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r7` =9 %K|묯Q&irۥhp_q y\̩jQ ރF`c֨'or=zKϐ3Gvi;Cm`еC8F!)R[R}8ȚLNOwcw 2{G,\KAk1>PR{8 Gǰ=M Z0څeu ]D& hism@&Q,VI g5σ=n]e)&n:= h/c:aXs?HM§WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s allies on Capitol Hill rallied around Pete Hegseth, Trump’s Pentagon pick, on Thursday even as new details surfaced about allegations that he had sexually assaulted a woman in 2017. The GOP embrace of Hegseth came as another controversial Trump nominee, Matt Gaetz, withdrew from consideration for attorney general. Gaetz said it was clear he had become a “distraction" amid pressure on the House to release an ethics report about allegations of his own sexual misconduct. An attorney for two women has said that his clients told House Ethics Committee investigators that Gaetz paid them for sex on multiple occasions beginning in 2017, when Gaetz was a Florida congressman. People are also reading... Fresh questions over the two nominees' pasts, and their treatment of women, arose with Republicans under pressure from Trump and his allies to quickly confirm his Cabinet. At the same time, his transition has so far balked at the vetting and background checks that have traditionally been required. While few Republican senators have publicly criticized any of Trump's nominees, it became clear after Gaetz's withdrawal that many had been harboring private concerns about him. Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin, who served with Gaetz in the House, said it was a “positive move.” Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker said it was a “positive development.” Maine Sen. Susan Collins said Gaetz “put country first and I am pleased with his decision.” After meeting with Hegseth, though, Republicans rallied around him. “I think he’s going to be in pretty good shape,” said Wicker, who is expected to chair the Senate Armed Services Committee in the next Congress. Republican senators' careful words, and their early reluctance to publicly question Trump's picks, illustrated not only their fear of retribution from the incoming president but also some of their hopes that the confirmation process can proceed normally, with proper vetting and background checks that could potentially disqualify problematic nominees earlier. Gaetz withdrew after meeting with senators on Wednesday. Sen. Thom Tillis said Gaetz was “in a pressure cooker” when he decided to withdraw, but suggested that it would have little bearing on Trump’s other nominees. “Transactions — one at a time,” he said. As the Hegseth nomination proceeds, Republicans also appear to be betting that they won't face much backlash for publicly setting aside the allegations of sexual misconduct — especially after Trump won election after being found liable for sexual abuse last year. Hegseth held a round of private meetings alongside incoming Vice President JD Vance on Thursday in an attempt to shore up support and told reporters afterward: “The matter was fully investigated and I was completely cleared, and that’s where I’m gonna leave it.” A 22-page police report report made public late Wednesday offered the first detailed account of the allegations against him. A woman told police that she was sexually assaulted in 2017 by Hegseth after he took her phone, blocked the door to a California hotel room and refused to let her leave. The report cited police interviews with the alleged victim, a nurse who treated her, a hotel staffer, another woman at the event and Hegseth. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts Hegseth’s lawyer, Timothy Palatore, said the incident was “fully investigated and police found the allegations to be false.” Hegseth paid the woman in 2023 as part of a confidential settlement to head off the threat of what he described as a baseless lawsuit, Palatore has said. Wicker played down the allegations against Hegseth, a former Fox News host, saying that “since no charges were brought from the authorities, we only have press reports.” Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., said after his meeting with Hegseth that he "shared with him the fact that I was saddened by the attacks that are coming his way.” Hagerty dismissed the allegations as “a he-said, she-said thing” and called it a “shame” that they were being raised at all. The senator said attention should instead be focused on the Defense Department that Hegseth would head. It's one of the most complex parts of the federal government with more than 3 million employees, including military service members and civilians. Sexual assault has been a persistent problem in the military, though Pentagon officials have been cautiously optimistic they are seeing a decline in reported sexual assaults among active-duty service members and the military academies. Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, who will be the No. 2 Republican in the Senate next year, said after his meeting with Hegseth that the nominee is a strong candidate who “pledged that the Pentagon will focus on strength and hard power – not the current administration’s woke political agenda.” Senate Republicans are under pressure to hold hearings once they take office in January and confirm nominees as soon as Trump is inaugurated, despite questions about whether Trump’s choices will be properly screened or if some, like Hegseth, have enough experience for the job. Senate Armed Services Chairman Jack Reed, who will be the top Democrat on the panel next year, said the reports on Hegseth “emphasized the need for a thorough investigation by the FBI on the background of all the nominees.” It takes a simple majority to approve Cabinet nominations, meaning that if Democrats all opposed a nominee, four Republican senators would also have to defect for any Trump choice to be defeated. Trump has made clear he’s willing to put maximum pressure on Senate Republicans to give him the nominees he wants – even suggesting at one point that they allow him to just appoint his nominees with no Senate votes. But senators insist, for now, that they are not giving up their constitutional power to have a say. “The president has the right to make the nominations that he sees fit, but the Senate also has a responsibility for advice and consent,” said Republican Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota. In the case of Gaetz, he said, “I think there was advice offered rather than consent.” Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox!
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SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California Capitol was deemed safe for reopening Friday afternoon after an emailed threat prompted an evacuation earlier in the day. State senators and their staff members were notified about the threat in a memo, according to officials. Members in the Assembly also received a similar note. They were asked to leave the area and work remotely “out of an abundance of caution” while law enforcement investigated the credibility of the threat, according to the memo. The California Highway Patrol conducted a sweep of the Capitol building and two others in the surrounding area and found no credible evidence of a threat. All three buildings were reopened to the public Friday afternoon. The California Highway Patrol said on a social media post that officers were investigating the threat, which was sent via an email, but did not give details. A spokesperson didn’t immediately return to calls for comment. The Legislature returned to Sacramento earlier this week to swear in new members and kick off , but the majority of them had left for their home districts Friday. Gov. Gavin Newsom is in Los Angeles for a Democratic Governors Association event.By Stephanie Lai and Hadriana Lowenkron, Bloomberg News Donald Trump says he is selecting venture capitalist David Sacks of Craft Ventures LLC to serve as his artificial intelligence and crypto czar, a newly created position that underscores the president-elect’s intent to boost two rapidly developing industries. “David will guide policy for the Administration in Artificial Intelligence and Cryptocurrency, two areas critical to the future of American competitiveness. David will focus on making America the clear global leader in both areas,” Trump said Thursday in a post on his Truth Social network. Trump said that Sacks would also lead the Presidential Council of Advisors for Science and Technology. In Sacks, Trump is tapping one of his most prominent Silicon Valley supporters and fundraisers for a prime position in his administration. Sacks played a key role in bolstering Trump’s fundraising among technology industry donors, including co-hosting an event at his San Francisco home in June, with tickets at $300,000 a head. He is also closely associated with Vice President-elect JD Vance, the investor-turned-Ohio senator. Sacks is a venture capitalist and part of Silicon Valley’s “PayPal Mafia.” He first made his name in the technology industry during a stint as the chief operating officer of PayPal, the payments company whose founders in the late 1990s included billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk and investor Peter Thiel. After it was sold to eBay, Sacks turned to Hollywood, where he produced the 2005 satire Thank You for Smoking. Back in Silicon Valley, he founded workplace communications company Yammer, which was bought by Microsoft Corp. in 2012 for $1.2 billion. He founded his own venture capital firm, Craft Ventures, in 2017 and has invested in Musk-owned businesses, including SpaceX. Sacks said on a recent episode of his All-In podcast that a “key man” clause in the agreements of his venture firm’s legal documents would likely prevent him from taking a full-time position, but he might consider an advisory role in the new administration. A Craft spokeswoman said Sacks would not be leaving Craft. In his post, Trump said Sacks “will safeguard Free Speech online, and steer us away from Big Tech bias and censorship.” Protecting free speech is a keen interest of Sacks. He regularly speaks about “woke” interests that try to muzzle unpopular opinions and positions. The new post is expected to help spearhead the crypto industry deregulation Trump promised on the campaign trail. The role is expected to provide cryptocurrency advocates a direct line to the White House and serve as a liaison between Trump, Congress and the federal agencies that interface with digital assets, including the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Trump heavily campaigned on supporting crypto, after previously disparaging digital assets during his first White House term, saying their “value is highly volatile and based on thin air.” The president-elect on Thursday said Sacks would “work on a legal framework so the Crypto industry has the clarity it has been asking for, and can thrive in the U.S.” During the campaign, Trump spoke at a Bitcoin conference, accepted crypto campaign donations and met with executives from Bitcoin mining companies and crypto exchanges multiple times. Trump’s desire to give priority to the digital asset industry is also reflected in his close allies and cabinet selections, including his Commerce secretary pick, Howard Lutnick, and Treasury secretary nominee Scott Bessent. On the AI front, Sacks would help Trump put his imprint on an emerging technology whose popular use has exploded in recent years. Sacks is poised to be at the front lines in determining how the federal government both adopts AI and regulates its use as advances in the technology and adoption by consumers pose a wide array of benefits as well as risks touching on national security, privacy, jobs and other areas. The president-elect has expressed both awe at the power of AI technology as well as concern over the potential harms from its use. During his first term, he signed executive orders that sought to maintain US leadership in the field and directed the federal government to prioritize AI in research and development spending. As AI has become more mainstream in recent years and with Congress slow to act, President Joe Biden has sought to fill that void. Biden signed an executive order in 2023 that establishes security and privacy protections and requires developers to safety-test new models, casting the sweeping regulatory order as necessary to safeguard consumers. A number of technology giants have also agreed to adopt a set of voluntary safeguards which call for them to test AI systems for discriminatory tendencies or security flaws and to share those results. Trump has vowed to repeal Biden’s order. The Republican Party’s 2024 platform dismissed Biden’s executive order as one that “hinders AI Innovation, and imposes Radical Leftwing ideas on the development of this technology.” Sacks can be expected to work closely with Musk, the world’s richest person and one of the president-elect’s most prominent supporters. Musk is also a player in the AI space with his company xAI and a chatbot named Grok — efforts which pit him against Silicon Valley’s giants — and he stands to wield significant influence within the incoming administration. The appointment won’t require Sacks to divest or publicly disclose his assets. Like Musk, Sacks will be a special government employee. He can serve a maximum of 130 days per year, with or without compensation. However, conflict of interest rules apply to special government employees, meaning Sacks will have to recuse himself from matters that could impact his holdings. Sacks’s Craft Ventures is known more for enterprise software investing than for crypto, but it has made a few crypto investments, including BitGo and Bitwise. Still, Sacks has firm opinions on the sector. Speaking last month on All-In, Sacks praised a bill on crypto regulation that had passed in the U.S. House but not the Senate earlier this year. The Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act would regulate certain types of digital assets as a commodity, regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. “The crypto industry basically wants a really clear line for knowing when they’re a commodity and they want commodities to be governed, like all other commodities, by the CFTC,” he said on the November podcast. He also disparaged some of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s positions on crypto under its chair, Gary Gensler. “The days of Gensler terrifying crypto companies,” he said. “Those days are about to be over.” Earlier this week, Trump nominated crypto advocate Paul Atkins to lead the SEC. With assistance from Zoe Ma, Bill Allison, Sarah McBride, Anne VanderMey and stacy-marie ishmael. ©2024 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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‘Please get rid of Terry Bradshaw’ say Fox NFL Sunday fans after legendary host stumbles over his words on pregame showby Dr Neals J Chitan Grenada is frequently thought of as a leader in the Caribbean region when it comes to revolutions, and I am proud to join the list of greats who had the courage to start revolutionary movements here in Grenada, and in other nations of the region. However, this one is not an armed confrontational coup that topples governments and changes the trajectory of politics, but indeed, one that topples the people’s aggression, anger and revenge factors and breathes respect across our nation. With our return to the Caribbean as international crime reduction interventionists, our work has had a profound impact on thousands of lives in 10 island nations. From Jamaica in the north to Trinidad and Tobago in the south, we have created a behavioural revolution in the minds of thousands of students, youth, adults and prisoners over the past 5 years, and we thank the Cabinet of Grenada for the opportunity and mandate to create that same revolution here at home. Although we were set to join local crime-fighting stakeholders in St Lucia on 15 May 2024 and again respond with the second phase of “Project STOP ‘n’ THINK,” with Grenada in the pangs of gun violence, we were sought by Minister Gloria Thomas and then Permanent Secretary Naomi Jeremiah of Ministry of Social and Community Development to engage our Canadian copyrighted flagship crime reduction programme “Project STOP ‘n’ THINK” as an antidote. On 27 May 2024, the Cabinet of Grenada considered and ratified their decision through Cabinet Conclusion #354 to roll out a “Project STOP ‘n’ THINK” community intervention programme across 7 communities on mainland Grenada with immediate effect. Unfortunately, although our high winds of social change began blowing across 8 communities in June 2024 preparing for a 1 July 2024 launch, Hurricane Beryl chose that exact date to blow her devastating winds across the northern parts of Grenada, devastating up to 95% of the sister isles of Carriacou and Petite Martinique. As Behaviour Modification Specialists our focus was immediately changed from crime fighting to trauma intervention joining the ministry’s psychosocial team to support our people of the sister isles in July and August. As a result, “Project STOP ‘n’ THINK” (PSAT) Crime Reduction Train made its first stop in the community of Telescope, St Andrew on Sunday, 1 September 2024, starting a weekly community cycle of crime reduction and community empowerment for the next 3 months. On Mondays, we headed to River Sallee, St Patrick, on Tuesdays into Gouyave, St John, on Wednesdays to Victoria, St Mark, on Thursdays to Carenage and Four Roads, on Fridays to Corinth, St David with our final stop on Saturdays at Mont Tout, St George. This exciting weekly journey saw 247 individuals attending our PSAT programme as they were immersed in a 3-dimensional life-changing experience. Beginning with the first four high-impact sessions of our copyrighted pedagogical social skill curriculum, we led participants through Self-Discovery and Self-Affirmation. Then moving on to the second 4 sessions we continued the journey taking them to Self-Control and Self-Regulation and finally ended with the last four powerful sessions of Self-Achievement and Self-Motivation, a journey embellished by laughter, excitement but deep soul-searching and life-changing concepts. Indeed, on Sunday, 1 December 2024, hurricane winds of social change came blowing across Grenada, igniting a social revolution as 201 “Project STOP ‘n’ THINK 2024” graduates (75% males) walked across the elegant halls of the Grenada Olympic House, to receive their Canadian Social Skill and Crime Reduction Certificates, thus creating revolutionary history once again in the Spice Isle!! We commend those who came out to celebrate and bring congratulatory remarks and encouragement to our PSAT Graduates. Among these were Minister Gloria Thomas, PS Petal Rush, Chief Magistrate Francine Foster, Magistrate Sabina Gibbs, QC Ruggles Ferguson of the Grenada Bar Association, ASP Richards-Coordinator of Community Policing (RGPF), Keynote Speaker Pastor Dave King, and Dale Neptune (NEWLO). However, the most impactful response was done by a self-proclaimed gunman Stephen (Shorty) Cyrus of the Carenage (the uncle of the late Wangy) who took to the microphone dressed in his official STOP & THINK T-Shirt, and for over 15 minutes spoke of the impact of the sessions on his life and his passionate plea to the young men graduating to STOP and THINK before killing or be killed, while causing grief and hurt to their moms and communities. In a voice impact message sent to me, Cyrus (Shorty) commented “Doc, you are excellent in changing the mind, and you are starting a revolution of good men across Grenada.” Yep!! That’s what it is!! A REVOLUTION OF GOOD MEN!! I am blessed to be the leader of the ‘Project STOP ‘n’ THINK” REVOLUTION in Grenada for 2024 and look forward to doing it bigger and better in 2025. As we say goodbye to 2024 and celebrate the joy and peace that the first Christmas was meant to bring to our world, I too want to STOP and THINK and say thanks to the Bryden & Minors and the National Lotteries Authority for partnering with “Project STOP ‘n’ THINK 2024” and look forward to more corporate citizens coming on board ‘Project STOP ‘n’ THINK-2025” God bless Grenada and Merry Christmas to all!! Dr Neals Chitan is an International Social Skill Consultant and Crime Reduction Specialist who holds a PhD in Social and Behavioural Sciences and currently works in Grenada. He is the President/Founder of Motiv-8 For Change International a Toronto-based Social Skill Agency and can be reached from North America at 647-692-6330 and locally 473-416-8377 or at [email protected]ALEXANDRIA: Black dust coats streets and collects on rooftops in the neighbourhood adjoining a sprawling cement factory in the Egyptian city of Alexandria . Activists and local residents accuse the plant operated by the Alexandria Portland Cement Company (APCC), a subsidiary of Greece’s Titan Cement, of fouling the air by burning coal. "Every night, we see particles falling from their chimneys. Under street lights, you can clearly see the dust raining down," said Mostafa Mahmoud, a grocery store owner in the Wadi al-Qamar neighbourhood. Reuters could not independently verify the assertion. Titan Cement says the plant's emissions are within legal limits, and it plans to reduce its use of coal in coming years. Like many cement manufacturers in Egypt and across North Africa, the factory uses imported coal to fire its kilns. Lately, more and more of the region's coal is coming from the United States, according to U.S. export data. 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Some are seeking to get the question of how to do this onto the agenda at future climate summits. A landmark agreement reached in Paris in 2015 to fight climate change requires countries to set targets and report on progress reducing national levels of planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions. But it does not impose such requirements for emissions generated from fossil fuels they drill, mine and ship elsewhere. That has allowed countries like the United States, Norway, Australia and others to say they are making progress toward international climate goals while also producing and exporting fossil fuels at breakneck pace, said Bill Hare, co-founder of Climate Action Tracker, an independent scientific project that tracks government climate action. "Most of these fossil-fuel-exporting countries can get to look good with their domestic climate action," he said on the sidelines of the COP29 conference in Baku this week. "Their exported emissions are someone else's problem." U.S. fossil fuel exports – including coal, oil, gas and refined fuels – led to over 2 billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions in other countries in 2022, according to a calculation carried out by Climate Action Tracker and verified by Reuters using data from the International Energy Agency. That is equivalent to about a third of U.S. domestic emissions, the data showed. A years-long drilling boom has made the U.S. the world’s top oil and gas producer, while robust demand has lifted its coal exports for four years running, according to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Asked how Washington squares its climate ambitions with its fossil fuel production and exports, President Joe Biden's climate adviser, Ali Zaidi, said strong energy output was needed to keep consumer prices low during a transition to cleaner fuels. "I don't think there is social license for a decarbonisation playbook that puts upward price pressure for retail consumers in the marketplace," Zaidi told Reuters. Incoming president Donald Trump, a climate change sceptic, has said he wants to further boost the nation's fossil fuel production. For other producers, greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel exports sometimes outweigh domestic emissions, Climate Action Tracker said. That was true for Norway, Australia and Canada in 2022, the most recent year for which data is available for all countries analysed. Reuters obtained exclusive access to the calculations. Norway's Ministry of Climate and Environment said it is up to other nations to manage their own carbon footprints. "Each country is responsible for reducing its own emissions," the ministry said in a statement to Reuters. Officials at the environment and climate ministries of Canada and Australia did not comment. Addressing the summit in Azerbaijan, host President Ilham Aliyev accused some Western politicians of double standards for lecturing his government about its oil and gas use, saying, "They better look at themselves." Cement and brickmakers Most U.S. gas exports now go to European countries seeking to reduce dependence on Russia, while China has become one of the top buyers of U.S. crude and coal, according to the EIA figures. America's biggest growth market for coal, however, is North Africa. U.S. coal mines exported around 52.5 million short tons globally in the first half of 2024, up nearly 7% from the same period a year ago, the data showed. Much of the increase was driven by cement and brickmakers in Egypt and Morocco, which together took in more than 5 million short tons over the period, the EIA said in a recent report. "These customers value the high heat content of U.S. thermal coal, which makes their manufacturing operations more efficient," the report said. Meanwhile, U.S. domestic coal use has been sliding as cheap natural gas and subsidies for renewables like solar and wind drive coal-fired power plant closures, extending a more than 15-year decline in greenhouse gas emissions. Egypt's cement industry has relied on imported coal for nearly a decade, since persistent natural gas shortages forced many factories to look for alternatives, said Ahmed Shireen Korayem, vice chairman and board member at the Arab Union for Cement and Building Materials, a regional industry body. The U.S. is Egypt's largest supplier, accounting for 3.1 million of the 6.6 million metric tons of coal imported this year, according to data from the London Stock Exchange Group. Russia supplied most of the rest, 2.1 million metric tons. Its environment ministry referred questions to the foreign ministry, which did not immediately comment. Activists argue that the Egyptian government's decision to lift a longstanding ban on coal imports in 2015 to support an industry central to its economic development plans is harmful to the environment and health of communities like Wadi al-Qamar. Using data from the Alexandria plant's emissions-monitoring system, researchers from Egypt's Al-Azhar University, Cairo University and environment ministry simulated the dispersion of polluting dust and toxic gases between 2014 and 2020. The study, published in the Journal of Environmental Health Science and Engineering in 2022, concluded that the shift from using natural gas to coal as the dominant fuel lead to increased emissions and concentrations of total suspended particulates (TSP), nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide. The concentrations were mostly within legal limits, however. Egypt’s greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels rose by more than a fifth in the decade ended in 2022, hitting 263 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, according to data from the Global Carbon Budget, a project led by Britain's Exeter University. Most of these emissions came from gas and oil, which remain Egypt's main energy sources. Coal accounted for 3.4% of the 2022 total, 9 million metric tons. The government committed in 2021 to phase out the use of coal and has asked companies that use it to introduce more renewable sources into their energy mix. But Heba Maatouk, a spokesperson for Egypt's environment ministry, said there was insufficient supply of alternatives, such as refuse-derived fuel (RDF) made from combustible trash. "If companies cannot get the RDF, they won't stop operating and will use coal to avoid losses," Maatouk told Reuters. Legal battles Decarbonising the cement industry is a challenge, particularly in poorer developing nations like Egypt, because it requires vast amounts of energy, and technologies to keep emissions from the atmosphere are expensive. In his COP29 address last week, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said his country's plans to boost renewable energy to 42% of its power mix by 2030 depend on foreign support. Residents in the Wadi al-Qamar neighborhood have been engaged in a prolonged legal battle with the Alexandria cement factory, APCC, filing multiple lawsuits, said Hoda Nasrallah, a lawyer for the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR). In 2016, community members backed by EIPR asked an administrative court in Alexandria to overturn amendments to the country's environmental regulations that allow heavy industries to use coal on health and environmental grounds, according to the rights group. APCC officials did not respond to a request for comment made through a legal representative. Titan Cement confirmed that the factory sources coal from the U.S. but did not elaborate. In a statement issued by its group corporate communications director, Lydia Yannakopoulou, the company said the plant had not violated any laws, had made 40 million euros in investments in pollution controls since 2010, and planned to reduce its use of coal in coming years as it ramps up use of alternatives. She said a court-appointed committee of experts from Alexandria University concluded there were no environmental violations resulting from the company’s emissions or operational processes, and the emissions were within legal limits. Nasrallah said lawyers representing the community believe the committee was headed by a company employee and have taken their case to Egypt's highest administrative court in Cairo. Neither side provided a copy of the committee's report, and Reuters could not independently verify their assertions. A ruling in the case is expected in December. Meanwhile, frustration is building among nearby residents like Hisham al-Akary, who says his family has lived in Wadi al-Qamar for generations and cannot afford to move. "This factory shouldn’t be here," he told Reuters. "We should stay, and they should leave." Nominations for ET MSME Awards are now open. The last day to apply is November 30, 2024. Click here to submit your entry for any one or more of the 22 categories and stand a chance to win a prestigious award.Bills' push for AFC top seed continues with visit to Rams, who need to keep pace in NFC West
NonePRIMARK shoppers are going wild for the chain’s latest drop of stocking fillers. So with the big day just 19 days away, if you’ve still got gifts to buy, but are on a budget and can’t afford to splash the cash on pricey presents this year, then fear not, we’ve got you covered. Advertisement 6 Bargain hunters are going wild as Primark launch a new range of stocking fillers Credit: Getty 6 So if you're looking for gifts for under £5, you've come to the right place Credit: Instagram/Primark 6 There's adorable notebooks from just £1 Credit: Instagram/Primark 6 This bath fizzer and candle set is great for beauty lovers Credit: Instagram/Primark Thanks to Primark, you won’t have to break the bank on gifts this Christmas - as they have a range of brilliant buys for less than £5. There’s all things from candles and bath fizzes, to wine charms and games, so you’re sure to find something for your loved ones. Primark took to social media to give shoppers a close-up look at the new festive finds, leaving many open-mouthed. The short clip was posted alongside the caption ‘Gifts so good, you’ll want to keep them for yourself’, as the chain shared ‘‘You bring the joy, we bring the Primark’. Advertisement Read more Primark stories JINGLE BELLES Shoppers run to Primark to nab new Christmas jumpers & prices start from £11 FROCK ON I've found the perfect Christmas party dress from Primark - it's only £20 If you’re looking for a gift for a stationary lover, you’ll be thrilled to know that there’s a lovely selection of notebooks, ranging from just £1. Not only this, but if you need something for a beauty fan, there’s a posh scented candle and bath fizzer gift set that’s priced at just £4. It comes in four colours and scents, but the Vanilla and Tonka set is sure to go down a treat with those looking to relax and unwind. All wrapped up in a nice box with a bow on the top, this gift is a great self-care treat and is bound to put a smile on your loved one’s face this December. Advertisement Most read in Fabulous CREAM DREAM ‘Obsessed’ cry Primark fans as they spot viral jumper in snow colour for winter XMAS SPIRIT I run a Christmas market stall, people are stunned by my queue-worthy prices DEALS ON WHEELS Exact date SHEIN Christmas bus arrives in Scotland packed with freebies WOAH BABY I’m pregnant with my step-brother’s baby – people say it’s ‘gross’ If that wasn’t enough, Primark are also selling a set of six wine charms, which are guaranteed to add some festive flair to your festive gatherings. Not only will these colourful charms make it easy to keep track of your glass, but they’re sure to add a touch of holiday cheer to every sip. Primark shoppers race to buy £3.50 Lush dupes that are perfect for burr baskets And for just £4, we think they’re a real bargain. But that’s not all, as Primark also has a variety of fun games to choose from too. Advertisement Primark's best buys for Autumn Heading into Primark soon? Keep an eye out for these items. Here, Fabulous fashion editor Clemmie Fieldsend reveals her top 6 buys from Primark this Autumn. Coat , £60 I know what you’re thinking, ‘£60 for Primark?’ Yes it’s a higher price tag than we’re used to from Primark but its worth every penny. It’s from their Edit range which is more premium than the rest of their collection and it's made to last. It’s a mixed wool blend which is durable and warm, plus its a timeless straight silhouette which is slightly oversized and will last you not only this season but for many after. Bag, £16 Big bags are back... In a big way, finally. This tote screams luxury with its croc effect and burnt orange colour, plus its great for shoving in your laptop, lunch, spare shoes, purse - essentially everything you need for the day - all for £16. Jacket , £32 Field jackets are on the backs of celebrities and catwalk models this season with designer brands Barbour, Burberry and Bottega all championing the utilitarian look. They’re great for chucking over jeans or contrasting with a floral or floaty dress and are the perfect transitional jacket. Dress , £18, You may have seen, heard and read that leopard print isn’t going anywhere for autumn, so to encapsulate the trend this dress is a must. Sleeves? Check. Midi length? Check. Ultra flattering square neck? Check. It’s got it all. Pair with black knee high boots or your favourite trainers for the day and dress up with gold heels and accessories for the evening. Jeans , £16 Barrel, balloon, horseshoe - whatever you want to call them, they are the must have trouser shape of this season. I’ve tried Primarks pair and they fit like a dream, are comfortable and flattering. So if you think you have nothing that hits the trend mark, swapping your go-to denim for this shape will bring you bang up to date. Boot s, £24 It's boot season and instead of feeling like you need to buy one in every colour, length, height - its best to stick to a pair that you can wear with the majority of your wardrobe. My jaw almost hit the floor when I saw that this black, knee-high, block heel with flat point and side zip (so there’s no tug of war to get them off at the end of the day) was only £24. If you buy one thing this season, it should be these. You won’t have to worry about feeling bored with your annoying family members this month, as the 00s Who Am I, which includes pairs of glasses and celebrities to guess, is bound to get you all talking. It’s just £3.50 and will make the perfect gift for those looking to have fun this Christmas. Fabulous stocking fillers Instagram user But there’s more - as there’s also a wide variety of gifts for under £10 too. Not only are Primark stocking pyjama sets for £10, which come in a variety of colours, materials and styles, but you can also get your hands on a ramen seasoning set for just £7. Advertisement Why is Primark the place to go to for bargains? JUST how does Primark do it? Continue delivering on-trend items at such incredible prices? According to bosses, it's down to four points. They "sell a lot of items" - Thanks to that, they are able to make savings by buying in bulk for their 191 UK stores They "do very little advertising" While their clothes offer the "latest trends", they "don’t use expensive hangers, tags or labels". And lastly, they try to be "as efficient as possible when transporting products from factories to stores". This includes things like asking "suppliers to pack our t-shirts so they are ready to go straight on shelf". For more information about how Primark keeps their costs so low, and are able to deliver such amazing bargains, visit the Primark website. Gift recipients of all ages are sure to be impressed with the hot chocolate mix which comes in a cute doughnut mug and is only £7, and the fun sushi socks with chopsticks are great for foodies. The Instagram clip, which was posted on the official @ primark account, has clearly left many open-mouthed, as it has quickly amassed 578,000 views and 4,220 likes. Read more on the Scottish Sun DARR-ARGH! Weather maps reveal exact date Storm Darragh to hit Scots with rain, wind & SNOW 'SICK BEYOND BELIEF' Cops probe footage 'showing Scots woman having sex with XL Bully dog' Primark fans flocked to the comments to share their love of the cheap buys through love heart and flame emojis. Meanwhile, one person beamed: “Fabulous stocking fillers .” Advertisement 6 This game is sure to add some fun to your festive gatherings Credit: Instagram/Primark 6 Whilst these wine charms will brighten up your table in a flash Credit: Instagram/Primark
