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Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Yahaya, has signed the state’s 2025 budget of N369.9 billion into law following its approval by the state House of Assembly. Speaking during the signing ceremony held at the Government House in Gombe on Monday, Yahaya described the 2025 budget as a blueprint for economic growth and social development, stating that the appropriation law has reflected his administration’s resolve to deepen its development agenda as it focuses on sectors that directly impact the lives of our citizens. He commended the state House of Assembly for the swift passage of the appropriation bill, emphasising that since 2019, the harmonious relationship between the legislature and the executive has been instrumental in achieving the remarkable milestones recorded by his administration. He said, “I want to sincerely thank the honourable members of the House of Assembly for the speedy passage of the bill. Your cooperation and support since we came on board have been truly commendable. Over the years, we have worked harmoniously, and this partnership has significantly benefited the good people of Gombe State. “The awards we recently earned in security, health, and other sectors, are a result of our the synergy between the two arms of government. These achievements are not the result of individual efforts but of our collective commitment to the progress of our state. “The increase in sectoral allocation by the House of Assembly is to further improve healthcare delivery and enhance social services for our people. We are committed to ensuring that these resources are effectively utilised for the greater good of our people.” Related News Two arrested for buying beans with fake naira in Gombe Gombe offers N5m, relief materials to victims of herders' attack FG supports Gombe farmers with subsidised inputs The governor also informed the lawmakers that by January the government would release the performance report for the 2024 budget with the optimism that the performance will be incredible while being confident of achieving an ‘A’ rating. Speaking earlier, Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Abubakar Luggerewo, said the house has increased the budget from the earlier N320.1bn submitted by the governor to N369.9bn to meet the aspirations of the people of Gombe State. Luggerewo added, “We made these adjustments because we strongly believe that the areas we have prioritized will significantly enhance the quality of life for our citizens. “We commend His Excellency, the Governor, for placing a strong emphasis on capital expenditure, which accounts for 69% of the total budget. This focus is a deliberate effort to drive infrastructure development and long-term growth. “Our budget in Gombe State stands out as one of the best in the country. Its content reflects resilience, vision and a deep commitment to progress. Initially proposed at N320.1 billion, we increased it to N369.9 billion in the best interest of the masses to address critical needs and improve the standard of living of our people.”Australian security Company Swann Communications who manufacture the highly popular Swann Max Range cameras, has taken immediate action to distance themselves from a US banned Chinese Company with the Australian business shifting production of their top end consumer security products to new suppliers outside of China. Zhuhai Raysharp Technology Co Ltd who trade as Ray Sharp was a supplier to Swann, until the US Government banned them for questionable activities, this led to Melbourne based Swann management moving quickly to distance themselves from the Company. Raysharp claim that their business focuses on the R&D, production and sales of software and hardware for security video surveillance products, to third party suppliers. SwannShield. The US Homeland Security banned the business earlier this month claiming they have been selling banned products to Russia along with banned security video surveillance products to other questionable regimes. Unlike other distributors in Australia such as Dicker Data who are still selling banned Hikvision cameras Swann who are based in Melbourne took immediate action to stop using Ray Sharp as a supplier. According to Swann Marketing Manager Jeremy Stewart the decision was “fairly easy” for Swann who also have a major trading presence in the USA, UK, and Europe. “We have multiple suppliers in multiple Countries, so it was fairly easy for us to source a new supplier of security components,” said Stewart. As for Dicker Data and the likes of retailer Jim’s Security products who still sell the Chinese product direct to consumers, Swann has moved to minimise any risk to their customers due in part to their multi-Country manufacturing program. Dicker Data a major supplier of consumer goods to retailers and resellers are still sticking with a banned product despite a national ban by the Australian Federal Government on any Hikvision products. The share listed business has known since November 2022, that the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) banned Dahua and Hikvision from new equipment authorizations. The FCC declared these companies a threat to national security in 2021. The ban restricts the use of any US federal funds to purchase equipment from these companies, this is the same approach taken by the Australian Federal Government. The ban on the likes of Ray Sharp and Hikvision, is designed to prevent foreign entities from exploiting vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure or hacking into homes where questionable Chinese cameras such as those from the likes of Eufy and TPG who is also banned in the USA are installed. The US Government claim that Chinese security camera manufacturers often make these devices available at low prices. They claim that these devices are not as rigorously secured as laptops or servers.lottery kerala 。

In response to GOP state representative , (Big Sky Voices, Dec. 21) “Our legislators are just like you,” I must say that none of the Republicans mentioned in his column are in any way like me. A job doesn’t make a person. Instead, it’s a person’s integrity and ability to make decisions based on reality that matter. It’s safe to say that every Republican Overstreet listed voted for Donald Trump, a man found civilly liable for sexual abuse, a convicted felon, an adulterer, a serial liar, and, in general, a disreputable, vindictive human being. But, apparently, as long as Trump hates the same people they hate, he gets their vote. So much for integrity! Part of integrity is having consistent values. Why are so many Republicans bent out of shape that transgender people be allowed to make decisions about their own bodies, when the vast majority of Republicans think nothing about instructing a doctor to take a knife to the penis of any newborn sons they have? Obviously, it’s not the genital surgery that matters. It’s the bigotry. Many of those same Republicans proudly use Christianity as a club while ignoring the reality of what is actually in the Bible. Denying a woman’s right to abortion is the most prevalent example of this. The Bible clearly gives instructions for forcing a woman to miscarry in Numbers 5:11-31, and elsewhere it states that life begins at first breath. It’s one reason few Christian sects spoke out about Roe v. Wade until it became a political issue they could profit from. Also, part of ignoring reality is the Republican Christian Nationalist claim that the United States was founded as a “Christian nation.” Again, there is written evidence to the contrary. The English version of The Treaty of Tripoli was read aloud in the U.S. Senate and unanimously approved before President John Adams signed it on June 10, 1797. Article 11 of that treaty states, “As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion...” And then there is the science of climate change. That Donald Trump called climate change a hoax doesn’t make it so. Facts don’t care what Trump says, but, obviously, Republicans are willing to ignore the science — endangering their own children and grandchildren — both in the name of greed and in submission to their authoritarian leader. On the subject of greed, how are an overwhelming percentage of Republicans able to reconcile their claims of Christianity while being led by a billionaire president, who campaigned with the richest man in the world, and will soon give the rich massive tax cuts while cutting programs for seniors, the sick, and the poor? Isn’t that the opposite of what Jesus preached in the Bible? So, no, I am not at all like Mr. Overstreet and his Republican associates. And neither are the roughly 40% of Montanans who voted against most things they stand for. We may be a minority — for now — but 50 years from now, when students study this era in history classes, it will be the Republicans, not the rest of us, who they’ll look at as they shake their heads in sadness and disbelief.

Kirodi Lal Meena blames 'traitors' for brother's loss in Dausa bypollIn 2024, Kendrick Lamar has put together one of the biggest years of his career: He was the undisputed winner of the highest-profile rap beef in years; he's had a hit near the top of the pop charts for six months; he's nominated for more than half a dozen Grammys, including song and record of the year; he'll headline the halftime show at next year's Super Bowl. All of this without releasing an album. At least until today. At noon Eastern Time on Friday, Lamar dropped his sixth studio album, GNX . He did it without sharing a hint of its existence — no advance singles or videos or cryptic social media posts. (Not that it stopped fans from speculating.) GNX is Kendrick's first full-length release since 2022's Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers. The 12-track album features performances from mariachi singer Deyra Barrera, SZA and Dody6; producers include Jack Antonoff , Sounwave and Kamasi Washington . Even before this surprise drop, Lamar was already on a roll. In May, he capped his ferocious back-and-forth with rival Drake with the diss track " Not Like Us ," which topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart twice — the week of its release as well as later, in July, when its video came out — and earned him several nods from the Recording Academy. On June 19, he hosted The Pop Up - Ken & Friends , a concert at the Forum in Los Angeles that was live-streamed by Amazon Music and featured cameos from some of the West Coast's biggest rappers, from Roddy Ricch to Tyler, The Creator . In September, it was announced that Lamar will return to the Super Bowl stage next year to headline the halftime show. "Rap music is still the most impactful genre to date. And I'll be there to remind the world why," he said in a statement. "They got the right one." In 2022, Kendrick performed "m.A.A.d City" and "Alright" at the Los Angeles hip-hop-focused halftime show led by Dr. Dre . That year, he had broken his five-year hiatus from the spotlight following 2017's DAMN, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Music. GNX is Lamar's first album since his departure from long-time label Top Dawg Entertainment. It was released under his own label, pgLang, via Interscope Records.Mikel Arteta admitted the return of captain Martin Odegaard was the spark which reignited Arsenal’s title charge. Stunning strikes from Bukayo Saka, Thomas Partey and a first Premier League goal for Ethan Nwaneri sank Nottingham Forest 3-0 and ended the Gunners’ four-match winless streak. Advertisement But it was the performance of Odegaard, on his first appearance at the Emirates since August after a two-month injury absence, which provided the platform for a comprehensive victory. Mikel Arteta knows Odegaard is key to his side (John Walton/PA) Arteta, celebrating his 250th match in charge of the club, said: “We talk about fluidity, understanding, chemistry, timing, he’s one of the best to do that; to manage the tempo of the game, when to slow it down, when to control it. Advertisement “It’s very difficult to do after five or six weeks out. It doesn’t surprise me because I’ve seen him every day, how he looks after himself, how much he wants it, the energy that he puts in and the courage that he has to play in any circumstances. “Obviously, when he’s in the team, you can sense something that is different. It’s difficult to put a finger on it, but it’s different. “Obviously he’s been missed. It’s good that we could sub him because he started to get tired and was fading a bit. Advertisement “Then Ethan comes on and ‘whoop’, it lifts the crowd. You can sense how much the crowd loves watching this kid play and the energy.” Arsenal were already well in charge, through Saka’s fine run and shot and a piledriver from Partey, when Arteta sent on Nwaneri. Advertisement At 17 years and eight months old, he became Arsenal’s second-youngest Premier League goalscorer and the 10th-youngest in Premier League history, when he tucked in a cross from Raheem Sterling. Gunners fans have been clamouring to see more of the exciting youngster, especially during Odegaard’s absence. But Arteta warned: “I am responsible to build a career for him. You have to do that brick by brick. Advertisement Ethan Nwaneri scored his first Premier League goal (John Walton/PA) “Today he put another brick on. Now we have to put more cement, make sure it doesn’t get dry so we can put another one and that will stick. “Then we put one more layer, one more layer. If you want to put five in a row believe me it won’t work. We have to manage not only his expectation but his load as well, which is really important.” Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo left top scorer Chris Wood on the bench for an hour, by which time the game was all but over. “It was not a good performance,” he said. “We came up short in all aspects of the game. We have to put it right immediately. “They killed the game with the second and third goals. It was a tough day for us.”– In a social media exchange on the Bluesky app , AEW star and former AEW World Champion Hangman Page responded to a thread suggesting he run for office. Hangman doesn’t seem particularly enthusiastic about the idea. After he was tagged, Hangman Page wrote, “Shut up GOD. I’m a f**in’ mess, I thought you of all people would know this.” You can view that exchange below: shut up GOD, im a fuckin mess, i thought of all people you would know this — HANGMAN PAGE ( @hangmanpage.bsky.social ) November 21, 2024 at 9:57 AM

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Sonipat (Haryana), Nov 23 (PTI) India's first Constitution Museum was inaugurated at the O P Jindal Global University here on Saturday by Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. Addressing a gathering at the varsity, Speaker Birla said this marks a historic milestone and credited the university's Chancellor Naveen Jindal, who is also a BJP MP, for doing such work. This museum will acquaint present and coming generations with our constitution, how it was framed and what discussions and debates took place then. He said India's Constitution is acting as a guide to the world. Notably, the museum is designed to provide a deep and engaging exploration of the Constitution's essential elements and key provisions for the citizens to know demonstrating how its values and ideals have shaped the nation. The visitor can immerse themselves in the sights and sounds of pre-independence India, through 360-degree visual spectacle. Through cutting-edge technology and multimedia storytelling, the exhibit unfolds the chronological tapestry of events leading to the drafting of the Indian Constitution. Naveen Jindal said the Constitution Museum is a reminder of the vision of our founding fathers. It is the longest written constitution in the world, which came into being because of the painstaking efforts and toil of the constituent assembly, he said. Jindal was speaking while addressing a gathering on the occasion of the inauguration of India's first Constitution Museum and on the occasion of the national convention on the Constitution organised by O P Jindal Global University. Jindal, who is also a noted industrialist, said the university has undertaken a colossal initiative to celebrate the constitution of the world's largest democracy and to promote the idea of Indian constitutionalism by opening the first constitution museum dedicated to commemorating the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution of India on November 26 this year and by organising the national convention on the Constitution of India. In his address, Meghwal, said, "Equality, liberty and fraternity are the cornerstones of our Constitution. We place equality before liberty as it is more important... We will only remain independent, said Dr B R Ambedkar, only when we have equality." Meghwal said the Constitution Museum is a true memorial to the significant contribution of Ambedkar, the main framer of the Indian Constitution "and I sincerely hope that it is visited by the parliamentarians and legislators to get a modern and digital insight into the making of the Constitution". The Law Minister said Ambedkar piloted all things while the constitution was being framed. However, the Article was not piloted by Ambedkar, he said. Such an Article which Ambedkar also did not like was scrapped by the Narendra Modi government, said the Minister. Meanwhile, Speaker Birla, who was chief guest at the event, said in 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for the celebration of Constitution Day, highlighting the visionary ideas that shaped our Constitution. He urged us to remember and honour the contributions of those who worked tirelessly to frame this foundational document, said Birla. "Our Constitution stands as a beacon guiding India and the world. Our Constitution enshrines the principles of equality for all. More than a legal framework, our constitution is a transformative document that has brought profound social, economic, and political change," Birla said. "It is not merely a set of laws but a guiding philosophy, that continues to lead us towards a more just and inclusive society. Our democracy has united diverse cultures, languages, and traditions, exemplifying the spirit of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' and 'the world is one family' throughout its 75-year journey. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, we continue to advance this legacy," he said. Meanwhile, addressing the gathering, Naveen Jindal said the subject of discussion during the inaugural session of the convention-- "Democracy and constitutionalism in India is of immense topical interest". "Constitutionalism per se, I must say, has been engaging the attention of the lawmakers and others involved in working out the legal and philosophical foundation of the state since ages," Jindal said. Jindal said, "Constitutionalism is a philosophy that restricts government power and ensures the protection of individual rights. It is a political theory that emphasises the limitation of governmental power, regardless of its source of proper procedures." "It asserts that there are certain actions a government just cannot undertake, even if they are supported by public opinion or proper procedures," he said. About the Constitution, he said it was crafted with immense foresight with an aim of balancing individual rights and the state powers the resolve to secure to all its citizens, justice, liberty, equality and promote fraternity, to assure the dignity of the individual enshrined in the preamble of the Constitution. The Constitution Museum at O P Jindal Global University is a reminder to celebrate the constitution of the world's largest democracy, and to promote the idea of Indian constitutionalism as we commemorate the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution of India on November 26 this year, he said. "I am confident that the constitution museum at this university will take this great legacy forward by preserving and promoting the values enshrined in our constitution," Jindal said. Professor C Raj Kumar, the Founding Vice Chancellor of the University said, "As part of the celebrations, we are also hosting the National Convention on the Constitution of India from November 23 to November 25. This convention will have distinguished speakers representing the law and public life." (This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)Is he serious? Trump stirs unease with Panama, Greenland ploys

AP News Summary at 5:57 p.m. EST

What a late-life crisis looks like and what you can do about itis continuing his fight to make the B.C. government wake up to the threat of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). “As the former MLA for Kootenay East, I had the opportunity to address the wildlife issue in our province head-on. One of my biggest warnings for the past four years has been the threat of Chronic Wasting Disease. I worked with all wildlife stakeholder groups and fully supported the latest CWD management strategy as presented by regional biologists,” Shypitka stated on social media Nov. 22. “My efforts received complete $400,000 support from my former party. It was also part of a larger package of $200 million going toward a complete wildlife and habitat strategy for our province. This is what is needed. “To this date no political party has adopted these same commitments and I am calling on all parties to push this forward.” Shypitka also called out for any MLA to “promote my private member’s bill to legislate an independent funding model for wildlife and habitat. This is critical and we were so close to getting this done. This cannot slide.” And as the cases of CWD discovered in B.C. have all been found in the Cranbrook area, Shypitka said he is calling on Cranbrook city council to “initiate a city-wide cull, sterilization, hazing, translocation program on urban deer and for the province to give financial support as well as autonomy to city government to set the cull limits. “This is not a silver bullet solution and has to be part of a holistic strategy but the science is crystal clear that no action is of great harm to communities, wildlife sustainability and public health,” he stated.2 Growth Stocks Down 10% to Buy Right Now

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Girls soccer photos: Group 3 final - Northern Highlands vs. Shawnee, Saturday, Nov. 23

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10'000 Hours Communication technology company, Zoom Video Communications ( NASDAQ: ZM ), is set to announce its third quarter earnings results on Monday, November 25th, after the closing bell. Wall Street expects the company to report earnings per share of $1.31 on a revenue of $1.16B, a 1.8% increase

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Reniya Kelly had 18 points and six assists, Maria Gakdeng added 16 points and nine rebounds, and No. 16 North Carolina beat 14th-ranked Kentucky 72-53 on Thursday night in the SEC/ACC Challenge. North Carolina opened the game on a 14-4 run, capped by Alyssa Ustby’s fifth 3-pointer of the season. The Tar Heels led 36-25 at halftime after holding the Wildcats to 36% shooting. North Carolina only made one field goal in the opening five minutes of the third quarter as Kentucky got as close as seven points. But The Tar Heels made five field goals in the final five minutes to take a 50-39 lead into the fourth. Kentucky’s opening four baskets of the fourth were from 3-point range to get within 60-51 with 5:52 left on Dazia Lawrence’s basket off a nice assist from Georgia Amoore on an inbounds play. North Carlina sealed it by scoring the next six points — all from the free-throw line. Ustby scored 13 points with eight rebounds for North Carolina (8-1). The Tar Heels outscored Kentucky 42-10 in the paint. Lawrence scored 17 points and Amelia Hassett had 13 points and 13 rebounds for Kentucky (7-1). Amoore added 10 points and eight assists and Clara Strack, averaging a team-high 18.3 points per game, was held to four points on 2-of-10 shooting. North Carolina stays at home to play Coppin State on Sunday. Kentucky returns home to face Queens University on Monday. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball

Barcelona returned to action from the international break and have temporarily increased their lead at the top of the La Liga table to seven points thanks to a wild 2-2 draw away to Celta Vigo at Balaídos on Saturday night. Barça were not even close to their best and still found themselves up two goals at the hour mark, but went down to 10 men and gave away the lead late to drop two big points on the road. FIRST HALF Celta made a very good start, with Iago Aspas missing a giant chance just three minutes in and the home team putting real pressure on Barça’s buildup, forcing the Blaugrana into bad passes in midfield and quite a few dangerous attacking trips when the Catalans’ offside trap didn’t work. But the away side weathered the early storm and were able to take the lead in the 15th minute, when a mistake by Óscar Mingueza put Raphinha through and the Brazilian found the back of the net to put Barça in front. The visitors played well after going ahead, with good passing and movement in the final third, but couldn’t create good enough chances to score a second. Meanwhile Celta remained a danger despite going behind, with long balls from the back beating the Barça offside trap and creating even more dangerous attacks that needed some key interventions by Iñaki Peña and the center-back duo of Pau Cubarsí and Iñigo Martínez. Barça left-back Gerard Martín, who had an early yellow card, almost got himself sent off when he brought down Aspas inside the box, but he and Barça were very lucky that the referee did not point to the spot and denied the hosts a pretty strong penalty shout. Martín was the story of the rest of the period as the young defender was targeted time and time again, and it was his tackle on Aspas on the very last play of the half that once again went unpunished and sent both the Celta captain and the home crowd into an absolute frenzy, and set the stage for a very tense second half as the halftime whistle came to end an absolutely chaotic opening period. SECOND HALF Hansi Flick looked to solve the Gerard Martín problem by taking off the left-back at halftime, replacing him with Héctor Fort and hoping that the young right-footed full-back could play the role well in the final period. Fort did just that, playing with poise with and without the ball, but the rest of his teammates continued to struggle to keep possession as the game remained wide open with constant turnovers of possession and scary moments for the Barça defense denied either by timely individual interventions or the offside flag. Then at the hour mark came a much-needed sigh of relief for the visitors: Mingueza gave the ball away to Raphinha in midfield, and the Brazilian found Robert Lewandowski who was able to fight off a challenge from Javi Rodríguez and pass the ball into the net to double the Barça lead at a crucial moment in the game. Celta were not done yet and kept going forward looking for a way back in the game, and Hugo Álvarez had a monster one-on-one chance that was denied by a brilliant save from Iñaki Peña. The action stayed back and forth with no semblance of control from either side, and chaos continued to reign supreme as we reached the final 20 minutes. Barça almost clinched the win when Raphinha found himself all alone inside the box, but his right foot shot somehow hit both the inside of the post and the back of the goalkeeper and stayed out. Flick inserted Frenkie de Jong and Fermín López looking to add more control and fresh legs in his midfield, and Barça were fully invested in securing the win and the clean sheet entering the last 10 minutes. Then all of a sudden the game completely shifted in a span of four minutes: first Barça found themselves down to 10 men as Marc Casadó was shown a second yellow for a tactical foul on Ilaix Moriba, and 90 seconds after that Alfon González was given a gift thanks to an awful mistake by Jules Kounde and brought Celta and the crowd back in. Two minutes after that, Kounde made another error by keeping Borja Iglesias onside, and that started a move that ended with a great dribble and finish by Álvarez to equalize and set up a wild ending. Neither team managed to create a late chance to win it at the death, and the final whistle came to give each side a point in what feels like a fair result given what we saw on the night. Celta were excellent, Barça were not great but took their chances, and both teams put on quite the wild show. But speaking from a Barça perspective, this isn’t a good result at all. This was another poor performance without Lamine Yamal, which is a concern, and Real Madrid now have two games in hand and can cut Barça’s lead at the top of the table to four points with a win on Sunday, which is another concern. Barça need a strong victory against Brest in the Champions League in midweek more than ever, or the noise will begin to increase as the team has now struggled for a second game in a row. Celta Vigo : Guaita; Rodríguez, Starfelt, Alonso, Mingueza; Álvarez, Beltrán (Sotelo 75’), Moriba, Bamba (Alfon 62’); Aspas (Durán 90’), Douvikas (Iglesias 75’) Goals: Alfon (84’), Álvarez (86’) Barcelona : Peña; Kounde, Cubarsí, Iñigo, Martín (Fort 46’); Pedri (Fermín 75’), Casadó, Gavi (De Jong 75’); Raphinha, Lewandowski (Víctor 89’), Olmo (Torre 89’) Goals: Raphinha (15’), Lewandowski (61’) Red Card: Casadó (82’)Bethlehem marks a second subdued Christmas Eve during the war in Gaza BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) — Bethlehem marked another somber Christmas Eve on Tuesday in the traditional birthplace of Jesus under the shadow of war in Gaza. The excitement and cheer that typically descends on the West Bank during Christmas week were nowhere to be found. The festive lights and giant tree that normally decorate Manger Square were missing, as were the throngs of foreign tourists that usually fill the square. Palestinian scouts marched silently through the streets, a departure from their usual raucous brass marching band. Security forces arranged barriers near the Church of the Nativity, built atop the spot where Jesus is believed to have been born. The cancellation of Christmas festivities is a severe blow to the town's economy. Tourism accounts for an estimated 70% of Bethlehem’s income — almost all from the Christmas season. Latin Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the top Roman Catholic cleric in the Holy Land, noted the shuttered shops and empty streets and expressed hope that next year would be better. Pope Francis kicks off a yearlong Jubilee that will test his stamina and Rome's patience VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis kicked off the 2025 Holy Year on Tuesday, inaugurating a celebration of the Catholic Church that is expected to draw some 32 million pilgrims to Rome in a test of the pope's stamina and the ability of the Eternal City to welcome them. From his wheelchair, Francis knocked a few times and the great Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica swung open. He was wheeled across the threshold as bells tolled across Rome and the choir inside the basilica began Christmas Eve Mass. In his homily, Francis said the Holy Year is an opportunity to relieve the debt of poor countries and commit to protecting the planet. The aim of the Jubilee, he said, is “to bring hope to the interminable, dreary days of prisoners, to the cold and dismal lodgings of the poor and to all those places desecrated by war and violence.” The ceremony inaugurated the once-every-25-year tradition of a Jubilee, in which the Catholic faithful make pilgrimages to Rome. Francis has dedicated the 2025 Jubilee to the theme of hope, and he will underscore that message when he opens a Holy Door on Thursday at Rome’s Rebibbia prison in a bid to give inmates hope for a better future. Francis has long incorporated prison ministry into his priestly vocation, and has made several visits to Rebibbia and other prisons during his travels. Trump vows to pursue executions after Biden commutes most of federal death row FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump promised on Tuesday to “vigorously pursue” capital punishment after President Joe Biden commuted the sentences of most people on federal death row partly to stop Trump from pushing forward their executions. Trump criticized Biden’s decision on Monday to change the sentences of 37 of the 40 condemned people to life in prison without parole, arguing that it was senseless and insulted the families of their victims. Biden said converting their punishments to life imprisonment was consistent with the moratorium imposed on federal executions in cases other than terrorism and hate-motivated mass murder. “Joe Biden just commuted the Death Sentence on 37 of the worst killers in our Country,” he wrote on his social media site. “When you hear the acts of each, you won’t believe that he did this. Makes no sense. Relatives and friends are further devastated. They can’t believe this is happening!” Presidents historically have no involvement in dictating or recommending the punishments that federal prosecutors seek for defendants in criminal cases, though Trump has long sought more direct control over the Justice Department's operations. The president-elect wrote that he would direct the department to pursue the death penalty “as soon as I am inaugurated,” but was vague on what specific actions he may take and said they would be in cases of “violent rapists, murderers, and monsters.” He highlighted the cases of two men who were on federal death row for slaying a woman and a girl, had admitted to killing more and had their sentences commuted by Biden. 21 dead as Mozambique erupts in violence after election court ruling MAPUTO, Mozambique (AP) — Violence that engulfed Mozambique after the country's highest court confirmed ruling Frelimo party presidential candidate Daniel Chapo as the winner of disputed Oct. 9 elections killed at least 21 people, including two police officers, authorities said Tuesday. Mozambique Interior Minister Pascoal Ronda told a news conference in Maputo late Tuesday that a wave of violence and looting was sparked by the court's announcement a day earlier. He said it was led by mostly youthful supporters of losing candidate Venancio Mondlane, who received 24% of the vote, second to Chapo, who got 65%. “From the preliminary survey, in the last 24 hours, 236 acts of violence were recorded throughout the national territory that resulted in 21 deaths, of which two members of the Police of the Republic of Mozambique also died," Ronda said. He said 13 civilians and 12 police were injured. Ronda said 25 vehicles were set on fire, including two police vehicles. He added that 11 police subunits and a penitentiary were attacked and vandalized and 86 inmates were freed. Tensions were high in the country ahead of the The Constitutional Council ruling on Monday and violent protests started immediately after the announcement was made. Prosecutors find workers in 'slavery like' conditions at Chinese car company site in Brazil RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (AP) — A task force led by Brazilian prosecutors said it rescued 163 Chinese nationals working in “slavery-like" conditions at a construction site in northeastern Brazil, where Chinese electric vehicle company BYD is building a factory. On Tuesday, the Labor Prosecutor’s Office released videos of the dorms where the construction workers were staying, which showed beds with no mattresses and rooms without any places for the workers to store their personal belongings. In a statement issued Monday, the prosecutor’s office said the workers had been hired in China by Jinjiang Construction Brazil, one of the contractors on the site, which is located in Camaçari, a city in the Salvador metropolitan region. Officials said Jinjiang Construction Brazil had confiscated the workers' passports and held 60% of their wages. Those who quit would be forced to pay the company for their airfare from China, and for their return ticket, the statement said. Efforts to reach Jinjiang Construction in Brazil were unsuccessful as a contact phone number and email address were not immediately available. NFL players who use platform to share their faith say it's their duty to spread their love of Jesus ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — Jake Bates was standing on the turf in his hometown of Houston when asked to reflect on an unlikely journey from learning how to sell bricks to making game-winning kicks for the Detroit Lions. Bates used his platform as an NFL player to spread his love of Jesus in a prime-time interview on NBC after lifting the Lions to a win over the Texans with a 52-yard field goal as time expired. A month later, Bates told The Associated Press it is a duty to share his Christian faith. “This doesn’t happen without Jesus and by this, I mean any of this, like, living doesn’t happen without Jesus dying on the cross,” Bates said recently at the team’s practice facility. “He put us on a stage to glorify his name.” The NFL is filled with players and coaches who feel the same way. Stunning photos show lava erupting from Hawaii's Kilauea volcano HONOLULU (AP) — One of the world's most active volcanoes spewed lava into the air for a second straight day on Tuesday. The eruption of Kilauea volcano on Hawaii's Big Island has stayed within the mountain's summit caldera inside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. No homes were threatened. Molten rock began shooting from the volcano before dawn on Monday when fissures opened in the caldera floor and propelled lava 295 feet (90 meters) into the air. The red liquid formed tall fountains and then spread across 650 acres (263 hectares). The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory estimated the lava was about 1 yard (1 meter) thick. Scientists expect activity to fluctuate in the coming days. The lava paused Monday afternoon but fountains reemerged Tuesday morning. The eruption occurred in an area that's been closed to the public since 2007 due to hazards including crater wall instability and rockfalls. Visitors to the park were able to watch the foundations at a distance from an overlook spot. Haiti gangs fire on journalists covering a planned hospital reopening, leaving casualties PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Suspected gang members opened fire on journalists in Haiti's capital on Tuesday as they were covering the attempted reopening of the country's largest hospital, wounding or killing an unknown number of people. Haiti's interim president, Leslie Voltaire, said in an address to the nation that journalists and police were among the victims of the vicious Christmas Eve attack. He did not specify how many casualties there were, or give a breakdown for the dead or wounded. “I send my sympathies to the people who were victims, the national police and the journalists,” Voltaire said, pledging “this crime is not going to go unpunished.” There were concerns there could be fatalities — a video posted online by the reporters trapped inside the hospital showed what appeared to be two lifeless bodies of men on stretchers, their clothes bloodied. One of the men had a lanyard with a press credential around his neck. Radio Télé Métronome initially reported that seven journalists and two police officers were wounded. Police and officials did not immediately respond to calls for information on the attack. Hurricane-force winds bear down on California, latest in stretch of extreme weather LOS ANGELES (AP) — Record-setting flooding over three days dumped more than a foot of rain on parts of northern California, a fire left thousands under evacuation orders and warnings in Los Angeles County, forecasters issued the first-ever tornado warning in San Francisco and rough seas tore down part of a wharf in Santa Cruz. All of this extreme weather has hit California in the past several weeks, showcasing the state’s particular vulnerability to major weather disasters. Strong storms Tuesday produced waves that forecasters said could reach 35 feet (10.7 meters) around Santa Cruz. The National Weather Service issued a high surf warning until early evening, cautioning people to stay out of the ocean and away from piers. For Chandler Price, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in San Diego, these extreme weather events are both typical and unusual for a La Niña winter, a natural climate cycle that can cause extreme weather across the planet. In California, it means a wetter than average northern region and a drier south. “So far we’ve seen that pattern play out pretty well,” he said, but added, “obviously, you know, the tornado in the Bay Area was atypical. ... We haven’t seen that before, at least not for a very long time.” Heavy travel day starts with brief grounding of all American Airlines flights WASHINGTON (AP) — American Airlines briefly grounded flights nationwide Tuesday because of a technical problem just as the Christmas travel season kicked into overdrive and winter weather threatened more potential problems for those planning to fly or drive. Government regulators cleared American flights to get airborne about an hour after the Federal Aviation Administration ordered a national ground stop for the airline. The order, which prevented planes from taking off, was issued at the airline's request after it experienced trouble with its flight operating system, or FOS. The airline blamed technology from one of its vendors. As a result, flights were delayed across American’s major hubs, with only 37% of the airline's 3,901 domestic and international flights leaving on time, according to Cirium, an aviation analytics company. Nineteen flights were canceled. Dennis Tajer, a spokesperson for the Allied Pilots Association, a union representing American Airlines pilots, said the airline told pilots at 7 a.m. Eastern that there was an outage affecting the FOS system. It handles different types of airline operations, including dispatch, flight planning, passenger boarding, as well as an airplane's weight and balance data, he said. Some components of FOS have gone down in the past, but a systemwide outage is rare, Tajer said.East Carolina wins 71-64 over Stetson