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Macron names ally Bayrou as new PM as he aims to restore political stabilityNASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — After more than 150 shows across five continents over nearly two years, the global phenomenon that is Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour is coming to an end. There is no simple way to encapsulate the effects of Swift’s decision to put on a 3 1⁄2-hour concert, showcasing 44 songs representing 10 different “eras” of her career — a feat she kicked off in March 2023 and will end Sunday in Vancouver, Canada. The tour shattered sales and attendance records and created such an economic boom that even the Federal Reserve took note. But for many who attended the concerts, and the millions more who eagerly watched fan-broadcasted livestreams on their screens, the tour also became a beacon of joy — a chance not only to appreciate Swift's expansive music career, but also celebrate the yearslong journey fans have taken with her. “Right now we have this special designated time to be together, talk about the show and hang out,” said Tess Bohne, a stay-at-home mom of three turned content creator dedicated to livestreaming Swift’s concerts — by attending herself or coordinating with others to highlight their streams. “For some, it’s their therapy.” Bohne, who has earned the title among the Swiftie community as the “livestream queen,” says she often interacts with fans hosting parties to watch an Eras concert live at home with their closest friends. People have also made lasting friendships as they geek out together watching the show from afar. Swift has long been known for leaving Easter eggs for her fans to pinpoint and decipher, a quirk that quickly took on a life of its own during the tour as eagle-eyed devotees began analyzing the possible meaning of her outfits, surprise songs and subtle lyric swaps. The buzz has been so large that multiple mobile apps were launched so fans could guess and track all the various changes. There’s even a game that gives out prizes for correctly predicting various particulars of a show, including what color guitar Swift uses while playing “Lover.” “Imagine your favorite sports team,” Bohne said. “They’re still a team, but they’re not going to play any games for the foreseeable future. That’s going to leave a hole for some folks.” Swift herself appeared to struggle that the end was near while performing at her 100th Eras show in June at Liverpool. “This is the very first time I’ve ever acknowledged to myself and admitted that this tour is gonna end in December,” she said, stressing that “this tour has really become my entire life.” Late last month, in Toronto, she briefly broke down at the thought of the tour's impending end. Swift kicked off the Eras tour in Glendale, Arizona, the first of many sold-out stadiums as the tour progressed first in the U.S. and later into South America, Asia, the United Kingdom and Canada. By the end of 2023, it had become the first tour to ever gross over $1 billion and saw hundreds of millions of dollars spent on merchandise. She is likely to bring in over $2 billion by the time the tour wraps on Dec. 8, according to concert trade publication Pollstar. Throughout the tour, Swift was named Time Magazine’s Person of the Year . Apple Music named her its artist of the year and Spotify revealed she was 2023’s most streamed artist globally . She dropped a box office-topping concert film and helped send NFL viewership skyrocketing when she began dating Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. Toward the end of the tour, she released a coffee table book. And if that wasn’t enough, she released re-recordings of her Nashville-era 2010 record, “Speak Now ” and 2014's record “1989,” as well as released her 11th studio album, “The Tortured Poets Department.” “I think it’s perfect in these times to have somebody like Taylor to kind of give us distraction, give us inspiration, give us hope,” said Ralph Jaccodine, an assistant professor at Berklee College of Music and a former concert promoter who has worked with Bruce Springsteen and others. “And this is a woman that owning it, she’s come a long way. And now she can talk about artist rights and women’s rights and equality. And really, just her work ethic is relentless." Even the word “era” has become ubiquitous, with fans and casual observers using the term to explain both frivolous and transformative phases — are you in your “villain era” or a “healing era”? “I think this tour really solidified her position as a legend,” said Kayla Wong, an influencer who runs the popular Swift-focused Instagram account @headfirstfearless. “Whether or not you like her music, whether or not you think she’s talented, the numbers really speak for themselves. The tour broke so many records and was such a global phenomenon for so long that I think she’s achieved a level where it’s undeniable as to how everlasting her impact is.” Yet the tour did experience its own dark moments. In Brazil last year, one concertgoer — 23-year-old Ana Clara Benevides — passed out and later died of heat exhaustion. In July, British police charged a 17-year-old with murder over a stabbing attack during a Taylor Swift-themed summer holiday dance and yoga class that left three little girls dead. News outlets reported that Swift met with some of the survivors backstage in London. And in August, all three of Swift's concerts in Vienna were called off after officials announced arrests over an apparent plot to launch an attack on an event in the city. Tens of thousands of Swifties from around the world had traveled to Vienna for the shows. “Having our Vienna shows cancelled was devastating,” Swift later wrote in a statement. “The reason for the cancellations filled me with a new sense of fear, and a tremendous amount of guilt because so many people had planned on coming to those shows.” Through the hardships and celebrations, Swift's connections to her fans has only ballooned and deepened throughout the tour. After the Vienna cancellations, many fans flocked to the streets to sing Swift's songs and placed friendship bracelets — which also became an iconic feature of the shows — on a nearby tree. Over the past two years, the fandom has welcomed new audiences — both old and new. “I feel like years ago, we were kind of all the same age and fans for the same reason,” Wong said of Swifties. “Now the fandom has people from all kinds of backgrounds, all ages, all different reasons for following her in the first place.”A long-standing rivalry will be transported from North Carolina to Annapolis as East Carolina meets NC State in the Military Bowl.
Rosen Law Firm Announces Investigation of Breaches of Fiduciary Duties by the Directors and Officers of Southwest Airlines Co. – LUVMultibillion-dollar plan to convert coal into ‘clean’ hydrogen falters
Is Bluesky Worth It for State and Local Governments?Pentagon spokesperson did not 'confirm' drones were from space | Fact check
WASHINGTON (AP) – United States (US) President-elect Donald Trump said that the US military should stay out of the fast-escalating conflict in Syria, where a dramatic rebel offensive reached the capital. “THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT,” Trump declared on social media. As world leaders watched the stunning rebel advance, with its potential to alter the balance of power in the Middle East, US President Joe Biden’s national security adviser separately stressed that the Biden administration had no intention of intervening. “The US is not going to ... militarily dive into the middle of a Syrian civil war,” Jake Sullivan told an audience in California. Insurgents’ stunning march across Syria appeared to reach its goal hours after both men spoke, with rebels entering Damascus after claiming many of the country’s other major cities within roughly 10 days. The head of a Syrian opposition war monitor said early yesterday that Assad left the country for an undisclosed location. Trump’s comments on the dramatic rebel push were his first since Syrian rebels launched their advance late last month. They came while he was in Paris for the reopening of the Notre Dame cathedral. In his post, Trump said Assad did not deserve US support to stay in power. The insurgents are led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which the US has designated as a terrorist group and says has links to al-Qaeda, although the group has since broken ties with al-Qaeda. “None of them are prepared to provide the kind of support to Assad that they provided in the past,” he later added. The US has about 900 troops in Syria. Head of US Special Operations Command General Bryan Fenton said he would not want to speculate on how the upheaval in Syria would affect the US military’s footprint in the country. “It’s still too early to tell,” he said. Syrian opposition activists and regional officials have been watching closely for any indication from the incoming Trump administration on how the US would respond to the rebel advances against Assad.
Words on ammo in CEO shooting echo common phrase on insurer tactics: Delay, deny, defend A message left at the scene of an insurance executive’s fatal shooting echoes a phrase commonly used to describe insurer tactics to avoid paying claims. The words “deny,” “defend” and “depose” were written on the ammunition used to kill UnitedHealthcare's CEO. That's according to two officials who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Thursday. The words are similar to the phrase “delay, deny, defend.” That's how attorneys describe insurers denying services and payment, and the title of a 2010 book critical of the industry. Police haven’t officially commented on the words. But Thompson’s shooting and the messages on the ammunition have sparked outrage on social media and elsewhere, reflecting frustration Americans have over the cost and complexity of getting care. Bitcoin has surpassed the $100,000 mark as the post-election rally continues. What's next? NEW YORK (AP) — Bitcoin has topped the $100,000 mark, extending a rally in the world’s most popular cryptocurrency sparked by the election of Donald Trump. The milestone comes just hours after the president-elect signaled a lighter regulatory approach to the crypto industry with his choice of crypto advocate Paul Atkins to be the next chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Bitcoin has soared to unprecedented heights since Trump won the election Nov. 5. The cryptocurrency has climbed dramatically from $69,374 on Election Day and rose to more than $103,000 before falling back below $100,000 by Thursday afternoon. US judge rejects Boeing's plea deal in a conspiracy case stemming from fatal plane crashes DALLAS (AP) — A federal judge has rejected a deal that would have let Boeing to plead guilty to a felony conspiracy charge and pay a fine for misleading U.S. regulators about the 737 Max jetliner before two of the planes crashed and 346 people died. U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor in Texas said that diversity, inclusion and equity or DEI policies in the government and at Boeing could result in race being a factor in picking an official to oversee Boeing’s compliance with the agreement. His ruling on Thursday creates uncertainty around the criminal prosecution of the aerospace giant. The judge gave Boeing and the Justice Department 30 days to tell him how they plan to proceed. McKinsey subsidiary will pay $122M for scheme to bribe South African officials, US says WASHINGTON (AP) — An African subsidiary of the consulting firm McKinsey & Company Inc. will pay a criminal penalty of more than $122 million to resolve a U.S. Justice Department investigation into a yearslong scheme to bribe South African government officials. The Justice Department says the scheme involved bribes to officials with South Africa’s state-owned and state-controlled custodian of ports, rails, and pipelines, as well as its state-controlled energy company. It netted McKinsey Africa and its parent company $85 million in profits between 2012 and 2016, officials said. McKinsey said in a statement that it “welcomes the resolution of these matters and the closure of this regretful situation.” EPA hails 'revitalized' enforcement efforts as Biden administration heads to exit WASHINGTON (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency says it concluded more than 1,850 civil cases this year, a 3.4% increase over 2023, and charged 121 criminal defendants, a 17.6% increase over the previous year. The agency also issued $1.7 billion in financial penalties, more than double last year's total. Thursday's report was the final one account of Biden-era enforcement actions before President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January. Enforcement efforts included first-ever criminal charges for a California man accused of smuggling climate-damaging air coolants into the United States. Engine maker Cummins Inc. paid more than $2 billion in fines and penalties after it was found to use illegal software to skirt diesel emissions tests. Work-life balance isn't working for women. Why? NEW YORK (AP) — About half of working women reported feeling stressed “a lot of the day,” compared to about 4 in 10 men, according to a Gallup report published Wednesday. The report suggests that competing demands of work and home comprise part of the problem: working women who are parents or guardians are more likely than men who are parents to say they have declined or delayed a promotion at work because of personal or family obligations, and mothers are more likely than fathers to “strongly agree” that they are the default responders for unexpected child care issues. But changing workplace culture and prioritizing well-being can improve the problem, according to Karen Guggenheim, creator of the World Happiness Summit. From outsider to the Oval Office, bitcoin surges as a new administration embraces crypto NEW YORK (AP) — Bitcoin burst on the scene after trust had withered in the financial system and Washington’s ability to protect people from it. Now, it’s Washington’s embrace of bitcoin that’s sending it to records. Bitcoin briefly surged above $103,000 after President-elect Donald Trump said he will nominate Paul Atkins, who's seen as friendly to crypto, to be the Securities and Exchange Commission's next chair. The crypto industry, meanwhile, did its part to bring politicians friendly to digital currencies into Washington. It's a twist from bitcoin's early days, when it was lauded as a kind of electronic cash that wouldn’t be beholden to any government or financial institution. Stock market today: Wall Street edges back from its records as bitcoin briefly pops above $100,000 NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks edged back from their records as Wall Street counted down to a big jobs report that’s coming on Friday. The S&P 500 fell 0.2% Thursday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 0.6%, and the Nasdaq composite sank 0.2% from its own all-time high. The crypto market had more action, and bitcoin briefly burst to a record above $103,000 before falling back toward $99,000. It's climbed dramatically since Election Day on hopes President-elect Donald Trump will be more friendly to crypto. Airline stocks were strong, while Treasury yields held relatively steady in the bond market. Key members of OPEC+ alliance are putting off production increases amid slack crude prices FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Eight members of the OPEC+ alliance of oil exporting countries have decided to put off increasing oil production as they face weaker than expected demand and competing production from non-allied countries — factors that could keep oil prices stagnant into next year. The OPEC+ members decided at an online meeting to postpone by three months production increases that had been scheduled to take effect Jan. 1. The plan had been to start gradually restoring 2.2 million barrels per day over the course of 2025. That process will now be pushed back to April 1, 2025 and production increases will gradually take place over 18 months until October 2026. Eli Lilly invests $3B to expand Wisconsin factory to help meet demand for Mounjaro, Zepbound Eli Lilly is spending another $3 billion to bulk up manufacturing as the drugmaker seeks to stoke production of some blockbuster drugs and future products. Lilly said Thursday it will expand a Kenosha County, Wisconsin, factory it bought early this year. The investment will help meet growing demand for injectable products like its diabetes and obesity drugs, Mounjaro and Zepbound. Those drugs brought in a combined $4.4 billion in sales for Lilly in this year’s third quarter. The drugmaker plans to start construction of the expansion next year.Wall Street's Mixed Signals: Nasdaq's Milestone & Economic Uncertainties
Utah woman who overcame substance abuse pardoned by President BidenWhat it’s like living like a billionaire aboard a 67m megayacht in MonacoMacKenzie Scott continues to make medical debt relief a priority in her mysterious giving. This week, Undue Medical Debt, formerly RIP Medical Debt, announced it had received a rare third gift — $50 million — from the billionaire philanthropist, signaling her satisfaction with the group’s efforts to purchase medical debt in bulk from hospitals and debt collectors. Scott has donated a total of $130 million to the organization since 2020. Medical debt is increasing despite most of the U.S. population having some form of medical insurance. Nearly 100 million people are unable to pay their medical bills, according to Third Way, a left-leaning national think tank. Overall, Americans owe about $220 billion in medical debt, with historically disadvantaged groups shouldering the bulk of the burden. Lower-income people, people with disabilities, middle-aged adults, Black people, the uninsured, and people living in rural areas are among the groups most likely to be affected by medical debt, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation . Undue Medical Debt buys debt at a discounted price, estimating that it erases about $100 in debt for each $1 donated. The group also collaborates with policymakers to encourage the adoption of measures to curb what people owe for medical care. Scott first gave Undue Medical Debt a $50 million donation in 2020, followed by a $30 million donation in 2022. With that money, the group has relieved nearly $15 billion in debt for more than 9 million people, CEO Allison Sesso said. That’s a significant leap from the $1 billion in debt relieved from 2014 to 2019, she noted. “I’m frankly astounded by this most recent gift from MacKenzie Scott and feel proud to be a steward of these funds as we continue the essential work of dismantling the yoke of medical debt that’s burdening far too many families in this country,” said Sesso. The continued funding has allowed Sesso “to not have to worry about my next dollar,” she said, and “think more strategically about the narrative around medical debt — she has helped us push that conversation.” Undue Medical Debt was started in 2014 by two former debt collection executives, Jerry Ashton and Craig Antico, who were inspired by the Occupy Wall Street movement’s advocacy for debt relief. Growth initially was slow. But with Scott’s gifts, the nonprofit has been able to staff up, produce more research, and develop relationships with policymakers who have pushed for changes to hospital billing practices to relieve debt and prevent people from accumulating it in the first place, Sesso said. Undue Medical Debt’s public policy arm has worked with lawmakers in North Carolina, which in July became the first state to offer additional Medicaid payments to hospitals that agree to adopt debt relief measures, she said. The policy change followed the publication of a 2023 report from Duke University, which found that one in five families in the state had been forced into collections proceedings because of medical debt. Since 2020, the organization’s staff has grown from three to about 40, Sesso said. Those hires included an anthropologist who collects stories from people set back by medical debt to inform the group’s research and advocacy work. Scott’s gifts also have helped improve Undue Medical Debt’s technology to identify people eligible for debt relief and to find hospitals from which it can purchase medical debt, among other things, Sesso said. “This coming year, because of this MacKenzie Scott grant, we’ll be able to add more people, making sure that we can support that growth on an ongoing basis,” Sesso said. Few organizations have received more than one gift from Scott. Other multi-grant recipients include Blue Meridian, an intermediary group that has directed billions of dollars to nonprofits around the world, and GiveDirectly, which provides no-strings-attached cash payments to low-income people globally. GiveDirectly has received $125 million from Scott since 2020. Blue Meridian has not disclosed amounts for the four gifts it’s received since 2019. Scott’s contributions to those two organizations were for specific causes like GiveDirectly’s U.S. poverty relief fund, said Christina Im, a senior research analyst at the Center for Effective Philanthropy. In the case of Undue Medical Debt, the timing of Scott’s first gifts in 2020 and 2022 seemed to correspond with COVID-relief efforts, she said. Scott, the former wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, is worth an estimated $32 billion but provides few details about her grantmaking decisions. Without further information, it’s hard to know what prompted this third donation to Undue Medical Debt, but Scott has said in public statements that she wants to help those who are most in need and bear the brunt of societal ills, said Elisha Smith Arrillaga, the Center for Effective Philanthropy’s vice president for research. “I have not seen a lot of other folks funding in this area,” Smith Arrillaga added. Scott’s latest gift to Undue Medical Debt comes amid national debates about medical insurance and the cost of medical treatments. The murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on December 4 in Midtown Manhattan has heightened these conversations, with some lionizing the man who allegedly committed the crime. “That’s no way to get change, full stop,” Sesso said in reference to Thompson’s murder. “But I think the anger around insurance companies and having access to care is very clear.” The U.S. has one of the most expensive health care systems in the world. And the amount of medical debt carried by individuals seems to be increasing, noted Adam Searing, a public interest attorney and associate professor at Georgetown University, where he focuses on Medicaid and other health coverage programs. Searing previously served for 17 years as director of the Health Access Coalition at the nonprofit North Carolina Justice Center, advocating for the uninsured and underinsured. During that time, he heard from people losing their homes due to liens from hospitals. Sometimes those liens could be delayed, but it still meant that the debtors couldn’t pass those homes along to their children or grandchildren, he said. “Those stories stuck with me,” he said. “It really has an impact on families.” Relieving debt allows people to get their lives back on track and become financially secure after a major illness or series of expensive bills, Searing said. For philanthropists, it’s also a cause that is largely nonpartisan. Scott shining a spotlight on the issue is undoubtedly “a good thing,” he said. “I think it will have a big effect.” _____ Stephanie Beasley is a senior writer at the Chronicle of Philanthropy. This article was provided to The Associated Press by the Chronicle of Philanthropy as part of a partnership to cover philanthropy and nonprofits supported by the Lilly Endowment Inc. The Chronicle is solely responsible for the content. For all of AP’s philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy .
Mr Bayrou, 73, a crucial partner in Macron’s centrist alliance, has been a well-known figure in French politics for decades. His political experience is seen as key in efforts to restore stability as no single party holds a majority at the National Assembly. Mr Macron’s office said in a statement that Mr Bayrou “has been charged with forming a new government”. During the handover ceremony, Mr Bayrou said that “no one knows the difficulty of the situation better” than he does. “I’ve taken reckless risks all along my political life to raise the issue of debt and deficits in the most important elections,” he said. France is under pressure from the European Union’s executive body and financial markets to reduce its colossal debt, estimated to reach 6% of its gross domestic product this year. “I know that the risks of difficulties are much greater than the chances of success,” Mr Bayrou said, adding that he hopes to lead the country towards a “needed reconciliation”. “I think this is the only possible path to success,” he said. The new prime minister is expected to hold talks with political leaders from various parties in the coming days in order to choose new ministers. Former prime minister Michel Barnier resigned last week following a no-confidence vote prompted by budget disputes in the National Assembly, leaving France without a functioning government. Mr Macron in an address to the nation vowed to remain in office until his term ends in 2027. Mr Macron’s centrist alliance does not have a majority in parliament and Mr Bayrou’s Cabinet will need to rely on moderate lawmakers from the left and the right to be able to stay in power. Some conservatives are expected to be part of the new government. Mr Macron’s strategy aims at preventing far-right leader Marine Le Pen from holding “make or break” power over the government. Ms Le Pen helped oust Mr Barnier by joining her National Rally party’s forces to the left to pass the no-confidence motion last week. Mr Bayrou’s appointment is also in line with Mr Macron’s efforts to build a non-aggression pact with the Socialists so that they commit not to vote against the government in any future confidence motion. Mr Bayrou leads the centrist Democratic Movement, known as MoDem, which he founded in 2007. In 2017, he supported Mr Macron’s first presidential bid and became a weighty partner in the French president’s centrist alliance. At the time, he was appointed justice minister, but he quickly resigned from the government amid an investigation into the MoDem’s alleged embezzlement of European Parliament funds. Mr Bayrou this year was cleared in the case by a Paris court, which found eight other party officials guilty and sentenced the party to pay a fine. Mr Bayrou became well known to the French public when he was education minister from 1993 to 1997 in a conservative government. He was three times a candidate for president: in 2002, 2007 and 2012.
Dorchester Minerals CEO Bradley Ehrman acquires $496,536 in stock
Bowlero Becomes Lucky Strike Entertainment: A Bold Rebrand for the FutureSEOUL, South Korea (AP) — In an era of rising authoritarianism, at the heels of a six-hour martial law decree that unfolded while many South Koreans slept, something noteworthy happened: Democracy held. The past week in Seoul, officials and academics warn, is what a threat to democracy looks like in 2024. It's a democratically-elected president declaring martial law over the nation he leads, asserting sweeping powers to prevent opposition demonstrations, ban political parties and control the media. It's members of the military attempting to block lawmakers from exercising their power to vote on cancelling the power grab. And here's what it took to defeat President Yoon Suk Yeol 's lurch toward government by force: Unified popular support for democracy. Legislators storming the National Assembly past midnight, live-streaming themselves climbing over fences. A politician grabbing at a soldier's rifle and yelling “Aren't you ashamed?” until he retreated. And finally, decisively, Parliament assembling a quorum and voting unanimously to cancel martial law. It was a victory for a hard-won democracy — and for the idea that checks and balances among branches of government must work to counteract each other's ambitions, as the American founders wrote in the Federalist Papers in 1788. But as the drama played out in Seoul, the scaffolding of democracy rattled around the world. In other countries, the grab for power might have worked. Other would-be authoritarians might have been better prepared than Yoon. In deeply polarized societies — the United States, for example, where Republicans are staunchly loyal to president-elect Donald Trump — there might not have been decisive support from the public or the opposition. The military might have used force. And the members of the legislature might not have voted as one to snuff out the attempted takeover. “President Yoon's attempt to declare martial law reveals the fragility of the rule of law in divided societies, especially those with governments in which the chief executive cannot be easily dismissed by the legislature," said Tom Pepinsky, a government professor at Cornell University who studies backsliding among democracies in Southeast Asia. Notably, he said in an email, “No members of President Yoon’s own party were willing to defend his actions in public." Nevertheless, Yoon’s surprise attempt to impose martial law revealed both the fragility and resilience of the country’s democratic system. Within three hours of his stunning announcement to impose military rule — claiming the opposition was “paralyzing” state affairs — 190 lawmakers voted to cancel his actions. In so doing, they demonstrated the strength of the country’s democratic checks and balances. Yoon’s authoritarian push, carried out by hundreds of heavily armed troops with Blackhawk helicopters and armored vehicles sent to the National Assembly, harked back to an era of dictatorial presidents. The country’s democratic transition in the late 1980s came after years of massive protests by millions that eventually overcame violent suppressions by military rulers. Civilian presence was again crucial in shaping the events following Yoon’s late night television announcement on Tuesday. Thousands of people flocked to the National Assembly, shouting slogans for martial law to be lifted and Yoon to step down from power. There were no reports of violent clashes as troops and police officers. “We restored democracy without having a single casualty this time,” said Seol Dong-hoon, a sociology professor at South Korea’s Jeonbuk National University. It’s virtually impossible for any leader of a democracy to pull off a transition toward martial law without a public willing to support it, or at least tolerate it. Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, who narrowly lost to Yoon in the 2022 presidential election, attracted millions of views as he began live-streaming his journey to the National Assembly, pleading for people to converge to the parliament to help lawmakers get inside. The shaky footage later shows him exiting his car climbing over a fence to get onto the grounds. The vote at the National Assembly was also broadcast live on the YouTube channel of Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik, who also had to scale a fence to get in. Yoon’s sense of crisis clearly wasn’t shared by the public, whose opinions, Seol said, were shaped predominantly by the shocking videos broadcast to their devices. “Ultimately, democracy is all about moving public opinion,” he said. “What was most crucial in this case was that everything was broadcast live on smartphones, YouTube and countless other media.” Opposition lawmakers are now pushing to remove Yoon from office, saying he failed to meet the constitutional requirement that martial law should only be considered in wartime or a comparable severe crisis — and that he unlawfully deployed troops to the National Assembly. On Saturday, an opposition-led impeachment motion failed after most lawmakers from Yoon’s party boycotted the vote. Yet the president’s troubles persist: The vote’s defeat is expected to intensify nationwide protests and deepen South Korea’s political turmoil, with opposition parties preparing to introduce another impeachment motion when parliament reconvenes next Wednesday. Han Sang-hie, a law professor at Seoul’s Konkuk University, said the martial law debacle highlights what he sees as the most crucial flaw of South Korea’s democracy: that it places too much power in the hands of the president, which is easily abused and often goes unchecked. Political scientists call what happened in South Korea an “autogolpe” — a “self-coup” — defined as one led by incumbent leaders themselves, in which an executive takes or sponsors illegal actions against others in the government. Yoon qualifies because he used troops to try to shut down South Korea's legislature. Self-coups are increasing, with a third of the 46 since 1945 occurring in the past decade, according to a study by researchers from Carnegie Mellon University and Penn State University. About 80% of self-coups succeed, they reported. In 2021, a power grab by Tunisian President Kais Saied raised similar concerns around the world after the country designed a democracy from scratch and won a Nobel Peace Prize after a largely bloodless revolution. In the United States, some have expresed worry about similar situations arising during the second administration of Donald Trump. He has vowed, after all, to shake some of democracy's pillars . He's mused that he would be justified if he decided to pursue “the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution.” That’s in contrast to the oath of office he took in 2017, and will again next year, to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution” as best he can. Nearly half of voters in the Nov. 5 election, which Trump won, said they were “very concerned” that another Trump presidency would bring the U.S. closer to authoritarianism, according to AP Votecast survey data. Asked before a live audience on Fox News Channel in 2023 to assure Americans that he would not abuse power or use the presidency to seek retribution against anyone, Trump replied, “except for day one," when he'll close the border and “drill, drill, drill.” After that, Trump said, "I'm not a dictator.” Kellman reported from London.
Macron names ally Bayrou as new PM as he aims to restore political stabilityNoneQNA DOHA: Advisor to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr Majed bin Mohammed Al Ansari affirmed that the State of Qatar is closely monitoring the rapid developments in Syria, expressing Qatar's welcome of the positive steps taken by the opposition forces, especially in maintaining the safety of civilians, stabilizing state institutions, and ensuring the continuity of public services. He viewed these steps as the beginning of a new phase that allows the Syrian people to achieve their legitimate aspirations for freedom, justice, and peace. In a statement to Qatar News Agency (QNA), Dr Al Ansari emphasized that the Syrian people, who have made countless sacrifices for their freedom and have shown legendary steadfastness for over a decade against oppression and violence, deserve international recognition and support for their national project. He stressed the importance of building on the measures taken to enhance social peace and avoiding any political or security vacuum that could affect the country's stability. The Advisor to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs highlighted the importance of protecting civilians and ensuring their safety, urging all concerned parties to adhere to international humanitarian law and work towards a peaceful political transition that serves the interests of the Syrian people and enhances regional stability. Dr Al Ansari confirmed Qatar's continued intensive communications with Arab and international partners to support peace efforts in Syria and its readiness to contribute constructively to supporting the Syrian people's march towards a stable, secure, and prosperous future. Copy 09/12/2024 10The end of an Eras tour approaches, marking a bittersweet moment for Taylor Swift fans
As Hegseth’s public profile grew, he faced deepening private turmoil
WASHINGTON — Nearly 100 former senior U.S. diplomats and intelligence and national security officials have urged Senate leaders to schedule closed-door hearings to allow for a full review of the government’s files on former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Donald Trump’s pick to be national intelligence director. The former officials, who served in both Democratic and Republican administrations, said they were “alarmed” by the choice of Gabbard to oversee all 18 U.S. intelligence agencies. They said her past actions “call into question her ability to deliver unbiased intelligence briefings to the President, Congress, and to the entire national security apparatus.” A spokesperson for Gabbard on the Trump transition team on Thursday denounced the appeal as an “unfounded” and “partisan” attack. Avril Haines, the current director of national intelligence, when asked Thursday whether intelligence sharing with allies could be in jeopardy under the next administration, cited the importance of those relationships and noted the strong bipartisan support for them in Congress. The question, at a Council on Foreign Relations talk, focused on the especially close intelligence sharing among the Five Eyes — the U.S., Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. It did not mention Gabbard by name. “It is hard for me to believe that anybody coming in wouldn’t want to maintain those relationships,” Haines said. “So I wouldn’t think of them as being in significant risk,” she added. “I certainly hope that will continue.” Among those who signed the letter to Senate leaders were former Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, former NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller, former national security adviser Anthony Lake, and numerous retired ambassadors and high-ranking military officers. They wrote to current Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and incoming Republican Majority Leader John Thune on Wednesday to urge the closed briefings as part of the Senate’s review of Trump’s top appointments. They requested that Senate committees “consider in closed sessions all information available to the U.S. government when considering Ms. Gabbard’s qualifications to manage our country’s intelligence agencies, and more importantly, the protection of our intelligence sources and methods.” The letter singles out Gabbard’s 2017 meetings in Syria with President Bashar Assad, who is supported by Russian, Iranian and Iranian-allied forces in a now 13-year war against Syrian opposition forces seeking his overthrow. The U.S., which cut relations with Assad’s government and imposed sanctions over his conduct of the war, maintains about 900 troops in opposition-controlled northeast Syria, saying they are needed to block a resurgence of extremist groups. Gabbard, a Democratic member of Congress from Hawaii at the time of her Syria trip, drew heavy criticism for her meetings with a U.S. adversary and brutal leader. As the letter notes, her statements on the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine have aligned with Russian talking points, diverging from U.S. positions and policy. Gabbard throughout her political career has urged the U.S. to limit military engagement abroad other than combatting Islamic extremist groups. She has defended the Syria trip by saying it is necessary to engage with U.S. enemies. In postings on social media earlier this year she confirmed that the U.S. had for a time placed her “on a secret terror watch list” as a “potential domestic terror threat.” She blamed political retaliation. Neither she nor U.S. authorities have publicly detailed the circumstances involved. Alexa Henning, a spokesperson for Gabbard with the Trump team, called the letter sent to the Senate leaders “a perfect example” of why Trump chose Gabbard for this position. “These unfounded attacks are from the same geniuses who have blood on their hands from decades of faulty ‘intelligence,’” and use classified government information as a “partisan weapon to smear and imply things about their political enemy,” Henning said. A spokesperson for Thune did not immediately respond to questions about the request.CWD-infected deer harvested in west-central MinnesotaTORONTO , Dec. 18, 2024 /CNW/ - BMO Asset Management Inc., as manager of the BMO ETFs, and BMO Investments Inc., as manager of the BMO Mutual Funds, today announced the December 2024 cash distributions for unitholders of BMO ETFs and unitholders of ETF Series units of the BMO Mutual Funds (ETF Series) 1 that distribute monthly, quarterly and annually, as set out in the tables below. Unitholders of record of the BMO ETFs and ETF Series at the close of business on December 30, 2024 will receive cash distributions payable on January 3, 2025. The ex-dividend date and record date for all BMO ETFs and ETF Series of BMO Mutual Funds is December 30, 2024 . Details of the per unit cash distribution amount are as follows: FUND NAME TICKER CASH DISTRIBUTION PER UNIT ($) BMO Long Short Canadian Equity ETF ZLSC 0.210 BMO Long Short US Equity ETF ZLSU 0.130 BMO Aggregate Bond Index ETF ZAG 0.040 BMO BBB Corporate Bond Index ETF ZBBB 0.280 BMO Canadian Bank Income Index ETF ZBI 0.270 BMO Canadian MBS Index ETF ZMBS 0.040 BMO Clean Energy Index ETF ZCLN 0.268 BMO Corporate Bond Index ETF ZCB 0.460 BMO Discount Bond Index ETF ZDB 0.030 BMO Dow Jones Industrial Average Hedged to CAD Index ETF ZDJ 0.210 BMO Emerging Markets Bond Hedged to CAD Index ETF ZEF 0.045 BMO Equal Weight Banks Index ETF ZEB 0.140 BMO Equal Weight Global Base Metals Hedged to CAD Index ETF ZMT 0.219 BMO Equal Weight Global Gold Index ETF ZGD 0.600 BMO Equal Weight Industrials Index ETF ZIN 0.150 BMO Equal Weight Oil & Gas Index ETF ZEO 0.680 BMO Equal Weight REITs Index ETF ZRE 0.090 BMO Equal Weight US Banks Hedged to CAD Index ETF ZUB 0.185 BMO Equal Weight US Banks Index ETF ZBK 0.195 BMO Equal Weight US Health Care Hedged to CAD Index ETF ZUH 0.487 BMO Equal Weight US Health Care Index ETF ZHU 0.250 BMO Equal Weight Utilities Index ETF ZUT 0.075 BMO ESG Corporate Bond Index ETF ESGB 0.250 BMO ESG High Yield US Corporate Bond Index ETF ESGH 0.100 BMO ESG High Yield US Corporate Bond Index ETF (Hedged Units) ESGH.F 0.095 BMO ESG US Corporate Bond Hedged to CAD Index ETF ESGF 0.240 BMO Global Communications Index ETF COMM 0.120 BMO Global Consumer Discretionary Hedged to CAD Index ETF DISC 0.090 BMO Global Consumer Staples Hedged to CAD Index ETF STPL 0.140 BMO Global Infrastructure Index ETF ZGI 0.370 BMO Government Bond Index ETF ZGB 0.320 BMO High Quality Corporate Bond Index ETF ZQB 0.250 BMO High Yield US Corporate Bond Hedged to CAD Index ETF ZHY 0.056 BMO High Yield US Corporate Bond Index ETF ZJK 0.090 BMO High Yield US Corporate Bond Index ETF (USD Units)* ZJK.U 0.085 BMO Japan Index ETF ZJPN 0.160 BMO Japan Index ETF (Hedged Units) ZJPN.F 0.190 BMO Junior Gold Index ETF ZJG 0.619 BMO Laddered Preferred Share Index ETF ZPR 0.045 BMO Laddered Preferred Share Index ETF (USD Units)* ZPR.U 0.068 BMO Long Corporate Bond Index ETF ZLC 0.060 BMO Long Federal Bond Index ETF ZFL 0.033 BMO Long Provincial Bond Index ETF ZPL 0.040 BMO Long-Term US Treasury Bond Index ETF ZTL 0.290 BMO Long-Term US Treasury Bond Index ETF (Hedged Units) ZTL.F 0.300 BMO Long-Term US Treasury Bond Index ETF (USD Units)* ZTL.U 0.280 BMO Mid Corporate Bond Index ETF ZCM 0.050 BMO Mid Federal Bond Index ETF ZFM 0.028 BMO Mid Provincial Bond Index ETF ZMP 0.034 BMO Mid-Term US IG Corporate Bond Hedged to CAD Index ETF ZMU 0.042 BMO Mid-Term US IG Corporate Bond Index ETF ZIC 0.059 BMO Mid-Term US IG Corporate Bond Index ETF (USD Units)* ZIC.U 0.042 BMO Mid-Term US Treasury Bond Index ETF ZTM 0.340 BMO Mid-Term US Treasury Bond Index ETF (USD Units)* ZTM.U 0.320 BMO MSCI ACWI Paris Aligned Climate Equity Index ETF ZGRN 0.130 BMO MSCI All Country World High Quality Index ETF ZGQ 0.150 BMO MSCI Canada ESG Leaders Index ETF ESGA 0.250 BMO MSCI Canada Value Index ETF ZVC 0.210 BMO MSCI China ESG Leaders Index ETF ZCH 0.344 BMO MSCI EAFE ESG Leaders Index ETF ESGE 0.220 BMO MSCI EAFE Hedged to CAD Index ETF ZDM 0.200 BMO MSCI EAFE High Quality Index ETF ZIQ 0.022 BMO MSCI EAFE Index ETF ZEA 0.160 BMO MSCI Emerging Markets Index ETF ZEM 0.550 BMO MSCI Europe High Quality Hedged to CAD Index ETF ZEQ 0.140 BMO MSCI Global ESG Leaders Index ETF ESGG 0.150 BMO MSCI India ESG Leaders Index ETF ZID 0.143 BMO MSCI USA ESG Leaders Index ETF ESGY 0.110 BMO MSCI USA ESG Leaders Index ETF (Hedged Units) ESGY.F 0.110 BMO MSCI USA High Quality Index ETF ZUQ 0.120 BMO MSCI USA High Quality Index ETF (Hedged Units) ZUQ.F 0.080 BMO MSCI USA High Quality Index ETF (USD Units)* ZUQ.U 0.080 BMO MSCI USA Value Index ETF ZVU 0.160 BMO Nasdaq 100 Equity Hedged to CAD Index ETF ZQQ 0.538 BMO Nasdaq 100 Equity Index ETF ZNQ 0.293 BMO Nasdaq 100 Equity Index ETF (USD Units)* ZNQ.U 0.142 BMO Real Return Bond Index ETF ZRR 0.057 BMO S&P 500 Hedged to CAD Index ETF ZUE 0.200 BMO S&P 500 Index ETF ZSP 0.210 BMO S&P 500 Index ETF (USD Units)* ZSP.U 0.160 BMO S&P/TSX 60 Index ETF ZIU 0.390 BMO S&P/TSX Capped Composite Index ETF ZCN 0.230 BMO S&P US Mid Cap Index ETF ZMID 0.130 BMO S&P US Mid Cap Index ETF (Hedged Units) ZMID.F 0.130 BMO S&P US Mid Cap Index ETF (USD Units)* ZMID.U 0.130 BMO S&P US Small Cap Index ETF ZSML 0.140 BMO S&P US Small Cap Index ETF (Hedged Units) ZSML.F 0.130 BMO S&P US Small Cap Index ETF (USD Units)* ZSML.U 0.140 BMO Short Corporate Bond Index ETF ZCS 0.038 BMO Short Federal Bond Index ETF ZFS 0.025 BMO Short Provincial Bond Index ETF ZPS 0.030 BMO Short-Term Bond Index ETF ZSB 0.370 BMO Short-Term US IG Corporate Bond Hedged to CAD Index ETF ZSU 0.038 BMO Short-Term US TIPS Index ETF ZTIP 0.300 BMO Short-Term US TIPS Index ETF (Hedged Units) ZTIP.F 0.260 BMO Short-Term US TIPS Index ETF (USD Units)* ZTIP.U 0.260 BMO Short-Term US Treasury Bond Index ETF ZTS 0.300 BMO Short-Term US Treasury Bond Index ETF (USD Units)* ZTS.U 0.300 BMO US Aggregate Bond Index ETF ZUAG 0.060 BMO US Aggregate Bond Index ETF (Hedged Units) ZUAG.F 0.060 BMO US Aggregate Bond Index ETF (USD Units)* ZUAG.U 0.060 BMO US Preferred Share Hedged to CAD Index ETF ZHP 0.090 BMO US Preferred Share Index ETF ZUP 0.100 BMO US Preferred Share Index ETF (USD Units)* ZUP.U 0.098 BMO US TIPS Index ETF TIPS 0.270 BMO US TIPS Index ETF (Hedged Units) TIPS.F 0.280 BMO US TIPS Index ETF (USD Units)* TIPS.U 0.270 BMO All-Equity ETF ZEQT 0.220 BMO Balanced ESG ETF ZESG 0.180 BMO Balanced ETF ZBAL 0.220 BMO Balanced ETF (Fixed Percentage Distribution Units) ZBAL.T 0.141 BMO Canadian Banks Accelerator ETF ZEBA 0.115 BMO Canadian Dividend ETF ZDV 0.070 BMO Canadian High Dividend Covered Call ETF ZWC 0.100 BMO Conservative ETF ZCON 0.220 BMO Corporate Discount Bond ETF ZCDB 0.140 BMO Covered Call Canadian Banks ETF ZWB 0.110 BMO Covered Call Canadian Banks ETF (USD Units)* ZWB.U 0.140 BMO Covered Call Dow Jones Industrial Average Hedged to CAD ETF ZWA 0.130 BMO Covered Call Energy ETF ZWEN 0.220 BMO Covered Call Health Care ETF ZWHC 0.160 BMO Covered Call Technology ETF ZWT 0.150 BMO Covered Call US Banks ETF ZWK 0.145 BMO Covered Call Utilities ETF ZWU 0.070 BMO Europe High Dividend Covered Call ETF ZWP 0.105 BMO Europe High Dividend Covered Call Hedged to CAD ETF ZWE 0.120 BMO Floating Rate High Yield ETF ZFH 0.080 BMO Global Agriculture ETF ZEAT 0.130 BMO Global High Dividend Covered Call ETF ZWG 0.175 BMO Gold Bullion ETF ZGLD 0.000 BMO Gold Bullion Hedged to CAD ETF ZGLH 0.000 BMO Gold Bullion ETF (USD Units)* ZGLD.U 0.000 BMO Growth ETF ZGRO 0.220 BMO Growth ETF (Fixed Percentage Distribution Units) ZGRO.T 0.160 BMO International Dividend ETF ZDI 0.080 BMO International Dividend Hedged to CAD ETF ZDH 0.090 BMO Low Volatility Canadian Equity ETF ZLB 0.280 BMO Low Volatility Emerging Markets Equity ETF ZLE 0.682 BMO Low Volatility International Equity ETF ZLI 0.160 BMO Low Volatility International Equity Hedged to CAD ETF ZLD 0.170 BMO Low Volatility US Equity ETF ZLU 0.270 BMO Low Volatility US Equity ETF (USD Units)* ZLU.U 0.200 BMO Low Volatility US Equity Hedged to CAD ETF ZLH 0.190 BMO Monthly Income ETF ZMI 0.070 BMO Monthly Income ETF (USD Units)* ZMI.U 0.120 BMO Premium Yield ETF ZPAY 0.160 BMO Premium Yield ETF (Hedged Units) ZPAY.F 0.155 BMO Premium Yield ETF (USD Units)* ZPAY.U 0.160 BMO Short-Term Discount Bond ETF ZSDB 0.100 BMO Ultra Short-Term Bond ETF ZST 0.155 BMO Ultra Short-Term US Bond ETF (USD Units)* ZUS.U 0.185 BMO USD Cash Management ETF ZUCM 0.110 BMO USD Cash Management ETF (USD Units)* ZUCM.U 0.105 BMO US Dividend ETF ZDY 0.080 BMO US Dividend ETF (USD Units)* ZDY.U 0.060 BMO US Dividend Hedged to CAD ETF ZUD 0.055 BMO US Equity Accelerator Hedged to CAD ETF ZUEA 0.047 BMO US Equity Buffer Hedged to CAD ETF – January ZJAN 0.042 BMO US Equity Buffer Hedged to CAD ETF – April ZAPR 0.041 BMO US Equity Buffer Hedged to CAD ETF – July ZJUL 0.041 BMO US Equity Buffer Hedged to CAD ETF – October ZOCT 0.043 BMO US High Dividend Covered Call ETF ZWH 0.100 BMO US High Dividend Covered Call ETF (USD Units)* ZWH.U 0.105 BMO US High Dividend Covered Call Hedged to CAD ETF ZWS 0.090 BMO US Put Write ETF ZPW 0.125 BMO US Put Write ETF (USD Units)* ZPW.U 0.125 BMO US Put Write Hedged to CAD ETF ZPH 0.120 BMO Money Market Fund (ETF Series) ZMMK 0.150 BMO Core Plus Bond Fund (ETF Series) ZCPB 0.200 BMO Global Strategic Bond Fund (ETF Series) ZGSB 0.300 BMO Sustainable Global Multi-Sector Bond Fund (ETF Series) ZMSB 0.250 BMO ARK Genomic Revolution Fund ARKG 0.000 BMO ARK Innovation Fund ARKK 0.000 BMO ARK Next Generation Internet Fund ARKW 0.000 BMO Brookfield Global Real Estate Tech Fund (ETF Series) TOWR 0.120 BMO Brookfield Global Renewables Infrastructure Fund (ETF Series) GRNI 0.160 BMO Global Dividend Opportunities Fund (Active ETF Series) BGDV 0.034 BMO Global Enhanced Income Fund (ETF Series) ZWQT 0.085 BMO Global Equity Fund (Active ETF Series) BGEQ 0.200 BMO Global Health Care Fund (Active ETF Series) BGHC 0.000 BMO Global Infrastructure Fund (Active ETF Series) BGIF 0.050 BMO Global Innovators Fund (Active ETF Series) BGIN 0.020 BMO Global REIT Fund (Active ETF Series) BGRT 0.055 BMO SIA Focused Canadian Equity Fund (ETF Series) ZFC 0.017 BMO SIA Focused North American Equity Fund (ETF Series) ZFN 0.500 BMO Tactical Dividend ETF Fund (ETF Series) ZZZD 0.300 BMO U.S. All Cap Equity Fund (ETF Series) ZACE 0.001 BMO U.S. Equity Growth MFR Fund (ETF Series) ZUGE 0.000 BMO U.S. Equity Value MFR Fund (ETF Series) ZUVE 0.000 BMO Women in Leadership Fund (ETF Series) WOMN 0.035 *Cash distribution per unit ($) amounts are USD for ZJK.U, ZIC.U, ZUAG.U, ZUP.U, ZWB.U, ZGLD.U, ZPR.U, ZMI.U, ZPAY.U, ZUS.U, ZDY.U, ZWH.U, ZPW.U, ZUCM.U, ZTL.U, ZTM.U, ZUQ.U, ZSP.U, ZMID.U, ZSML.U, ZTIP.U, TIPS.U, ZTS.U, ZLU.U and ZNQ.U. 1 BMO ETFs are managed by BMO Asset Management Inc., which is an investment fund manager and a portfolio manager, and a separate legal entity from Bank of Montreal. ETF Series of the BMO Mutual Funds are managed by BMO Investments Inc., which is an investment fund manager and a separate legal entity from Bank of Montreal. Distribution estimates do not denote the yield a client may receive. All values are expressed in Canadian dollars, unless otherwise indicated. Totals may not sum due to rounding. The year-end distribution estimates are provided by BMO Global Asset Management (GAM) and are for information purposes only. They do not reflect final attributions for tax purposes. For more information, please obtain professional advice. The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index CAD Hedged is a product of Dow Jones Opco, LLC ("Dow Jones Opco"), a subsidiary of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, and has been licensed for use. "Dow Jones®" and "Industrial Average Index CAD Hedged" are service marks of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings, LLC ("Dow Jones"), and have been licensed to Dow Jones Opco and sublicensed by BMO Asset Management Inc. in connection with ZWA and ZDJ. ZWA and ZDJ are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Dow Jones Opco, Dow Jones and their respective affiliates, and they make no representation regarding the advisability of trading or investing in ZWA and ZDJ. S&P®, S&P/TSX Capped Composite®, S&P 500® are trademarks of Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC ("S&P"). "TSX" is a trademark of TSX Inc. These trademarks have been licensed for use by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and sublicensed to BMO Asset Management Inc. in connection with ZCN, ZUE, ZIU, ZCN, ZSP, ZSP.U, ZMID, ZMID.F, ZMID.U, ZSML, ZSML.F, and ZSML.U. These BMO ETFs are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by S&P Dow Jones LLC, S&P, TSX, or their respective affiliates and S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, S&P, TSX and their affiliates make no representation regarding the advisability of trading or investing in such BMO ETFs. NASDAQ®, and NASDAQ-100 Index® Hedged to CAD and BMO NASDAQ 100 Equity Index ETF, are registered trademarks of Nasdaq, Inc. (which with its affiliates is referred to as the "Corporations") and are licensed for use by BMO Asset Management Inc. BMO Nasdaq 100 Equity Hedged to CAD Index ETF has not been passed on by the Corporations as to their legality or suitability and is not issued, endorsed, sold, or promoted by the Corporations. The corporations make no warranties and bear no liability with respect to the BMO Nasdaq 100 Equity Hedged to CAD Index ETF and BMO NASDAQ 100 Equity Index ETF (including USD Units). The BMO ETFs or securities referred to herein are not sponsored, endorsed or promoted by MSCI Inc. ("MSCI"), and MSCI bears no liability with respect to any such BMO ETFs or securities or any index on which such BMO ETFs or securities are based. The prospectus of the BMO ETFs contains a more detailed description of the limited relationship MSCI has with BMO Asset Management Inc. and any related BMO ETFs. Further information about BMO ETFs and ETF Series of the BMO Mutual Funds can be found at www.bmoetfs.com . Commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with investments in BMO ETFs and ETF Series of the BMO Mutual Funds. Please read the applicable ETF Facts document or prospectus before investing. BMO ETFs and ETF Series of the BMO Mutual Funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently, and past performance may not be repeated. For a summary of the risks of an investment in the BMO ETFs or ETF Series of the BMO Mutual Funds, please see the specific risks set out in the prospectus. Units of the BMO ETFs and ETF Series securities of the BMO Mutual Funds may be bought and sold at market price on a stock exchange and brokerage commissions will reduce returns. Distributions are not guaranteed and are subject to change and/or elimination. "BMO (M-bar roundel symbol)" is a registered trademark of Bank of Montreal, used under licence. About BMO Global Asset Management BMO Global Asset Management is a brand name under which BMO Asset Management Inc. and BMO Investments Inc. operate. Certain of the products and services offered under the brand name, BMO Global Asset Management, are designed specifically for various categories of investors in Canada and may not be available to all investors. About BMO Financial Group BMO Financial Group is the eighth largest bank in North America by assets, with total assets of $1.41 trillion as of October 31, 2024. Serving customers for 200 years and counting, BMO is a diverse team of highly engaged employees providing a broad range of personal and commercial banking, wealth management, global markets and investment banking products and services to 13 million customers across Canada, the United States , and in select markets globally. Driven by a single purpose, to Boldly Grow the Good in business and life , BMO is committed to driving positive change in the world, and making progress for a thriving economy, sustainable future, and inclusive society. SOURCE BMO Financial Group View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/December2024/18/c8263.html © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.World Series vision that got Nathan Eovaldi to the Rangers is the same one that got him to re-sign
CWD-infected deer harvested in west-central Minnesota
The end of an Eras tour approaches, marking a bittersweet moment for Taylor Swift fansWITH Christmas just 16 days away, most of us are on the hunt for the perfect festive outfit. Not only for the big day itself but also for all the nights out and parties we have planned over the next two weeks. And what better way to feel festive than with the perfect Christmas jumper? They've become a staple in our wardrobes at this time of year, and luckily Primark's latest collection has us covered. The bargain retail giant caused a frenzy among shoppers after showing off its cosy new collection on social media. And many have been left saying they "love" the "adorable" designs that it has to offer. It includes a brilliant red and pink jumper that has Santa riding a scooter whilst carrying a Christmas tree on the front of it that costs just £12. Primark bosses have described it as being "made from a softly knitted material that aims to keep you feeling warm and cosy". They added: "A cute pom-pom motif and sequin embellishments also adorn this Christmas jumper for a particularly playful look." Another popular jumper in the range is the £12 Snowflake Knit Jumper which is a gorgeous light blue colour. It is decorated with candy canes, gingerbread figures and gift-wrapped presents which are arranged in the shape of a tree. And bosses said it pairs perfectly with jeans and ankle boots "for a cosy, cute look that’s perfect for Yuletide gatherings." For those looking to dress up this winter, the £14 Christmas Fair Isle Cardigan is the "perfect piece". The "cute, festive and cosy, this knitted cardie" has a design that is rendered in a classic cream colourway whilst having festive motifs in shades of green and red. Or for anyone looking for something classic to go with a little black skirt, there's the £14 Festive Sequin Jumper. Primark bosses say: "The black jumper boasts a sequined design on the chest, which showcases two clinking glasses alongside holly and star motifs, plus the punny slogan ‘Fizz-tive Fun’. "If that weren’t already fabulous enough, this playful crew neck pullover also features ribbed trims with metallic detailing for extra sparkle!" But the standout of the collection is the bright pink jumper that has a pair of candy cans tied together in a gorgeous bow printed on the back. The retail giant excitedly shared snaps showcasing the new collections with followers on Instagram. Staff captioned the post: "Sleigh the season with a statement jumper". JUST how does Primark do it? Continue delivering on-trend items at such incredible prices? According to bosses, it's down to four points. For more information about how Primark keeps their costs so low, and are able to deliver such amazing bargains, visit the Primark website. And shoppers have flocked to the comments to praise the new range. One person said: "Love these!" Another added: "Omg I want the pink Xmas jumper, it’s adorable". Someone else wrote: "Wow!" And a fourth posted: "Too cute". While a fifth chimed in: "Great things".
