niceph app download
Modern laser proctology technology introduced at LGH LAHORE:Lahore General Hospital (LGH) has successfully introduced modern laser proctology technology for the treatment of hemorrhoids, fistula, and anal abscess, marking a significant advancement in patient care. Five patients have already undergone successful procedures free of charge, showcasing the hospital’s commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technology for improved medical outcomes.Principal of Amiruddin Medical College and PGMI, Prof Dr Muhammad Al-Fareed Zafar, shared this milestone while addressing a training workshop organised by Surgical Unit 2, LGH on Friday. The workshop was aimed at training postgraduate doctors, with 60 participants from various hospitals across the province in attendance. Prof Dr Waris, Principal of Sargodha Medical College, along with Prof Amna Javed and Associate Prof Dr Shabbir Ahmed Chaudhry, conducted live demonstrations of the procedures, streamed directly from the operating theatre to the classroom, to enhance the learning experience for the trainee doctors. Medical experts highlighted the benefits of laser proctology, emphasising its minimally invasive nature, which allows patients to recover quickly with minimal pain and reduced hospital stays. They noted that traditional methods often discouraged patients, especially women, from seeking timely treatment due to pain and societal stigmas. Prof Al-Fareed Zafar urged young surgeons to prioritise research, advanced medical education, and specialisation to match the expertise of their counterparts in developed countries. He reiterated the administration’s commitment to using maximum resources to introduce modern technologies, ensuring LGH remains a leading medical institution in Pakistan. The workshop concluded with Prof Al-Fareed Zafar congratulating Prof Amna Javed, Dr Shabbir Ahmed Chaudhry, and their team for organising the event. He also presented a commemorative shield to Prof Waris in recognition of his contributions.5 ways to tell if you’re on track for retirement — and 5 things to do if you need to catch up, according to experts
Analysis: Win or lose at UNC, Belichick's NFL legacy cemented
Qatar tribune Zaki Kaf Al-Ghazal One of the earliest slogans of the 2011 revolutionaries in Syria was, “The Syrian people will not be humiliated.” They were right. In the end, it was their President, Bashar Al-Assad, who fled from Syria in the middle of the night without even notifying his loyalists. He made a quick exit knowing that all was lost. The Assad family mafia, which has been in power for 54 years, has collapsed. The president of Syria for 24 years is now apparently in Moscow. After an uprising that has lasted 13 years, the significance of this news cannot be understated. Syria is currently the only bastion of the 2011 Arab Spring with a live revolution left. Egypt, Tunisia and Bahrain fell prey to the forces of the counter-revolution, whilst Libya and Yemen were engulfed totally by chaos. Russia and Iran have essentially kept the Assad regime in place over the past few years; the former with diplomatic protection at the UN and constant air support, and the latter with its militias and proxies, including Lebanon’s Hezbollah, working on the ground to organise Assad’s forces. Russia has had access to Mediterranean ports for its navy, whilst Iran has used Syria to expand its hegemony in the region and supply arms to Hezbollah with ease. Even Israel has benefited from the Assad family, and has been advocating quietly for him to stay. The Golan Heights, occupied illegally by Israel since 1967, have been quiet since 1973 and Israel has craved the stability that the Assad regime has offered. Efforts to normalise and rehabilitate the Assad regime gained traction only 18 months ago as various Arab states rushed to readmit Bashar to the Arab League, with policymakers and pundits commenting that Assad has won and that the war is over. As mentioned on multiple occasions, though, Assad’s “victory” was both pyrrhic and short term. The swift collapse of his regime in a matter of days only lends credence to this view. The governance of Syria by Assad and his cronies has been an utter failure. Syria is recognised by experts as a failed state. The economy is moribund, and life there has come to a grinding halt for most of its citizens. Emigration and the fleeing of hundreds of thousands of working-age men who are refugees across the Middle East and Europe because they fear living under Assad’s rule has hit the regime hard. There are no opportunities for the young, and unless its citizens have access to remittances from abroad or have support from benefactors in the state or pro-government militias, then even buying bread and groceries are difficult due to rampant inflation. Syria is now also a narco-state, and it seems that the regime has collapsed under the weight of its own incompetence and brutality. Moreover, Assad’s allies have been unimpressed with him more recently.A number of senior Iranian army commanders have been killed in Syria in recent weeks and months, having been targeted by Israeli air strikes. The fact that this has been happening so often has led to questions about Assad’s officials leaking information to the occupation state. Whether intentional or a result of endemic corruption in the military, the Iranians are deeply unhappy that a regime that they have propped up for years can’t keep its benefactor’s commanders safe. Russia, meanwhile, has been unhappy about Assad’s reluctance to engage with the Astana Peace Process, which, ironically, happens to be weighted heavily in his favour. It is also worth mentioning that the issue of Syrian refugees in Turkiye has become a challenge for President Erdogan, who has been keen to find a solution and resettle them after coming under domestic pressure to do something. The Arab states which have pushed for normalisation with Assad over the past year and a half have not seen any fall in the captagon trade which his regime has fuelled, and are having to deal with the consequences. Assad has done nothing to show that he’s distanced himself from Iran which was part of the Arab states’ demand for normalising relations with Damascus again. And although Assad has claimed for years to be a part of the “Axis of resistance”, the regime has said and done nothing as Gaza burned and its people continue to face a genocide, even as thousands of Palestinian refugees are still in Assad’s prisons, and people still remember his massacres of them. The accumulation of all of these circumstances and events provided the opposition in Syria with the opportunity to strike now. The opposition forces today are a different proposition to those of the early revolutionary years, when they were loosely organised factions with little access to weapons. There seems to be a sense of unity amongst them which has been missing. Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS), operating under the Syrian Salvation Government (SSG), and other factions — including Ahrar Al-Sham, the Sham Legion and the Nour Al–Din Al-Zenki Movement, for example — used the element of surprise to launch an attack on Aleppo which was more successful than people thought it would be. Assad’s forces, the Syrian Arab Army, are a hollow shell of their previous self; morale is low and funding has been cut for months due to economic problems. Even a last-minute attempt to raise the troops’ salaries didn’t offer any encouragement. The soldiers being called up were young men forced onto the front-line; professional troops were killed in combat years ago or had defected. These young men saw Israel as their enemy, not fellow Syrians. Moreover, there were tensions with the few Iranian units still on the ground, with Syrian soldiers feeling that they were looked down upon in their own country, which didn’t bode well. When this is factored in alongside the absence of Hezbollah due to the movement’s weakening in the war with Israel, it should have been no surprise that the Syrian regime forces collapsed as quickly as they did. The opposition forces in Idlib, meanwhile, were organising and preparing themselves over a longer period, had established a local governing system and had even managed to make and produce some of their own weapons, including the “Shaheen” drones which helped in their quick advance towards Aleppo and Damascus. When Aleppo was liberated, the Assad regime repeated the same tactics it has used over the course of the 13 year conflict, shelling the city and bombing hospitals to terrorise its citizens into submission. This time though, due to Russia’s preoccupation with Ukraine and its own exasperation with the regime, its support was much more limited, and Assad’s air strikes alone weren’t enough.He was arrogant and thought that he was his father, Hafez, who was well-known for the “hamburger trick”; he would toy with other leaders, pretending to offer something substantive (the “hamburger”), while actually just giving the bread. In the meantime, he kept playing political games, dragging his heels on the Astana Peace Process and barely pretending to engage with the Geneva Peace Process. Turkiye’s Erdogan has been trying to meet him and rekindle a normalisation process, but Assad in his arrogance refused. The US is going through a presidential transition, of course, and Biden is a lame duck who at this stage of his time in the White House won’t be making decisions of any strategic importance. Assad thought that he could play states off against each other and it seems to have blown up in his face. Given that he escaped any real punishment from the international community for repeated use of chemical weapons and years of dropping barrel bombs on hospitals and schools, it’s obvious why he became so arrogant. As opposition forces declare a Syria free from the Assad dynasty’s rule for the first time since 1971, there are a plethora of challenges to face. They will now need to build institutions and prove that they are serious about governing the country. They must be able to work with state bureaucracy and deliver basic services such as electricity and water. The early signs are encouraging, with reports from Aleppo that residents have access to electricity. The security situation is also crucial, and looting and chaos must be prevented. The fact that former Prime Minister Mohammed Ghazi Al-Jalali is supervising state bodies until a transition goes ahead to provide some continuity of service is good news. The north east region which has been ruled by the separatist Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and other Kurdish groups will require a delicate balancing act by the new authority in Damascus. The SDF worked tacitly with Assad in the past so must be convinced to work with the new government. Furthermore, the new authority must be wary of Israel’s cross-border incursions since Assad’s abrupt departure. It is imperative for HTS to kickstart a political transition as soon as possible. Ideally, the group will be dissolved, as promised, and an independent body will govern day to day as an election date is set and a constitution is drafted. HTS is designated as a terrorist organisation by the US, the UK, the UN and others, although its leader, Abu Mohammed Al-Jolani — real name Ahmed Al-Sharaa — has stressed the fact that it has long broken from Al-Qaeda. In a recent CNN interview, he promised that Syria’s minorities will be protected and that a proper legal system will be put in place. It is too early to tell whether this is just good PR or is genuine and, if it is the latter, if he can ensure that opposition groups on the ground will listen. The Syrian people rose up in 2011 against the Assad regime to demand a system that respects human rights and the rule of law and gives the people the dignity they deserve. If any authority does not do this, they can expect resistance quickly. Ideally, the International Criminal Court will charge Assad with committing war crimes and crimes against humanity and issue an arrest warrant. There has been movement towards this in the past, but it has moved at a glacial pace. This is the justice that the Syrian people crave. The finality of seeing Assad and his cronies in the dock will not bring back the dead or disappeared, but it would go some way to easing the pain of their families. Ultimately, it must be for the Syrian people to choose their next leader and take their next steps. Russia, Iran, the US, Israel, Turkey and the Gulf states should not have a say, and any international effort should only be to help coordinate the operations of a transitional government which can facilitate free and fair elections in the coming months. The Syrian people overthrew Assad themselves; all it took was for Assad’s backers to abandon him. The sacrifices that the people have made over the past decade are astonishing, and the stream of released detainees demonstrates this, as even women and children were amongst those detained unjustly. Syria will now be what is meant to be: a republic. It is no longer one of just two states with a hereditary presidency. History tells us that empires rise and fall, and that nothing is guaranteed forever. The uprising of the Syrian people demonstrated this. Once-powerful states can crumble quicker than expected, and what was achieved in Syria can be an example for others. As we think about the aggression of Israel against the Palestinian people, we see that it’s sowing the seeds for its own demise in the future. As we learn from history, oppressive regimes set themselves up to fail, and the status quo which benefits the oppressor crumbles. (Zaki Kaf Al-Ghazal is the Media and Advocacy Officer of the Syrian Association of Yorkshire having completed an LLM in Legal and Political Theory at the University of York, he is currently a PhD candidate at the same university’s Law School.) Copy 10/12/2024 10
Cache Valley's Shop with a Cop event continues to grow
JERUSALEM — Israel approved a ceasefire agreement with Lebanon's Hezbollah militants on Tuesday that would end nearly 14 months of fighting linked to the war in the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire, starting at 4 a.m. local time Wednesday, would mark the first major step toward ending the regionwide unrest triggered by Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. But it does not address the devastating war in Gaza , where Hamas is still holding dozens of hostages and the conflict is more intractable. Hours before the ceasefire with Hezbollah was to take effect, Israel carried out the most intense wave of strikes in Beirut and its southern suburbs since the start of the conflict and issued a record number of evacuation warnings. At least 42 people were killed in strikes across the country, according to local authorities. Another huge airstrike shook Beirut shortly after the ceasefire was announced. Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike on Dahiyeh, in Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. There appeared to be lingering disagreement over whether Israel would have the right to strike Hezbollah if it believed the militants had violated the agreement, something Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted was part of the deal but which Lebanese and Hezbollah officials have rejected. Israel's security Cabinet approved the U.S.-France-brokered ceasefire agreement after Netanyahu presented it, his office said. U.S. President Joe Biden, speaking in Washington, called the agreement “good news” and said his administration would make a renewed push for a ceasefire in Gaza. The Biden administration spent much of this year trying to broker a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza but the talks repeatedly sputtered to a halt . President-elect Donald Trump vowed to bring peace to the Middle East without saying how. Still, any halt to the fighting in Lebanon is expected to reduce the likelihood of war between Israel and Iran, which backs both Hezbollah and Hamas and exchanged direct fire with Israel on two occasions earlier this year. In this screen grab image from video provide by the Israeli Government Press Office, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu makes a televised statement Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, in Jerusalem, Israel. Netanyahu presented the ceasefire proposal to Cabinet ministers after a televised address in which he listed accomplishments against Israel’s enemies across the region. He said a ceasefire with Hezbollah would further isolate Hamas in Gaza and allow Israel to focus on its main enemy, Iran. “If Hezbollah breaks the agreement and tries to rearm, we will attack,” he said. “For every violation, we will attack with might.” The ceasefire deal calls for a two-month initial halt in fighting and would require Hezbollah to end its armed presence in a broad swath of southern Lebanon, while Israeli troops would return to their side of the border. Thousands of additional Lebanese troops and U.N. peacekeepers would deploy in the south, and an international panel headed by the United States would monitor compliance. Biden said Israel reserved the right to quickly resume operations in Lebanon if Hezbollah breaks the terms of the truce, but that the deal "was designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities.” A police bomb squad officer inspects the site where a rocket fired from Lebanon landed in a backyard in Kiryat Shmona, northern Israel, Tuesday Nov. 26, 2024. Netanyahu’s office said Israel appreciated the U.S. efforts in securing the deal but “reserves the right to act against every threat to its security.” Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati welcomed the ceasefire and described it as a crucial step toward stability and the return of displaced people. Hezbollah has said it accepts the proposal, but a senior official with the group said Tuesday it had not seen the agreement in its final form. “After reviewing the agreement signed by the enemy government, we will see if there is a match between what we stated and what was agreed upon by the Lebanese officials,” Mahmoud Qamati, deputy chair of Hezbollah’s political council, told the Al Jazeera news network. “We want an end to the aggression, of course, but not at the expense of the sovereignty of the state," he said, referring to Israel's demand for freedom of action. “Any violation of sovereignty is refused.” Rescuers and residents search for victims Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, at the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted a building in Beirut, Lebanon. Even as ceasefire efforts gained momentum in recent days, Israel continued to strike what it called Hezbollah targets across Lebanon while the militants fired rockets, missiles and drones across the border. An Israeli strike on Tuesday leveled a residential building in central Beirut — the second time in recent days warplanes have hit the crowded area near downtown. At least seven people were killed and 37 wounded, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry. Israel also struck a building in Beirut's bustling commercial district of Hamra for the first time, hitting a site around 400 meters (yards) from Lebanon’s Central Bank. There were no reports of casualties. The Israeli military said it struck targets linked to Hezbollah's financial arm. The evacuation warnings covered many areas, including parts of Beirut that previously were not targeted. The warnings sent residents fleeing. Traffic was gridlocked, with mattresses tied to some cars. Dozens of people, some wearing pajamas, gathered in a central square, huddling under blankets or standing around fires as Israeli drones buzzed overhead. Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee issued evacuation warnings for 20 buildings in Beirut's southern suburbs, where Hezbollah has a major presence, as well as a warning for the southern town of Naqoura where the U.N. peacekeeping mission, UNIFIL, is headquartered. UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti said peacekeepers will not evacuate. Israeli soldiers inspect the site Tuesday Nov. 26, 2024, where a rocket fired from Lebanon landed in a backyard in Kiryat Shmona, northern Israel. The Israeli military also said its ground troops clashed with Hezbollah forces and destroyed rocket launchers in the Slouqi area on the eastern end of the Litani River, a few miles from the Israeli border. Under the ceasefire deal, Hezbollah would be required to move its forces north of the Litani, which in some places is about 20 miles north of the border. Hezbollah began firing into northern Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, saying it was showing support for the Palestinians, a day after Hamas carried out its attack on southern Israel, triggering the Gaza war. Israel returned fire on Hezbollah, and the two sides have exchanged barrages ever since. Israeli security officers and army soldiers inspect the site Tuesday Nov. 26, 2024, where a rocket fired from Lebanon landed in a backyard in Kiryat Shmona, northern Israel. Israel escalated its bombardment in mid-September and later sent troops into Lebanon, vowing to put an end to Hezbollah fire so tens of thousands of evacuated Israelis could return to their homes. More than 3,760 people have been killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon the past 13 months, many of them civilians, according to Lebanese health officials. The bombardment has driven 1.2 million people from their homes. Israel says it has killed more than 2,000 Hezbollah members. Hezbollah fire has forced some 50,000 Israelis to evacuate in the country’s north, and its rockets have reached as far south in Israel as Tel Aviv. At least 75 people have been killed, more than half of them civilians. More than 50 Israeli soldiers have died in the ground offensive in Lebanon. Chehayeb and Mroue reported from Beirut and Federman from Jerusalem. Associated Press reporters Lujain Jo and Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut and Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.
LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — Thomas Brown insists he's focused on the job at hand and not the one he might have down the line. His immediate task as the interim coach of the Chicago Bears is helping the team finish strong over the final five games, starting this weekend at San Francisco. The rest of his life can wait. “I think about just the moment. ... I obviously understand the role that I'm in, understand what might come with it," he said Wednesday. "But I also understand that we make most situations bigger than what it has to be because of the outside noise, what everybody else puts a value on it.” The Bears are in a moment unlike any other in the history of the founding NFL franchise. They fired a head coach for the first time during a season when they let Matt Eberflus go on Friday with a 4-8 record and the team in a six-game losing streak marked by head-scratching decisions. They promoted Brown, who in a span of three weeks went from passing game coordinator to offensive coordinator and now the person in charge. The tipping point was a 23-20 loss at Detroit on Thanksgiving, when the Bears let the clock run down rather than call a timeout following a sack. It led to Caleb Williams throwing an incomplete pass from the Lions 41 as time expired when Chicago should have been able to run more than one play. Star cornerback Jaylon Johnson interrupted Eberflus' postgame speech and made his feelings clear. Other players had gone public in recent weeks with their frustrations over the coaching decisions, and they didn't exactly hide their emotions following the Detroit game. On Wednesday, defensive end DeMarcus Walker said he sensed a change was coming after the loss to the Lions. “You guys just look at the whole turnaround, how everything had been going, we just knew some changes were going to be made,” he said. The 38-year-old Brown now has a huge opportunity. He spent last season as Carolina's offensive coordinator and the previous three on Sean McVay's staff with the Los Angeles Rams — the final two as assistant head coach. Prior to that, he spent nine years as a college assistant, including stops at Wisconsin, Georgia, Miami and South Carolina. It's his job to help right a team that came into the season thinking a playoff spot was in reach. Williams' development obviously will be front and center. To that end, the No. 1 overall draft pick has looked more comfortable in the three games since Brown took over for the fired Shane Waldron as offensive coordinator, completing 75 of 117 passes for 827 yards with five touchdowns, no interceptions and a rating of 99.2. Though Brown will continue to call plays, the Bears have another new offensive coordinator in wide receivers coach Chris Beatty. “I think it is a stepping stone actually with my development because I think down the line I’ll have different OCs or different head coaches or whatever the case may be,” Williams said. “And so being able to handle it my first year, handle a new playbook, handle all these different changes, handle all of this I think it definitely will help the development instead of hurting it or anything like that.” Beyond the development of the prized quarterback, Brown also will be judged during his audition for the regular job on his preparation, decisions during games and command of the locker room. He said he reached out to each player individually on Friday and Saturday and tried to set a tone when the team met on Monday. “I want them to be excellent,” Brown said. “I can nitpick at every single play and tell a guy how he wasn’t perfect. And, so, perfection’s not the goal. It’s to excel at your craft.” Notes: The Bears had a lengthy injury report on Wednesday. WRs Keenan Allen (ankle) and DJ Moore (quad), RBs D'Andre Swift (quad) and Roschon Johnson (concussion), DB Elijah Hicks (ankle) and OL Ryan Bates (concussion) all missed practice. S Kevin Byard (shoulder) and OLs Darnnell Wright (knee) and Coleman Shelton (knee) were limited. AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/NFLDENVER (AP) — So you're the most valuable player of that annual Thanksgiving Day backyard flag football game. Or played tackle football on any level. Or ran track. Or dabbled in basketball. Or toyed with any sport, really. Well, this may be just for you: USA Football is holding talent identification camps all over the country to find that next flag football star. It's “America’s Got Talent” meets “American Idol,” with the stage being the field and the grand prize a chance to compete for a spot on a national team. Because it’s never too early to start planning for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, where flag football will make its Summer Games debut. Know this, though — it's not an easy team to make. The men's and women's national team rosters are at “Dream Team” status given the men’s side has captured six of the last seven world championships and the women three in a row. To remain on top, the sport's national governing body is scouring every football field, park, track, basketball court and gym to find hidden talent to cultivate. USA Football has organized camps and tryouts from coast to coast for anyone ages 11 to 23. There are more than a dozen sites set up so far, ranging from Dallas (Sunday) to Chicago (Dec. 14) to Tampa (March 29) to Los Angeles (TBD) and the Boston area (April 27), where it will be held at Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots. The organization has already partnered with the NFL on flag football initiatives and programs. The numbers have been through the roof, with engagement on social media platforms increasing by 86% since flag football was announced as an Olympic invitational sport in October 2023 . The participation of boys and girls ages 6 to 17 in flag football last year peaked at more than 1.6 million, according to USA Football research. “We pride ourselves on elevating the gold standard across the sport,” said Eric Mayes, the managing director of the high performance and national teams for USA Football. “We want to be the best in the world — and stay the best in the world.” Flag football was one of five new sports added to the LA28 program. The already soaring profile of American football only figures to be enhanced by an Olympic appearance. Imagine, say, a few familiar faces take the field, too. Perhaps even NFL stars such as Tyreek Hill or Patrick Mahomes, maybe even past pro football greats donning a flag belt for a country to which they may have ties. Soon after flag football's inclusion, there was chatter of NFL players possibly joining in on the fun. Of course, there are logistical issues to tackle before their inclusion at the LA Olympics, which open July 14, 2028. Among them, training camp, because the Olympics will be right in the middle of it. The big question is this: Will owners permit high-priced players to duck out for a gold-medal pursuit? No decisions have yet been made on the status of NFL players for the Olympics. For now, it's simply about growing the game. There are currently 13 states that sanction girls flag football as a high school varsity sport. Just recently, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles helped pave the way to get it adopted in Pennsylvania. Around the world, it's catching on, too. The women's team from Japan took third at the recent word championships, while one of the best players on the planet is Mexico quarterback Diana Flores . “Could flag football globally become the new soccer? That’s something to aspire to," said Stephanie Kwok , the NFL's vice president of flag football. This type of flag football though, isn't your Thanksgiving Day game with family and friends. There's a learning curve. And given the small roster sizes, versatility is essential. Most national team members need to be a version of Colorado’s two-way standout and Heisman hopeful Travis Hunter. Forget bump-and-run coverage, too, because there's no contact. None. That took some adjusting for Mike Daniels, a defensive back out of West Virginia who earned a rookie minicamp invitation with the Cleveland Browns in 2017. “If a receiver is running around, I’m thinking, ‘OK, I can kind of bump him here and there and nudge him,’” Daniels explained. “They’re like, ‘No, you can’t.’ I’m just like, ‘So I’m supposed to let this guy just run?!’ I really rebelled at the idea at first. But you learn.” The competition for an Olympic roster spot is going to be fierce because only 10 players are expected to make a squad. The best 10 will earn it, too, as credentials such as college All-American or NFL All-Pro take a backseat. “I would actually love" seeing NFL players try out, said Daniels, who's also a personal trainer in Miami. “I’m not going to let you just waltz in here, thinking, ‘I played NFL football for five years. I’m popular. I have a huge name.’ I’m still better than you and I'm going to prove it — until you prove otherwise.” Around the house, Bruce Mapp constantly swivels his hips when turning a hallway corner or if his daughter tries to reach for a hug. It’s his way of working on avoiding a “defender” trying to snare the flag. That approach has earned the receiver out of Coastal Carolina four gold medals with USA Football. The 31-year-old fully plans on going for more gold in Los Angeles. “You grow up watching Usain Bolt (win gold) and the ‘Redeem Team’ led by Kobe Bryant win a gold medal, you're always thinking, ‘That's insane.' Obviously, you couldn't do it in your sport, because I played football," said Mapp, who owns a food truck in the Dallas area. "With the Olympics approaching, that (gold medal) is what my mind is set on." It's a common thought, which is why everything — including talent camps — starts now. “Everybody thinks, ‘Yeah, the U.S. just wins,’” Daniels said. “But we work hard all the time. We don’t just walk in. We don’t just get off the bus thinking, ‘We’re going to beat people.’” AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL
US President-elect Donald Trump announced Tuesday his intention to nominate Gail Slater as Assistant Attorney General for the Department of Justice's Antitrust Division, signaling continued scrutiny of major technology companies. "Big Tech has run wild for years, stifling competition in our most innovative sector," Trump said in a social media post announcing the nomination. The move suggested his administration would largely maintain the aggressive antitrust stance adopted under President Joe Biden. Slater previously served at the Federal Trade Commission and Trump's National Economic Council before working as an advisor to Vice President-elect J.D. Vance. Her private sector experience includes positions at Fox Media, Roku, and the Internet Association, a Washington lobbying group representing major internet companies. Leadership Business Storytelling Masterclass By - Ameen Haque, Founder of Storywallahs View Program Finance A2Z Of Finance: Finance Beginner Course By - elearnmarkets, Financial Education by StockEdge View Program Data Analysis Animated Visualizations with Flourish Studio: Beginner to Pro By - Prince Patni, Software Developer (BI, Data Science) View Program Web Development Java 21 Essentials for Beginners: Build Strong Programming Foundations By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Tabnine AI Masterclass: Optimize Your Coding Efficiency By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Office Productivity Advanced Excel Course - Financial Calculations & Excel Made Easy By - Anirudh Saraf, Founder- Saraf A & Associates, Chartered Accountant View Program Web Development A Comprehensive ASP.NET Core MVC 6 Project Guide for 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Mastering C++ Fundamentals with Generative AI: A Hands-On By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Neil Patel By - Neil Patel, Co-Founder and Author at Neil Patel Digital Digital Marketing Guru View Program Web Development Intermediate C++ Skills: Master Pointers, Structures and File Stream By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Entrepreneurship Building Your Winning Startup Team: Key Strategies for Success By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Basics of Generative AI: Unveiling Tomorrow's Innovations By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI-Powered Python Mastery with Tabnine: Boost Your Coding Skills By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Master in Python Language Quickly Using the ChatGPT Open AI By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Web Development Django & PostgreSQL Mastery: Build Professional Web Applications By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Astrology Vastu Shastra Course By - Sachenkumar Rai, Vastu Shashtri View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass By - CA Himanshu Jain, Ex McKinsey, Moody's, and PwC, Co - founder, The WallStreet School View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI for Everyone: Understanding and Applying the Basics on Artificial Intelligence By - Ritesh Vajariya, Generative AI Expert View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Learn InVideo AI: Create Videos from Text Easily By - Prince Patni, Software Developer (BI, Data Science) View Program Office Productivity Mastering Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and 365 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance A2Z Of Money By - elearnmarkets, Financial Education by StockEdge View Program Web Development Intermediate Java Mastery: Method, Collections, and Beyond By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program If confirmed, Slater would inherit several high-profile antitrust cases against tech giants. Discover the stories of your interest Blockchain 5 Stories Cyber-safety 7 Stories Fintech 9 Stories E-comm 9 Stories ML 8 Stories Edtech 6 Stories The Justice Department currently shares five pending cases with the Federal Trade Commission, whose chairwoman Lina Khan has faced criticism from Silicon Valley over what some view as overly aggressive blocking of tech company acquisitions. Vice President-elect Vance, who has worked in Silicon Valley, has expressed support for Khan, particularly her efforts to address concerns about monopolization and censorship in big tech. The incoming Trump administration could pursue multiple paths with these cases -- including those targeting Amazon, Apple and Meta -- from continuing litigation to seeking settlements or dropping them entirely. Trump indicated the division would pursue "vigorous and fair" enforcement while maintaining rules that support corporate innovation. "I wouldn't expect any Trump DOJ antitrust head to drop their big tech antitrust cases, but there could be changes in strategy," said Adam Kovacevich, chief executive of industry trade group Chamber of Progress, who worked with Slater at the Internet Association. Antitrust expert Matt Stoller, a harsh critic of tech giants, viewed the nomination as "a very powerful statement that Trump wants to take on big tech." The DOJ's antitrust division, currently led by Jonathan Kanter, recently won a major case against Google. To resolve that case, the department is now seeking to force Google to divest its market-dominating Chrome internet browser, with a federal judge expected to rule on the matter in the coming months.Premier Wab Kinew faces off against Mayor Scott Gillingham in a friendly game of hockey to celebrate Winnipeg’s 150 anniversary. “I think the most important thing is that hockey brings us together, right like hockey’s one of those great things, doesn’t matter where you come from, different backgrounds, once you hit the ice, we’re all the same, we’re all on the same team... except of course when we play the city,” said Wab Kinew, Premier of Manitoba. “It’s a pretty special moment you don’t often get to do something like this, usually when were talking to one another as politicians were usually dealing with big issues, so it’s nice to come out and have some fun, we’ve got a great team, we’ve got a lot of people that are playing for the city of Winnipeg and really looking forward to today,” said Scott Gillingham, Mayor of Winnipeg. Hundreds of people came out to watch the Premier, MLAs and Provincial staff take on the Mayor, City Councillors and members of Winnipeg’s Public Service, in a rematch of the 1974 game which seen then “City Fathers” beat the “Golden Boys.” “It was fun to reignite that rivalry, that 50-year-old rivalry. You play the game once every 50 years, so it was just a great way to mark Winnipeg 150, celebrate the year, and have fun,” said Gillingham. “We’re the underdogs right, so I mean if we even have a respectful showing I think we’ll be pretty happy about that,” said Kinew. Kinew and Gillingham were both all smiles heading into the game and joked about how they prepared for this moment. “I took an Advil this morning... and drank 3 glasses of water,” said Gillingham. “In terms of preparation, first thing I did, is I had 3 pieces of my wife’s vinarterta this morning and other than that it’s just go out there and hope for the best,” said Kinew. The city came out strong scoring the first goal of the game, and despite a strong performance from the province’s goalie, they were able to put five more past her winning the rivalry game 6-0, and in true sports fashion, the Mayor was congratulated by having water dumped on him by City Councillor Sherri Rollins. “Were the provincial team, so ya mom, I made team Manitoba finally,” said Kinew.
Trump threatens BRICS countries of 100 tariff if they drop dollar as currency
Santa Clara councilman to appeal guilty verdictAnalysis: Win or lose at UNC, Belichick's NFL legacy cementedLOS ANGELES — UCLA might have lost its chance at playing in a bowl game, but there’s still important outcomes at stake Saturday when the Bruins take on Fresno State. “I think the biggest thing here is you just want to go out and have a competitive spirit,” linebacker Carson Schwesinger said at the Bruins’ Tuesday practice. “You could say there’s not much to play for, and stuff like that, but I think, with this team too, you have a lot of competitive people, so you line it up at any time, we’re going to go out there and play our hardest.” There’s a collective desire to conclude a season laden with low points on a high one. There are also individual objectives on the line. For those with aspirations to play at the next level, it’s another chance to showcase talent and put quality reps on film. For the underclassmen hoping to step into the place of those departing, it’s another chance to prove they belong on the field and would flourish with additional snaps. And for others, like Schwesinger, rewarding accolades are up for grabs. On Monday, the redshirt junior was announced as one of five finalists for the Butkus Award, which is given annually to the nation’s best linebacker. Schwesinger has recorded double-digit tackles in eight of the Bruins’ last nine games, peaking with 17 in a loss at Washington on Nov. 15. He also snagged two interceptions the week before that in UCLA’s victory over Iowa. Schwesinger’s journey to an elite, game-wrecking defensive captain is a testament to his work ethic and his discipline to be able to keep his head down and not say much, as he put it. When he does speak, it’s rarely about himself. “It’s technically a one-person award,” he said about the Butkus Award, “but that’s a whole team award.” One of the individuals who helped him become a finalist for the Butkus Award has a chance at his own hardware. On Tuesday, Bruins defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe was named one of the 65 nominees for the Broyles Award for the nation’s top assistant coach. “Coach Malloe is a great guy,” defensive end Oluwafemi Oladejo said Tuesday. “Yeah, he’s a good football coach, but he’s also a life coach.” On multiple occasions this season, Malloe has been overcome with emotion when expressing how much he wants his unit to improve. He’s now being recognized for those results. Oladejo, who played two seasons at Cal before transferring to UCLA in late 2022, is about to play his last college football game. In his final year of eligibility, he willingly shifted down from linebacker to the defensive line and will have another chance Saturday to showcase his versatility and dominance at his somewhat new position. With Oladejo and potentially Schwesinger, a redshirt junior, soon moving on from UCLA, their younger teammates have one final chance to prove why they should fill those vacated snaps. Defensive lineman Devin Aupiu and linebacker Jalen Woods look like prime candidates to make that jump. Aupiu, a redshirt junior, had his best game of the season against USC on Saturday, highlighted by a strip sack of Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava. Woods had a season-high six tackles. “Last game, he played a lot of snaps and played really good,” Schwesinger said of Woods. “Same thing (this Saturday), just keep that momentum going.” Schwesinger nodded his head when asked if he was aware of the history of success Fresno State holds in its matchup with the Bruins. The Bulldogs have won the past four games between the programs, and while that last one came a year before Schwesinger arrived in Westwood, he knows how important it would be to be part of the group that returns to the win column. “We’re coming out ready to compete,” he said.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos said he’s willing to work with President-elect Donald Trump to dismantle government regulations that hinder economic growth. The U.S. imposes “excessive permitting and regulation,” Bezos said, speaking at the New York Times’ DealBook Summit in New York City on Wednesday. “We need a growth orientation in this country.” The day after the election, Bezos congratulated Trump “on an extraordinary political comeback and decisive victory.” “I’m actually very optimistic this time around,” Bezos said of Trump at the DealBook conference. “He seems to have a lot of energy around reducing regulation. If I can help him do that, I’m gonna help him.” Bezos shared his current impressions of Trump: “What I’ve seen so far is he is calmer than he was the first time [in the White House] and more settled.” Regarding Elon Musk, who is a rival of Bezos’ and has become a top adviser to Trump, Bezos said he did not think Musk would misuse his influence with the incoming administration to harm competitors. “I’ve had a lot of success in life by not being cynical,” said Bezos. Bezos also addressed the major backlash he stirred among Washington Post readers when he decreed — less than two weeks before the U.S. presidential election — that the newspaper would not endorse a candidate this year. Bezos acquired the Washington Post in 2013. At the DealBook Summit, Bezos said, “We just decided [an endorsement] wasn’t... going to influence the election one way or the other.” He added, “The pluses of doing this were very small.” Bezos said it would have been better if he’d had the “prescience” to have made the change two years ago rather than shortly before the 2024 election, but that he was nevertheless “proud” of the decision. Former Washington Post editor Marty Baron had called the non-endorsement “cowardice, with democracy as its casualty.” Bezos commented that the decision “was far from cowardly because we knew there would be blowback, and we did it anyway.” Bezos acknowledged that he’s a “terrible” owner of Washington Post because there are continuous questions of conflicts with Bezos’ interests in Amazon and aerospace company Blue Origin. But, he added, when the Post needs “financial resources, I’m available. I’m like the doting parent in that regard.” Bezos had previously written in a Washington Post op-ed that he was aiming to restore consumers’ trust in the paper by eliminating the practice of political endorsements, which he said “create the perception of bias.” Bezos, 60, is currently the second-richest person in the world (behind Musk) with an estimated net worth of $234 billion, per the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Bezos founded Amazon in 1994 and stepped aside as CEO in 2021; he continues to serve as the company’s executive chairman. He said he always wanted to build a company “that would outlast me... I want Amazon to go off without me.” At the same time, Bezos continues to be actively involved at Amazon. He said 95% of the time he spends at Amazon is on artificial intelligence and that the ecommerce company is building thousands of different AI applications. Bezos also is the founder of Blue Origin, which says its mission is to lower the cost and increase the safety of spaceflight. Bezos said flying into space has a “life-changing, transformative” effect. Bezos (like Musk) sees a future where humanity extends beyond Earth. There’s a “strong argument to be made that the Moon is a stepping stone” to the rest of the solar system, he said. Blue Origin is “not a very good business, yet,” Bezos said. But eventually, he believes it could be bigger than even Amazon: “I think it’s gonna be the best business I’ve ever been involved with.” Bezos said he can fund Blue Origin with his Amazon stock. In 2022, Bezos pledged to donate most of his wealth to charitable causes within his lifetime. As part of that, he established the Bezos Earth Fund, aimed at fighting climate change, with $10 billion in total grants targeted to be disbursed by 2030.Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah agree to a ceasefire after nearly 14 months of fighting
The controversy around a religious Christmas sign that was taken down in downtown Kelowna continues. Two days after a sign stating 'Keep Christ in Christmas' was removed from the nativity scene display at Stuart Park, Kelowna-Centre MLA Kristina Loewen went to social media to express her opinion on the matter. "We believe that it's an important detail that Christmas is a Christian holiday," said Loewen in her video, referring to 'we' as all of the MLAs for the Central Okanagan. "We will be standing united and defending all British Columbians rights to religion and freedom of expression, speech, thought, belief," she added. "Canada is an incredible country full of diverse cultures and religions, and a wide variety of views, and I think that's one of the things that makes us so incredible." Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream MLA Tara Armstrong agreed with her fellow Conservative, quote-tweeting the video and saying "a great message from a colleague and friend. I'm proud to be part of a team that stands for what's right." Macklin McCall, MLA for West Kelowna, also quote-tweeted Loewen's post. However, Kelowna-Mission MLA Gavin Dew appears to not have commented on social media. The nativity scene is put up by the Knights of Columbus every year and a permit is given from the City of Kelowna to do so. When the 'Keep Christ in Christmas' sign was displayed beside the scene on Monday, Dec. 9, some people in the community, including the Kelowna Atheists, Skeptics, and Humanists Association (KASHA) took issue. A letter by KASHA to Black Press Media on Dec. 9, stated the nativity scene is part of Christmas, just as "lights, festive trees, and other decorative displays" are also. "This message is not merely festive—it is political, advocating for a specific religious interpretation of the holiday," said KASHA about the sign. The next day, the sign was taken down and the City of Kelowna confirmed that the sign was not part of the Knights of Columbus' permit for the nativity scene. The Knights of Columbus had no comment regarding the matter. Capital News reached out to Loewen for further comment but was met with an automatic e-mail reply. Additionally, the City of Kelowna stated it had no comment on Loewen's video. However, Ian Bushfield the executive director of the B.C. Humanist Association did have a comment. "Freedom of religion in Canada includes freedom from religion," said Bushfield in an e-mailed statement. "Ms. Loewen and all Christians are obviously free to celebrate Christmas as a Christian holiday but our governments have a clear duty of religious neutrality. That means neither endorsing nor prohibiting any religion over any other. That sign, and arguably even the nativity scene, being on public property breaches that duty. She can put the sign up at her church or at her own house but we do not live in a theocracy." Bushfield has previously stated that BCHA is an organization committed to secular values. “Part of that is the separation of religion and government," said Bushfield. The City of Kelowna also said it received five letters on the matter when the sign was up but none since it's been taken down.
TikTok asks an appeals court to suspend banAs we sweep into December, the holiday countdown is upon us. If you've been shopping for the perfect gift , you've come to the right place. Not only has our team of shopping experts curated a list for you, we've tailored it to gifts that cost $25 or less. Whether you're hoping for a nice tech gadget for a teen in your life or you're hoping for a gift for a colleague, we've got a wide array of items to choose from, all at prices that won't break the bank. Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money . We're keeping this story updated regularly to help ensure you get the best available deals, but be aware these prices can change in a flash. If you see something you like, you may want to grab it while you can. And if your budget is a bit larger, we've also rounded up the best deals for $50 and under . As deals change, be sure to check back for the most recent sales details. Read More: Best Toys of 2024 Tech deals under $25 This smart accessory can be added to nearly any garage door made after 1993. It connects to your phone, allowing for easy control of the door from anywhere. It's down to $20, so you can grab one for yourself and as a gift. They'll be sure to thank you for something so useful, especially when it's cold out. A petite camera that works perfect as a baby monitor or pet cam or just as a general indoor security camera to keep an eye on things when you're not home. Features night vision and two-way audio. Easy to install and compatible with both Amazon and Google home devices. The JBL Tune 510T wireless on-ear headphones have JBL Pure Bass sound and offer up to 40 hours of playback -- and right now you can score these wireless headphones for half price at Amazon. This Skullcandy mini Bluetooth speaker has a pretty powerful sound for its size. Plus, it can deliver up to 6 hours of battery life per charge and is rated IPX5 water-resistant, so you can take it anywhere. You need to clip the on-page coupon for 30% off to get this price. Anker makes some of the best charging gear on the market and its super compact Nano Pro USB-C wall charger is down to a new low at Amazon right now. Be sure to clip the 15% on-page coupon for the full savings. Home deals under $25 An adorable metal table lamp that can easily be moved, this makes a great addition to any room or study space. It comes in multiple colors including green, black, chrome and white. Also great for an RV! Subscription and software deals under $25 For a limited time only, new members can save 50% on their first year of Sam's Club membership. This unlocks all the great warehouse and online offers from Sam's Club, as well as discounted gas and more. Toy and game deals under $25 This solar robot is a fun toy for kids ages 8 and up to get kids interested in science and engineering. It can be assembled in 14 different ways, including a beetle, crab, dog and more. Be sure to clip the on-page coupon for the full discount. Beauty and fashion deals under $25 Thick, cozy socks perfect for lounging or traipsing about made from a supersoft bamboo-polyester blend. CNET is covering a wide array of deals on tech products and much more this holiday season. Start with the hottest sales and discounts on the CNET Deals page , along with our top gift picks for the holidays . Check out our CNET Coupons page for current Walmart discount codes , eBay coupons , Samsung promo codes and more from hundreds of other online stores . Sign up for the CNET Deals Text to get daily deals sent straight to your phone. Add the free CNET Shopping extension to your browser for real-time price comparisons and cash-back offers.Hundreds of students have took part in the third and final day of Dundee University’s 2024 winter graduations. Students joined their family and friends at the Caird Hall on Friday to celebrate their achievements. Students from both the School of Health Sciences and School of Humanities Social Sciences and Law were rewarded for their work. It comes after the on Wednesday and the . Our photographer was on hand to capture some of the best moments on Friday.
- Previous: nice view near me
- Next:
