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5 jili casino login download Romania's top court annuls first round of presidential vote won by far-right candidateBATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana’s GOP-dominated legislature passed tax cuts on personal and corporate income on Friday in exchange for a statewide sales tax increase, a mixed bag of success for Gov. Jeff Landry, whose original tax revision plans faced mounting resistance from lawmakers and lobbyists amid hard fiscal realities . The final passage of the bulk of Landry's proposed measures winds down a special legislative session called Nov. 6 by the governor and his allies. They said their purpose was to make the state’s tax code more business friendly, bring jobs and reverse trends of outward migration from the state. It was the third special legislative session called by Landry, a Republican, since he assumed office in January. The package of legislation includes a permanent $2,000 raise for teachers and doubles standard deductions for residents aged 65 and older. It raises the state sales tax to 5%, while granting Landry’s wish for lower personal and corporate income tax rates. It repeals the 0.275% corporate franchise tax, a levy on businesses operating on the state worth more than $500 million in annual revenue. The state's new corporate income tax rate will be a flat 5.5%, reducing the highest tier from 7.5%. Landry had wanted a 3.5% flat rate. Lawmakers approved a flat 3% individual income tax rate and nearly tripled the standard deduction for individuals. Previously, the personal income tax rate had stood at 4.25% for individuals earning $50,000 or more. “What I’m very confident in is that everyone’s going to have more money in their pocket at the end of the day with the personal income tax reductions,” said Republican Rep. Julie Emerson, who spearheaded legislation to flatten the income tax rate. With the personal income tax reductions reducing annual revenue by $1.3 billion, Landry’s original plan had called for applying sales taxes to dozens of services like car-washing, dog-grooming and lobbying. He also sought to eliminate large tax incentives for the restoration of historic buildings and the film industry. Those proposals were defeated, leading to a bigger sales tax hike than Landry initially proposed. Louisiana already had the highest combined state and average local sales tax in the country at 9.56%, according to the Tax Foundation, a think tank favored by conservatives. Associated Press writer Kevin McGill contributed to this report. _____ Brook is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Brook on the social platform X: @jack_brook96EDMONTON — The Alberta government has announced plans to ban new mountaintop removal and open-pit coal developments on the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains, but the new rules wouldn't apply to advanced projects like a contentious mine proposed for the Crowsnest Pass. Energy and Minerals Minister Brian Jean announced Friday the new policies expected in late 2025, along with a round of consultations with industry players on how to implement them. Jean said under the "long overdue" rule revamp, all coal mining projects would be held to the highest environmental standards. "Our job will be to develop a policy that will attract investment and create jobs while respecting and protecting the air, land, water and wildlife," he said. Jean said royalty revenues are also to be “substantially increased,” with rates to be revised after the consultations. "They're too low. We're going to bring them up," he said of the province's current rates. The new bans wouldn’t apply to advanced proposals, including the proposed Grassy Mountain open-pit mine in the Crowsnest Pass, which has been fought by environmental groups and communities downstream. Alberta Energy Regulator hearings into that project are to continue in January. Jean said the Grassy Mountain project, which aims to reclaim a site that was mined over 60 years ago but was never properly restored, would be monitored closely if approved. He said the province needs to find innovative ways to clean up those contaminated sites. "I hope (Albertans) look at us and say, 'Wow, that's smart. What a smart government,'" he said. Concerns over coal mining blew up in spring 2020, when the province announced it would remove rules that had protected the eastern slopes of the Rockies from open-pit coal mining since 1976. Public reaction was swift and angry, and the United Conservative Party government reinstated the protections and stopped selling exploration leases. Friday's announcement also comes three years after the government received a report and recommendations on the issue, including public feedback ranging from environmental concerns to dissatisfaction with the regulatory process. Jean said the COVID-19 pandemic, last year's provincial election and fights with the federal government over resource jurisdiction led to the delay of the new initiative. NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi said the plan to collect more royalties represents a plan to increase production in Alberta, with no economic benefit and a lot of environmental risk. "They may want to mess around with the rates, but what they really are trying to do is increase the amount of coal mining in the province," he said. He said the policy previously in place since 1976 was lifted for a brief period so the UCP could "sneak" a few projects through the regulatory process. "It's economically illiterate. It's not going to create the jobs and the economic benefits that we need in Alberta," Nenshi said. Under the new rules, companies would be required to show they can prevent toxic selenium from leaching into watersheds. Jean said technology, including "high wall mining" to catch overburden, the layer of soil and rock that sits above coal, would be used to keep it in check. But NDP environment and protected areas critic Sarah Elmeligi said she's skeptical technology to remove selenium from waterways works at scale, outside a lab. "That technology doesn't currently exist and, if it does, I would love to see it." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 20, 2024. Lisa Johnson, The Canadian Press

Museums are many things, but in today’s day and age they’ve taken on a whole new role in the world. During Robb Report ’s House of Robb at Miami Art Week on Thursday, museum executives and advisers came together to discuss how museums function in the 21 st century. One area of agreement? That cultural institutions are serving as a new town square, a place where people come together to discuss the issues of the day. “We feel more important now than we have in a long time,” said Christopher Bedford, the director of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. “That’s such a great privilege—to be a gathering place for people to be together, think together, negotiate some of the difficult problems of the day together. . .We shouldn’t be mini dictatorships wherein we advance to you the best artists, the best politics, the best way of writing, thinking, speaking. I think what we’re supposed to be doing is encouraging critical thinking, empowering people to think critically. . .And I think that’s the obligation of the town square.” Over the past several years, museums have been at the center of many inflection points, whether it’s the pandemic, efforts to advance diversity and inclusion, or the recent war in Gaza. They’ve dealt both internally and externally with those topics, and have served as locations for both protest and resistance. That’s forced them to become even more clear about their own principles, says Madeleine Grynsztejn , the director of the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago. “Shit will happen, and when it does, you have to be very, very clear—before, during, and after—about your principles, and that’s where your mission and your vision and your stated policies all have to come into play,” she said. “None of that is going to work if you don’t know your principles, if they’re not super clear, and if you don’t have the discernment to choose great artists and put them up on the walls and interpret them well.” One of those principles, across the museum landscape, is support of freedom of expression and free speech, whatever an artist’s politics may be. It’s a fine line that museum executives walk, but one that Bedford and Grynsztejn agreed was necessary for museums to defend. And to that point, the cultural strategy adviser András Szántó, who works with many museums, added that while these institutions have to stand behind their artists, they also have to stand behind one another. “We need more of a NATO attitude, so that when institutions are attacked—whether from the center, from the left, or the right—that they support each other,” Szántó said. “There’s a lot of solidarity that may be necessary between museums and all kinds of cultural institutions as these dramas inevitably play out in our cities.”Prestige Wealth Inc. Announces Closing of Acquisitions of InnoSphere Tech and Tokyo Bay, /PRNewswire/ -- In recognition of nearly 200,000 osteopathic physicians (DOs) and medical students in the U.S., more than 20 states and cities across the nation are observing as Osteopathic Medicine Month. This designation recognizes the 150 anniversary of osteopathic medicine, which applies a distinctive philosophy and approach to caring for patients in all areas of medicine, including primary care, surgery and specialty fields. DOs are fully licensed physicians who are trained to provide comprehensive care with a focus on preventive medicine and whole-person wellness. DOs hold some of the most distinguished positions in medicine today, caring for the U.S. President, overseeing the NASA medical team and leading some of the nation's top-ranked hospitals and health systems. The profession is one of the fastest-growing in health care, making up more than 10% of physicians and 28% of medical students in the U.S. Earlier this month, U.S. President issued a congratulatory letter to the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, recognizing the osteopathic profession's tremendous contributions to health care during the past 150 years. "As you celebrate this milestone anniversary, it is my hope that you are filled with pride in all the progress the osteopathic medical community has achieved—from pioneering medical discoveries to improving the health and well-being of Americans across the nation and so much more," the letter states. To date, more than 20 state and city leaders have issued proclamations declaring as Osteopathic Medicine Month, including , , , , , , , , , and . "This remarkable achievement not only honors the rich history of our profession but also highlights the profound role of osteopathic medicine in health care today," said American Osteopathic Association President , DO, FACOOG (Dist). "Through patient-centered care and a commitment to understanding the root causes of illness, osteopathic physicians are shaping the future of medicine." For more information, visit . The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) represents more than 197,000 osteopathic physicians (DOs) and osteopathic medical students; promotes public health; encourages scientific research; serves as the primary certifying body for DOs; and is the accrediting agency for osteopathic medical schools. To learn more about DOs and the osteopathic philosophy of medicine, visit . View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE American Osteopathic Association

Share pledging, where corporate insiders uses shares as collateral for personal loans, has been at the heart of several high-profile corporate scandals in recent years. One of the most notorious cases was the . From 1999 to 2002, the U.S.-based telecom company inflated profits to maintain its stock price. The scandal was largely driven by the on his pledged shares. A similar scenario unfolded in China when Leshi Internet Information and Technology and its founder, Jia Yueting, committed from 2007 to 2016. Yueting had pledged 97 per cent of his shares to secure funding for his U.S.-backed company, Faraday Future. To look deeper at this issue, , since Chinese controlling shareholders predominately pledge their shares. Our research found a trouble connection between share pledging by controlling shareholders and the likelihood of corporate misconduct. Our research found that when controlling shareholders engage in pledging, it increases the probability of corporate misconduct. This relationship held true across various types of misconduct and persisted regardless of the severity of penalties imposed. Share pledging Corporate insiders frequently pledge their shares as collateral to secure loans for personal investments and other private benefits. In the U.S., , and the average pledging ratio reached 37 per cent in 2012. A notable example is Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, who . The trend like Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore and the United Kingdom. In western Europe, pledging is common in a number of countries, including Austria, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Portugal and Spain, and among others. In developing markets like India and Taiwan, between 35 and 50 per cent of publicly listed firms have controlling shareholders who pledge shares. In China, 66 per cent of controlling shareholders pledged their shares between 2003 and 2017, with from RMB$26.22 billion (Chinese Yuan) in 2003 to RMB$2.9 trillion in 2017. , which typically hold at least 50 per cent of voting shares, have significant power over firms. Minority shareholders, on the other hand, receive poor legal protection under concentrated corporate ownership. Concentrated ownership is , particularly in East Asia where . Impacts of deregulation A pivotal shift occurred on May 24, 2013, when the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges, along with the China Securities Depository and Clearing Corporation, through the stock exchange trading system. Before this, share pledging was limited to banks and trusts operating in the over-the-counter market. by offering lower interest rates, fewer restrictions on loan usage and faster approvals. While the deregulation did not target misconduct by securities firms, it created a unique environment for analyzing the causal link between share pledging by controlling shareholders and corporate misconduct. This is what our research looked at. We found that firms located in Chinese provinces with more securities firms (treatment firms) were expected to have greater access to share pledging compared to firms in provinces with fewer securities firms (control firms). Our results confirmed that firms with pledging controlling shareholders were more likely to engage in misconduct following the 2013 deregulation. Prior to 2013, treated and control firms showed no significant differences. However, from 2015 onward, firms in provinces with more securities firms demonstrate an increased likelihood of misconduct compared to firms in provinces with fewer securities firms. This relationship was primarily driven by factors such as financial constraints, stock price inflation, avoidance of margin calls (demands from a broker to fund one’s margin account), and expropriation under weak corporate governance. Factors like political connections, share repurchases and increased bank monitoring didn’t contribute to the link between share pledging and corporate misconduct. Building better financial systems Although our study is based on data from China, its findings offer critical insights for countries beyond its borders. The findings are particularly relevant for countries in Asia, western Europe, and Latin America . The study’s conclusions also hold significance for North America, where financial institutions like pension funds and mutual funds invest portions of their portfolios in emerging markets. For instance, the and . The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board reported that was invested in China in March 2024. These institutions should consider governance risks associated with share pledging when developing their investment strategies. For regulators, our study underscores the importance of monitoring the growing influence of share pledging and its potential to exacerbate corporate misconduct. Weak governance structures can allow controlling shareholders to exploit the system, and strengthened oversight and tailored regulations are needed to alleviate these risks. Institutional and retail investors can likewise benefit from the study’s findings, using them to make investment decisions from the perspective of corporate governance. As markets become increasingly integrated, the importance of assessing governance risks associated with share pledging grows. Our research serves as a vital resource for policymakers and regulators who want to maintain ethical, robust financial systems. To remove this article -

After playoff chances slip away, Miami and Iowa State looking to regroup at Pop-Tarts BowlCOLUMBIA, South Carolina — Victims’ families and others affected by crimes that resulted in federal death row convictions shared a range of emotions on Monday, from relief to anger, after President Joe Biden commuted dozens of the sentences . Biden converted the sentences of 37 federal death row inmates to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. The inmates include people who were convicted in the slayings of police, military officers and federal prisoners and guards. Others were involved in deadly robberies and drug deals. Three inmates will remain on federal death row: Dylann Roof , convicted of the 2015 racist slayings of nine Black members of Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina; the 2013 Boston Marathon Bomber, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev , and Robert Bowers, who fatally shot 11 congregants at Pittsburgh’s Tree of life Synagogue in 2018 , the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S history. Opponents of the death penalty lauded Biden for a decision they’d long sought. Supporters of Donald Trump , a vocal advocate of expanding capital punishment, criticized the move as an assault to common decency just weeks before the president-elect takes office. Donnie Oliverio, a retired Ohio police officer whose partner was killed by an inmate whose death sentence was commuted, said the execution of “the person who killed my police partner and best friend would have brought me no peace.” “The president has done what is right here,” Oliverio said in a statement also issued by the White House, “and what is consistent with the faith he and I share.” Heather Turner, whose mother, Donna Major, was killed in a bank robbery in South Carolina in 2017, called Biden’s commutation of the killer’s sentence a “clear gross abuse of power” in a Facebook post, adding that the weeks she spent in court with the hope of justice were now “just a waste of time.” “At no point did the president consider the victims,” Turner wrote. “He, and his supporters, have blood on their hands.” There has always been a broad range of opinions on what punishment Roof should face from the families of the nine people killed and the survivors of the massacre at the Mother Emanuel AME Church. Many forgave him, but some say they can’t forget and their forgiveness doesn’t mean they don’t want to see him put to death for what he did. Felicia Sanders survived the shooting shielding her granddaughter while watching Roof kill her son, Tywanza, and her aunt, Susie Jackson. Sanders brought her bullet-torn bloodstained Bible to his sentencing and said then she can’t even close her eyes to pray because Roof started firing during the closing prayer of Bible study that night. In a text message to her lawyer, Andy Savage, Sanders called Biden’s decision to not spare Roof’s life a wonderful Christmas gift. Michael Graham, whose sister, Cynthia Hurd, was killed, told The Associated Press that Roof’s lack of remorse and simmering white nationalism in the country means he is the kind of dangerous and evil person the death penalty is intended for. “This was a crime against a race of people,” Graham said. “It didn’t matter who was there, only that they were Black.” But the Rev. Sharon Richer, who was Tywanza Sanders’ cousin and whose mother, Ethel Lance, was killed, criticized Biden for not sparing Roof and clearing out all of death row. She said every time Roof’s case comes up through numerous appeals it is like reliving the massacre all over again. “I need the President to understand that when you put a killer on death row, you also put their victims’ families in limbo with the false promise that we must wait until there is an execution before we can begin to heal,” Richer said in a statement. Richer, a board member of Death Penalty Action, which seeks to abolish capital punishment, was driven to tears by conflicting emotions during a Zoom news conference Monday. “The families are left to be hostages for the years and years of appeals that are to come,” Richer said. “I’ve got to stay away from the news today. I’ve got to turn the TV off — because whose face am I going to see?” Biden is giving more attention to the three inmates he chose not to spare, something they all wanted as a part of what drove them to kill, said Abraham Bonowitz, Death Penalty Action’s executive director. “These three racists and terrorists who have been left on death row came to their crimes from political motivations. When Donald Trump gets to execute them what will really be happening is they will be given a global platform for their agenda of hatred,” Bonowitz said. Biden had faced pressure from advocacy organizations to commute federal death sentences, and several praised him for taking action in his final month in office. Anthony D. Romero, executive director of the ACLU, said in a statement that Biden “has shown our country — and the rest of the world — that the brutal and inhumane policies of our past do not belong in our future.” Republicans, including Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, on the other hand, criticized the move — and argued its moral ground was shaky given the three exceptions. “Once again, Democrats side with depraved criminals over their victims, public order, and common decency,” Cotton wrote on X. “Democrats can’t even defend Biden’s outrageous decision as some kind of principled, across-the-board opposition to the death penalty since he didn’t commute the three most politically toxic cases.” Liz Murrill, Louisiana’s Republican attorney general, criticized the commuted sentence of Len Davis, a former New Orleans policeman convicted of orchestrating the killing of a woman who had filed a complaint against him. “We can’t trust the Feds to get justice for victims of heinous crimes, so it’s long past time for the state to get it done,” the tough-on-crime Republican said in a written statement to the AP. Two men whose sentences were commuted were Norris Holder and Billie Jerome Allen, on death row for opening fire with assault rifles during a 1997 bank robbery in St. Louis, killing a guard, 46-year-old Richard Heflin. Holder’s attorney, Madeline Cohen, said in an email that Holder, who is Black, was sentenced to death by an all-white jury. She said his case “reflects many of the system’s flaws,” and thanked Biden for commuting his sentence. “Norris’ case exemplifies the racial bias and arbitrariness that led the President to commute federal death sentences,” Cohen said. “Norris has always been deeply remorseful for the pain his actions caused, and we hope this decision brings some measure of closure to Richard Heflin’s family.”

The Christmas tradition has become nearly global in scope: Children from around the world track Santa Claus as he sweeps across the earth, delivering presents and defying time. Each year, at least 100,000 kids call into the North American Aerospace Defense Command to inquire about Santa’s location. Millions more follow online in nine languages , from English to Japanese. On any other night, NORAD is scanning the heavens for potential threats , such as last year’s Chinese spy balloon . But on Christmas Eve, volunteers in Colorado Springs are fielding questions like, “When is Santa coming to my house?” and, “Am I on the naughty or nice list?” “There are screams and giggles and laughter,” said Bob Sommers, 63, a civilian contractor and NORAD volunteer. Sommers often says on the call that everyone must be asleep before Santa arrives, prompting parents to say, “Do you hear what he said? We got to go to bed early.” NORAD’s annual tracking of Santa has endured since the Cold War , predating ugly sweater parties and Mariah Carey classics . Here’s how it began and why the phones keep ringing. It started with a child’s accidental phone call in 1955. The Colorado Springs newspaper printed a Sears advertisement that encouraged children to call Santa, listing a phone number. A boy called. But he reached the Continental Air Defense Command, now NORAD, a joint U.S. and Canadian effort to spot potential enemy attacks. Tensions were growing with the Soviet Union, along with anxieties about nuclear war. Air Force Col. Harry W. Shoup picked up an emergency-only “red phone” and was greeted by a tiny voice that began to recite a Christmas wish list. “He went on a little bit, and he takes a breath, then says, ‘Hey, you’re not Santa,’” Shoup told The Associated Press in 1999. Realizing an explanation would be lost on the youngster, Shoup summoned a deep, jolly voice and replied, “Ho, ho, ho! Yes, I am Santa Claus. Have you been a good boy?” Shoup said he learned from the boy’s mother that Sears mistakenly printed the top-secret number. He hung up, but the phone soon rang again with a young girl reciting her Christmas list. Fifty calls a day followed, he said. In the pre-digital age, the agency used a 60-by-80 foot (18-by-24 meter) plexiglass map of North America to track unidentified objects. A staff member jokingly drew Santa and his sleigh over the North Pole. The tradition was born. “Note to the kiddies,” began an AP story from Colorado Springs on Dec. 23, 1955. “Santa Claus Friday was assured safe passage into the United States by the Continental Air Defense Command.” In a likely reference to the Soviets, the article noted that Santa was guarded against possible attack from “those who do not believe in Christmas.” Some grinchy journalists have nitpicked Shoup’s story, questioning whether a misprint or a misdial prompted the boy’s call. In 2014, tech news site Gizmodo cited an International News Service story from Dec. 1, 1955, about a child’s call to Shoup. Published in the Pasadena Independent, the article said the child reversed two digits in the Sears number. “When a childish voice asked COC commander Col. Harry Shoup, if there was a Santa Claus at the North Pole, he answered much more roughly than he should — considering the season: ‘There may be a guy called Santa Claus at the North Pole, but he’s not the one I worry about coming from that direction,’” Shoup said in the brief piece. In 2015, The Atlantic magazine doubted the flood of calls to the secret line, while noting that Shoup had a flair for public relations. Phone calls aside, Shoup was indeed media savvy. In 1986, he told the Scripps Howard News Service that he recognized an opportunity when a staff member drew Santa on the glass map in 1955. A lieutenant colonel promised to have it erased. But Shoup said, “You leave it right there,” and summoned public affairs. Shoup wanted to boost morale for the troops and public alike. “Why, it made the military look good — like we’re not all a bunch of snobs who don’t care about Santa Claus,” he said. Shoup died in 2009. His children told the StoryCorps podcast in 2014 that it was a misprinted Sears ad that prompted the phone calls. “And later in life he got letters from all over the world,” said Terri Van Keuren, a daughter. “People saying ‘Thank you, Colonel, for having, you know, this sense of humor.’” NORAD’s tradition is one of the few modern additions to the centuries-old Santa story that have endured, according to Gerry Bowler, a Canadian historian who spoke to the AP in 2010. Ad campaigns or movies try to “kidnap” Santa for commercial purposes, said Bowler, who wrote “Santa Claus: A Biography.” NORAD, by contrast, takes an essential element of Santa’s story and views it through a technological lens. In a recent interview with the AP, Air Force Lt. Gen. Case Cunningham explained that NORAD radars in Alaska and Canada — known as the northern warning system — are the first to detect Santa. He leaves the North Pole and typically heads for the international dateline in the Pacific Ocean. From there he moves west, following the night. “That’s when the satellite systems we use to track and identify targets of interest every single day start to kick in,” Cunningham said. “A probably little-known fact is that Rudolph’s nose that glows red emanates a lot of heat. And so those satellites track (Santa) through that heat source.” NORAD has an app and website, www.noradsanta.org , that will track Santa on Christmas Eve from 4 a.m. to midnight, Mountain Standard Time. People can call 1-877-HI-NORAD to ask live operators about Santa’s location from 6 a.m. to midnight, mountain time.

The murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson is a bad sign for New York CityLAKE HAVASU CITY, Ariz. , Dec. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- ALLO Fiber today announced a fiber broadband project installing a 10 Gigabit network in Flagstaff, AZ. This fiber connection will enable world-class internet, broadband, cybersecurity, managed services, telephone, and video services for residents and businesses. Construction is scheduled to begin in March 2025 . This $65 million project will employ 75 local professionals, with many more involved during the construction phase. Flagstaff residents and businesses will soon be able to take advantage of award-winning customer service and internet speeds. Through this 100% fiber-optic network, students can improve how they learn, and employees can work efficiently from the office or home. The fiber network will feature up to 10 Gigabit speeds for residents and up to 100 Gigabit speeds for businesses, providing equal upload and download speeds optimized by ALLO's world-class Wi-Fi 7 routers. Additionally, Flagstaff residents, businesses of all sizes, and governmental entities will be supported by ALLO's fiber-rich network, delivering active and passive solutions without installation fees or restrictive contracts. Internet, data transport, cloud connectivity, video, and voice are included in ALLO's comprehensive communications, entertainment, and business products. Businesses can access ALLO's managed services, next-generation firewalls, phone systems, and cybersecurity offerings before the fiber network is built. The community will also have access to a community-wide network providing ultra-reliable and extensive internet bandwidth. ALLO Arizona General Manager Mike Horton stated, "As we expand our coverage across Arizona , we are excited to begin construction in the City of Flagstaff . We understand that with continued growth in the region, the value of essential communications infrastructure and advanced technology is an important asset for the city and surrounding communities. We look forward to offering ALLO Fiber services to Flagstaff and continuing to create local jobs in the process." Flagstaff is the seventh Arizona community that ALLO serves. ALLO began developing our first Arizona Gigabit community in Lake Havasu City in September of 2021, followed by the Kingman , Yuma , San Luis , Somerton , and Sierra Vista markets. ALLO is also operating Middle Mile projects in Yuma and Mohave Counties. For more information about ALLO in Flagstaff , please visit AlloFiber.com/ Flagstaff and AlloFiber.com/careers . About ALLO Communications ALLO Communications, a leader in providing fiber-optic services, has been dedicated to delivering world-class communications and entertainment services since 2003. With a commitment to building Gigabit communities, ALLO serves over 50 communities across Nebraska , Colorado , Arizona , Missouri , Iowa , and Kansas . ALLO is known for its reliable fiber networks and customized technology solutions that support businesses of all sizes. For more information, visit AlloFiber.com . Contact: Tanna Hanna Vice President of Marketing Tanna.Hanna@allofiber.com 308-633-7815 View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-power-of-allos-all-fiber-network-coming-to-flagstaff-arizona-302338563.html SOURCE ALLO Communications

The morning of Sept. 5, 1972, began like any other for producer Geoffrey Mason and his ABC Sports team in Munich: another day of capturing the "thrill of victory and the agony of defeat" at the Summer Olympic Games. But as dawn broke, the control room received word that something was terribly wrong. Details emerged. Members of the Palestinian militant group Black September had taken 11 Israeli athletes hostage, demanding the release of hundreds of prisoners held in their country's jails. Inside the cramped ABC control room, instead of covering athletic triumphs, members of the ABC Sports team suddenly found themselves reporting on a life-or-death crisis playing out in real time a few hundred meters away, as the world watched in horror. "At one point, the doors of the control room busted open and the German police came in, armed with machine guns, and told us to turn the camera off," Mason, now 84 and the only surviving member of the core ABC team, recalled on a recent afternoon over Zoom from his home in Naples, Florida. "That was a seminal moment because we realized what we were doing was having real impact." Hours later, the situation reached a tragic climax when a failed rescue attempt at a nearby airfield led to the deaths of all the hostages , along with five of the attackers and a West German police officer. Now, more than 50 years later, the gripping period thriller "September 5" (in limited release Dec. 13, nationwide Jan. 17) brings these tense moments — the first time a terrorist attack had ever been covered on live TV around the world — back to life. While earlier films like the Oscar-winning 1999 documentary "One Day in September" and Steven Spielberg's 2005 "Munich" have chronicled the events from a broader perspective, director Tim Fehlbaum confines the entire story to the claustrophobic control room, with John Magaro and Peter Sarsgaard heading up the ensemble cast as Mason and ABC Sports president Roone Arledge, respectively, as the ABC team grapples with unprecedented ethical dilemmas and technical hurdles under intense pressure. "I liked the challenge of telling the story just from that room with the cameras as the only eye to the outside world," says the Swiss-born Fehlbaum, who previously helmed the 2021 sci-fi thriller "Tides." "I would never compare myself with Hitchcock, but it's almost like 'Rear Window.' Ultimately, it became a movie about the power of images." "September 5," which has earned strong buzz since its back-to-back premieres at the Venice and Telluride film festivals, has only become more timely in the wake of last year's Oct. 7 Hamas terror attacks on Israel that sparked the ongoing war in Gaza. But the film itself steers clear of overt politics, focusing instead on the media's role in covering real-time crises and shaping public perception. "That [Israeli-Palestinian] situation has been going on since 1948 and, you could argue, for thousands of years before that," says Magaro. "This is a story about the media and our responsibility as citizens in how we consume it. Is showing violence on TV helping us make better decisions as voters? I don't know the answer to that, but maybe the film can open up discussions with people who are in different camps." Amid escalating conflict in the Middle East and heightened political sensitivities, it remains to be seen how audiences will receive a film that revisits a tragedy that still haunts many today. (Families of the slain Israeli athletes reached a deal in 2022 for $28 million in compensation from the German government, which acknowledged its failures in handling the crisis.) Some might welcome the film's nuanced look at the responsibilities of the media, while others may find it difficult to separate its historical focus from the emotionally charged realities of the current moment. While "September 5" has assumed new, and not entirely welcome, resonance since Oct. 7, its meticulous production was years in the making. Fehlbaum, who co-wrote the script with Moritz Binder and Alex David, relied heavily on the insights and recollections of Mason, who played a crucial role as a consultant. "As we began to re-create the story, I would be reminded of things that I hadn't thought of in years," says Mason, who arranged for Fehlbaum and Magaro to spend time in a CBS control room for research. "At the time, there were so many things happening at once out of nowhere, we didn't really have time to think, 'I wonder how we're doing with this?' We knew the trust we had in each other and we knew how to cover events live. We were just doing what we were hired to do: Tell stories not about ice skates or about baseball bats but about human beings." Shooting in Munich near where the actual events took place, Fehlbaum, inspired by claustrophobic films like Wolfgang Petersen's 1981 submarine drama "Das Boot," sought to maintain an atmosphere of gritty verisimilitude on the set. "A lot of times in period movies, the clothes look pressed and everything is very clean," says Sarsgaard. "We were drenched in sweat the entire time. There was never enough sweat for Tim. The lived-in clothing, the ashtrays — it all creates a physical reality." In their dedication to authenticity, Fehlbaum and his production team sourced period-accurate equipment from old television stations and collectors, much of it still working, to re-create the analog control-room setup as faithfully as possible. Adding to the documentary-style realism, the film weaves in actual footage from the ABC broadcast that day, to which Mason helped secure the rights shortly before filming began. "I had always said to the producers, 'I'm not going to do the movie if you can't license the footage,'" Fehlbaum says. As "September 5" was in postproduction, the Oct. 7 attacks reignited the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, adding an unexpected relevance to the film. Though the events it depicts took place more than a half-century ago, Sarsgaard anticipates that some moviegoers will bring their own feelings about the current situation in the Middle East to the theater. "You can't control how people are going to react to things," he says. "I can't anticipate how the audience will feel about this tragic situation," Fehlbaum says. "On the other hand, the conflict was never solved. It has just tragically escalated again. But we chose to focus on the media's perspective, and the film is a reflection on how we consume these stories." For Mason, it took time to fully grasp the significance of what his team had accomplished that day. "Whether it was on a mountainside in Innsbruck or in a figure skating hall in Hungary, we knew how to tell stories about people, good and bad, and that's what we did — and as it turns out, we did it well," he says. "Since that day, I have been filled with an immense pride about how well we used the resources we had, under Arledge's guidance, and what positive impact it had on the level of coverage of live events, sports or news, in our industry." In the immediate aftermath of the tragedy, after nearly 21 hours of nonstop, adrenaline-fueled broadcasting, Mason and his ABC colleague Don Ohlmeyer returned to the Sheraton Munich hotel, where they were staying in adjoining rooms. "We built ourselves a giant cocktail, sat on the side of the bed and cried like babies," Mason remembers. "It was the first time we were able to touch that emotion. We'd been too busy telling the story to feel it." ©2024 Los Angeles Times. Visit latimes.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC Copyright 2024 Tribune Content Agency. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

NoneDy CM inaugurates IT Expo 2024 JAMMU: Deputy Chief Minister, Surinder Choudhary, inaugurated an IT Exhibition here on Friday. The event, aimed at to showcase the latest IT products, was participated by more than 40 top brands which are displaying their products and services. This event is meant for students, common public and GeM buyers (Govt Departments) as well. It also envisages promotion of local traders so that government IT purchases are done through local traders. While interacting with the organisers, the Deputy Chief Minister said organising these types of Expo gives an opportunity to the companies to showcase the latest innovations in the Information Technology field. Besides, these also serve as a medium of exchange between local companies and national players as well, he added. “We have to be aware of the latest technological interventions as it is imperative in the present age to be competitive and being relevant”, maintained the Deputy Chief Minister.

The Los Angeles Dodgers won the World Series in 2024 but they may not be content with their roster. They could look to sign Rōki Sasaki and bring another international star to Los Angeles. MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said he expects Sasaki to sign in the 2025 signing period, according to ESPN's Jorge Castillo . While listing top landing spots for Sasaki, FanSided's Christopher Kline named the Dodgers as one of the top suitors for the 23-year-old Chiba Lotte Marines star. With Sasaki signing in the 2025 window, it gives the Dodgers an even better chance to sign him. "The Dodgers may have the upper hand due to Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, two major international stars who immediately elevated the Dodgers to must-watch status in Sasaki's native Japan," wrote Kline. "There is a certain undeniable popularity that comes with playing for the reigning champs and pitching behind Ohtani and Yamamoto." Money won't matter too much in landing Sasaki. He won't be able to sign a huge deal like Yoshinobu Yamamoto did last winter. Teams can only use the money from their international signing bonus pool allotment. The 2024 period ends on December 15 and the Dodgers have $2.5 million remaining . However, when the 2025 window opens on January 15, the Dodgers will have $5.1 million at their disposal . With the news that Sasaki will sign in the 2025 window, the Dodgers will have all $5.1 million at their disposal. Sasaki had 129 strikeouts in 18 games in Nippon Professional Baseball in 2024. He is a two-time NPB All-Star. He was electric in the World Baseball Classic when his fastball was on full display. Sasaki has the potential to be a No. 1 starter and the Dodgers could get him without spending huge like they did to add Yamamoto last offseason. More MLB: Dodgers predicted to poach $2.4 million All-Star from Mets in free agency

Togo: Un diagnostic partiel et biaiséNone

The Christmas tradition has become nearly global in scope: Children from around the world track Santa Claus as he sweeps across the earth, delivering presents and defying time. Each year, at least 100,000 kids call into the North American Aerospace Defense Command to inquire about Santa’s location. Millions more follow online in nine languages , from English to Japanese. On any other night, NORAD is scanning the heavens for potential threats , such as last year’s Chinese spy balloon . But on Christmas Eve, volunteers in Colorado Springs are fielding questions like, “When is Santa coming to my house?” and, “Am I on the naughty or nice list?” “There are screams and giggles and laughter,” said Bob Sommers, 63, a civilian contractor and NORAD volunteer. Sommers often says on the call that everyone must be asleep before Santa arrives, prompting parents to say, “Do you hear what he said? We got to go to bed early.” NORAD’s annual tracking of Santa has endured since the Cold War , predating ugly sweater parties and Mariah Carey classics . Here’s how it began and why the phones keep ringing. It started with a child’s accidental phone call in 1955. The Colorado Springs newspaper printed a Sears advertisement that encouraged children to call Santa, listing a phone number. A boy called. But he reached the Continental Air Defense Command, now NORAD, a joint U.S. and Canadian effort to spot potential enemy attacks. Tensions were growing with the Soviet Union, along with anxieties about nuclear war. Air Force Col. Harry W. Shoup picked up an emergency-only “red phone” and was greeted by a tiny voice that began to recite a Christmas wish list. “He went on a little bit, and he takes a breath, then says, ‘Hey, you’re not Santa,’” Shoup told The Associated Press in 1999. Realizing an explanation would be lost on the youngster, Shoup summoned a deep, jolly voice and replied, “Ho, ho, ho! Yes, I am Santa Claus. Have you been a good boy?” Shoup said he learned from the boy’s mother that Sears mistakenly printed the top-secret number. He hung up, but the phone soon rang again with a young girl reciting her Christmas list. Fifty calls a day followed, he said. In the pre-digital age, the agency used a 60-by-80 foot (18-by-24 meter) plexiglass map of North America to track unidentified objects. A staff member jokingly drew Santa and his sleigh over the North Pole. The tradition was born. “Note to the kiddies,” began an AP story from Colorado Springs on Dec. 23, 1955. “Santa Claus Friday was assured safe passage into the United States by the Continental Air Defense Command.” In a likely reference to the Soviets, the article noted that Santa was guarded against possible attack from “those who do not believe in Christmas.” Some grinchy journalists have nitpicked Shoup’s story, questioning whether a misprint or a misdial prompted the boy’s call. In 2014, tech news site Gizmodo cited an International News Service story from Dec. 1, 1955, about a child’s call to Shoup. Published in the Pasadena Independent, the article said the child reversed two digits in the Sears number. “When a childish voice asked COC commander Col. Harry Shoup, if there was a Santa Claus at the North Pole, he answered much more roughly than he should — considering the season: ‘There may be a guy called Santa Claus at the North Pole, but he’s not the one I worry about coming from that direction,’” Shoup said in the brief piece. In 2015, The Atlantic magazine doubted the flood of calls to the secret line, while noting that Shoup had a flair for public relations. Phone calls aside, Shoup was indeed media savvy. In 1986, he told the Scripps Howard News Service that he recognized an opportunity when a staff member drew Santa on the glass map in 1955. A lieutenant colonel promised to have it erased. But Shoup said, “You leave it right there,” and summoned public affairs. Shoup wanted to boost morale for the troops and public alike. “Why, it made the military look good — like we’re not all a bunch of snobs who don’t care about Santa Claus,” he said. Shoup died in 2009. His children told the StoryCorps podcast in 2014 that it was a misprinted Sears ad that prompted the phone calls. “And later in life he got letters from all over the world,” said Terri Van Keuren, a daughter. “People saying ‘Thank you, Colonel, for having, you know, this sense of humor.’” NORAD’s tradition is one of the few modern additions to the centuries-old Santa story that have endured, according to Gerry Bowler, a Canadian historian who spoke to the AP in 2010. Ad campaigns or movies try to “kidnap” Santa for commercial purposes, said Bowler, who wrote “Santa Claus: A Biography.” NORAD, by contrast, takes an essential element of Santa’s story and views it through a technological lens. In a recent interview with the AP, Air Force Lt. Gen. Case Cunningham explained that NORAD radars in Alaska and Canada — known as the northern warning system — are the first to detect Santa. He leaves the North Pole and typically heads for the international dateline in the Pacific Ocean. From there he moves west, following the night. “That’s when the satellite systems we use to track and identify targets of interest every single day start to kick in,” Cunningham said. “A probably little-known fact is that Rudolph’s nose that glows red emanates a lot of heat. And so those satellites track (Santa) through that heat source.” NORAD has an app and website, www.noradsanta.org , that will track Santa on Christmas Eve from 4 a.m. to midnight, Mountain Standard Time. People can call 1-877-HI-NORAD to ask live operators about Santa’s location from 6 a.m. to midnight, mountain time.