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Come 2025, India’s real estate developers will double down on luxury and premium housing, leaving the affordable segment to catch up. Developers from across India are stacking their portfolios with premium, luxury and uber-luxury projects. Delhi NCR-based M3M India has two luxury developments lined up for next year. Gaurs Group is looking at a series of ultra-luxury residential developments, townships and luxury projects in FY26. Among others, Bengaluru-based developer Sobha Ltd is planning to launch about 10 million sq. ft of projects in FY26, including venturing into the uber-luxury category. “We are strategically leveraging the robust demand in the luxury real estate segment by curating projects that align with the evolving preferences of modern buyers," said Robin Mangla, president, M3M India. “We have an exciting pipeline of new launches planned for next year in the luxury category." In the premium segment, Mahindra Lifespace Developers Ltd is turning away from affordable and launching more projects with ticket size starting from 2 crore. “We used to play mostly in affordable and mid-premium," said Amit Kumar Sinha, managing director and chief executive officer of Mahindra Lifespace. “Now, we will exit affordable after our commitment is over and will play in mid-premium and premium. These are two of our bread and butter segments." Consequently, the supply of homes in the luxury and premium segment has gone up significantly since last year. In the first three quarters of 2024, the supply of luxury homes priced over 2.5 crore surged by 59.27%, rising to 52,400 units from 32,900 units in the same period last year, according to data from Anarock Group. The 80 lakh to 1.5 crore segment saw modest growth of 2.26%, increasing from 85,475 to 87,410 units. In contrast, affordable housing supply declined significantly, with homes priced at 40-80 lakh dropping 14.64% from 1,04,000 to 88,770 units. This trend underscored a slowdown in affordable housing supply, while demand for higher-end homes continues to grow. “The luxury and mid-segments have seen an uptick in supply, driven by strong demand and developer confidence," said Amit Masaldan, chief revenue officer, Housing.com. “In contrast, the affordable segment faces supply constraints due to rising construction costs and slim margins, making it less appealing for developers." “To make the affordable segment more appealing, it is crucial to address the high cost of land, which remains a major barrier. Since land prices are market-driven, government intervention is essential to promote affordable housing, said Amit Modi, director at County Group. “Additionally, developers could be incentivized through subsidies or tax benefits to encourage their entry into this space, thus bridging the gap between demand and supply." Stickiness of demand The residential market has continued to strengthen, with demand reaching an 11-year high during H1 2024, said Shishir Baijal, chairman and managing director at Knight Frank India in its India Real Estate H1 2024 report. “A notable shift toward premiumization has taken root in the residential market, with higher priced homes driving market volumes." The demand for luxury housing in India has been rising since the outbreak of covid-19. Growing interest from non-resident Indians, high-net-worth individuals, and rising affluence are among the reasons that driving demand for high-priced residential apartments. “The pandemic prompted wealthy buyers to seek larger, amenity-rich homes suitable for remote work," said Anuj Puri, chairman of Anarock Group. “Additionally, increased financial market gains, growing business profitability, and a desire for wealth preservation through real estate have fuelled this segment." NRI interest is at an all-time high at a time the dollar is strengthening, said Parthh K. Mehta, CMD at Paradigm Realty. “What has been observed is that there is an increased NRI interest towards purchasing a residence in their homeland, especially in the luxury category. Reason being the cost parity, for instance – if there is 2 BHK in the foreign country that is priced 7 crore and above, the same can be invested in India to buy an elevated lifestyle." There has also been an unprecedented emergence of young, tech-wealthy professionals, which has created a new buyer demographic for luxury properties. Millennial and Gen Z buyers have been dominating the real estate space, accounting for over 60% of the purchases. Their penchant for premium living has driven strong demand for houses priced at 1 crore and above this year, said Saurabh Garg, co-founder, NoBroker. “There is a sizable chunk of these buyers that are inclined towards buying properties that have premium amenities that align with their aspirational lifestyle," Garg said. “To cater to the growing demand for premium properties, developers are increasingly focusing on this segment." Frenzy in sales The proof of the pudding is in the rapid sales that developers saw this year. Experts expect this trend to continue well into 2025. DLF Ltd, India’s largest listed real estate company, sold all 1,113 high-end luxury residential units of its DLF Privana South project in Gurugram for 7,200 crore within 72 hours of its official launch, the company said in a regulatory filing. Gaur Group's NYC Residences at NH24 was also completely sold out within two and a half days of its launch. Birla Estates sold 50% of its 30-40 crore apartments within three months of the launch of its Silas tower at Birla Niyaara project in Mumbai’s Worli. Prestige Group sold 60% of its apartments costing over 20 crore at the Prestige Ocean Towers project in Marine Lines within a year of launch, while the same kind of ticket size used to take at least 7 to 8 years to sell pre-covid. “Notable examples through early 2024 include DLF's projects in Gurugram and Oberoi Realty's developments in MMR, where units priced above 4 crore were sold out within weeks of launch," said Puri from Anarock. “Looking ahead, this trend is likely to continue into 2025. The luxury segment is poised for sustained growth." The luxury segment (apartments priced above 3 crore) saw a notable surge in sales during the first half of 2024, with a year-on-year growth of 109%, according to JLL’s September report on residential market. The share of luxury in total quarterly sales rose from 7% in H12023 to 12% in H12024. This increase was particularly prominent in Delhi NCR, where over 45% of sales in H12024 were in the luxury segment. The share of the affordable housing segment (apartments priced below 50 lakh), however, dropped from 18% to 14% in the same period, according to the report. Foraying into uber luxury Driven by the demand and frenzy in luxury sales, many developers are pivoting to uber luxury, or are looking to expand their footprint in this segment. Gaurs Group, which is preparing for an initial public offering, is planning to use the proceeds to expand its ultra-luxury residential segment among other developments. “We have several exciting projects lined up for FY26, including ultra-luxury residential developments," said Manoj Gaur, CMD of Gaurs Group and chairman of CREDAI National. “Our strategy involves not only expanding the luxury residential segment but also introducing integrated communities with high-end amenities such as private clubs, wellness centres, and sustainable infrastructure, ensuring a holistic living experience for our customers." Rustomjee Group is also exploring opportunities to expand its uber luxury portfolio in the MMR region in prime neighbourhoods like Bandra and Pali Hill, said Rakesh Setia, president, sales & marketing. Inventory overhang is going down Anarock data shows that the inventory overhang across the top seven cities has come down to 14 months by 9M 2024-end, from 17 months in the same period in 2023. This is the lowest inventory overhang in the last decade. This means that if developers stopped making more residential units, the entire existing inventory in the country will get sold out within 14 months. For comparison, at a time of recession, existing inventory would’ve taken 30-35 months to sell out, said Mahindra Lifespace’s Sinha. "City-wise, Hyderabad has the highest inventory overhang of 19 months among the top seven cities, while Bengaluru has the lowest at just eight months," said Prashant Thakur, head of research & advisory at Anarock. "In the last two years, Bengaluru saw its unsold stock drop by six months while Hyderabad saw a dip of just two months. Hyderabad also saw considerable new supply infusions in the last two years." “This is both good and bad. The bad part is everybody thinks it's only 14 months – let’s keep launching. So, there’ll be too much supply," Sinha said. “On the other hand, landowners will see that there are 10 guys who are buying for the same land. So, let me charge the highest price." Developers who then buy the expensive land have to charge more from their customers, creating a vicious cycle, he said. Housing prices in India’s top eight markets rose 11% year-on-year in Q3 2024, averaging 11,000 per sq. ft, according to a combined report by CREDAI, Colliers and Liases Foras. This marks the 15th consecutive quarter of price increases. Delhi NCR saw the highest rise at 32%, followed by Bengaluru at 24%. While demand remains strong, the momentum in top cities is stabilizing after record sales in the past two years. “A major price correction seems unlikely in the short term," said Masaldan from Housing.com. Strong demand in the luxury and mid-segments has supported price stability. While adjustments may occur as buyer expectations evolve, factors like urbanization and infrastructure growth will sustain current pricing trends in the foreseeable future."RIVERSIDE, Calif. (AP) — Barrington Hargress scored 24 points and Nate Pickens made two free throws with less than a second remaining to help UC Riverside slip past St. Thomas-Minnesota 81-79 in overtime on Sunday. Pickens' foul shots came after Nolan Minessale made a free throw on both sides of a timeout to tie the game with 13 seconds to go. Isaiah Moses made two free throws for UC Riverside with 17 seconds left to force OT tied at 73. Hargress shot 10 for 20, including 4 for 10 from beyond the arc for the Highlanders (9-5, 2-0 Big West Conference). Kaleb Smith added 18 points and 10 rebounds. Pickens scored 10. The Tommies (10-5), who had a six-game win streak snapped, were led by Minessale with 27 points. Drake Dobbs added 19 points and Miles Barnstable scored 10. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
Not Purdy: 49ers hit Green Bay with backup QB, no BosaNoneNone
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NoneDALLAS — More than 60 years after President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, conspiracy theories still swirl and any new glimpse into the fateful day of Nov. 22, 1963, in Dallas continues to fascinate. President-elect Donald Trump promised during his reelection campaign that he would declassify all of the remaining government records surrounding the assassination if he returned to office. He made a similar pledge during his first term, but ultimately bended to appeals from the CIA and FBI to keep some documents withheld. At this point, only a few thousand of the millions of governmental records related to the assassination have yet to be fully released, and those who have studied the records released so far say that even if the remaining files are declassified, the public shouldn't anticipate any earth-shattering revelations. “Anybody waiting for a smoking gun that’s going to turn this case upside down will be sorely disappointed,” said Gerald Posner, author of “Case Closed,” which concludes that assassin Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. Friday's 61st anniversary is expected to be marked with a moment of silence at 12:30 p.m. in Dealey Plaza, where Kennedy's motorcade was passing through when he was fatally shot. And throughout this week there have been events marking the anniversary. When Air Force One carrying Kennedy and first lady Jacqueline Kennedy touched down in Dallas, they were greeted by a clear sky and enthusiastic crowds. With a reelection campaign on the horizon the next year, they had gone to Texas on political fence-mending trip. But as the motorcade was finishing its parade route downtown, shots rang out from the Texas School Book Depository building. Police arrested 24-year-old Oswald and, two days later, nightclub owner Jack Ruby fatally shot Oswald during a jail transfer. A year after the assassination, the Warren Commission, which President Lyndon B. Johnson established to investigate the assassination, concluded that Oswald acted alone and there was no evidence of a conspiracy. But that hasn't quelled a web of alternative theories over the decades. In the early 1990s, the federal government mandated that all assassination-related documents be housed in a single collection in the National Archives and Records Administration. The collection of over 5 million records was required to be opened by 2017, barring any exemptions designated by the president. Trump, who took office for his first term in 2017, had boasted that he'd allow the release of all of the remaining records but ended up holding some back because of what he called the potential harm to national security. And while files have continued to be released during President Joe Biden's administration, some still remain unseen. The documents released over the last few years offer details on the way intelligence services operated at the time, and include CIA cables and memos discussing visits by Oswald to the Soviet and Cuban embassies during a trip to Mexico City just weeks before the assassination. The former Marine had previously defected to the Soviet Union before returning home to Texas. Mark S. Zaid, a national security attorney in Washington, said what's been released so far has contributed to the understanding of the time period, giving “a great picture” of what was happening during the Cold War and the activities of the CIA. Posner estimates that there are still about 3,000 to 4,000 documents in the collection that haven’t yet been fully released. Of those documents, some are still completely redacted while others just have small redactions, like someone's Social Security number. There are about 500 documents where all the information is redacted, Posner said, and those include Oswald's and Ruby’s tax returns. “If you have been following it, as I have and others have, you sort of are zeroed in on the pages you think might provide some additional information for history,” Posner said. Trump's transition team hasn’t responded to questions this week about his plans when he takes office.
Hegseth attorney: FBI background check will ‘exonerate him’Polysilicon Stockpiling for the Chinese New Year Basically Completed, Glass Production Reduction Falls Short of Expectations [SMM Silicon-Based PV Morning Meeting Summary]
Pelosi on Hunter Biden pardon: 'I support the president'
"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum." Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" Thanks for your interest in Kalkine Media's content! To continue reading, please log in to your account or create your free account with us.
REVIEW The affection between the good and green witches of Oz has already been magnified tenfold by Wicked: Part I . I can admit I was wrong. I didn’t think the Wicked movie could yank my heart into my throat with the force of the stage musical. And I thought the two-part split betrayed a lack of faith in moviegoers’ imaginations. Theatre audiences have been sitting through both acts with a mere concessions break where Hollywood is serving up a whole year. But the most intoxicating element of Wicked – the affection between the good and green witches of Oz – has already been magnified tenfold by the first instalment, which is essentially Mean Girls meets Harry Potter with an abrupt swerve into political espionage that will be better served by the sequel (more on that later).None
Illinois St. 84, UAB 83
The AP Top 25 college football poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here . FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Josh Hoover threw for 252 yards and a touchdown and JP Richardson had 149 all-purpose yards and a 38-yard touchdown reception to lead TCU over Arizona 49-28 on Saturday. On the first play from scrimmage, Wildcats quarterback Noah Fifita was intercepted by Bud Clark and TCU scored five plays later on Trent Battle’s 4-yard run. The Horned Frogs scored touchdowns on five straight drives, going at least 75 yards on nine or more plays on three of the possessions. TCU (7-4, 5-3 Big 12) drove 75 yards in 12 plays in the final 1:55 of the first half to take a 21-13 lead on Savion Williams’ 20-yard run. Hoover completed five passes on the drive, including gains of 24, 19, and 24 yards to set up Williams’ score with 20 seconds left in the half. The Horned Frogs took the second-half kickoff and drove 76 yards in nine plays to build a 28-13 lead on Battle’s 1-yard run. “We had two series where it didn’t look very good, but the last drive of the first half and the second half were the two pivotal moments of the game,” TCU coach Sonny Dykes said. Richardson’s 33-yard punt return to the Arizona 34 set up a third touchdown in three possessions. He caught a short pass over the middle from Hoover and raced untouched 38 yards for the score and a 35-13 lead. Richardson led TCU with six catches for 107 yards. RELATED COVERAGE Hailey Van Lith scores 19 points and No. 19 TCU women rout Incarnate Word 81-43 TCU already bowl eligible going into home finale while Arizona has to win out to get to 6 wins Nimari Burnett scores 16 and Danny Wolf secures a double-double to lead Michigan past TCU 76-64 Four TCU running backs scored a touchdown, including Williams, who rushed for 80 yards and two scores. Battle also rushed for 28 yards and two scores. Fifita was 29 of 44 for 284 yards with two touchdowns and an interception for Arizona (4-7, 2-6). Tetairoa McMillan made nine catches for 115 yards. “Everyone is disappointed. It’s hard when you go through a season like this,” Arizona coach Brent Brennan said. “It’s challenging on every level. I love these players.” Scoop and score Arizona defensive lineman Sterling Lane II picked up a fumble from TCU backup quarterback Ken Seals with just over a minute left in the game and ran it 70 yards for a touchdown to cap the scoring. Nipped in the Bud Clark leads the Horned Frogs with three interceptions, including one in each of the past two games. He is tied for fifth-most in the Big 12. Passing your coach McMillan became Arizona’s all-time leading receiver, passing his wide receivers coach Bobby Wade for the top spot. McMillan had nine receptions for a game-high 115 yards. He has 78 receptions for 1,251 yards this season and 207 receptions for 3,355 yards in his career. Wade finished his four-year career with 3,351 receiving yards in 2002. The takeaway Arizona: The Wildcats, who started the season in the AP Top 25 poll, will not be bowl-eligible this season with a game remaining under Brennan. A year ago under coach Jedd Fisch, who is now at Washington, Arizona advanced to the Alamo Bowl for the first time since 2017. TCU: The Horned Frogs, who became bowl-eligible two weeks ago, won their third consecutive game at Amon Carter Stadium after losing two in a row to UCF and Houston. TCU has won four of its past five, the only blemish a 37-34 last-second loss at Baylor. Up next TCU: At Cincinnati on Saturday. Arizona: Hosts Arizona State on Saturday. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballAll of them could play pivotal roles in fulfilling a new political agenda that could change how the government goes about safeguarding Americans' health — from health care and medicines to food safety and science research. And if Congress approves, at the helm of the team as Department of Health and Human Services secretary will be prominent environmental lawyer and anti-vaccine organizer Robert F. Kennedy Jr. By and large, the nominees don't have experience running large bureaucratic agencies, but they know how to talk about health on TV . Centers for Medicare and Medicaid pick Dr. Mehmet Oz hosted a talk show for 13 years and is a well-known wellness and lifestyle influencer. The pick for the Food and Drug Administration, Dr. Marty Makary, and for surgeon general, Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, are frequent Fox News contributors. Many on the list were critical of COVID-19 measures like masking and booster vaccinations for young people. Some of them have ties to Florida like many of Trump's other Cabinet nominees: CDC pick Dr. Dave Weldon represented the state in Congress for 14 years and is affiliated with a medical group on the state's Atlantic coast. Nesheiwat's brother-in-law is Rep. Mike Waltz , R-Fla., tapped by Trump as national security adviser. Here's a look at the nominees' potential role in carrying out what Kennedy says is the task to “reorganize” agencies, which have an overall $1.7 billion budget; employ 80,000 scientists, researchers, doctors and other officials; and affect the lives of all Americans. The Atlanta-based CDC, with a $9.2 billion core budget, is charged with protecting Americans from disease outbreaks and other public health threats. Kennedy has long attacked vaccines and criticized the CDC, repeatedly alleging corruption at the agency. He said on a 2023 podcast that there is "no vaccine that is safe and effective,” and urged people to resist the CDC's guidelines on if and when kids should get vaccinated . Decades ago, Kennedy found common ground with Weldon , the 71-year-old nominee to run the CDC who served in the Army and worked as an internal medicine doctor before he represented a central Florida congressional district from 1995 to 2009. Starting in the early 2000s, Weldon had a prominent part in a debate about whether there was a relationship between a vaccine preservative called thimerosal and autism. He was a founding member of the Congressional Autism Caucus and tried to ban thimerosal from all vaccines. Kennedy, then a senior attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council, believed there was a tie between thimerosal and autism and also charged that the government hid documents showing the danger. Since 2001, all vaccines manufactured for the U.S. market and routinely recommended for children 6 years or younger have contained no thimerosal or only trace amounts, with the exception of inactivated influenza vaccine. Meanwhile, study after study after study found no evidence that thimerosal caused autism. Weldon's congressional voting record suggests he may go along with Republican efforts to downsize the CDC, including to eliminate the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, which works on topics like drownings, drug overdoses and shooting deaths. Weldon also voted to ban federal funding for needle-exchange programs as an approach to reduce overdoses, and the National Rifle Association gave him an “A” rating for his pro-gun rights voting record. Kennedy is extremely critical of the FDA, which has 18,000 employees and is responsible for the safety and effectiveness of prescription drugs, vaccines and other medical products — as well as overseeing cosmetics, electronic cigarettes and most foods. Makary, Trump’s pick to run the FDA, is closely aligned with Kennedy on several topics . The professor at Johns Hopkins University who is a trained surgeon and cancer specialist has decried the overprescribing of drugs, the use of pesticides on foods and the undue influence of pharmaceutical and insurance companies over doctors and government regulators. Kennedy has suggested he'll clear our “entire” FDA departments and also recently threatened to fire FDA employees for “aggressive suppression” of a host of unsubstantiated products and therapies, including stem cells, raw milk , psychedelics and discredited COVID-era treatments like ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine. Makary's contrarian views during the COVID-19 pandemic including the need for masking and giving young kids COVID vaccine boosters. But anything Makary and Kennedy might want to do when it comes to unwinding FDA regulations or revoking long-standing vaccine and drug approvals would be challenging. The agency has lengthy requirements for removing medicines from the market, which are based on federal laws passed by Congress. The agency provides health care coverage for more than 160 million people through Medicaid, Medicare and the Affordable Care Act, and also sets Medicare payment rates for hospitals, doctors and other providers. With a $1.1 trillion budget and more than 6,000 employees, Oz has a massive agency to run if confirmed — and an agency that Kennedy hasn't talked about much when it comes to his plans. While Trump tried to scrap the Affordable Care Act in his first term, Kennedy has not taken aim at it yet. But he has been critical of Medicaid and Medicare for covering expensive weight-loss drugs — though they're not widely covered by either . Trump said during his campaign that he would protect Medicare, which provides insurance for older Americans. Oz has endorsed expanding Medicare Advantage — a privately run version of Medicare that is popular but also a source of widespread fraud — in an AARP questionnaire during his failed 2022 bid for a U.S. Senate seat in Pennsylvania and in a 2020 Forbes op-ed with a former Kaiser Permanente CEO. Oz also said in a Washington Examiner op-ed with three co-writers that aging healthier and living longer could help fix the U.S. budget deficit because people would work longer and add more to the gross domestic product. Neither Trump nor Kennedy have said much about Medicaid, the insurance program for low-income Americans. Trump's first administration reshaped the program by allowing states to introduce work requirements for recipients. Kennedy doesn't appear to have said much publicly about what he'd like to see from surgeon general position, which is the nation's top doctor and oversees 6,000 U.S. Public Health Service Corps members. The surgeon general has little administrative power, but can be an influential government spokesperson on what counts as a public health danger and what to do about it — suggesting things like warning labels for products and issuing advisories. The current surgeon general, Vivek Murthy, declared gun violence as a public health crisis in June. Trump's pick, Nesheiwat, is employed as a New York City medical director with CityMD, a group of urgent care facilities in the New York and New Jersey area, and has been at City MD for 12 years. She also has appeared on Fox News and other TV shows, authored a book on the “transformative power of prayer” in her medical career and endorses a brand of vitamin supplements. She encouraged COVID-19 vaccines during the pandemic, calling them “a gift from God” in a February 2021 Fox News op-ed, as well as anti-viral pills like Paxlovid. In a 2019 Q&A with the Women in Medicine Legacy Foundation , Nesheiwat said she is a “firm believer in preventive medicine” and “can give a dissertation on hand-washing alone.” As of Saturday, Trump had not yet named his choice to lead the National Institutes of Health, which funds medical research through grants to researchers across the nation and conducts its own research. It has a $48 billion budget. Kennedy has said he'd pause drug development and infectious disease research to shift the focus to chronic diseases. He'd like to keep NIH funding from researchers with conflicts of interest, and criticized the agency in 2017 for what he said was not doing enough research into the role of vaccines in autism — an idea that has long been debunked . Associated Press writers Amanda Seitz and Matt Perrone and AP editor Erica Hunzinger contributed to this report. The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.While it might seem glib to compare the thwarted coup attempt in South Korea to the United States, columnist and editor James Downie warned that the two countries share "eerie" similarities. Writing for MSNBC, Downie walked through President Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration of martial law and attempted to shut down all media and political speech. It took just five hours for the legislature to overturn his decree. Since then, lawmakers have passed articles of impeachment. " The parallels between the two countries’ political situations are beyond eerie," Downie said. Also Read: The 50-year war on democracy that built Trump's oligarchy and killed the American dream For example, Yoon barely won his election in 2022, and analysts think that the election had more to do with his predecessor than his opponent. Even the BBC compared Yoon to President-elect Donald Trump after being "prone to gaffes throughout the campaign." “He had to walk back a comment that the authoritarian president Chun Doo-hwan, who was responsible for massacring protestors in 1980, was ‘good at politics,'" the report said. In the U.S. however, it was a different kind of "coup." While it took six hours for South Koreans to block the president, it took five days for Congress to introduce articles of impeachment against Trump after the Jan. 6 attack. The trial didn't happen for five weeks, and only after Trump left office. "The delay gave conservatives time to consolidate a defense of Trump, once the initial shock had worn off," said Downie. "And once Trump was no longer president, Republicans like Sen. Mitch McConnell had an additional excuse to acquit." Republicans claimed that since Trump was no longer president, he couldn't be impeached or blocked from any future presidency, and they'd let the courts handle the matter, McConnell said. "Now, Trump will return to the White House — and, thanks to the Supreme Court , with sweeping new protections from criminal prosecution," wrote Downie. "It turns out, in other words, that a united opposition swiftly and decisively rebutting would-be authoritarians works better than taking a couple weeks and hoping it works out for the best." Another difference he pointed to is that South Koreans are aware of how fragile democracy can be with past dictatorships still in the minds of those who experienced them. For Americans, the reality of an authoritarian regime is too far removed. The lesson he hopes anti-Trump people learn "is that the next time Trump transgresses the boundaries of the democratic system, and Democrats have a chance to hold him accountable, they must proceed as quickly as possible. Holding Congress open, demanding votes, keeping legislators in town — whatever is necessary must be done rapidly, lest Republicans misplace their briefly recovered senses." He expects Trump and his allies to attack democracy again simply because "they cannot help themselves." He hopes Democrats are ready to act. Read the full column here.
Inside the search for the ‘WoW killer’ that never cameMajor U.S. companies, including JPMorgan, AT&T and Dunkin’ Donuts, have ceased advertising on Amazon-owned Twitch following reports that the streaming platform has allowed antisemitic content to flourish. The move follows investigations accusing Twitch of failing to curb hate speech effectively. At the center of the controversy is Hasan Piker, a Turkish-American streamer with nearly 3 million followers who describes himself as a political commentator and supporter of “Palestinian emancipation.” 1 View gallery ( Photo: Shutterstock ) While Piker claims to oppose antisemitism and targets Israeli policies, critics accuse him of promoting hateful narratives, including equating Zionism with fascism and hosting individuals linked to extremist groups, such as Yemen’s Houthis. Piker faced further backlash after defending Hamas fighters following the Oct. 7 attack on Israel, denying allegations of atrocities. Despite violating community guidelines, Piker reportedly earns tens of thousands of dollars in ad revenue and has been praised by Twitch CEO Dan Clancy for his outspoken approach. Twitch, which boasts more than 240 million active users, has attempted to tighten content policies, including banning the use of “Zionist” as a slur and labeling political content as sensitive to enhance advertiser control. However, viral campaigns against the platform, including videos branding it an “antisemitic hellscape” and targeted harassment of Twitch executives, have added fuel to the fire. Twitch has condemned threats against its staff, calling such actions “unacceptable.” Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play : https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store : https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv Despite measures to balance free speech and ad safety, several major advertisers have taken action. AT&T and Dunkin’ Donuts have removed their ads entirely, while energy giant Chevron, which operates in Israel, announced it is reconsidering sponsorship of the platform’s TwitchCon event following a controversial panel where participants ranked streamers on their “love for Arabs.” The lowest ranking was nicknamed “Sabra lover,” referencing a hummus brand formerly owned by Israel’s Strauss Group. Twitch suspended the panelists, calling their remarks “offensive and inconsistent with company values,” but the reputational damage lingered. Twitch has received some support from organizations like the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which awarded it a top score of "B" for its efforts to combat hate speech compared to other social media platforms. However, the ADL also filed a formal complaint over Piker’s content, which resulted in a warning but no suspension. Piker remains one of Twitch’s most-watched streamers, with over 312,000 viewers tuning into his channel during election coverage. >
The University of Sydney (USYD) senate has “resolved to accept the recommendations” of a review into its policies and processes “in principle”, chancellor David Thodey said last week. USYD appointed barrister Bruce Hodgkinson in July to conduct the external review following complaints from Jewish staff and students of feeling unsafe due to antisemitism, including during the ostensibly pro-Palestinian encampment earlier this year. “The review received many complaints that students felt unsafe on campus resulting from protests (which included the encampment) and the activity that accompanied them,” Hodgkinson wrote. He wrote that USYD’s complaints procedures were “complex, slow, receive generic communications and lack transparency”, which “may result in under reporting”. Hodgkinson added that the university’s policies themselves were described as overly complex and difficult to interpret. The report concluded with 15 recommendations for USYD to implement. In response, Thodey said, “The report notes the significant steps the university has already taken to successfully address many of the issues raised in submissions to the review, including making camping on campus an unacceptable activity and prohibiting protests in buildings through the introduction of the Campus Access Policy, reviewing our policies, procedures and complaints processes, and increasing campus security.” The Australian Academic Alliance Against Antisemitism (5A) said it welcomed all 15 of the report’s recommendations. “We urge the university to move quickly to reassert its authority to restore campus civility, ensuring that vocal minority groups no longer misuse the notion of free speech as a tool for harassment,” 5A directors David Knoll, Suzanne Rutland and Efrat Eilam said. They also called on USYD to remove one-sided coursework materials “that constitute propaganda” and restore classroom lectures to “spaces where contested ideas are critically discussed”. “The University of Sydney must reaffirm its role as a beacon of knowledge production,” they said. “The report lays the groundwork for this by suggesting practical measures to end to the bullying, vilification and Jew-hatred witnessed over the past year. We stand ready to support the university in this critical endeavour.” NSW Jewish Board of Deputies president David Ossip said, “We hope the release of this review allows the university to turn the page on this dark chapter.” Meanwhile, Sky News reported on Tuesday that USYD had referred an academic, Joel Griggs, to police after he made threats against members of the Australian Jewish Association on social media. However, the university itself is taking no internal action against Griggs.Top war-crimes court issues arrest warrants for Netanyahu and others in Israel-Hamas fighting
World reaches $300 bn climate finance deal at COP29My love of movie scoundrels has been sorely tested this year. When I was young, I daydreamed of exotic heists, slick con artists and lovable crooks I’d seen on screen. For most of my moviegoing life, I’ve been a sucker for larceny done well. Most of us are, probably. Related Articles Movies | ‘Nightbitch’ review: Amy Adams goes feral in a cautionary tale of love and parental imbalance Movies | Review: Angelina Jolie glides through ‘Maria’ like an iceberg, but a chilly Callas isn’t enough Movies | Butte Film Fest promises all things film Movies | ‘Sweethearts’ review: Breakup-focused romcom is largely engaging Movies | Making ‘Queer’ required openness. Daniel Craig was ready But now it’s late 2024. Mood is wrong. In the real world, in America, it’s scoundrel time all the time. Maybe Charles Dickens was right. In “American Notes for General Circulation” (1842), the English literary superstar chronicled his travels and detected a widespread, peculiarly American “love of ‘smart’ dealing” across the land. In business and in politics, Dickens observed, slavish admiration of the con men among them “gilds over many a swindle and gross breach of trust.” And here we are. It’ll pass, this scoundrel reprieve of mine. In fact it just did. All it took was thinking about the conspicuous, roguish outlier on my best-of-2024 list: “Challengers.” It’s what this year needed and didn’t know it: a tricky story of lying, duplicitous weasels on and off the court. The best films this year showed me things I hadn’t seen, following familiar character dynamics into fresh territory. Some were more visually distinctive than others; all made eloquent cases for how, and where, their stories unfolded. “All We Imagine as Light,” recently at the Gene Siskel Film Center, works like a poem, or a sustained exhalation of breath, in its simply designed narrative of three Mumbai hospital workers. Fluid, subtly political, filmmaker Payal Kapadia’s achievement is very nearly perfect. So is cowriter-director RaMell Ross’ adaptation of the Colson Whitehead novel “The Nickel Boys,” arriving in Chicago-area theaters on Jan. 3, 2025. “Nickel Boys,” the film, loses the “the” in Whitehead’s title but gains an astonishingly realized visual perspective. If Ross never makes another movie, he’ll have an American masterpiece to his credit. The following top 10 movies of 2024 are in alphabetical order. Both a mosaic of urban ebb and flow, and a delicate revelation of character, director and writer Payal Kapadia’s Mumbai story is hypnotic, patient and in its more traditional story progression, a second feature every bit as good as Kapadia’s first, 2021’s “A Night of Knowing Nothing.” Mikey Madison gives one of the year’s funniest, saddest, truest performances as a Brooklyn exotic dancer who takes a shine to the gangly son of a Russian oligarch, and he to her. Their transactional courtship and dizzying Vegas marriage, followed by violently escalating complications, add up to filmmaker Sean Baker’s triumph, capped by an ending full of exquisite mysteries of the human heart. As played by Adrien Brody, the title character is a visionary architect and Hungarian Jewish emigre arriving in America in 1947 after the Holocaust. (That said, the title refers to more than one character.) His patron, and his nemesis, is the Philadelphia blueblood industrialist played by Guy Pearce. Director/co-writer Brady Corbet’s thrillingly ambitious epic, imperfect but loaded with rewarding risks, was shot mostly in widescreen VistaVision. Worth seeing on the biggest screen you can find. Opens in Chicago-area theaters on Jan. 10, 2025. Zendaya, Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor play games with each other, on the tennis court and in beds, while director Luca Guadagnino builds to a match-point climax that can’t possibly work, and doesn’t quite — but I saw the thing twice anyway. In Bucharest, production assistant Angela zigzags around the city interviewing people for her employer’s workplace safety video. If that sounds less than promising, even for a deadpan Romanian slice-of-life tragicomedy, go ahead and make the mistake of skipping this one. llinca Manolache is terrific as Angela. Like “Do Not Expect Too Much,” director Agnieszka Holland’s harrowing slice of recent history was a 2023 release, making it to Chicago in early 2024. Set along the densely forested Poland/Belarus border, this is a model of well-dramatized fiction honoring what refugees have always known: the fully justified, ever-present fear of the unknown. A quiet marvel of a feature debut from writer-director Annie Baker, this is a mother/daughter tale rich in ambiguities and wry humor, set in a lovely, slightly forlorn corner of rural Massachusetts. Julianne Nicholson, never better; Zoe Ziegler as young, hawk-eyed Lacy, equally memorable. I love this year’s nicest surprise. The premise: A teenager’s future 39-year-old self appears to her, magically, via a strong dose of mushrooms. The surprise: Writer-director Megan Park gradually deepens her scenario and sticks a powerfully emotional landing. Wonderful work from Aubrey Plaza, Maisy Stella, Maria Dizzia and everybody, really. From the horrific true story of a Florida reform school and its decades of abuse, neglect and enraging injustice toward its Black residents, novelist Colson Whitehead’s fictionalized novel makes a remarkable jump to the screen thanks to co-writer/director RaMell Ross’s feature debut. Cousins, not as close as they once were, reunite for a Holocaust heritage tour in Poland and their own search for their late grandmother’s childhood home. They’re the rootless Benji (Kieran Culkin) and tightly sprung David (Jesse Eisenberg, who wrote and directed). Small but very sure, this movie’s themes of genocidal trauma and Jewish legacy support the narrative every step of the way. Culkin is marvelous; so is the perpetually undervalued Eisenberg. To the above, I’ll add 10 more runners-up, again in alphabetical order: “Blink Twice,” directed by Zoe Kravitz. “Conclave,” directed by Edward Berger. “Dune: Part Two ,” directed by Denis Villeneuve. “Good One ,” directed by India Donaldson. “Hit Man,” directed by Richard Linklater. “Joker: Folie a Deux,” directed by Todd Phillips. “Nosferatu,” directed by Robert Eggers, opens in Chicago-area theaters on Dec. 25. “The Outrun,” directed by Nora Fingscheidt. “Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat,” directed by Johan Grimonprez. “Tuesday,” directed by Daina O. Pusić. Michael Phillips is a Tribune critic.
"Poor mentality": Himanta Biswa Sarma slams Congress for politicising Manmohan Singh's 'last journey'After the Samajwadi Party (SP) successfully retained its two seats in the Maharashtra Assembly, party chief Akhilesh Yadav hailed the victory as a triumph of PDA’s unity. Akhilesh had campaigned in Maharashtra, addressing public gatherings in Dhule and Malegaon districts. SP Maharashtra chief and MLA Abu Asim Azmi retained the Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar seat, defeating NCP’s Nawab Malik by a margin of 12,753 votes. Meanwhile, SP’s second MLA, Rais Kasam Sheikh, secured a landslide victory in the Bhiwandi East constituency, defeating Shiv Sena’s Santosh Manjayya Shetty by over 50,000 votes. Commenting on the party’s success, Akhilesh Yadav wrote on the social networking platform X, “Heartfelt gratitude and thanks to all the voters, supporters, workers, and leaders for making both the Samajwadi Party candidates win as the joint candidates of India Alliance in the Maharashtra Assembly elections. Hearty congratulations to Mr. Abu Asim Azmi from Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar Assembly seat and Mr. Raees Kasam Sheikh from Bhiwandi East Assembly seat for their victory. This is the victory of PDA’s unity!” Abu Asim Azmi also expressed gratitude on X, thanking the people of Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar for electing him for a fourth term. Azmi had previously won the assembly elections from the same seat in 2009, 2014, and 2019.
YOU can now pick up your groceries in style with an affordable Waitrose buy. However, the supermarket chain has had to take steps to prevent people from reselling the popular designer buys. In a post on the Facebook group Overheard in Waitrose , one shopper shared the new rule Waitrose have implemented for customers. The poster explained that the shop's designer bags for life have been the target of resellers. According to the Facebook user, Waitrose has come up with a simple workaround to avoid this issue. "Designer bags rationed to two per person in my local Worthing Waitrose," they wrote. Read More On Designer Brands The shopper was able to confirm the reason behind the restriction when speaking with employees. "People are reselling them for a hefty markup according to staff," they revealed. The Facebook user included a picture of some of the designer bags for life on the shelves. Designed to be reused, bags for life have become increasingly popular since the implementation of the single-use plastic bag fee in 2015. Most read in Fabulous Waitrose has teamed up with popular designers to create more fashion forward options for their shoppers. The WR Lulu Guinness Chess Bag is currently available for £12 from Waitrose. Shoppers can also pick up the Lulu Guinness Flurry Reusable Bag for £15. The look features Lulu's iconic lipstick stain symbol and has a removable zip for every day use. They also include internal and external pockets as well as dual straps to allow you to carry it over your shoulder or in your hand. Facebook users shared their thoughts on the new restriction in the comments section. "Seen them on Vinted for £25 and up to £40," wrote one commenter. SPOTTING the real deal from a knock off is harder than ever. These days fake clothes, bags and jewellery are almost identical to the real thing making it harder to spot the difference. Here, Clemmie Fieldsend gives you tips on how to spot if your buys are counterfeit or legit. Bags: Real designer bags do not come with authenticity cards Tags should not be attached to the bag, these usually come with the receipt or are tucked into the packaging Designer bags usually have a serial number The bag should look and feel high-quality. Check for even stitching, tidy material, no frayed edges and clear colour matching Watches: A genuine high end watch will feel heavy due to high quality materials The second hand movement on the watch should not be rigid The model name and serial number on a fake may be used across all of their pieces rather than individual ones Check for the official branding and compare with a genuine model if you can The fine details won’t be as refined, including placement and spacing etc Sunglasses: The lenses on designer shades should be of superior quality. Know what you're buying. Classic Ray-Ban designs, for instance, are made from glass. Fake frames feel lighter than real ones Watch out for stiff or loose hinges "In Windsor, they were pinching them. Staff only put one out which was security tagged," wrote another person. "These are good for stocking-fillers - or to put presents in," pointed out a third reader. "I must be bucking the trend as I bought one and simply used it myself," said another Facebook user. READ MORE SUN STORIES "Good to know, I'll take care of mine!" joked one shopper. "You can buy as many as you want in Hersham! Old design by the way," said another reader.Jaishankar to visit Qatar this week, review bilateral ties
