super game download play store

ZURICH (AP) — Saudi Arabia scored a major win in its campaign to attract major sports events to the kingdom when it was formally appointed as the 2034 World Cup host on Wednesday. Still, many questions remain about the tournament as well as the 2030 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco, with three games in South America. Here are some of the key issues that need to be answered over the next decade: Saudi Arabia proposes 15 stadiums — eight still on paper — in five cities: Eight in the capital Riyadh, four in the Red Sea port city Jeddah, and one each in Abha, Al Khobar and Neom, the planned futuristic mega-project. Each would have at least 40,000 seats for World Cup games. The opening game and final are set for a 92,000-seat venue planned in Riyadh. Some designs are vivid . In Neom, the stadium is planned 350 meters (yards) above street level and one near Riyadh is designed to be atop a 200-meter cliff with a retractable wall of LED screens. Saudi Arabia aims to host all 104 games, though there has been speculation that some games could be played in neighboring or nearby countries. Surely not in the traditional World Cup period of June-July, when temperatures in Saudi Arabia routinely exceed 40 Celsius (104 degrees). FIFA moved the Qatar-hosted World Cup to November-December 2022, though those dates were not loved by most European clubs and leagues whose seasons were interrupted. Also, that slot is complicated in 2034 by the holy month of Ramadan through mid-December and Riyadh hosting the multi-sport Asian Games. January 2034 could be a possibility even though that would be just before the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. The International Olympic Committee has signaled it won’t be opposed to back-to-back major events. In an interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday, Saudi World Cup bid official Hammad Albalawi said the precise dates of the tournament are up the world soccer body. “That’s a decision by FIFA. We stand ready to be part of this conversation. But ultimately it’s a FIFA decision together with the confederations,” Albalawi said. Giving more rights and freedoms to women in a traditionally conservative society is fundamental to Saudi messaging around the modernization program known as Vision 2030. The kingdom decided in 2017 to let women attend sports events, initially in major cities and in family zones separate from men-only sections. By 2034, at the promised pace of social reforms, female fans should not be restricted. Saudi Arabia launched a women’s professional soccer league in 2022 with players joining from clubs in Europe. They face no restrictions playing in shorts and with hair uncovered. The Saudi prohibition of alcohol is clear and understood before FIFA signs any sponsor deals for 2034. But will there be any exceptions? The alcohol issue was problematic for the World Cup in Qatar because the expectation was created that beer sales would be allowed at stadiums even before Qatar won its bid in 2010. One year later, FIFA extended a long-time deal to have Budweiser as the official World Cup beer through 2022. Qatar then backtracked on that promise three days before the first game, causing confusion and the sense of a promise broken. In Qatar, alcohol was served only at luxury suites at the stadiums. Visitors could also have a drink in some hotel bars. But Saudi Arabia has even stricter rules on alcohol — and there is no indication that will change. Albalawi noted that Saudi Arabia has successfully hosted dozens of sports events where alcohol wasn't served. “We’re creating a safe and secure family environment for fans to bring their families into our stadiums,” he said. Saudi promises to reform and enforce labor laws, and fully respect migrant workers, have been accepted by FIFA but face broad skepticism from rights groups and trade unions. A formal complaint is being investigated by the U.N.-backed International Labor Organization. Protecting the migrant workers needed to build stadiums and other tournament projects — a decade after it was a defining issue for Qatar — looms as a signature challenge for Saudi Arabia. Saudi-Israeli relations had been improving when FIFA all but gave the 2034 World Cup to the kingdom on Oct. 4 last year. Three days later Hamas attacked Israel and diplomacy got more complicated. Any soccer federation bidding to host a FIFA tournament accepts a basic principle that whichever team qualifies is welcome. That did not stop Indonesia putting up barriers last year to Israel coming for the men’s Under-20 World Cup. Indonesia does not have formal diplomatic relations with Israel which had qualified through a European tournament nine months before the issue flared. FIFA moved the entire tournament to Argentina and the Israeli team reached the semifinals. Israel played at the 1970 World Cup but has never advanced through qualifying in Europe, where it has been a member of UEFA for 30 years. Europe should have 16 places in the 48-team World Cup in Saudi Arabia. Most of the attention at the FIFA Congress on Wednesday was on the Saudi decision, but the soccer body and its members also formally approved the hosts of the 2030 World Cup — the most spread out and longest ever. One game each in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, the original host in 1930, will be played from June 8-9. The tournament resumes four days later for the other 101 games shared between Spain, Portugal and Morocco. Six countries, three continents, multiple languages and currencies. Fans traveling on planes, trains, automobiles and boats across about 14 kilometers (10 miles) of water between Spain and Morocco. The final is due on July 21, 2030 and a decision on where it will be played could cause some tension between the host countries. Morocco wants it in the world’s biggest soccer venue — the planned 115,000-seat King Hassan II Stadium in Casablanca. Spain, meanwhile, has proposed to host the final in either of the remodeled home stadiums of club giants Real Madrid or Barcelona. Associated Press writer Baraa Anwer in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, contributed to this report.‘SANTA-ANTICS’: Man gets stuck in chimney trying to evade police

‘Climate of terror’: New York’s migrants and asylum seekers brace for TrumpCompany experts offer predictions across key sectors to help businesses navigate the unexpected MEMPHIS, Tenn. , Dec. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Sedgwick , a leading global provider of claims management, loss adjusting and technology-enabled business solutions, has published its Forecasting 2025 thought leadership report . In preparing the report, Sedgwick's experts conducted research and engaged with clients for notable insights to forecast trends across key sectors and topics. The content focuses on ensuring organizations are aware of new risks and evolving trends and helping them navigate the unexpected in the year ahead. The Forecasting 2025 thought leadership report highlights trends related to: "2024 was a seismic year across industry sectors as companies navigated the unexpected, and 2025 will be no different," said Kimberly George, Sedgwick's Global Chief Brand Officer . "These predictions serve as a barometer for what's to come, so leaders around the world can prepare accordingly." The trends and predictions in the Forecasting 2025 report will be monitored by Sedgwick's experts throughout the year and serve as part of a larger thought leadership strategy to keep clients and partners informed. With this, Sedgwick will launch a new podcast featuring in-depth conversations with its experts and client partners on a new topic each month. For more on the report insights, visit sedgwick.com . About Sedgwick Sedgwick is a leading global provider of claims management, loss adjusting and technology-enabled business solutions. The company provides a broad range of resources tailored to clients' specific needs in casualty, property, marine, benefits, brand protection and other lines. At Sedgwick, caring counts; through the dedication and expertise of over 33,000 colleagues across 80 countries, the company takes care of people and organizations by mitigating and reducing risks and losses, promoting health and productivity, protecting brand reputations, and containing costs that can impact performance. Sedgwick's majority shareholder is The Carlyle Group; Stone Point Capital LLC, Altas Partners, CDPQ, Onex and other management investors are minority shareholders. For more, see sedgwick.com . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sedgwick-shares-major-trends-in-forecasting-2025-report-302330767.html SOURCE Sedgwick Claims Management Services, Inc.

Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 World Cup. But when exactly?Artificial intelligence has changed how people work and live in 2024, as companies create tools that can write code, generate images, and solve complex problems. The technology is seemingly everywhere, and while the advances have brought excitement, they have also kindled concern about AI’s growing influence. Reflecting on another big year for AI, Creatie.ai curated five of the biggest AI stories in 2024. Issues of copyright and intellectual property, creative control, and how AI is being leveraged in business topped the list. “There’s still a pretty wide delta that exists between a power user who’s using it [AI] in their workflows, every different way, who has multiscreens, multitools... and those who are still resistant, saying they don’t want to get involved with it,” Brandon Z. Hoff told Stacker. Hoff, the founder of RUDI AI, a consultancy that helps organizations implement AI technology responsibly, found this “shocking” given that AI is “really one of the most revolutionary technologies of our time.” As more people integrate AI tools into their personal and professional lives, questions emerge about privacy and fairness. Some businesses praise AI’s ability to speed up productivity, while civil liberties groups and data privacy organizations worry about data protection and job security. Government officials have also stepped in to figure out how best to implement guardrails on this fast-moving technology while also allowing room for it to evolve. Some of 2024’s biggest AI headlines came from policymakers working to establish safe practices. In the U.S., the Colorado AI Act was the first state legislation of its kind intended to set requirements for high-risk AI systems used in education, financial services, and other critical industries. It also sought consumer protections and accountability measures. It was modeled after the EU Artificial Intelligence Act , which set guidelines for high-risk AI system providers and worked to safeguard transparent and safe development of AI applications. The year’s biggest developments in AI illustrate the technology’s rapid shift from a future possibility into a present reality. Read on to see where AI made the most significant impact. OpenAI debuted AI models in 2024 called o1-preview and o1-mini that can tackle harder problems by working through solutions. The company offered o1-preview for general users, while o1-mini provided a faster, cheaper option for writing code, according to the company’s official system card . These tools mark an important shift in AI’s capacity for reasoning , Northwestern University researchers explain. Instead of just giving quick answers like earlier AI, these new models work through problems step-by-step, more like how humans solve complex tasks. OpenAI reported that tests showed significant improvements in the system’s abilities. The model could solve 83% of complex math competition problems, while older versions only solved 13%, illustrating how this slower, more careful approach dramatically improved results. In analyzing chemistry, physics, and biology problems, the new model outperformed PhD-level scientists in problem-solving proficiency. However, these advances worry experts in the field. In an interview with Newsweek, computer science professor and AI pioneer Yoshua Bengio called the improvement in AI’s reasoning and potential for deception “particularly dangerous” and called for better regulation. Two Nobel Prizes recognized AI’s growing impact on science in 2024, marking the first time artificial intelligence received such prestigious recognition. John Hopfield and Geoffrey Hinton received the Nobel Prize in physics for laying the groundwork for modern machine learning, while Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis and researcher John Jumper shared half the chemistry prize for using AI to solve a 50-year-old protein structure problem, according to the Nobel Committee. The awards highlighted AI’s potential and risks should the technology fall into the wrong hands. Hinton, dubbed the “godfather of AI,” uses his Nobel platform to warn about the technology’s potential for “getting out of control,” The New York Times reported. He had previously told MIT Technology Review that he was deeply concerned that AI will surpass a human’s ability to learn, creating a superintelligence that could too easily cause widespread harm, manipulation, or warfare in the hands of bad actors. Hassabis compared AI’s risks to climate change, telling The Guardian that “we can’t afford the same delay with AI.” “This is more a Nobel moment for AI risk , rather than for AI itself,” Bhaskar Chakravorti, dean of global business at Tufts University, wrote in Foreign Policy. He noted the prizes served as recognition of AI’s transformative growth and a warning about its unchecked development. Apple, Samsung, Microsoft, and Google began building AI directly into everyday devices, bringing it to broader audiences in 2024. Features like enhanced photos, text-to-speech tools, personalized recommendations, and myriad other AI optimizations helped integrate AI into everyday tasks. Adoption varied widely, however. In CNBC’s bi-annual survey of executives on its Technology Executive Council in October, 79% said their company was using Microsoft Copilot AI —though many questioned its $30 monthly per-user cost. Google’s Gemini chatbot attracted 42 million active users and 1.5 million developers since its May launch, according to the Business of Apps. Apple followed with its own AI Intelligence that works across devices, though it’s initially limited to its newest phones and computers with specific chips, the company announced in October. Samsung introduced Galaxy AI, which lets users translate conversations in real time and edit photos with simple taps, according to the company. The focus shifted from standalone AI tools to integrated features, but questions about data security were raised. While Apple emphasized the importance of privacy through on-device processing, sending personal data to company servers could expose it to government agencies, employees, or bad actors, according to security experts The New York Times interviewed in June. “We should be really looking at the cost benefit in terms of what we give up and what we get in exchange,” said Hoff, who shares insights on AI and digital intelligence with his 14,000 TikTok followers. “Tools like Google’s suite are free because they’re tracking our information to sell to advertisers. Now, large language models are aggregating all our data at once, putting everything into an algorithmic black box that nobody really knows how works.” Despite significant concerns, businesses increasingly embraced AI tools in 2024. “Business executives were, I think, resistant,” Hoff said. “And now there’s definitely an opening and receptiveness and a fear of missing out that exists on the private side.” When it launched in June 2024, Claude 3.5 Sonnet changed how coders work, quickly becoming a Silicon Valley favorite. The AI model solved 64% of coding problems in internal testing, according to Anthropic, the AI safety and research company behind Claude. The system could write new code and update old programs with fewer errors than previous versions, making it one of the most proficient—and popular—models powering AI-based software development tools such as Cursor. In October, Anthropic announced new features that let Claude use computers similarly to humans. The model could move a mouse, click buttons, and read screens to complete tasks. Tests by GitLab, a major software development platform, showed a 10% improvement in development tasks with these updates, spurring debates about AI’s growing role in software development and its impact on programming jobs. Many current top-scoring AI software development agents are already based on Claude. Letting the model control computers directly could unlock even further productivity gains for businesses. In addition to coding, the model has been praised for its uncanny analytical ability and capacity to understand what users want. Many users have reported success using Claude as a sounding board to help them think through complex problems and make decisions in their personal lives. Skateboarding cats, dazzlingly beautiful crystals, and politicians in compromising situations are just some of the ways Flux, a new AI image generation system from Black Forest Labs, churned up viral buzz around its hyper-realistic images. The system launched in August with $31 million in funding from Andreessen Horowitz. The model uses 12 billion parameters to create images, making it more powerful than previous systems, according to the company. Advancements in parameters like fractal dimension and relative smoothness all contribute to Flux’s ability to render extraordinary detail in human features, deft animations, and high-quality images. The model quickly drew the attention of the tech world. X (formerly Twitter) chose it to power image generation in its Grok-2 AI system, making the technology available to millions of users. However, this wide availability raised concerns about potential misuse, particularly around creating misleading images of political figures and spreading false content. Story editing by Alizah Salario. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Kristen Wegrzyn. Photo selection by Ania Antecka. This story originally appeared on creatie.ai and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. Founded in 2017, Stacker combines data analysis with rich editorial context, drawing on authoritative sources and subject matter experts to drive storytelling.

NoneHow to watch Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. New York Giants: TV channel, streaming info

A national park would be good for koalas. What about the humans?

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are packed with headline-grabbing deals, but the steals? They’re the ones hiding just out of sight. Beneath the mainstream hype, there’s a secret layer of under-the-radar discounts that most shoppers miss—exclusive offers from niche boutiques, online-only promos, and surprise markdowns that fly under the radar. We’ve mapped out these hidden gems so you can dodge the noise and snag the best-kept secrets of Cyber Weekend. Ready to uncover the deals everyone else will overlook? Up To 60% Off Nolan Interior’s Chic Sofa Covers Whether you have a shabby couch you want freshen up, or new coach you want to protect, Nolan Interior's has chic sofa covers for up to 60% off this Black Friday. Designed to prevent spills, stains, and wear-and-tear, these covers are the perfect solution for extending the life of your furniture. Choose from standard sizes or custom fits, and enjoy a fresh, new look for your sofa in minutes. Uo To 50% Off Sexual Wellness Finds At We-Vibe This Black Friday season, We-Vibe is offering up to 50% off sitewide from November 18th to December 9th. Shop the latest high-tech pleasure products for yourself or as a gift for a loved one. Highlights include advent calendars for up to 67% off with over $500 worth of premium toys and accessories. bestselling viberators up to 40% off and up to 45% gifts and bundles. Treat yourself or someone special with We-Vibe’s innovative products this holiday season. Up To 40% Off Skin Care Essentials At No.7 No7 is bringing serious deals this Cyber season. From November 25 to December 5, enjoy daily savings on your skincare must-haves, starting with 25% off moisturizers, eye creams, and serums. The excitement peaks with 40% off almost everything from November 28 to December 1, followed by 30% off sitewide on December 2. Keep the savings going from December 3 to 5 with another 30% off (exclusions apply). Don’t miss your chance to stock up on No7 favorites while these deals last. Uo To 50% Off Cult-Favorite Skin & Hair Care From Coco & Eve From November 22 to December 4, Coco & Eve is bringing the heat with up to 50% off their best-selling haircare, skincare, and tanning products. It’s the perfect time to stock up on your holy grail essentials or finally try that cult-favorite mask you’ve been eyeing — you might even discover a new favorite. 25% Off Cult-Favorite Socks From Maggi’s Organics (30% If You Spend Over $100) From November 22 to December 3, score 25% off (plus free shipping on orders over $35) and 30% off orders over $100 at Maggie’s Organics. The brand may be best known for their cult-favorite Crew Socks (made in the USA from organic cotton and fair-trade labor) that are breathable, durable, and seriously comfy. At just $11 a pair, these trendy socks (available in everything from classic solids to vibrant tie-dyes) make ideal stocking stuffers or gifts for your eco-conscious bestie. 30% Off Sitewide At The Celebrity-Loved RoseSkinCo. Score up to 30% off RoseSkinCo.’s Lumi Permanent Hair Removal Device during their Pink Friday and Cyber Monday sale, live from 11/2 to 12/4. Lumi uses dermatologist-recommended IPL technology to deliver permanent hair reduction in just 8 to 12 sessions—no salon visits required. It's designed to be safer than traditional laser treatments, more convenient than shaving, and less painful than waxing. The Lumi is not the only deal RoseSkinCo. has to offer though — check out more skin and hair care products while deals last. 35% Off Sweet Zzz’s Signature Bamboo Sheets Sweet Zzz is offering 35% off its signature Bamboo Sheets for Black Friday. Crafted from 400-thread-count bamboo viscose, these sheets provide exceptional softness and natural cooling for year-round comfort. Designed with sustainability in mind, they come in eco-friendly, reusable bamboo bags. Upgrade your sleep experience with premium bedding at an accessible price. Up To 30% Off Ultra Comfortable Bras From EBY EBY’s seamless, ultra-comfortable intimates are designed to feel like a second skin, staying put without slipping or bunching—and you can snag up to 30% off between 11/21 and 11/30. Co-founded by Renata Black and backed by Rosario Dawson and Venus Williams, the brand empowers women globally. Proceeds support microloans that help underprivileged women start their own businesses. 30% Off These Super Cute Customizable Candles From TAJA From November 20 through December 3, you can get 30% off TAJA’s non-toxic, handcrafted candles and home accessories using code BFCM30 at checkout.TAJA’s candles (made in Miami from 100% soy wax and phthalate-free fragrances) can be customized with meaningful messages, dates, or custom designs (like a cute picture of your pup)—perfect for creating one-of-a-kind gifts. Up To $100 Off Bundles & Up To 35% Off Subscriptions At Pet Care Brand Whisker Whisker is offering up to $100 off bundles and up to 35% off subscriptions from November 1-30, 2024. Featuring the best-selling (and editor-loved) Litter-Robot 4 and Feeder-Robot, Whisker’s holiday promotion has innovative solutions for modern pet care. The Litter-Robot 4 is designed with features like self-cleaning, enhanced odor control, and digital health tracking, while the Feeder-Robot ensures consistent feeding for cats and dogs. 40% Off Sitewide At The Science-Backed Skincare Brand BeautyBio BeautyBio isn’t just another skincare brand—it’s science-backed magic. Born in a family-owned lab, founder Jamie and her biochemist dad crafted high-potency formulas designed to meet your skin where it’s at. Think in-office results without the price tag. Plus, every product comes in eco-friendly packaging, so you’re doing good for your skin and the planet. From starting 11/25, score 40% off sitewide at BeautyBio with code BLUSH40. Plus, get a free full-size gift with every order and a 7-Day Kit when you spend $250+. Up To 40% Off Timeless Jewelry At Mint & Lily’s Mint & Lily's effortlessly chic jewelry that elevates every outfit. With BFCM offers running from November 15–26, you can score 25% off sitewide, 30% off orders over $100, and 40% off orders over $200. Plus, stack the exclusive code EXTRA20 for $20 off orders of $100 or more. Invest in key pieces and refresh your style. Pro tip: Mint & Lily's customizable name and initial necklaces are great, thoughtful gifts. 40% Off Everything At AG Care, Plus A Free Full Size Gift With Select Purchases AG Care is offering 40% off everything, plus a free full-size gift with purchase. From November 11 to December 2, save on their entire collection of award-winning, 100% vegan, and cruelty-free hair care products. AG Care’s line is free from sulfates, parabens, and other harsh ingredients, making it perfect for all hair types. Don’t miss out on fan favorites like the ReCurl Activator, Balance Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo, and Boost Conditioner, all now 40% off. Buy One Get One On Solawave’s Famous Light Therapy Kits If you've ever been interested in trying an at home light therapy device, *now* is the time to invest and join the ranks of celebrity fans like Katy Perry, Reese Witherspoon, and Jennifer Coolidge. From now until Cyber Monday (12/2/2024), enjoy Buy 1, Get 1 Free on all Solawave skincare kits. Each kit includes one of Solawave's award-winning light therapy tools, like the 17x award-winning Radiant Renewal Skincare Wand, paired with a specially formulated topical to boost results. Up To 50% Off Ethical Skin Care Products From Aussie Beauty Brand BodyBlendz BodyBlendz—Australia’s go-to brand for natural, cruelty-free body care—is offering deals up to 50% this Black Friday. Known for their cult-fave coffee scrubs that exfoliate, hydrate, and tackle everything from cellulite to dull skin, BodyBlendz brings the spa experience home. Formulated with powerhouse ingredients like coffee, botanical extracts, and essential oils, their scrubs, masks, and lotions are free from parabens and sulfates, making them perfect for all skin types (especially sensitive babes). Plus, they come in eco-friendly packaging—so you can feel good while you glow. Save Up To 30% Off Bedding From Canadian Down & Feather Company From duvets to pillows and mattress toppers, Canadian Down & Feather Company’s ethically sourced, high-quality products are designed for ultimate relaxation. Snag up to 30% off during their holiday sales. Perfect for lazy mornings, afternoon naps, and everything in between, Canadian Down & Feather Company offers free shipping across North America and products that are as sustainable as they are comfortable. 30% Off Jaw-Droppingly Gorgeous Formalwear From Alamour The Label If you are looking for fresh party attire or a new wedding-guest dress, you'll want to check out Alamour The Label's Black Friday sale. Right now you can 30% off over 300 styles, from glam evening gowns to chic cocktail dress. It's the prefect time to snag formalwear at a fraction of the price. A Rare Sale On A Connected Rowing Machine Hydrow is the connected rowing machine that brings the feeling of rowing on water directly to your home, with workouts led by Olympians and world-class athletes and from November 15–26, Hydrow is offering its BFCM Preview Sale with up to $450 off the Pro model and $250 off the Wave. With a membership, you also get access to 5,000+ workouts, including HIIT, yoga, and circuit training, making it a perfect fit for busy lifestyles. 20% Off A Range Of Comfy Sketchers From classic, comfy sneakers to the cult-favorite BOBS, Skechers' Black Friday Sale has something for everyone. Save up to 20% off for Skechers Plus (free account) memberships with code GOTIME. 20% Off This Clever Sex Pillow From Tabu In honor of Sexual Health Awareness Month, Tabu is offering a free Alby Body Oil (a $55 value) with orders over $200. Tabu’s Prim Pillow is a game changer in the bedroom – and it’s no surprise it's selling out fast. With a patent-pending design and rave reviews from intimacy experts like Dr. Emily Morse and Dr. Kelly Casperson, this sex pillow combines comfort and functionality. 20% Off Bold Timepieces From Ralph Christian Got a watch enthusiast on your shopping list? This timepiece from Ralph Christian is a guaranteed stunner. It pairs a striking skeleton gold and black dial with sapphire-coated crystal glass. Interchangeable straps and 5 ATM water-resistance add practical touches for a watch that's as attractive as it is functional.None

WASHINGTON — 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 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 ceasefire 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 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. 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 Trump called for an immediate ceasefire, 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 also said “no one should shed any tears over the Assad regime.” As they pushed toward the Syrian capital of Damascus, the opposition forces 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 as the civil war was intensifying. “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.A national park would be good for koalas. What about the humans?

STAR CORRESPONDENT While wins have been hard to come by for the Elizabethton Lady Cyclones, there is no doubt that the effort being given is starting to show evidence that wins may start outweighing losses after the Christmas holiday. Battling the visiting Lady Hilltoppers from Science Hill tooth and nail throughout, the Lady Cyclones found themselves once again on the short end of a 10-point loss, 66-56 . The score is a little misleading, as the Lady Cyclones battled to within six points on a couple of different occasions before their runs were thwarted when the Lady ‘Toppers found success behind the three-point arc. Elizabethton trailed 36-26 at the intermission, as Kaylee Oler set the tone for the visitors by scoring nine points in the half. Allie Conner added seven points, while Khloe Sommers dropped five in the first 16 minutes. Jamira Smalls led Coach Lucas Andrews’ Lady Cyclones in the first half, scoring eight points. Senior Kayelyn Nave added seven points to help keep Elizabethton in contention. The second half couldn’t have been played closer, as each team logged 30 points apiece , giving the game its final 10-point difference at the final horn. Oler continued her hot start from the first half, finishing with a game-high 21 points to lead the Lady ‘Toppers. Science Hill also got double-figure scoring from Sommers, who finished with 12 points . Nave led the home team with a team-high 14 points , while Smalls finished with 10 . Peyton McGee played a contributing role, adding nine points for Elizabethton, with Jasy Shell finishing with eight points . Other Lady Cyclone scorers included Rylee May ( 4 ), Sydney Minton ( 4 ), Adrian Heading ( 3 ), Reagan May ( 3 ), and Aerryan Fleenor ( 1 ).Bieber re-signs with GuardiansOnly about 2 in 10 Americans approve of Biden's pardon of his son Hunter, poll finds

CLEVLEAND — Shane Bieber's comeback with Cleveland has double meaning. The former Cy Young winner re-signed with the Guardians on Wednesday, a reunion that seemed unlikely when he became a free agent. However, the 29-year-old Bieber decided to stay with the AL Central champions after making just two starts in 2024 before undergoing Tommy John surgery. Bieber agreed last week to a one-year, $14 million contract. The deal includes a $16 million player option for 2026. It seemed like a long shot that Bieber, who is 62-32 with a 3.22 ERA in 132 starts, would return to Cleveland. He had turned down long-term offers in the past from the club, and it was expected he would sign with another contender, likely one on the West Coast. But the California native has a special connection with the Guardians, who selected him in the fourth round of the 2016 draft. Bieber, who won the AL Cy Young in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, threw only 12 innings last season before lingering issues with his elbow forced him to have surgery. He is expected to join Cleveland's rotation at some point in 2025. A two-time All-Star, Bieber was named MVP of the midsummer event in 2019 when it was held in Cleveland. He has the highest strikeout ratio per nine innings (10.2) and third-highest winning percentage (.660) in the franchise's 124-year history. Bieber is one of just three Cleveland pitchers to start five season openers, joining Stan Coveleski (1917-21) and Corey Kluber (2015-19). While Bieber had some elbow issues in the past, he didn't show any issues before being shut down. He struck out 11 in six scoreless innings against Oakland on March 28, and followed that up with six more shutout innings at Seattle on April 2. DALLAS — Pitchers again dominated the big league phase of the Rule 5 draft at the winter meetings, comprising 11 of the 15 unprotected players who were picked Wednesday. The 121-loss Chicago White Sox had the first pick and selected 24-year-old right-hander Shane Smith from the Milwaukee Brewers organization. Smith was an undrafted free agent out of Wake Forest when he was signed by Milwaukee in July 2021. The 6-foot-4, 235-pounder has gone 13-7 with a 2.69 ERA and 203 strikeouts over 157 innings in 19 starts and 54 relief appearances over three minor league seasons. There were 14 teams who made picks in the major league portion of the Rule 5 draft of players left off 40-man rosters after several minor league seasons. Only Atlanta made two selections, after making none since 2017. Atlanta chose right-hander Anderson Pilar from the Miami Marlins with the 11th pick, and then took infielder Christian Cairo from the Cleveland Guardians with the 15th and final pick in the MLB portion. The 26-year-old Pilar was original signed by Colorado as a minor league free agent in 2015 and has pitched in 213 minor league games that included 17 starts. He is 28-20 with a 2.86 ERA. Teams pay $100,000 to take a player in the major league portion. The players must stay on the big league roster all of next season or clear waivers and be offered back to their original organization for $50,000. Six of the 10 players selected during the Rule 5 draft last December — five of them right-handed pitchers — remained last season with organization that selected them. Two of the four position players taken Wednesday by other teams came from the Detroit Tigers organization: catcher Liam Hicks and third baseman Gage Workman. Miami drafted second after Colorado passed making a selection, and took Hicks. Workman was taken by the Chicago Cubs with the 10th pick. Baltimore lost two right-handed pitchers on back-to-back picks, Juan Nunez to San Diego with the 12th pick before Connor Thomas went to Milwaukee. DALLAS — Tom Hamilton, who has called Cleveland games on the radio for 35 seasons, won the Hall of Fame’s Ford C. Frick Award for excellence in broadcasting on Wednesday. Hamilton, 70, joined the team's broadcast in 1990, when he was with Herb Score in the booth and part of the coverage of their World Series appearances in 1995 and 1997. Hamilton became the voice of the franchise when Score retired after that second World Series. Hamilton will be honored during the Hall of Fame’s induction weekend from July 25-28 in Cooperstown, New York. He was selected the hall's Frick Award 16-member committee as the 49th winner. There were 10 finalists on this year's ballot, whose main contributions came as local and national voices and whose careers began after, or extended into, the Wild Card era. The other nine were Skip Caray, Rene Cardenas, Gary Cohen, Jacques Doucet, Ernie Johnson Sr., Mike Krukow, Duane Kuiper, Dave Sims and John Sterling. DALLAS — The Texas Rangers acquired slugging corner infielder Jake Burger from the Miami Marlins on Wednesday in a trade for three minor league players. Burger hit .250 with 29 home runs and 76 RBIs in 137 games for the Marlins last season, with 150 strikeouts in 535 at-bats with 31 walks. He started 59 games at third base and made 50 starts at first. Five days of service time short of being eligible for salary arbitration this offseason, he will be eligible next winter and can become a free agent after the 2028 World Series. Miami got infielders Max Acosta and Echedry Vargas and left-handed pitcher Brayan Mendoza. The acquisition of Burger comes about a month after the Rangers hired former Marlins manager Skip Schumaker as a senior adviser for baseball operations. Luis Urueta, Miami's bench coach the past two seasons, also was added recently to manager Bruce Bochy's on-field coaching staff for 2025. BRIEFLY WHITE SOX: Mike Tauchman is switching sides in Chicago. The White Sox announced a $1.95 million, one-year contract for the outfielder. Tauchman, 34, grew up in Palatine, Illinois, about 35 miles northwest of Chicago, and played college ball for Bradley in Peoria, Illinois. He spent the previous two seasons with the Cubs. TRADE: All-Star left-hander Garrett Crochet was acquired by the Boston Red Sox from the Chicago White Sox for four prospects. Catcher Kyle Teel, infielder Chase Meidroth, right-hander Wikelman Gonzalez and outfielder Braden Montgomery are headed to Chicago. Get local news delivered to your inbox!ISTANBUL/DAMASCUS, Dec 9 (Reuters) - After 13 years of civil war, Syria's opposition militias sensed an opportunity to loosen President Bashar al-Assad's grip on power when, about six months ago, they communicated to Turkey plans for a major offensive and felt they had received its tacit approval, two sources with knowledge of the planning said. Launched barely two weeks ago, the operation's speedy success in achieving its initial goal - seizing Syria's second city, Aleppo - took almost everybody by surprise. From there, in a little more than a week, the rebel alliance reached Damascus and on Sunday put an end to five decades of Assad family rule. The lightning advance relied on an almost perfect alignment of stars for the forces opposed to Assad : his army was demoralised and exhausted; his main allies, Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah, were severely weakened by conflict with Israel; and his other key military supporter, Russia, was distracted and losing interest. There was no way the rebels could go ahead without first notifying Turkey, which has been a main backer of the Syrian opposition from the war's earliest days, said the sources, a diplomat in the region and a member of the Syrian opposition. Turkey has troops on the ground in northwest Syria, and provides support to some of the rebels who were intending to take part, including the Syrian National Army (SNA) - though it considers the main faction in the alliance, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), to be a terror group. The rebels' bold plan was the brainchild of HTS and its leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, better known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani , the diplomat said. Because of his former ties to al Qaeda, Golani is designated as a terrorist by Washington, Europe and Turkey. However, over the past decade, HTS, previously known as the Nusra Front, has tried to moderate its image , while running a quasi-state centered on Idlib, where, experts say, it levied taxes on commercial activities and the population. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan's government, which struck a deal with Russia in 2020 to de-escalate fighting in northwestern Syria, has long opposed such a major rebel offensive, fearing it would lead to a new wave of refugees crossing its border. However, the rebels sensed a stiffening of Ankara's stance towards Assad earlier this year, the sources said, after he rebuffed repeated overtures from Erdogan aimed at advancing a political solution to the military stalemate, which has left Syria divided between the regime and a patchwork of rebel groups with an array of foreign backers. The Syrian opposition source said the rebels had shown Turkey details of the planning, after Ankara's attempts to engage Assad had failed. The message was: "That other path hasn't worked for years - so try ours. You don't have to do anything, just don't intervene." Reuters was unable to determine the exact nature of the communications.Hadi Al-Bahra, head of the internationally-recognized Syrian opposition abroad, told Reuters last week that HTS and SNA had had "limited" planning together ahead of the operation and agreed to "achieve cooperation and not clash with each other". He added that Turkey's military saw what the armed groups were doing and discussing. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, speaking in Doha on Sunday, said Erdogan’s effort in recent months to reach out to Assad failed and Turkey "knew something was coming". However, Turkey's deputy minister for foreign affairs, Nuh Yilmaz, told a conference on Middle Eastern affairs in Bahrain on Sunday that Ankara was not behind the offensive, and did not provide its consent, saying it was concerned about instability. Turkey's foreign and defence ministries did not respond directly to Reuters questions about an HTS-Ankara understanding about the Aleppo operation. In reply to questions about Turkey's awareness of battlefield preparations, a Turkish official told Reuters that the HTS "does not receive orders or direction from us (and) does not coordinate its operations with us either." The official said that "in that sense" it would not be correct to say that the operation in Aleppo was carried out with Turkey's approval or green light. Turkish intelligence agency MIT did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Reuters was unable to reach a representative for HTS. The rebels struck when Assad was at his most vulnerable. Distracted by wars elsewhere, his military allies Russia, Iran, and Lebanon's Hezbollah failed to mobilise the kind of decisive firepower that had propped him up for years. Syria's weak armed forces were unable to resist. A regime source told Reuters that tanks and planes were left with no fuel because of corruption and looting - an illustration of just how hollowed out the Syrian state had become. Over the past two years morale had severely eroded in the army, said the source, who requested anonymity because of fear of retribution. Aron Lund, a fellow at Century International, a Middle-East focused think-tank, said the HTS-led coalition was stronger and more coherent than any previous rebel force during the war, "and a lot of that is Abu Mohammed al-Golani’s doing". But, he said, the regime's weakness was the deciding factor. "After they lost Aleppo like that, regime forces never recovered and the more the rebels advanced, the weaker Assad’s army got," he said. The pace of the rebel advances, with Hama being captured on Dec. 5 and Homs falling on or around Sunday at the same time government forces lost Damascus, exceeded expectations. "There was a window of opportunity but no one expected the regime to crumble this fast. Everyone expected some fight," said Bassam Al-Kuwatli, president of the Syrian Liberal Party, a small opposition group, who is based outside Syria. A U.S. official said on condition of anonymity that while Washington had been aware of Turkey’s overall support for the rebels, it was not informed of any tacit Turkish approval for the Aleppo offensive. The White House National Security Council did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Turkey's role. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday said that Russia's abandonment of Assad led to his downfall, adding that Moscow never should have protected him in the first place and then lost interest because of a war in Ukraine that never should have started. Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday noted his country's role in weakening Hezbollah, which sources told Reuters withdrew its remaining troops from Syria on Saturday. Sources familiar with Hezbollah deployments said the Iran-backed group, which propped up Assad early in the war, had already withdrawn many of its elite fighters from Syria over the last year to support the group as it waged hostilities with Israel - a conflict that spilled over from the Gaza war. Israel dealt Hezbollah heavy blows, particularly after launching an offensive in September, killing the group's leader Hassan Nasrallah and many of its commanders and fighters. The rebel offensive in Syria began the same day as a ceasefire came into effect in the Lebanon conflict on Nov. 27. The sources familiar with Hezbollah said it did not want to engage in big battles in Syria as the group focused on starting a long road to recovery from the heavy blows. For the rebel alliance, the withdrawal of Hezbollah presented a valuable opportunity. "We just wanted a fair fight between us and the regime," the Syrian opposition source said. Assad's fall marks a major blow to Iranian influence in the Middle East, coming so swiftly after the killing of Nasrallah and the damage done by Israel to Hezbollah. Turkey, on the other hand, now appears to be Syria's most powerful external player, with troops on the ground and access to the rebel leaders. In addition to securing the return of Syrian refugees, Turkey's objectives include curbing the power of Syrian Kurdish groups that control wide areas of northeast Syria and are backed by the United States. Ankara deems them to be terrorists. As part of the initial offensive, the Turkey-backed SNA seized swathes of territory, including the city of Tel Refaat, from U.S.-backed Kurdish forces. On Sunday, a Turkish security source said the rebels entered the northern city of Manbij after pushing the Kurds back again. "Turkey is the biggest outside winner here. Erdogan turned out to be on the right - or at least winning - side of history here because his proxies in Syria won the day," said Birol Baskan, Turkey-based political scientist and former non-resident scholar at Middle East Institute. Sign up here. Additional reporting by Laila Bassam in Beirut, Tuvan Gumrukcu and Matt Spetalnick in Washington in Ankara; Writing by Tom Perry; editing by Frank Jack Daniel Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab Thomson Reuters Turkey Bureau Chief overseeing political, economic and foreign policy coverage. Work spans the country's diplomatic balancing act, landmark elections, historic earthquakes and the mainstream media, as well as reporting on Syria, Lebanon and Ukraine. Previously covered the U.S. economy, Federal Reserve and Wall Street including award-winning work on financial-market trading and a global cyber heist.

Kroger Reiterates Its Commitment to Lower Prices and Initiates New $7.5B Share Buyback Program

Coeur d’Alene Airport built a control tower from shipping containers

Sedgwick shares major trends in Forecasting 2025 report

Bieber re-signs with Guardians49ers look to maintain 'urgency' against rival Rams

Darnold delivers for Vikings with career-high 347 yards and 5 TDs to beat Falcons, Cousins 42-21 MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Sam Darnold tossed aside his stoic demeanor for a moment after realizing he was on the videoboard, aggressively twirling a towel to further stoke the crowd's fire after the Minnesota Vikings had pulled away from Kirk Cousins and th Dave Campbell, The Associated Press Dec 8, 2024 3:40 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins, left, talks with Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold after an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Sam Darnold tossed aside his stoic demeanor for a moment after realizing he was on the videoboard, aggressively twirling a towel to further stoke the crowd's fire after the Minnesota Vikings had pulled away from Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons late in the game. “I just felt the buzz. That was pure passion, pure joy, man,” Darnold said. Darnold added yet another highlight to his brilliant first season with the Vikings, passing for 347 yards and five touchdowns, both career highs, in a 42-21 victory over the foundering Falcons on Sunday to stretch their winning streak to six games. “It just felt like it was one of those days to keep the gas pedal down,” said coach Kevin O'Connell, who enjoyed his team's first 40-point game in three seasons on the job. Darnold passed for 250 yards after halftime to help the Vikings (11-2) break a 21-all tie early in the fourth quarter and stay one game behind NFC North-leading Detroit with a final-week matchup looming with the Lions. Jordan Addison had eight catches for 133 yards and three scores and Justin Jefferson racked up seven receptions for 132 yards and two touchdowns after going the past six games without scoring. “This is something that we want to do and we can do every single week,” Jefferson said. Cousins, whose departure in free agency for Atlanta prompted Minnesota to sign Darnold as a bridge to currently injured rookie J.J. McCarthy, threw two more interceptions without a touchdown in this unhappy homecoming following a mixed six-year run with the Vikings. Booed as he took the field, Cousins and the Falcons (6-7) left with a fourth consecutive loss to tumble out of first place in the NFC South and fall one game behind Tampa Bay. “When you’re playing well you usually aren’t as good as people are telling you when they’re patting you on the back, and if you’re in a rut you’re usually not as bad as people kind of leaving you for dead,” Cousins said. “The reality’s usually somewhere in the middle. You just have to keep playing and see where the dust settles in January.” Cousins went 23 for 37 for 344 yards for the Falcons, who crossed midfield on all nine of their possessions and finished with 496 total yards. He overthrew Ray-Ray McCloud III on fourth down in the first quarter, and the Falcons settled for short field goals just before and right after halftime. Their fate was sealed when McCloud fumbled the kickoff at the 32 after the Vikings went 70 yards in six plays for the go-ahead touchdown pass to Addison, who scored again seven plays later. The Falcons handed the Vikings an earlier touchdown when Kentavious Street was called for defensive holding during a field-goal attempt late in the second quarter, giving Darnold a fresh set of downs before a 12-yard laser to Jefferson on a post route on third-and-6. “You just can’t have the self-inflicted wounds and expect to win football games like we had today,” coach Raheem Morris said. Bijan Robinson had 22 carries for 92 yards and a touchdown and Tyler Allgeier rushed nine times for 63 yards and a score for the Falcons against the NFL’s leading run defense. Cousins, who was picked off four times last week, hesitated as he wound up to throw on first down from the Minnesota 47 in a tie game early in the second quarter and then inexplicably fired a pass straight to Josh Metellus as he sat in a zone in front of Drake London. Cousins has a NFL -most 15 interceptions. Byron Murphy snagged an overthrow for the second one near the goal line with a 35-21 lead and 6:26 left. Darnold, who went 22 for 28 without a turnover-worthy play despite heavy first-half pressure, then directed a seven-play, 98-yard drive to seal it. “I think we grew up a lot today offensively,” O'Connell said. Standout stats Addison and Jefferson became the first duo in Vikings history to each have 100-plus receiving yards and two-plus touchdown catches in the same game. Addison also became the first Vikings player with three receiving touchdowns in a game since Stefon Diggs caught three from Cousins in 2019. Murphy has six interceptions this season, the most for the Vikings since Jimmy Hitchcock had seven in 1998. Injury report Falcons: CB Mike Hughes (knee) was back in the lineup after missing two games. Minnesota's 2018 first-round draft pick returned an interception for a touchdown against Atlanta in his NFL debut here. Vikings: CB Stephon Gilmore (hamstring) and backup OLB Patrick Jones (knee) were out. TE Josh Oliver (wrist/ankle) returned from a two-game absence, and LS Andrew DePaola (hand) and PK Will Reichard (quadriceps) were back from four-game injured reserve stints. Up next Both teams play next Monday night, Dec. 16: Atlanta visits Las Vegas, and Minnesota hosts Chicago. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL Dave Campbell, 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 Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Football (NFL) A hamstring injury silenced George Pickens. His Steelers teammates picked up the slack vs. Browns Dec 8, 2024 3:58 PM Baker Mayfield throws for 3 TDs, Bucs take over 1st in NFC South with 28-13 win over Raiders Dec 8, 2024 3:41 PM Barkley's brilliance helps Eagles beat Panthers 22-16 but pass game has Philly frustrated Dec 8, 2024 3:35 PM

TORONTO — Ontario municipal councillors could be removed from office and disqualified from running again under new provincial legislation introduced Thursday that would increase penalties for violating a municipal code of conduct. Municipalities have for years been calling for updated codes of conduct to address workplace harassment, as well as stricter penalties for those who violate the rules — including removal from office — but the main advocacy group pushing for changes says the new bill makes it too difficult to get rid of those councillors. Municipal Affairs Minister Paul Calandra's bill would allow for the creation of a standard code of conduct for all municipalities, with penalties of removing and disqualifying a member from office if they are in serious violation of the code. But removal and disqualification could only happen if the municipal integrity commissioner recommends it, if Ontario's integrity commissioner agrees and if councillors except for the member in question unanimously agree to it in a vote. Emily McIntosh, with Women of Ontario Say No, which has been pushing for more tools to hold politicians accountable for workplace harassment, said the requirement of a unanimous vote should not be in the legislation. "If you require unanimous support at the council level, it means that one person who has a personal relationship with another person can undermine the recommendation of the provincial integrity commissioner for removal," she said in a video statement. "It also is extremely inefficient from a taxpayer perspective, which means we're investing as taxpayers into this great process to make things consistent, only to see it potentially risk being non-actionable because one person doesn't like the outcome." Calandra said all of the steps in the process are deliberately difficult to overcome. "It is meant to be a very high bar," he said at a press conference. "Ultimately, the people will decide in an election. I wanted to have a mechanism (for removal), though. I thought it was very important. "I think we've hit a good balance that will allow councils to address the most egregious of challenges in their community, while respecting the voters of each community." Municipal integrity commissioners and the provincial integrity commissioner would only be able to recommend removal from office if the councillor has contravened the code of conduct, the conduct is serious and has resulted in harm to a person's health, safety or well-being, and existing penalties aren't sufficient. The integrity commissioner could also consider whether the conduct "negatively impacts public confidence in the ability of the member to discharge their duties," the government said. The Ontario's Big City Mayors group said it is pleased with the legislation. "Municipalities and municipal integrity commissioners currently lack the tools to enforce codes of conduct and there have unfortunately been numerous examples of repeated contraventions of codes of conduct, bullying and harassment across the municipal sector," the group wrote in a statement. "Municipal staff and elected members of council deserve a safe and respectful workplace free from harassment and bullying." Stephen Blais, who represents the riding of Orleans for the Liberals, had introduced a private member's bill on the topic, prompted by complaints of harassment related to an Ottawa councillor. He said the unanimous vote is too high of a bar, and the government's legislation is "too little, too late." He added he is not convinced it will ever pass, with the possibility Premier Doug Ford could call an early election this spring. "I don't think it will be debated and certainly I don't think passed into law, given the timing of the election," Blais said. "Moreover, the process that they’ve established is very cumbersome and my efforts and the efforts from stakeholders have been to try to take politics out of this process and it seems to me the government is injecting politics straight into it." Ontario's legislature rose Thursday for its winter break, which the government has extended. The legislature had been set to return Feb. 18 but it will now not be back until March 3. The bill is skipping second reading and going straight to the committee stage, so it is possible for committee hearings to take place on the bill while the legislature is not sitting. Calandra also introduced a Peel Transition Implementation Act, to transfer some services currently handled by Peel Region to its three municipalities of Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon. That comes after Ontario reversed course on a plan to dissolve the regional government, instead promising to find efficiencies in its management. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 12, 2024. Allison Jones, The Canadian PressEmerging tight end Noah Gray gives Mahomes and the Chiefs another option in passing game