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READY to wave goodbye to 2024 and see what lies in store for the next 12 months? The Sun’s astrologer shares twists and turns for the different zodiac signs in 2025 when it comes to work, finances and good fortune. Find out if it will be a year of celestial celebration for you. And don’t miss tomorrow’s paper, when Maggie maps out events that await at home, in health and on new horizons. CAREER: Your “take charge” Mars magic swells throughout spring and, by mid-June, you can make your boldest move. Work-based new moons on August 23 and September 21 rejig false starts into genuine opportunities. CASH: Saturn’s steady hold on Aries from May to September chairs great negotiations – you possess a prime poker face! February 4 and April 30 are rich dates for finding lost tickets, accounts or legacies. Answer questions honestly in November. CHANCE: Neptune enhances intuition in everything from number choices to lucky colours from March onwards. Teams of three, packs of four, and any talking or rapid-response challenge, are Aries-significant. CAREER: Friends or family who dream together can make a great business team, taking shape over the summer. With Pluto set for 20 years in your success sector, your future can break records. An October choice is a key decision. CASH: Until June, Jupiter spotlights smart ways into and out of some big money situations. Your smile can be worth a fortune! Around July 4, you can identify earning potential in a learning scenario. CHANCE: Staying silent and keeping secrets is a challenge, but with potential rich rewards. You can also find 2025 luck with music played by trios and dates that include a three. CAREER: Closing a decision around January 13 can lead to open doors by September 7. You see many clever ways to pivot your career profile in 2025, guided by mentor Mercury. Late November, surf a success wave straight into 2026. CASH: You have Jupiter financial flair all year – but build in Saturn common sense, too. A saving goal can come closer by September. Vintage records hide new value. CHANCE: Number two, twinned towns or cities and second-time-around entries can all have a Gemini luck link. Uranus, with its “try anything” vibe, finds success for you in contests with unusual settings, or hi-tech themes, July to November. CAREER: Your work journey speeds up from January and Saturn-strong shoots push through in June and July. Yes, you can learn and lead. An unusual ambition around the time of October 7 deserves your full attention. CASH: Mars boosts risk taking from day one – April to June you reap rewards. Then Mercury steps in with smart strategies to double that. Stick to a money plan in September, even when temptation is strong. CHANCE: As Jupiter’s number one, by June you can feel personal luck flow. First answers, especially under pressure, your first initial and any list of number ones, past or present, can be winners. CAREER: Take the first three months to suss out what you really need from work – in April and May, Mars encourages action. Saturn supports learning all summer to ace any test or interview, however many times you’ve tried. CASH: The March 14 eclipse mixes emotions and finances – and people who love each other can enrich each other. Double new money moons in August and September show that you can start again, no matter what. Believe in better! CHANCE: Number 12, December dates/birthdays and following clue trails can lead to luck. Team up with your least-likely friend or colleague for summer success. CAREER: Look for Mercury career guidance and intelligence and it’s there for you, all year. From March to May, you have crystal clear future vision. Your personal moon shines so bright in August and September, nothing can stop you. CASH: Pluto’s new position underlines that people matter more than possessions – review 2025 spending plans accordingly. Wellbeing businesses, tests of patience and “H” addresses carry cash potential. CHANCE: A silly family game, a new social media connection and a local celebrity challenge can all be luck-linked for Virgo. So can football teams, November journeys and someone who changes their name in 2025. CAREER: Valentine’s Day to mid-April, you hit your Mercury progress stride, pushing obstacles aside and embracing challenges. June to late August, your best friend at work can be your best promotion ally. “Six” dates are career firsts. CASH: Set high saving/spending standards as the year begins, and Mars helps you meet them, maybe exceed them. Pluto’s willingness to break rules and be creative brings rich Libra chances all year, but especially when things feel toughest. CHANCE: Jackpots that double daily, sets of ten questions and a person or place first encountered in October can all add extra luck to 2025. CAREER: Planet leader Pluto transforms what job security means to you – for the next 20 years, you can run risks, aim for the sky. The solar eclipse makes March 29 super-special. Neptune endows summer insight to read bosses’ lips – and minds. CASH: Creative skills – your own or others’ – can boost your 2025 bank balance as soon as Saturn gets involved. Productivity is off the scale. Minor plans that start around August bank holiday build to major profits by Christmas. CHANCE: Old maps, new languages and a decision to believe in your ability to learn, no matter what, enhance Scorpio’s winning streak. CAREER: Saturn helps secure success where you are in 2025, with roles or responsibilities you may not have considered. But big offers can be irresistible in August and September. On October 29 and December 11, follow facts, not fantasy. CASH: Start 2025 taking stock of what you have, as financial genius Venus backs you until summer to build on this brilliantly. In July, only invest in people and projects that mean something. Mars goes big or goes home around December 15. CHANCE: Fortune flows from feelings, so trust yours implicitly. Figures of eight and August trips can also have lucky influence. CAREER: Talk your way to success in March, put in extra hours in June. Maverick planet Uranus upends your career chart from July to November, and cautious Capricorn is no more. Get ready to surprise everyone, especially yourself. CASH: Your inner voice counts most from January to June, so ignore external spending pressures. Two travel moons, in August and September, spot some big cash chances on the move. Pluto power helps focus on the financial future, so ditch the past. CHANCE: Combining birthday dates, wedding planning and brokering deals can spell 2025 luck. An old family story can scoop a unique prize. CAREER: The positive vibes of Jupiter are zooming in on your work zone, so you approach serious ambitions with a lighter touch. Reinventing yourself can start with the full moon on January 13, alongside the “never say no” spirit of Mars. You’ve got this. CASH: Saturn has been on call in your money chart for years – but 2025 is the last one. So spend it finishing what you have started with a cool, clear head. April 7 and October 22 are crucial cash decision dates. CHANCE: Six o’clock, contests in three rounds and an event that has been postponed until next June can be Aquarius luck-finders. CAREER: Mercury focuses your work mind from July to September, when you can visualise yourself in an exciting new role. February 28 and September 7 are Pisces push harder days. Pluto toughens up secret ambitions, giving an inner shine. CASH: Go your own way until May, when Saturn’s six-month shift encourages pooling money plans, working and winning as part of an “F” team. Pisces’ key money moon is October 7, so swap distractions for determination. CHANCE: Neptune’s natural number-choosing and success-seeking instincts kick in strongest April to October. Families of five and locations to the east can be lucky all year.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has just unveiled its last major push to aid distressed farm loan borrowers, announcing nearly $300 million in financial assistance as part of the Inflation Reduction Act. This isn’t just another round of payouts—it’s the grand finale of a program that has already helped thousands of farmers keep their land, their livelihoods, and their futures intact. Over the past two years, the USDA has delivered an impressive $2.5 billion in relief to more than 47,800 struggling agricultural producers. This latest funding aims to stabilize an additional 12,800 farmers in one final life-saving effort. “USDA has always been committed to standing by our nation’s farmers and ranchers, especially in their most challenging times,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “The final round of payments announced under President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act provides much-needed relief to more than 12,800 producers, helping them stay on their land and continue farming. At USDA, we are not only addressing immediate financial challenges but also working every day to build a stronger, more supportive loan system that ensures farmers have the tools they need to succeed now and into the future.” For many, this announcement couldn’t come soon enough. Thousands of farmers nationwide have faced mounting pressure from climate challenges, volatile markets, and rising operational costs—piling debt they couldn’t climb out of. The funds help pay off outstanding farm loans, cover delinquent debts, and extend lifelines to those at risk of losing it all. For these farmers, the message is clear: USDA isn’t just stepping in to help—it’s staking its future on theirs. This final installment doesn’t come as a one-size-fits-all solution. Instead, it tackles the diverse and complex challenges of America’s farming community. Structured into categories, the assistance ensures that every dollar goes where it’s needed most, offering tailored solutions to borrowers with a variety of needs. Here’s what this $300 million package delivers to farmers across the country: $168.5 million to pay off outstanding overdue balances for direct loan borrowers delinquent as of November 30, 2024, and for guaranteed loan borrowers flagged for liquidation. $67.3 million to cover the next installment on Farm Loan Program direct loans for borrowers who already received prior assistance. $35 million in installment payments on loans for farmers who recently restructured their debts. $9 million to knock out direct Emergency Loan balances. $4.1 million to address emergency and protective advances on both direct and guaranteed loans. Additional funds for overdue interest, non-capitalized interest payments, and specific loan programs like Economic Emergency loans bring the plan full circle. For distressed farmers who are currently in bankruptcy, USDA promises customized, case-by-case solutions to help them take part in this vital initiative. Here’s the reality behind these numbers. For countless farmers, the stakes couldn’t be higher. When farmers lose their land, it’s not just their families who suffer—it’s the entire agricultural supply chain. Farms feed America. They stabilize rural economies. They keep grocery store shelves stocked. The ripple effect of failure in agriculture spans from small towns to global markets. This assistance ensures farmers have the breathing room they need to keep planting fields and raising livestock. And it’s not just about survival—it’s about progress. By helping distressed borrowers restructure their debts and gain access to financial tools for recovery, the USDA is promoting long-term resilience, not just short-term fixes. This program under the Inflation Reduction Act isn’t just money on paper—it reflects a broader shift in how USDA approaches farm lending. For years, many farmers viewed loan systems as inaccessible or even detrimental to their survival as they struggled to keep up with repayments during downturns. But programs like this aim to reform that narrative. They focus on proactive resilience-building, offering safety nets for the farmers who need it most. While this $300 million might signal the program’s end, its impact will echo for years. By erasing debts, funding restructures, and easing loan conditions, USDA has set a precedent for modern agricultural support systems. Farmers know now that failing financially doesn’t mean being abandoned. USDA is rewriting what it means to stand by rural America, and that trust could prove invaluable the next time farmers need a hand. The Inflation Reduction Act was hailed as a flagship achievement of the Biden Administration, and the nearly $2.5 billion devoted to assisting farmers is one of its crowning jewels. The program helped not only stabilize troubled farms but preserve the cultural and economic fabric of rural America. From small family farms to mid-sized operations fighting tooth and nail to stay competitive, this assistance turned doubt into hope for tens of thousands. Looking forward, USDA is signaling its commitment to ongoing improvements in its loan systems. While this chapter closes, it highlights an unwavering mission to make farming a sustainable livelihood. The Inflation Reduction Act laid the foundation, but the hard work of making lasting change starts now. With more than 12,800 farmers set to benefit from this final round, the future suddenly looks brighter for many who thought they were out of options. This isn’t just an investment in loans—it’s an investment in people, traditions, and the industries that feed America. It’s a reminder that no matter how steep the challenges, the country hasn’t forgotten the hands that sow, tend, and harvest its sustenance. If USDA follows through on its evolving mission, initiatives like this won’t just be emergency lifelines—they’ll become essential instruments for ensuring one of the country’s most vital industries thrives. For America’s farmers, that reassurance couldn’t come at a more critical time. With this final $300 million infusion, the USDA has done more than relieve debt—it’s helped secure a future where farmers can focus on what they do best, with fewer worries weighing them down. For the latest news on everything happening in Chester County and the surrounding area, be sure to follow MyChesCo on Google News and MSN .
SAC Vice-Chair Deputy PM Vice-Senior General Soe Win attends Illegal Trade Eradication Steering Committee’s 5th meetingQatar tribune Agencies Global food prices rose in November to their highest level since April 2023, the U.N. food agency said on Friday, recording the biggest gain in 19 months on the back of surging vegetable oil prices. The world food price index, compiled by the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to track the most globally traded food commodities, increased to 127.5 points last month from a revised 126.9 points in October, the highest level in 19 months and up 5.7% from a year ago. The vegetable oil index jumped 7.5% above levels seen a month ago and 32% above those seen a year earlier, driven by concerns over lower-than-expected palm oil output due to excessive rainfall in Southeast Asia.Soyoil prices rose on stronger global import demand, while rapeseed and sunflower oil also increased. Cereal prices dropped 2.7% from October thanks to weaker wheat and rice prices, while sugar fell 2.4% from October as India and Thailand began crushing and concerns over Brazil’s crop prospects eased. In a separate report, the FAO trimmed its forecast for global cereal production in 2024 from 2.848 billion metric tons to 2.841 billion, a 0.6% decline from last year but still the second-largest output on record. World cereal utilization, meanwhile, is set to increase 0.6% to 2.859 billion tons in 2024/25 thanks to growing consumption.As a result, the FAO expects the cereal stocks-to-use ratio to fall to 30.1% at the close of the 2025 season from 30.8% previously, but still indicating a “comfortable level of global supply.” Copy 09/12/2024 10
After a thrilling conference championship Saturday and a drawn-out reveal show Sunday, the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff field is set. The first true tournament in FBS history has plenty to love -- and elements to loathe. What Went Right: Unique opening-round matchups Whether the first round proves to be more competitive than the four-team Playoff's often lopsided semifinal matchups remains to be seen. Until then, there is at least intrigue in the historic rarity of the four pairings. One opening-round matchup -- ACC automatic qualifier Clemson at Texas -- is a first-time encounter between two programs that combine for seven claimed national championships. Of the other three, the most recent contest occurred in 1996 when Tennessee topped Ohio State in the Citrus Bowl. The Vols and Buckeyes meet as the No. 9 and No. 8 seeds at Ohio State's Horseshoe, with the winner advancing to face top overall seed Oregon. SMU, a perhaps surprising final at-large selection given the Mustangs' dearth of high-profile wins, meets Penn State for the third time ever and first since 1978. The Nittany Lions scored a 26-21 come-from-behind win in Happy Valley, where they will again host SMU. The Penn State victory ended a 30-year stalemate after the first and only meeting in the 1948 Cotton Bowl produced a 13-13 tie. Here's hoping the third part of a 76-year trilogy is as closely contested as the initial two. Meanwhile, the matchup with the most previous installments is the closest in proximity -- less than 200 miles separate in-state counterparts Indiana and Notre Dame -- and the most lopsided. The Fighting Irish and Hoosiers last played in 1991, with Notre Dame's 49-27 win marking its sixth straight victory by multiple scores. Indiana's last win in the series came in 1950, a 20-7 Hoosiers victory in Bloomington. What Went Right: Boise State's big opportunity Although not the first outsider to reach or win a Bowl Championship Series game, Boise State's 2007 Fiesta Bowl victory over Oklahoma was arguably the most pivotal moment in building support for outsiders to compete for the national championship. The Broncos spent two decades knocking on the door, beginning with their perfect 2004 regular season, extending through two Fiesta Bowl wins, and withstanding the heartbreak of late-season losses in 2010 and 2011. The celebration in response to Boise State being part of the bracket -- and not just in, but as the No. 3 seed with a bye into the quarterfinals -- marked a culmination of generations of effort for just this opportunity. What Went Right: ‘Football weather' comes to the postseason From the birth of the bowl system with the first-ever Rose Bowl Game, college football's postseason has resided primarily in warm-weather destinations. This makes sense for the original purpose of bowl games as showcases and celebrations of a team's regular-season performance, but less so for the goal of crowning a national champion. After decades of playing what often amounted to road games in the postseason, northern teams get their opportunity to host. Three of the four first-round contests are in such climates -- though Indiana won't be particularly disadvantaged by weather when playing Notre Dame in South Bend. With average December highs in Pennsylvania in the 30s, SMU will need its heaters on the sideline at Penn State's Beaver Stadium. The more intriguing trip, however, is Tennessee's to Ohio State. Longtime college football fans know the arguments about SEC teams playing in Big Ten country late in the year. Pitting two high-quality teams from the two leagues head-to-head in such conditions is a highlight of this new postseason system. And, given Tennessee and Ohio State have two of the nation's best defenses, expect a style of play befitting what is often described as football weather. What Went Wrong: More teams means more politicking When Mack Brown seemingly spent as much time on TV campaigning in 2004 as that year's presidential candidates, George W. Bush and John Kerry, his Texas Longhorns were among a small collection of teams vying for BCS bids. With the 12-team Playoff opening the top postseason opportunities to as many as 20 teams realistically, the political campaign ads that mercilessly ended in early November were replaced by the politicking of college football figures. Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard spent last week taking shots at SMU and other programs over strength of schedule -- a point neglecting that the Cyclones' losses came to unranked Texas Tech and sub-.500 Kansas. Arizona State's thorough dismantling of Iowa State in the Big 12 Championship Game solved that debate at the proverbial ballot box. However, brace yourself for an offseason of recount demands coming out of the SEC. Alabama's exclusion at 9-3, while 11-2 SMU landed the final at-large spot, is sure to play into the same controversy that South Carolina coach Shane Beamer leaned into last week. Beamer told The State (Columbia, S.C.) last week that his program may consider changing its nonconference scheduling in response to its seemingly inevitable Playoff snub. It's an odd position, given South Carolina's three losses all came in-conference, and the Gamecocks' nonleague slate included sub-.500 teams Old Dominion, Akron and FCS Wofford. But then again, how often are political campaign pitches rooted in logic? What Went Wrong: Quantity over quality? A more salient position in Beamer's case for South Carolina is that the Gamecocks scored quality wins during a season-ending, six-game streak. With its Rivalry Week defeat of Clemson, South Carolina added a victory over a Playoff qualifier to complement victories over Texas A&M and Missouri. Alabama, meanwhile, boasts wins over No. 2 overall seed Georgia and that same South Carolina team in contention. SMU's resume might be the most likely to draw ire, given the Mustangs received the last at-large berth. However, SMU beat nine- and eight-win Duke and Louisville, with two losses by a combined six points. Indiana should be the more contentious at-large choice, with the Hoosiers beating only one team that finished above .500: 7-5 Michigan. Indiana's only other matchup with an above-.500 opponent was a 38-15 blowout at Ohio State. That's something Alabama and South Carolina have in common with Indiana, as all three teams lost in routs. Alabama dropped a 24-3 decision late in the season at Oklahoma that presumably doomed the Crimson Tide's chances, while South Carolina lost to Ole Miss 27-3. To that end, there are arguments to be made for and against every team that was on the bubble. No system will ever appease all parties. What Went Wrong: Seeding conundrum Much of the Playoff's very existence flies in the face of college football tradition. One facet of how the field was set that upholds tradition in its own small way is rewarding teams for winning their conferences by reserving the four first-round byes for league champions. When this format was implemented, however, the committee could not have envisioned that two of the top five conference champions would not be ranked in the top 10. Because three-loss Clemson survived a furious SMU comeback in the ACC championship game, and Arizona State caught fire after underwhelming losses to Texas Tech and Cincinnati to win a weak Big 12, the committee was in the unusual position of having to slot a non-power conference champion and double-digit-ranked team in a top-four spot. This first edition of the Playoff seems likely to be the last to use this format, even if this scenario seems like an outlier. --Kyle Kensing, Field Level MediaTheir ages vary. But a conspicuous handful of filmmaking lions in winter, or let’s say late autumn, have given us new reasons to be grateful for their work over the decades — even for the work that didn’t quite work. Which, yes, sounds like ingratitude. But do we even want more conventional or better-behaved work from talents such as Francis Ford Coppola? Even if we’re talking about “Megalopolis” ? If Clint Eastwood’s “Juror #2” gave audiences a less morally complicated courtroom drama, would that have mattered, given Warner Bros.’ butt-headed decision to plop it in less than three dozen movie theaters in the U.S.? Coppola is 85. Eastwood is 94. Paul Schrader, whose latest film “Oh, Canada” arrives this week and is well worth seeking out, is a mere 78. Based on the 2021 Russell Banks novel “Foregone,” “Oh, Canada” is the story of a documentary filmmaker, played by Richard Gere, being interviewed near the end of his cancer-shrouded final days. In the Montreal home he shares with his wife and creative partner, played by Uma Thurman, he consents to the interview by two former students of his. Gere’s character, Leonard Fife, has no little contempt for these two, whom he calls “Mr. and Mrs. Ken Burns of Canada” with subtle disdain. As we learn over the artful dodges and layers of past and present, events imagined and/or real, Fife treats the interview as a final confession from a guarded and deceptive soul. He’s also a hero to everyone in the room, famous for his anti-Vietnam war political activism, and for the Frederick Wiseman-like inflection of his own films’ interview techniques. The real-life filmmaker name-checked in “Oh, Canada” is documentarian Errol Morris, whose straight-to-the-lens framing of interview subjects was made possible by his Interrotron device. In Schrader’s adaptation, Fife doesn’t want the nominal director (Michael Imperioli, a nicely finessed embodiment of a second-rate talent with first-rate airs) in his eyeline. Rather, as he struggles with hazy, self-incriminating memories of affairs, marriages, one-offs with a friend’s wife and a tense, brief reunion with the son he never knew, Fife wants only his wife, Emma — his former Goddard College student — in this metaphoric confessional. Schrader and his editor Benjamin Rodriguez Jr. treat the memories as on-screen flashbacks spanning from 1968 to 2023. At times, Gere and Thurman appear as their decades-young selves, without any attempt to de-age them, digitally or otherwise. (Thank god, I kind of hate that stuff in any circumstance.) In other sequences from Fife’s past, Jacob Elordi portrays Fife, with sly and convincing behavioral details linking his performance to Gere’s persona. We hear frequent voiceovers spoken by Gere about having ruined his life by age 24, at least spiritually or morally. Banks’ novel is no less devoted to a dying man’s addled but ardent attempt to come clean and own up to what has terrified him the most in the mess and joy of living: Honesty. Love. Commitment. There are elements of “Oh, Canada” that soften Banks’ conception of Fife, from the parentage of Fife’s abandoned son to the specific qualities of Gere’s performance. It has been 44 years since Gere teamed with Schrader on “American Gigolo,” a movie made by a very different filmmaker with very different preoccupations of hetero male hollowness. It’s also clearly the same director at work, I think. And Gere remains a unique camera object, with a stunning mastery of filling a close-up with an unblinking stillness conveying feelings easier left behind. The musical score is pretty watery, and with Schrader you always get a few lines of tortured rhetoric interrupting the good stuff. In the end, “Oh, Canada” has an extraordinarily simple idea at its core: That of a man with a movie camera, most of his life, now on the other side of the lens. Not easy. “I can’t tell the truth unless that camera’s on!” he barks at one point. I don’t think the line from the novel made it into Schrader’s script, but it too sums up this lion-in-winter feeling of truth without triumphal Hollywood catharsis. The interview, Banks wrote, is one’s man’s “last chance to stop lying.” It’s also a “final prayer,” dramatized by the Calvinist-to-the-bone filmmaker who made sure to include that phrase in his latest devotion to final prayers and missions of redemption. “Oh, Canada” — 3 stars (out of 4) No MPA rating (some language and sexual material) Running time: 1:34 How to watch: Opens in theaters Dec. 13, running 1in Chicago Dec. 13-19 at the Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State St.; siskelfilmcenter.org Michael Phillips is a Tribune critic.
Thai developers' profits set to plunge this year
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The «Satanic Sisters» and Their Shared Delusion with Their Father Laura Quiñones Explores Folie à Deux in Trazos Criminales Available Every Tuesday on Audio Platforms In the latest episode of the podcast Trazos Criminales , Laura Quiñones Urquiza delves into the case of the «Satanic Sisters.» This case serves as a prime example of Folie à Deux , also known as «shared psychosis.» The story showcases how two sisters descended into a delusion involving demonological and mystical beliefs. Their case highlights the psychological power of suggestion and how it can transform ideas into dangerous actions. LISTEN TO MORE ABOUT THE «SATANIC SISTERS» BY CLICKING THE PHOTO Learn more about the «Satanic Sisters» / PHOTO: MundoNOW The case becomes even more chilling with the involvement of their father, who was subjected to a «purification ritual» driven by his daughters’ delusions. They believed that a «devil» inhabited him and that an exorcism was necessary. YOU MAY ALSO BE INTERESTED IN: UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson shot dead This incident sparked intense debate among specialists regarding the limits of suggestion, identifying it as a case of Folie à Deux . Additionally, it revealed the vulnerability of the human mind to imposed ideas. What is Folie à Deux? Folie à Deux is a rare psychiatric disorder in which a delusion is shared between two or more emotionally close individuals. This phenomenon is characterized by mutual influence between the individuals involved. While it doesn’t always result in crimes, in extreme cases, it can lead to dangerous behaviors. Its study has unveiled the complexity of psychological connections between people. The duration of Folie à Deux varies depending on the individuals and their environment. Typically, the delusion subsides when the individuals are separated, breaking their mutual influence. However, some cases leave psychological scars that are difficult to overcome. These consequences can be permanent, also impacting the social surroundings of those affected. The case of the «Satanic Sisters» is examined in-depth in Trazos Criminales , hosted by Laura Quiñones Urquiza, an expert in criminal profiling. In each episode, Quiñones explores the darkest corners of the human mind. Through her analysis, she reveals how forensic science experts solve complex cases. These cases often defy logic and common understanding. The fascination with such cases, like the «Satanic Sisters,» goes beyond their macabre nature, teaching us about the human mind and the influence of our surroundings. They also serve as warnings about the dangers of unchecked ideas. Trazos Criminales is released every Tuesday on major audio platforms. Listen to impactful stories about how forensic science unravels the darkest enigmas of our society. LISTEN TO MORE STORIES BY CLICKING THE PHOTO Learn more about the «Satanic Sisters» / PHOTO: MundoNOW if(typeof custom_paginate == "function")custom_paginate()
A federal judge temporarily halts the proposed supermarket merger of Kroger and Albertsons A federal judge has temporarily halted a proposed merger between supermarket giants Kroger and Albertsons, an action that could scuttle the deal. U.S. Dee-ann Durbin, The Associated Press Dec 10, 2024 1:09 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message FILE - The exterior of Kroger's fulfillment center is shown on July 27, 2022 in Dallas, Tex. (Rebecca Slezak/The Dallas Morning News via AP, File) A federal judge has temporarily halted a proposed merger between supermarket giants Kroger and Albertsons, an action that could scuttle the deal. U.S. District Court Judge Adrienne Nelson issued the ruling Tuesday after holding a three-week hearing in Portland, Oregon. Kroger and Albertsons in 2022 proposed what would be the largest grocery store merger in U.S. history. But the Federal Trade Commission sued earlier this year, asking Nelson to block the $24.6 billion deal until an in-house administrative judge at the FTC could consider the merger’s implications. Nelson agreed to pause the merger. “Any harms defendants experience as a result of the injunction do not overcome the strong public interest in the enforcement of antitrust law, especially given the difficulty in disentangling a premature merger,” she wrote in her opinion. Federal regulators argue that combining the two chains would be bad for consumers and workers by eliminating competition. The companies say a merger would help them better compete with big retailers like Walmart, Costco and Amazon. The case may now move to the FTC, although Kroger and Albertsons have asked a different federal judge to block the in-house proceedings. Colorado and Washington are also trying to halt the merger in ongoing state trials. The judge in Washington was expected to release his opinion later Tuesday. The FTC argued that Kroger and Albertsons currently compete in 22 states, closely matching each other on price, quality, private label products and services like store pickup. A merger would eliminate that competition and raise prices for already struggling consumers , the government said. The FTC also said the merger would hurt workers since Kroger and Albertsons would no longer compete to hire them. But Kroger and Albertsons argued their merger would preserve consumer choice by allowing them to better compete against its growing rivals. In its testimony, Albertsons warned Nelson that it might have to lay off workers, close stores and even exit some markets if the merger weren't allowed to proceed. Under the merger agreement, Kroger and Albertsons would sell 579 stores in places where their locations overlap to C&S Wholesale Grocers , a New Hampshire-based supplier to independent supermarkets that also owns the Grand Union and Piggly Wiggly store brands. The FTC argued that C&S is ill-prepared to take on the stores and may want the option to sell or close them. But Kroger and Albertsons said C&S has the experience and national scale to handle the divestiture. Kroger , based in Cincinnati, Ohio, operates 2,800 stores in 35 states, including brands like Ralphs, Smith’s and Harris Teeter. Albertsons , based in Boise, Idaho, operates 2,273 stores in 34 states, including brands like Safeway, Jewel Osco and Shaw’s. Together, the companies employ around 710,000 people. Dee-ann Durbin, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message More The Mix Premiers to meet with Trudeau Wednesday about trade and tariffs, Ford says Dec 10, 2024 1:34 PM Who is Tony Buzbee, the lawyer suing Jay-Z as part of civil cases against Sean 'Diddy' Combs? Dec 10, 2024 1:29 PM S&P/TSX composite down more than 100 points Tuesday, U.S. stock markets also lower Dec 10, 2024 1:25 PM Featured Flyer
Stars arrive at the 2024 Royal Variety Performance after Queen pulls out'Damn fine journo and a gentleman': Veteran TV3 news reporter diesWASHINGTON D.C., DC — President Joe Biden said Sunday that the sudden collapse of the Syrian government under Bashar Assad is a “fundamental act of justice” after decades of repression, but it was “a moment of risk and uncertainty” for the Middle East. Biden spoke at the White House hours after after rebel groups completed a takeover of the country following more than a dozen years of violent civil war and decades of leadership by Assad and his family . Biden said the United States was monitoring reports of the whereabouts of Assad, with Russian state media saying he had fled to Moscow and received asylum from his longtime ally. The outgoing Biden administration and President-elect Donald Trump were working to make sense of new threats and opportunities across the Middle East. Biden credited action by the U.S. and its allies for weakening Syria's backers — Russia, Iran and Hezbollah. He said “for the first time” that they could no longer defend Assad's grip on power. “Our approach has shifted the balance of power in the Middle East," Biden said, after a meeting with his national security team. Trump said Sunday that Assad had fled because close ally Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, “was not interested in protecting him any longer.” Those comments on Trump's social media platform came a day after he used another post to decry the possibility of the U.S. intervening militarily in Syria to aid the rebels, declaring, “THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT." The Biden administration said it had no intention of intervening. The U.S has about 900 troops in Syria, including forces working with Kurdish allies in the opposition-held northeast to prevent any resurgence of the Islamic State group. Biden said he intended for those troops to remain, adding that U.S. forces on Sunday conducted “precision air strikes" on IS camps and operations in Syria. U.S. Central Command said the operation hit more than 75 targets. “We’re clear-eyed about the fact that ISIS will try and take advantage of any vacuum to reestablish its credibility, and create a safe haven," Biden said, using a different acronym for the group. "We will not let that happen.” The Syrian opposition that brought down Assad is led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham , which the U.S. says is a terrorist organization with links to al-Qaida, although the group says it has since broken ties with al-Qaida. “We will remain vigilant,” Biden said. “Make no mistake, some of the rebel groups that took down Assad have their own grim record of terrorism and human rights abuses.” He added that the groups are “saying the right things now.” “But as they take on greater responsibility, we will assess not just their words, but their actions,” Biden said. A senior Biden administration official, when asked about contact with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham leaders after Assad's departure, said Washington was in contact with Syrian groups of all kinds. The official, who was not authorized to publicly discuss the situation and spoke on condition of anonymity, also said the U.S. has focused over the past several days on chemical weapons that had been controlled by the Assad government, aiming to ensure they were secured. Still, Assad's fall adds to an already tense situation throughout much of region on many fronts — including Israel's war with Hamas in Gaza and its fragile cease-fire with Hezbollah in Lebanon. Like Biden, Trump, who takes office in five-plus weeks, made a connection between the upheaval in Syria and Russia's war in Ukraine , noting that Assad's allies in Moscow, as well as in Iran, the main sponsor of Hamas and Hezbollah, “are in a weakened state right now.” Vice President-elect JD Vance , a veteran of the U.S.-led war in Iraq, wrote on own social media Sunday to express skepticism about the insurgents. “Many of ‘the rebels’ are a literal offshoot of ISIS. One can hope they’ve moderated. Time will tell,” he said, using another acronym for the group. Trump has suggested that Assad's ouster can advance the prospects for an end to fighting in Ukraine, which was invaded by Russia in February 2022. The president-elect wrote that Putin's government “lost all interest in Syria because of Ukraine” and the Republican called for an immediate cease-fire, a day after meeting in Paris with the French and Ukrainian leaders . Daniel B. Shapiro, a deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East, said the American military presence will continue in eastern Syria but was “solely to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS and has nothing to do with other aspects of this conflict.” “We call on all parties in Syria to protect civilians, particularly those from Syria’s minority communities to respect international military norms and to work to achieve a resolution to include the political settlement,” Shapiro said. “Multiple actors in this conflict have a terrible track record to include Assad’s horrific crimes, Russia’s indiscriminate aerial bomb bombardment, Iranian-back militia involvement and the atrocities of ISIS," he added. Shapiro, however, was careful not to directly say Assad had been deposed by the insurgents. “If confirmed, no one should shed any tears over the Assad regime,” he said. As they pushed toward the Syrian capital of Damascus, the opposition freed political detainees from government prisons. The family of missing U.S. journalist Austin Tice renewed calls to find him. “To everyone in Syria that hears this, please remind people that we’re waiting for Austin,” Tice’s mother, Debra, said in comments that hostage advocacy groups spread on social media. "We know that when he comes out, he’s going to be fairly dazed & he’s going to need lots of care & direction. Direct him to his family please!” Tice disappeared in 2012 outside Damascus, amid intensification of what became a civil war stretching more than a decade. "We’ve remained committed to returning him to his family,” Biden said at the White House. "We believe he’s alive, we think we can get him back but we have no direct evidence to that yet. And Assad should be held accountable.” The president added: “We have to identify where he is." The U.S. has no new evidence that Tice is alive but continues to operate under the assumption that he is, according to a U.S. official. The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly, added that the U.S. will continue to work to identify Tice's whereabouts and to try to bring him home . ___ Associated Press writers Jon Gambrell in Manama, Bahrain, and Aamer Madhani and AP White House Correspondent Zeke Miller contributed to this report.
