in case of Indian startups. Besides, they are also required to have a valuation of INR 850 Cr or a two year average turn over of INR 200 Cr. Further, the participating entity or the lead member of the consortium is also required to have a manufacturing experience of at least one year in the Indian defense or aerospace or space sector. The project adds on to the multiple government initiatives undertaken this year to promote the homegrown spacetech ecosystem. Earlier this month, science and technology minister Jitendra Singh informed the Parliament that IN-SPACe has signed around 71 MoUs with NGEs to provide necessary support for realisation of space systems and applications envisaged by such NGEs. These MoUs are expected to increase the industry participation in manufacturing of launch vehicles and satellites, the minister said. Besides, the government has also undertaken specific measures to promote the Indian spacetech startup ecosystem in recent years. One of the most important of such developments was the launch of an INR 1,000 Cr venture capital (VC) fund dedicated to supporting India’s space sector in this year’s Budget. As a result of multiple such initiatives, the number of space startups in India has gone up in recent years. Singh recently told the Parliament that the number of spacetech startups in the country have gone up to around 266 as of December 18 from just 1 in 2014.
STUART, Fla. , Dec. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Health In Tech, an Insurtech platform company backed by third-party AI technology, today announced the closing of its initial public offering of 2,300,000 shares of its Class A common stock at a public offering price of $4.00 per share, for gross proceeds of $9,200,000 , before deducting underwriting discounts, commissions, and estimated offering expenses. The Company has granted the underwriter an option, exercisable within 30 days from the date of the final prospectus, to purchase an additional 345,000 shares of Class A common stock from Health In Tech at the initial public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions. Assuming such option is fully exercised, the Company may raise a total of approximately US$10,580,000 in gross proceeds from the Offering Health In Tech intends to use the net proceeds from the offering for system enhancements, expansion of service offerings, sales and distribution channels, talent development and retention, working capital, and other general corporate purposes. American Trust Investment Services, Inc. acted as the sole book-running manager for the offering. A registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-281853) relating to the shares was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and became effective on December 19, 2024 . This offering was made only by means of a prospectus, forming part of the effective registration statement. A copy of the prospectus relating to the offering can be obtained when available, by contacting American Trust Investment Services, Inc., 230 W. Monroe Street , Suite 300, Chicago, IL 60606, or via E-Mail at ECM@amtruinvest.com. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of any securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. About Health In Tech Health in Tech ("HIT") is an Insurtech platform company backed by third-party AI technology. We offer a dynamic marketplace designed to create customized healthcare plan solutions while streamlining processes through vertical integration, process simplification, and automation. By eliminating friction and complexities, HIT enhances value propositions for employers and optimizes underwriting, sales, and service workflows for Managing General Underwriters (MGUs), insurance carriers, licensed brokers, and Third-Party Administrators (TPAs). Learn more at healthintech.com . Forward-Looking Statements Regarding Health In Tech Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may include estimates or expectations about Health In Tech's possible or assumed operational results, financial condition, business strategies and plans, market opportunities, competitive position, industry environment, and potential growth opportunities. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terms such as "may," "will," "should," "design," "target," "aim," "hope," "expect," "could," "intend," "plan," "anticipate," "estimate," "believe," "continue," "predict," "project," "potential," "goal," or other words that convey the uncertainty of future events or outcomes. These statements relate to future events or to Health In Tech's future financial performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Health In Tech's actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements to be different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond Health In Tech's control and which could, and likely will, affect actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Any forward-looking statement reflects Health In Tech's current views with respect to future events and is subject to these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to Health In Tech's operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity. Investor Contact Investor Relations: ir@healthintech.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/health-in-tech-announces-closing-of-initial-public-offering-302338923.html SOURCE Health In Tech
Mayor of Quelimane, the fifth-largest city in Mozambique, Manuel Lopes de Araújo has urged the South African government to heighten its intervention in the neighbouring country, warning that failure to ease tensions may result in negative consequences to South Africa. Earlier this week, IOL reported that political turmoil in Mozambique, ignited by the elections held on October 9, escalated after ruling Frelimo party candidate Daniel Chapo was declared the winner of the highly contested polls. The Constitutional Council, Mozambique's highest body in matters of constitutional and electoral law has however revised Chapo's victory margin by five per cent, from 70 to 65 percent, with majority of that five percent going to Chapo's archrival Venâncio Mondlane, whose total rose from 20 to 24 percent. Demonstrations have erupted in different cities including the capital Maputo since the end of October, with protesters contesting the election results that further entrenched Frelimo's 49-year hold on power in Mozambique. As the protests intensified, border operations at Lebombo have been temporarily suspended at several intervals, hindering trade flow between South Africa and Mozambique as heavy trucks carrying minerals to ports in Mozambique are stuck on South African side. In an interview with broadcaster Newzroom Afrika on Christmas Day, Araujo who is a member of Mozambique's main opposition party, Renamo, said the South African Development Community (SADC) region will feel the heat if the situation in Mozambique further degenerates. "I am very happy that finally, President Cyril Ramaphosa understood the extent of the crisis in Mozambique. I have spent the last month in South Africa, I was in Johannesburg, Pretoria, I went to Durban during the meeting of the MK... Jonisayi Maromo
Battles over books in school libraries have become emblematic of the country’s larger culture wars over race, historical revisionism and gender identity.Elections BC is drawing scrutiny which threatens to undermine taxpayer’s faith in our elections. That’s a problem. Here’s the solution: call a public inquiry into Elections BC, not a politicised process through legislative committees working behind closed doors. There is nothing to suggest the B.C. provincial election was stolen. There is nothing to suggest Elections BC was in cahoots with one party or another. But that doesn’t mean we can afford to turn a blind eye to its mishandling of the most important day in our democratic cycle. In a democracy, taxpayers must have faith in elections and repeated errors from Elections BC erodes that trust. And make no mistake, Elections BC did mess up its handling of the provincial election. The problems with Elections BC range from bad to worse. It took Elections BC more than a week to finish the preliminary tally of votes. Voting closed Oct. 19, but the final count didn’t occur until Oct. 28. British Columbians shouldn’t be left in limbo because Elections BC workers didn’t stay late to count votes. And it shouldn’t take an extra week for the final count to begin. Then came the revelation that Elections BC officials were storing ballots in their personal homes. Think about that for a moment. When you cast your ballot, did you imagine it would find its way into the basement of someone’s home? British Columbians generally believe Elections BC acts in good faith. But why allow questionable chains of custody for the most important pieces of paper in a democracy? Why risk storing ballots in home basements instead of secure government buildings? In three-quarters of B.C.’s 93 ridings, mistakes by Elections B.C. led to unreported votes. That’s unacceptable. To be fair, all the votes were eventually accounted for and counted. But our elections are too important to risk with these kinds of blunders. Both the ruling NDP and Opposition BC Conservatives agree there needs to be an investigation into Elections BC’s mistakes. The NDP wants an all-party committee made up of MLAs to probe Elections BC. But that’s not good enough. Legislative committees are political and are made up of politicians fighting for the spotlight. They can hide behind in camera meetings the public doesn’t have access to. For the public to have faith in our elections, the public needs to be involved in the inquiry. That’s what the BC Conservatives are calling for: an independent public review. British Columbians need to have faith in our elections, so the public must be a part of the investigation. This is far too important an issue for taxpayers to be shunted off to the side while politicians play partisan games. Carson Binda is the B.C. director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.
Suiting was ubiquitous at the autumn/winter 2024 show season. From rich 70s-inspired hues at Alberta Ferretti to layered over fluffy fur at Alexander McQueen, cut from high shine leather at Ami to covered in party-ready sequins at Badgley Mischka, in its signature tweed at Chanel to oversized at Balenciaga, tailoring came down the runway in every colour combo, material and fit. So, what can we attribute to the ongoing obsession with all things suits? Two pieces have a way of projecting power. With women so underrepresented in leadership, this sartorial decision taps into the 'women in male fields' TikTok trend but instead of highlighting men’s toxic behaviours, it turns the masculine to feminine, seizing a Canary Wharf stalwart and running with it, mind on boardroom domination. Dress for the job you want, after all. Tailoring is synonymous with a sort of sophisticated style that has endured since designer Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel took a ‘borrowed from the boys’ approach and constructed one of the most iconic styles in fashion history. The tweed suit from her namesake label went on to become not just an endlessly coveted silhouette but also a symbol of female liberation, freeing women from ankle-grazing skirts and organ-crushing corsets that defined the sartorial agenda of the pre-war period. Yves Saint Laurent was also accredited for bringing change, openness and flexibility to the previously restrictive regulations of women’s fashion in 1966. The designer found acclaim for the androgynous Le Smoking tuxedo, a precursor for the modern pantsuit that has endured in popularity to this very day. The designer famously declared “It is about style, not fashion. Fashions come and go, but style is forever”. A sleek suit is perennially chic. But while filling your wardrobe with impeccable tailoring may be part of your manifestation of the corner office, there is a far simpler suggestion that more accurately reflects my love of the suit, as a lazy person by nature. Throw on a blazer and any look will be instantly elevated – pair with the matching trousers and it takes it to the next level. These are the words I live by and that is why I’m rarely spotted without my signature blazer. Take a leaf out of Hailey Bieber’s book, for instance. The model is often spotted with a full tracksuit and yet the simple styling choice of a suit jacket thrown over brings an element of sophistication so rarely attributed to the leisurewear look. Suits have a timeless feel and should form a staple part of your capsule wardrobe, particularly if your office skews towards the smart end of the smart-casual scale. This is work dressing at its absolute best - and the ironic part is just how minimal effort it takes to achieve the look. You can layer over a t-shirt and trainers and still retain the work-appropriate edge. If you’re anything like us, 9 to 5 outfitting is a daily struggle that preoccupies far more time in the morning than we care to admit. To maximise your sleep, create an army of sharp silhouettes in perennially chic pinstripes or vibrant hues that will stand out among the monochromatic sartorial sea. When it comes to navigating the tricky politics of the workplace wardrobe self-assurance is key and a suit will make you feel confident in what you are wearing. But it’s not just the office where you can don this dressed-up attire. Come wedding season, it’s cocktail hour ready or if you’re the bride, a white option is classic and elegant. To put it simply, any occasion can call for a suit to ooze sophistication from head to toe. Shop the best suits for the 2024 autumn/winter season below
Ancient Native Americans Had Mysterious Use for Lethally Toxic FishJeffrey Fleishman | (TNS) Los Angeles Times The national furor in recent years around banning books on race and gender in public schools is intensifying as President-elect Donald Trump threatens to shut down the Department of Education, emboldening conservatives to end “wokeness” in classrooms. Battles over books in school libraries have become emblematic of the country’s larger culture wars over race, historical revisionism and gender identity. A new report by PEN America found book bans increased by nearly 200% during the 2023-24 school year, including titles on sexuality, substance abuse, depression and other issues students face in an age of accelerating technologies, climate change, toxic politics and fears about the future. Book censorship has shaken and divided school boards, pitted parents against parents, and led to threats against teachers and librarians . It is part of an agenda driven by conservative parental rights groups and politicians who promote charter schools and voucher systems that could weaken public education. The issue goes to the heart not only of what students are taught but how federal and state education policies will affect the nation’s politics after one of the most consequential elections in its history. “It’s not just about taking a book off a shelf,” said Tasslyn Magnusson, an author and teacher from Wisconsin who tracks book censorship across the U.S. “It’s about power and who controls public education. It’s about what kind of America we were and are. We’re trying to define what family is and what America means. That comes down to the stories we tell.” She said she feared Trump’s return to the White House would further incite those calling for book bans: “I don’t have lots of hope. It could get a lot worse.” Over the last year, PEN counted more than 10,000 book bans nationwide that targeted 4,231 unique titles. Most were books dealing with gender, sexuality, race and LGBTQ+ storylines. The most banned title was Jodi Picoult’s “Nineteen Minutes,” about a school shooting that included a short description of date rape. Florida and Iowa — both of which have strict regulations on what students can read — accounted for more than 8,200 bans in the 2023-24 school year. “This crisis is tragic for young people hungry to understand the world they live in and see their identities and experiences reflected in books,” Kasey Meehan, director of PEN’s Freedom to Read Program, said in a statement. “What students can read in schools provides the foundation for their lives.” Trump’s calls to close the Department of Education would need congressional approval, which appears unlikely. Although public schools are largely funded and governed by state and local institutions, the department helps pay to educate students with disabilities, provides about $18 billion in grants for K-12 schools in poor communities and oversees a civil rights branch to protect students from discrimination. But Trump’s election has inspired conservative parental groups, including Moms For Liberty and Parents Defending Education, to strengthen efforts to limit what they see as a liberal conspiracy to indoctrinate children with books and teachings that are perverse, amoral and pornographic. Tiffany Justice, co-founder of Moms for Liberty, has criticized schools that she says spend too much time on diversity and inclusion when only about one-third of U.S. children are reading at grade level: “We’re talking about public school libraries and content for kids,” Justice told NewsNation after Trump’s victory. “I think it’s very clear that there are certain things that are appropriate for kids, certain things that are appropriate for adults. We’re just getting back to commonsense America.” Trump’s threat to deny federal funding to schools that acknowledge transgender identities could affect curricula and the kinds of books school libraries stock. During his rally at Madison Square Garden in October, Trump — who has has accused schools of promoting sex change operations — said his administration would get “transgender insanity the hell out of our schools.” Vice President-elect JD Vance has accused Democrats of wanting to “put sexually explicit books in toddlers’ libraries.” Nicole Neily, president of Parents Defending Education, told Newsmax that she was excited about Trump’s calls to remake education and “clean up a lot of the mess” he has inherited from the Biden administration. Trump “has centered parental rights back in his platform, which is incredible. He has prioritized knowledge and skill, not identity politics,” she said. “American children deserve better, and it is time for change.” In nominating Linda McMahon to be his secretary of Education, Trump appears to be pushing for more conservative parental control over what is taught and read in classrooms. A former professional wrestling executive, McMahon chairs the America First Policy Institute, a Trump-connected organization that has criticized schools for teaching “racially divisive” theories, notably about slavery and a perspective about the nation’s founding it views as anti-American. “Today’s contentious debates over using classrooms for political activism rather than teaching a complete and accurate account of American history have reinvigorated calls for greater parental and citizen involvement in the curriculum approval process,” the institute’s website says. Culturally divisive issues, including race and LGBTQ+ themes, cost school districts an estimated $3.2 billion during the 2023-24 school year, according to a recent study called “The Costs of Conflict.” The survey — published by the Institute for Democracy, Education and Access at UCLA — found that battles over books and teaching about sexuality and other topics led to increased expenses for legal fees, replacing administrators and teachers who quit, and security, including off-duty plainclothes police officers. “Are we really going to spend our tax dollars on these kinds of things?” asked Magnusson. “After Trump was elected, I saw a bunch of middle-class white ladies like me who were saying, ‘This isn’t America.’ But maybe it is America.” One school superintendent in a Western state told the study’s researchers that his staff was often consumed with correcting misinformation and fulfilling public record requests mainly from hard-line parental rights activists attempting to exploit cultural war issues to discredit the district. “Our staff are spending enormous amounts of time just doing stupid stuff,” the superintendent said. “The fiscal costs to the district are enormous, but [so are] the cultural costs of not standing up to the extremists. If someone doesn’t, then the students and employees lose. ... It’s the worst it’s ever been.” The survey found that 29% of 467 school superintendents interviewed reported that teachers and other staff quit their profession or left their districts “due to culturally divisive conflict.” Censoring books in school libraries grew out of opposition to COVID-19 restrictions. A number of conservative parental groups, including Moms for Liberty, which invited Trump to speak at its national convention in August, turned their attention to lobbying against “liberal indoctrination.” Their protests against what they criticized as progressive teaching on sexuality and race were focused on increasing conservative parental control over a public education system that was struggling at teaching children reading and math. That strategy has led to a national, right-wing effort that is “redefining government power to restrict access to information in our schools,” said Stephana Ferrell, co-founder of the Florida Freedom to Read Project. “This movement to protect the innocence of our children believes if children never read it in a book they won’t have to know about it and can go on to lead harmonious lives. But books teach us cautionary tales. They instruct us. You can’t protect innocence through ignorance.” School districts across the country have removed “Gender Queer” by Maia Kobabe and “All Boys Aren’t Blue” by George Johnson, which are about gender identity and include graphic depictions of sex, along with titles by renowned writers such as Toni Morrison, Kurt Vonnegut, George Orwell, Maya Angelou and Flannery O’Connor. Related Articles National Politics | Trump transition says Cabinet picks, appointees were targeted by bomb threats, swatting attacks National Politics | Southwest states certify election results after the process led to controversy in previous years National Politics | Political stress: Can you stay engaged without sacrificing your mental health? National Politics | Trump fills out his economic team with two veterans of his first administration National Politics | Trump chooses controversial Stanford professor Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to lead NIH Surveys show that most Americans do not favor censorship. The Florida Freedom to Read Project and similar organizations around the country have called for thorough public reviews of challenged books to prevent one scene or passage from being taken out of context. Moderate and liberal parents groups over the last two years have also become more active in school board politics. They have supported school board candidates who have defeated those backed by Moms for Liberty in Texas, Florida and other states. “People say the pendulum will swing back,” said Ferrell. But, she said, conservatives want to “stop the pendulum from swinging back.” Picoult is accustomed to conservatives attempting to censor her. Her books have been banned in schools in more than 30 states. Published in 2007, “Nineteen Minutes” explores the lives of characters, including a girl who was raped, in a town leading up to a school shooting and its aftermath. “Having the most banned book in the country is not a badge of honor. It’s a call for alarm,” said Picoult, whose books have sold more than 40 million copies. “My book, and the 10,000 others that have been pulled off school library shelves this year, give kids a tool to deal with an increasingly divided and difficult world. These book banners aren’t helping children. They are harming them.” ©2024 Los Angeles Times. Visit at latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.An elaborate parody appears to be behind an effort to resurrect Enron , the Houston-based energy company that exemplified the worst in American corporate fraud and greed after it went bankrupt in 2001. If its return is comedic, some former employees who lost everything in Enron’s collapse aren’t laughing. “It’s a pretty sick joke and it disparages the people that did work there. And why would you want to even bring it back up again?” said former Enron employee Diana Peters, who represented workers in the company’s bankruptcy proceedings. Here’s what to know about the history of Enron and the purported effort to bring it back. What happened at Enron? Once the nation’s seventh-largest company, Enron filed for bankruptcy protection on Dec. 2, 2001, after years of accounting tricks could no longer hide billions of dollars in debt or make failing ventures appear profitable. The energy company's collapse put more than 5,000 people out of work, wiped out more than $2 billion in employee pensions and rendered $60 billion in Enron stock worthless. Its aftershocks were felt throughout the energy sector. Twenty-four Enron executives, including former CEO Jeffrey Skilling, were eventually convicted for their roles in the fraud. Enron founder Key Lay’s convictions were vacated after he died of heart disease following his 2006 trial. Is Enron coming back? On Monday — the 23rd anniversary of the bankruptcy filing — a company representing itself as Enron announced in a news release that it was relaunching as a “company dedicated to solving the global energy crisis.” It also posted a video on social media, advertised on at least one Houston billboard and a took out a full-page ad in the Houston Chronicle In the minute-long video that was full of generic corporate jargon, the company talks about “growth” and “rebirth.” It ends with the words, “We’re back. Can we talk?” Enron's new website features a company store, where various items featuring the brand's tilted “E” logo are for sale, including a $118 hoodie. In an email, company spokesperson Will Chabot said the new Enron was not doing any interviews yet, but that "We’ll have more to share soon.” Signs point to the comeback being a joke. In the “terms of use and conditions of sale” on the company's website, it says “the information on the website about Enron is First Amendment protected parody, represents performance art, and is for entertainment purposes only.” Documents filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office show that College Company, an Arkansas-based LLC, owns the Enron trademark. The co-founder of College Company is Connor Gaydos, who helped create a joke conspiracy theory that claims all birds are actually surveillance drones for the government. What do former Enron employees think of the company’s return? Peters said that since learning about the “relaunch” of Enron, she has spoken with several other former employees and they are also upset by it. She said the apparent stunt was “in poor taste.” “If it’s a joke, it’s rude, extremely rude. And I hope that they realize it and apologize to all of the Enron employees,” Peters said. Peters, who is 74 years old, said she is still working in information technology because “I lost everything in Enron, and so my Social Security doesn’t always take care of things I need done.” “Enron’s downfall taught us critical lessons about corporate ethics, accountability, and the consequences of unchecked ambition. Enron’s legacy was the employees in the trenches. Leave Enron buried,” she said. ___ Follow Juan A. Lozano on X at https://x.com/juanlozano70
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December has historically been one of the wettest months of the year in Singapore. The heavy downpours in recent days have resulted in flash floods in the northern part of the island. Flash flood in Woodlands A flash flood was observed along Woodlands Avenue 10 on Nov. 22, where a 100m or so section of the road was affected, Shin Min Daily News reported. At one point, the water level reportedly reached 30cm high. Two cars trapped due to flood But that was apparently not the worst case of flooding that day. Two cars, a BMW and a Honda, were reportedly trapped as the water level reached the door handle level. via The BMW owner, a 74-year-old motorist, surnamed Lin (transliteration), said the rain affected visibility, causing her to misjudge the water level. "I saw that the outside of the car was full of water. I didn't dare to open the door. I waited for the water to recede before I got out of the car," she said. According to Shin Min , the water level receded at about 4pm, and many broken branches and leaves were seen left on the road. Traffic police and PUB personnel were at the scene. The road to Admiralty Road West was also reportedly completely blocked. PUB told Mothership it immediately deployed its quick response team to provide assistance to motorists and investigate the flooding incident near the junction of Woodlands Avenue 10 and Admiralty Road West. Flood caused Sembawang canal to overflow A video showing the severity of the flood situation in the northern part of Singapore also made the rounds on social media. One video showed floodwaters overflowing a river canal in front of the Sembawang God of Wealth Temple. The Sembawang God of Wealth Temple is located near Woodlands Avenue 10. Image via Google Maps. What video showed The video also showed the waters reaching the height of the seats at a bus stop. It also almost submerged the green railings around the river canal. Gif via Raven Qiu, Complaint Singapore/Facebook The water also completely covered the streets, making it impossible to distinguish the sidewalk and the road. Image via Google Maps and Raven Qiu, Complaint Singapore/Facebook. PUB told Mothership that the intense rainfall had temporarily overwhelmed the roadside drains along Woodlands Avenue 10 and the adjacent canal, Sungei Sembawang, which leads to the sea and is subject to tidal influence. The overflowing of drains and Sungei Sembawang coincided with the high tide of 2.7m, which prolonged the flooding. Flash flood warnings PUB issued numerous flash flood risk warnings across the island amid the heavy Friday afternoon rain. Flood risk warnings were issued for 19 locations across Singapore. It was noted that northern Singapore recorded the heaviest rainfall of 127.7mm from 2:15pm to 4:50pm, which is equivalent to 51 per cent of the country's average monthly rainfall in November. PUB said the onset of the northeast monsoon may cause moderate to heavy showers in the afternoons on most days. Such intense rainfall may briefly "overwhelm" canals and drains, leading to localised flash floods. However, these flash floods usually last an hour. Members of the public may use the MyENV application and subscribe to PUB's Flood Alerts Telegram Channel to receive heavy rain alerts and flood risk warnings. Top image via Lianhe Zaobao and Raven Qiu, Complaint Singapore/Facebook
MUNICH (AP) — Manuel Neuer was sent off for the first time and Bayern Munich crashed out of the German Cup in the third round with a 1-0 loss at home to defending champion Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday. The 38-year-old Neuer was never before sent off over a long career including 124 games for Germany, but the Bayern captain was shown a straight red card in the 17th minute for taking out Jeremie Frimpong with a body check when the Dutch winger was almost through on goal after a long pass from Johnathan Tah. Bayern’s players protested but there had been no attempt from Neuer to play the ball. Leverkusen needed patience to take advantage against a riled-up Bayern team that created better chances in the first half. The home team was without Harry Kane, injured over the weekend against Borussia Dortmund. Bayern confirmed a right hamstring injury and said the England captain will be out “for the time being.” Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso sent on Patrik Schick for the second half, but the in-form Czech forward limped off with what looked like a left calf injury after less than 15 minutes. Nathan Tella replaced Schick in the 61st, then scored eight minutes later with a header to Álex Grimaldo’s perfectly positioned cross. “The first title of the season is gone, and that hurts,” Bayern midfielder Joshua Kimmich said. Alonso, a former Bayern midfielder, has never lost in five games against his former club while Leverkusen coach. Bayern was knocked out in the second round last season. Also, Werder Bremen defeated second-division side Darmstadt 1-0. Earlier, 2022 finalist Freiburg was knocked out in a 3-1 loss at third-division team Arminia Bielefeld, and Stuttgart won 3-0 at Jahn Regensburg. AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
With the election finally over, and America getting ready to celebrate its fall holiday tradition of families not speaking to each other, it’s good to remember that there is one thing that unites us all. In every region of the country, people of every age, race, color, creed, religion and national origin share one common thought: How can California still be counting ballots? For decades, registered California voters would go to the polls in their neighborhood on Election Day, give their name and address to a poll worker sitting at a folding table, sign a paper registry, receive a ballot and vote. Completed ballots were secured in locked boxes and when the polls closed, the ballot boxes would be transported to county offices to be tabulated. County election officials didn’t need weeks to verify the validity of every ballot, because voters had already attested to their identity at the polling places. Vote-by-mail ballots had to be verified, but for a long time that was only a small fraction of total ballots. According to records from the California Secretary of State, mail ballots accounted for just 4.21% of all ballots cast in 1964 general election, 4.5% in 1976, 6.26% in 1980 and 9.33% in 1984. Later, the percentage of mail ballots began to climb. By 2016, more than 57% of ballots were vote-by-mail, and then in 2020, when California began sending a mail ballot to every active registered voter, 86.72% of ballots cast were mail ballots. In 2022, it was 88.64%. California lawmakers fretted that tens of thousands of mail ballots were rejected because they were returned too late, or because the voter had not signed the return envelope, or because the signature did not match the voter registration record on file. So they passed laws that allowed extra time and extra chances for voters to get it right. Counties are now required to accept ballots for seven days after the polls close, even without a postmark, as long as the voter “has dated the vote-by-mail ballot identification envelope or the envelope otherwise indicates that the ballot was executed on or before Election Day.” This and other lenient standards for accepting mail ballots can be found in the California Code of Regulations, Section 20991. In the current election, the counties accepted ballots through Nov. 12. But that’s not the end of the delays. Under state law, counties must notify voters if their ballot hasn’t been accepted due to a missing or mismatched signature and inform them that they can “cure” their signature by signing a form. This year, California enacted another law, Assembly Bill 3184, to ensure that voters are given the maximum amount of time to respond to the notice. Voters have until Dec. 1 to return the signed form. This week, several close races remained undecided with hundreds of thousands of ballots statewide still to count. This does not inspire confidence, especially since many changes to voting and election procedures that California has made in recent years have opened apparent vulnerabilities to cheating. In addition to mailing ballots to voters who did not request them and continuing to accept ballots for seven days after the polls close, the state legalized ballot “harvesting,” which enables an individual to return stacks or sacks of ballots to an unattended drop box or county elections office without triggering legal scrutiny. Before Gov. Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 1921 in 2016, only a close relative or member of the same household could return a voter’s mail ballot. Then this year, Newsom signed Senate Bill 1174 to prohibit local governments from adopting a voter ID law. Last year he signed AB 969, making it illegal for counties to hand-count ballots in an election. Voters in California were promised paper ballots that could be audited, but it hasn’t worked out that way. Manual verification of machine-tabulated vote totals has become virtually impossible in the wake of the 2016 Voter’s Choice Act, SB 450, which threw out the local polling place model and allowed voters to cast their ballot in person at any “vote center” in the county. Returned ballots are no longer sorted by precinct. The state’s method of confirming the accuracy of a machine tally was always a manual tally of 1% of the precincts where in-person voting occurred, randomly chosen. That was changed in 2018 to substitute “batches” of ballots for precincts. But how can the public know if those numbers really match? What about recounts? Anyone who is willing to pay the cost may request a recount of any race, but retrieving the paper ballots requires paying county workers for weeks of work to find them. An alternative is to recount optical scans of ballots, but that is costly, too, due to the need for tech workers, computers and monitors. With the previous voting systems, recounts could be conducted by four clerks at a table, and the cost was in the tens of thousands of dollars. But in 2019, then-Secretary of State Alex Padilla decertified all those voting systems everywhere in the state and forced the counties to buy voting technology that counted optical scans. Now recounts cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Some of the state’s actions seem like an engraved invitation to fraud. A 2010 law, SB 1404, required the secretary of state to regulate the tint and watermark on printed ballots. Ahead of every election, an advisory goes up on the state’s website to announce the exact ink color, watermark and printing instructions for official ballots. “The tint for the background and watermark is Pantone 372 U ‘Light Green’ (RGB 212, 238, 141/ CMYK 11, 0, 41, 7),” this year’s advisory explained. Do other states publish instructions for manufacturing official ballots? When so many security vulnerabilities are layered on top of each other, it appears to be possible to steal an election and get away with it. California officials claim they’ve made it easier to vote. It looks like they’ve made it easier to cheat. Write Susan@SusanShelley.com and follow her on Twitter @Susan_ShelleyA Freelance photographer and Illinois government official by the name of Patrick Gorski has allegedly been arrested by police claiming that he had been part of the mob that barged into the U.S. Capitol building during the infamous January 6 riots . According to court documents that were unsealed on Friday, Gorski pushed against a police officer’s riot shield. According to the documents, Gorski was captured in a photo and identified as a "white male with blonde hair wearing a red 'Make America Great Again' hoodie underneath a blue puffy jacket and holding an American flag." The man was arrested in Chicago on Thursday on charges including obstructing law enforcement officers during a civil disorder, a felony . A federal judge ordered him released on bond after his initial court appearance. Prosecutors allege that during the attack on the building, the 27-year-old climbed scaffolding, breaching police lines, and took photos and videos inside the building. He yelled at officers, pushed against an officer’s riot shield and was eventually forced out after being sprayed with a chemical irritant. It was reported in the unsealed files that Gorski had sent several images of the riot to his friends in a group chat. Bob's Burgers actor Jay Johnston sentenced to jail time for role in January 6 Capitol insurrection Statue of bronze poop on Nancy Pelosi's desk appears in Washington in 'honor' of January 6 rioters On January 18, 2021, the FBI stated that they received a tip that Gorski had taken part in the riot and a look into both of the man's Instagram and Twitter accounts allowed the agency to identify the local official and part-time photographer as the man in the photo. "Once the case was opened, FBI found three previous tips were sent to the FBI online portal identifying Gorski at the riot." "Two tips were sent on February 4, 2021, and each tip reported that Gorski was present taking photos at the riot," the documents said. However, it was also stated that it was unclear if he was part of the mob that had entered the building. When the FBI interviewed him in person, Gorski did not claim that he was working as a photojournalist during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot and said he didn’t bring his professional camera to the Capitol. Gorski told the officials that he had worked as a photographer for the Chicago Fire Department and for Donald Trump’s 2020 presidential campaign. The Mirror US reached out Gorski for comment. A press release issued by the U.S. Attorney's Office later confirmed that Gorski did, in fact, enter the building. "It is alleged that Gorski later entered the Capitol through the Senate Wing door around 3:14 p.m., interacting with officers inside," the release stated. He then briefly exited the building but stayed on Capitol grounds. Around 3:36 p.m., Gorski attempted to re-enter the building through the East Rotunda Doors, where police had regained control." "There, Gorski argued with another rioter who was attempting to clear a path for police officers and later blocked police efforts to close the door," the statement said. According to them, the Gorski was then sprayed with the chemical solution and retreated to the East stairs. it was said that Gorski remained on the grounds till around 6 pm. DAILY NEWSLETTER: Sign up here to get the latest news and updates from the Mirror US straight to your inbox with our FREE newsletter.
President-elect Donald Trump 's transition team is considering Paul Atkins , a seasoned financial regulator and advocate for digital assets, to lead the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission . What Happened: Atkins, a Republican SEC commissioner during the George W. Bush administration, is among the top contenders to replace outgoing SEC Chair Gary Gensler , Bloomberg reported . Trump's decision on the appointment is expected in the coming days. Atkins' background positions him as a strong candidate to reshape the SEC's approach to regulation , particularly regarding cryptocurrency and financial technology. Since leaving the SEC, he founded Patomak Global Partners , a consultancy advising major financial firms, and has testified before Congress on streamlining regulatory processes and reducing unnecessary burdens on the financial industry. An advocate for digital assets, Atkins has pushed for clear and balanced rules to foster innovation while maintaining market integrity. Other candidates reportedly under consideration include current SEC Commissioner Mark Uyeda , former CFTC Chair Heath Tarbert , and Robert Stebbins , a partner at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP . Also Read: Ripple To Invest In Rebranded XRP Exchange-Traded Product By Bitwise A spokesperson for Trump's transition team, Karoline Leavitt , praised the president-elect's swift decisions in assembling his administration, stating, "Remaining decisions will continue to be announced by him when they are made." Atkins' potential appointment signals a departure from the regulatory approach under Gensler, who led the SEC with an aggressive stance on crypto enforcement following high-profile failures like the collapse of FTX. Gensler's tenure drew criticism from the industry for creating uncertainty by regulating through enforcement rather than providing clear guidelines. Trump, during his campaign, vowed to end what he described as the SEC's "anti-crypto crusade" and promised to appoint crypto-friendly regulators. Read Next: Donald Trump To Establish A National Bitcoin Reserve? Pros Vs Cons Compared Image: Shutterstock © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Jonah Goldberg: This is the trouble with Elon Musk’s debut as a federal budget negotiatorENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos' usually stout defense has been rocked ever since losing second-year cornerback Riley Moss to an MCL injury against Las Vegas in Week 12. Without Moss there to capitalize on opponents shying away from star cornerback Patrick Surtain II, the Broncos (9-6) have had to largely abandon their preferred man coverage in favor of zone strategies and the results haven't been pretty. They allowed 32 points to the Cleveland Browns when former teammate Jerry Jeudy caught nine passes for a career-best 235 yards, including a 70-yard touchdown. Only Jonathan Taylor's fumble at the goal line as he was about to score a 41-yard touchdown and give Indianapolis a 20-3 lead saved the Broncos in Week 15 and allowed Denver to seize momentum and get the victory. They couldn't stop Justin Herbert , who led the Los Angeles Chargers back from a double-digit third-quarter deficit for a 34-27 win last week that prevented the Broncos from ending their eight-year playoff drought. It also put more pressure on the Broncos to win Saturday at Cincinnati, where the Bengals (7-8) cling to hopes of catching the Broncos and deny Denver a wild-card berth. Moss has enjoyed a breakout season in Denver with 71 tackles, eight pass breakups and an interception in 12 starts. He played in 14 games as a rotation player his rookie season after recovering from core muscle surgery that relegated him to special teams and spot duty in 2023. “We were and have been super excited" about the third-round pick out of Iowa, coach Sean Payton said. "Obviously, the guy that plays opposite of Patrick is going to get a lot of business. All throughout training camp, he really rose to the occasion, battled, competed and throughout really a good portion of the season. “He’s a big reason why we were playing so well defensively,” Payton added. "The sooner the better when we can get him back in the lineup. Hopefully it can happen this weekend.” In Moss' dozen starts, the Broncos allowed 16.8 points per game. Without him, they've been allowing 26.3 points a game. Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase pose a bigger challenge to the Broncos than Jeudy and Jameis Wiston did for Cleveland or Herbert and Ladd McConkey did for the Chargers. Moss returned to practice last week and the Broncos will determine this week whether he's ready to return to the field or if it's better to keep him out until their season finale against Kansas City. The medial collateral ligament is on the inside of the knee that connects the thigh bone to the shin bone. It’s one of four major ligaments that stabilize the knee and allow it to rotate. It typically takes a month to recover from an MCL sprain and the Broncos had their bye week earlier this month, meaning Moss might only have to miss three games. If the Broncos reach the playoffs for the first time since winning Super Bowl 50 in Hall of Famer Peyton Manning's last start, they'll likely need to have a healthy Moss opposite Surtain to have any realistic hopes of avoiding a one-and-done appearance. The Broncos got a scare when Surtain injured an ankle against Indianapolis two weeks ago and limped off the field in the closing minutes. However, he was a full-go at practice last week and had no issues against the Chargers. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
PTI protest: PM Shehbaz praises LEAs for thwarting ‘nefarious designs of miscreants’
