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bmy88 com index php Thiruvananthapuram: Higher education minister R Bindu has emphasised the critical need for collaboration between cutting-edge research and dynamic startup ecosystems to address pressing global challenges. She was speaking after inaugurating the International Conference on Advanced Materials and Startup Ecosystem ( ICAMSE ). The conference was organised by Trivandrum Engineering Science and Technology Research Park at the College of Engineering, Trivandrum (CET). ICAMSE featured an illustrious lineup of plenary sessions and keynote talks by global experts from renowned institutions such as Gdansk University of Technology (Poland), Nazarbayev University (Kazakhstan), Heriot-Watt University (UK), and leading Indian institutes, including IITs, NITs, IIST, Banaras Hindu University, and others. The event also hosted technical presentations and poster sessions, offering participants a platform to showcase innovative research. It provided ample networking opportunities and fostered meaningful collaborations poised to drive impactful innovations. Interactive discussions explored key themes such as entrepreneurial finance, green innovation, and sustainable business practices. Panel discussions highlighted the transformative potential of interdisciplinary research in addressing challenges across critical sectors, including healthcare, FinTech, climate tech, and education, while tackling hurdles within the startup ecosystem. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , and Mini Crossword .When Donald Trump, House Speaker Mike Johnson, Elon Musk and Robert F Kennedy Jr circled up aboard the president-elect’s plane over some McDonalds burgers and fries recently, Donald Trump Jr. was seated in the center of that power foursome. The central spot occupied by Trump’s eldest son, as captured in a photo widely shared online, reflects how Trump Jr. has become a prominent player in his father’s political orbit and a potential heir to his Make America Great Again movement. For the son of a president-elect, Trump has already had an outsized impact on the next White House. He lobbied hard for the former president to choose his good friend, Ohio Sen JD Vance, to be his running mate. “I exerted 10,000% of my political capital,” Trump Jr said of his effort in an interview with Tucker Carlson on the night of the election. “I may get a favor from my father in like, 2076. I used it all.” As an honorary chair of the Republican president-elect’s transition team, Trump Jr is part of a core group of people deciding who will fill top jobs in the next White House, and his imprint is clear. Trump Jr. pushed in particular for roles for former Democratic Rep Tulsi Gabbard, whom the president-elect has chosen to be director of national intelligence, and Kennedy, who is in line to lead Health and Human Services. Another close ally, Sergio Gor, will be running the personnel office. He and Trump Jr. run a publishing company, Winning Team Publishing, which has published two of the former president’s books. The younger Trump has said he has no plans to join his father’s administration in the way his younger sister Ivanka Trump did during the first Trump term. His brother Eric is also an honorary chair of the transition but hasn't been as much of a political player. Eric's wife Lara has been more involved, serving as co-chair of the Republican National Committee. Trump Jr is expected to continue to be a vocal supporter of his father and his agenda and has made it clear he wants to be an influential voice from the outside, according to a person familiar with his thinking who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal planning. The president-elect's style — brash, indelicate and pugilistic -- is distilled in his son. Donald Trump Jr often takes a more aggressive tack than his father, in his calls for disrupting government as usual, in the way he dives into the culture wars with gusto and in his enthusiasm for trolling. “He’s probably the best embodiment of the take-no-crap attitude of the Republican Party,” said Scott Jennings, a Republican political strategist. Trump Jr.'s attitude and the way he communicates don’t make him sound like a regular political figure, Jennings said, and that’s part of the appeal. “I think that’s one thing about the Trumps that is probably broadly true but certainly for him: They just don’t participate in the normal political pablum that sort of pre-Trump politicians were schooled in or trained to do.” The 46-year-old is fluent in the online world of conservative politics and attuned to cultural issues that catch on with the MAGA faithful. The posts on Trump’s X account, where he has more than 13 million followers, are often peppered with exclamation points and emojis. On Instagram, he is a prolific poster of conservative memes. He flexes between interviews on established media outlets like Fox News and an array of podcasts influential among young conservatives, and he hosts his own twice a week, “Triggered With Don Jr” During the campaign, he pushed for the former president to make appearances on podcasts as part of an effort to reach young men, including the popular Joe Rogan podcast. Trump Jr.’s aggressive style has particular appeal with younger men. “I think that’s one of the reasons a lot of these young men like it because that’s how they talk,” Jennings said. Trump Jr. has said he has no plans to run for office himself, but he’s been working to cultivate the next generation of his father’s movement, boosting like-minded, communication-savvy Republicans. Beyond his political activity, the father of five also serves as executive vice president at the Trump organization’s main family business, has launched a new crypto platform and recently announced he’s joining a venture capital firm that invests in conservative-focused businesses. In an earlier time, Trump Jr appeared with his father on “The Apprentice,” the reality show that helped propel the billionaire’s first presidential campaign. When Donald Trump launched his White House bid in 2015 and faced skepticism from swaths of the Republican Party, Trump Jr’s outreach helped his father win more support, especially among conservatives who saw someone who espoused their views and as an avid hunter and fisherman who is a staunch supporter of the 2nd Amendment right to bear arms. He’s been increasingly visible in Republican politics since then, campaigning not just for his father but for like-minded candidates. He was a backer of Vance in his 2022 Ohio Senate race, nudging his father to do the same, and this year threw his support heavily behind successful Republican Senate candidates Jim Banks in Indiana, Bernie Moreno in Ohio and Tim Sheehy in Montana. Trump Jr helped broker a relationship with Kennedy as the Democrat-turned-independent suspended his presidential campaign, working to bring him into the MAGA fold and endorse his father. He floated the idea of Kennedy joining the administration early, saying in an interview with conservative host Glenn Beck that “I loved the idea,” of Kennedy joining a Trump White House. “I love the idea of giving him some sort of role in some sort of major three-letter entity or whatever it may be and let him blow it up,” Trump Jr said, a reference to the many initials for government agencies. The two hit it off, and Trump Jr, an avid outdoorsman, shared images on social media in October of a day he spent with Kennedy enjoying the latter’s favored hobby: falconry. The choice of anti-vaccine activist Kennedy to run the nation’s public health agencies is sure to draw tough scrutiny during confirmation proceedings in the Senate, even with a Republican majority, Trump Jr, in a recent interview on Fox News, acknowledged some of his father's choices will face pushback. “They are going to be actual disrupters,” he said. “That’s what the American people want.”

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has nvited Chinese President Xi Jinping to attend his inauguration next month — extending a diplomatic olive branch even as Trump threatens to levy massive tariffs on Chinese goods. Trump's incoming press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, confirmed on Thursday that Trump invited Xi, but said it was “to be determined” if the leader of the United States' most significant economic and military competitor would attend. In fact it seems unlikely. Xi is likely to see the invitation as too risky to accept, and the gesture from Trump may have little bearing on the increasingly competitive ties between the two nations as the White House changes hands, experts say. Danny Russel, vice president for international security and diplomacy at the Asia Society Policy Institute, said Xi would not allow himself to “be reduced to the status of a mere guest celebrating the triumph of a foreign leader — the U.S. president, no less.” Still, Leavitt saw it as a plus. “This is an example of President Trump creating an open dialogue with leaders of countries that are not just our allies, but our adversaries and our competitors too,” she said in an appearance on Fox News' program ”Fox & Friends." “We saw this in his first term. He got a lot of criticism for it, but it led to peace around this world. He is willing to talk to anyone and he will always put America’s interest first.” CBS News first reported the invitation to Xi. Asked at a Chinese Foreign Ministry briefing on Thursday about Trump's invitation, spokesperson Mao Ning responded: “I have nothing to share at present.” Leavitt said that other foreign leaders have also been invited, but did not provide any details. The move by Trump to invite a leader of an adversarial nation to the American moment that is Inauguration Day is unorthodox. But it also squares with his belief that foreign policy—much like a business negotiation—should be carried out with carrots and sticks to get the United States' opponents to operate closer to his administration's preferred terms. Jim Bendat, a historian and author of “Democracy’s Big Day: The Inauguration of Our President,” said he was not aware of a previous U.S. inauguration attended by a foreign head of state. “It's not necessarily a bad thing to invite foreign leaders to attend,” Bendat said. “But it sure would make more sense to invite an ally before an adversary.” Edward Frantz, a presidential historian at the University of Indianapolis, said the invitation helps Trump burnish his “dealmaker and savvy businessman” brand. “I could see why he might like the optics," Frantz said. “But from the standpoint of American values, it seems shockingly cavalier." White House officials said it was up to Trump to decide whom he invites to the inauguration. “I would just say, without doubt it's the single most consequential bilateral relationship that the United States has in the world,” White House national security spokesman John Kirby said. “It is a relationship both fraught with peril and responsibility.” Trump on Thursday during an appearance at the New York Stock Exchange , where he was ringing the opening bell to open the market, said he’s been “thinking about inviting certain people to the inauguration” without referring to any specific individuals. “And some people said, ‘Wow, that’s a little risky, isn’t it?’” Trump said. “And I said, ‘Maybe it is. We’ll see. We’ll see what happens.’ But we like to take little chances.” Meanwhile, a top aide to Hungarian President Viktor Orban, one of Trump's most vocal supporters on the world stage, said Thursday that Orban isn't slated to attend the inauguration. “There is no such plan, at least for the time being," said Gergely Gulyás, Orban's chief of staff. The nationalist Hungarian leader is embraced by Trump but has faced isolation in Europe as he's sought to undermine the European Union's support for Ukraine, and routinely blocked, delayed or watered down the bloc’s efforts to provide weapons and funding and to sanction Moscow for its invasion. Orban recently met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago. Every country's chief of mission to the United States will also be invited, according to a Trump Inaugural Committee official who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. The Xi invitation comes as Trump has threatened to enact massive tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China to get those countries to do more to reduce illegal immigration and the flow of illegal drugs such as fentanyl into the United States. He has said that, on his first day in office in January, he would impose 25% tariffs on all goods imported from Mexico and Canada and that China could be hit with even higher tariffs. China produces precursor chemicals used in the production of fentanyl, but Beijing has stepped up efforts over the last year to crack down on the export of the chemicals. “We’ve been talking and discussing with President Xi, some things, and others, other world leaders, and I think we’re going to do very well all around,” Trump said in a CNBC interview Thursday. Xi during a meeting with President Joe Biden last month in Peru urged the United States not to start a trade war. “Make the wise choice,” Xi cautioned. “Keep exploring the right way for two major countries to get along well with each other.” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has also pushed back on Trump's threats, warning such a tariffs move would be perilous for the U.S. economy as well. Trudeau earlier this week said that Americans “are beginning to wake up to the real reality that tariffs on everything from Canada would make life a lot more expensive” and said he will retaliate if Trump goes ahead with them. Trump responded by calling Canada a state and Trudeau the governor. In addition to the tariff dispute, U.S.-China relations are strained over other issues, including what U.S. officials see as Beijing indirectly supporting Russia's war on Ukraine. The Biden administration says China has supported Russia with a surge in sales of dual use components that help keep its military industrial base afloat. U.S. officials also have expressed frustration with Beijing for not doing more to rein in North Korea's support for the Russian war. China accounts for the vast majority of North Korea’s trade. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has dispatched thousands of troops to Russia to help repel Ukrainian forces from the Kursk border region. The North Koreans also have provided Russia with artillery and other munitions, according to U.S. and South Korean intelligence officials. Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration takes place a day after the U.S. deadline for ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of social media giant TikTok, to sell the social media app or face a ban in the United States. — Associated Press writers Didi Tang in Washington and Balint Domotor in Budapest, Hungary, contributed reporting.The Wolverines started the season ranked No. 9 in the AP Top 25, making them the third college football team since 1991 to be ranked worse than seventh in the preseason poll after winning a national title. Michigan (6-5, 4-4 Big Ten) failed to meet those modest expectations, barely becoming eligible to play in a bowl and putting the program in danger of losing six or seven games for the first time since the Brady Hoke era ended a decade ago. The Wolverines potentially can ease some of the pain with a win against rival and second-ranked Ohio State (10-1, 7-1, No. 2 CFP) on Saturday in the Horseshoe, but that would be a stunning upset. Ohio State is a 21 1/2-point favorite, according to the BetMGM Sportsbook, and that marks just the third time this century that there has been a spread of at least 20 1/2 points in what is known as "The Game." Michigan coach Sherrone Moore doesn't sound like someone who is motivating players with an underdog mentality. "I don't think none of that matters in this game," Moore said Monday. "It doesn't matter the records. It doesn't matter anything. The spread, that doesn't matter." How did Michigan end up with a relative mess of a season on the field, coming off its first national title since 1997? Winning it all with a coach and star player contemplating being in the NFL for the 2024 season seemed to have unintended consequences for the current squad. The Wolverines closed the College Football Playoff with a win over Washington on Jan. 8; several days later quarterback J.J. McCarthy announced he was skipping his senior season; and it took more than another week for Jim Harbaugh to bolt to coach the Los Angeles Chargers. In the meantime, most quality quarterbacks wanting to transfer had already enrolled at other schools and Moore was left with lackluster options. Davis Warren beat out Alex Orji to be the team's quarterback for the opener and later lost the job to Orji only to get it back again. No matter who was under center, however, would've likely struggled this year behind an offensive line that sent six players to the NFL. The Wolverines lost one of their top players on defense, safety Rod Moore, to a season-ending injury last spring and another one, preseason All-America cornerback Will Johnson, hasn't played in more than a month because of an injury. The Buckeyes are not planning to show any mercy after losing three straight in the series. "We're going to attack them," Ohio State defensive end Jack Sawyer said. "We know they're going to come in here swinging, too, and they've still got a good team even though the record doesn't indicate it. This game, it never matters what the records are." While a win would not suddenly make the Wolverines' season a success, it could help Moore build some momentum a week after top-rated freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood flipped his commitment from LSU to Michigan. "You come to Michigan to beat Ohio," said defensive back Quinten Johnson, intentionally leaving the word State out when referring to the rival. "That's one of the pillars of the Michigan football program. "It doesn't necessarily change the fact of where we are in the season, but it definitely is one of the defining moments of your career here at Michigan." AP Sports Writer Mitch Stacy in Columbus, Ohio, contributed to this report.A designated disability minister will be appointed to each Government department to “champion disability inclusion and accessibility”, the Government has announced. Work and pensions minister Sir Stephen Timms said the move aims to drive “real improvements” for disabled people, whom the ministers will be encouraged to engage with on a regular basis. He told the Commons: “I am very pleased to be able to announce today the appointment of new lead ministers for disability in each Government department, they will represent the interests of disabled people, champion disability inclusion and accessibility within their departments. “I’m going to chair regular meetings with them and will encourage them to engage directly with disabled people and their representative organisations, as they take forward their departmental priorities. “And I look forward to this new group of lead ministers for disability together driving real improvements across Government for disabled people.” This came during an adjournment debate on International Day of Persons with Disabilities, where Liberal Democrat MP Steve Darling raised concerns about “floating bus stops”, which have a cycle lane between the stop and the pavement. Intervening, the MP for Torbay, who is registered blind, said: “The Government needs to ban floating bus stops.” Sir Stephen said: “I do think this issue about floating bus stops is an important issue which we need to work across Government to reflect on.” Labour MP Debbie Abrahams, who led the debate, had earlier criticised the lack of accessibility for disabled people on trains. The Oldham East and Saddleworth MP said: “Our train network does not have level access, and we heard Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson from the other place make this plea back in the summer, absolutely outrageous what she was put through. “But I was absolutely shocked to find, when I had a presentation of the TransPennine route upgrade, that the rolling stock yet to be commissioned is not going to provide that level access. “It’s absolute nonsense, it’s not even in the design of that procurement, so we must do better than this.”

"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum." Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" Thanks for your interest in Kalkine Media's content! To continue reading, please log in to your account or create your free account with us.The lead singer of Village People has explained why he eventually came around to Donald Trump ’s continual use of the group’s 1978 hit “Y.M.C.A.” at campaign rallies, despite initially finding it to be a “nuisance.” The disco group’s song became a campaign staple for the President-elect. He played it at nearly every single event during his successful run to reclaim the White House , often busting out his specific set of moves . On Monday (December 2), Victor Willis, 73, addressed the song’s massive surge in popularity in the months leading up to and since the election, sharing a note to fans and the media. “I am the singer and writer of the lyrics to the hit ‘Y.M.C.A.’ In fact, as was adjudicated and ruled in a U.S. District Court, I wrote 100 percent of the lyrics, and my writing partner, Jacques Morali wrote the music,” he posted on Facebook . “Since 2020, I’ve received over a thousand complaints about President-Elect Trump’s use of ‘Y.M.C.A.’ With that many complaints, I decided to ask the President-Elect to stop using Y.M.C.A. because his use had become a nuisance to me,” Willis explained. However, he shared that the campaign continued with the use of the song because they had “obtained a political use license from BMI.” “They had every right to continue using ‘Y.M.C.A.’ And they did,” he continued. “In fact, I started noticing numerous artists withdrawing the President Elect’s use of their material. But by the time I said to my wife one day, hey, ‘Trump’ seems to genuinely like Y.M.C.A. and he’s having a lot of fun with it. “As such, I simply didn’t have the heart to prevent his continued use of my song in the face of so many artists withdrawing his use of their material,” Willis added. “So I told my wife to inform BMI to not withdraw the Trump campaign political use license. My French partners were contemplating legal action out of France. So I had my wife contact our French partners and asked them to stay out of the Trump campaign’s use of ‘Y.M.C.A.’ because it is a U.S. matter, and I will make the decision on his use. Our French partners quickly backed off of their objection to his use.” He revealed that Trump’s use of the song has greatly benefited its streaming numbers as well as led to an estimated gross of “several million dollars.” “Therefore, I’m glad I allowed the President Elect’s continued use of ‘Y.M.C.A.’ And I thank him for choosing to use my song,” he said. While the song’s lyrics contain multiple double entendres on gay male life, hence its popularity within the LGBTQ+ community, Willis went on to denounce the public’s label of the song as a gay anthem. “As I’ve said numerous times in the past, that is a false assumption based on the fact that my writing partner was gay, and some (not all) of Village People were gay, and that the first Village People album was totally about gay life,” he shared. “This assumption is also based on the fact that the ‘Y.M.C.A.’ was apparently being used as some sort of gay hangout and since one of the writers was gay and some of the Village People are gay, the song must be a message to gay people. To that I say once again, get your minds out of the gutter. It is not.” He threatened to sue every news organization that has falsely referred “either in their headlines or alluded to in the base of the story, that ‘Y.M.C.A.’ is somehow a gay anthem because such notion is based solely on the song’s lyrics alluding to elicit activity for which it does not.” “However, I don’t mind that gays think of the song as their anthem,” he assured. “The true anthem is ‘Y.M.C.A.’s’ appeal to people of all strips [sic] including President-elect Trump. But the song is not really a gay anthem other than certain people falsely suggesting that it is. And this must stop because it is damaging to the song,” Willis concluded.University of Illinois Mourns Loss of Respected Offensive Assistant Coach Dana Dimel at 62Morning Joe hosts gives harsh critique of media amid Biden pardoning his son Hunter

Russia's military captured a British national fighting with Ukrainian troops who have occupied part of Russia's Kursk region, according to reports Monday (November 25, 2024), as Moscow began daylight drone attacks on civilian areas of Ukraine and its ground forces accelerated gains along parts of the front line. The Briton was identified by State news agency Tass . The news agency quoted him saying that he had served as a signalman in the British army for four years and then joined the International Legion of Ukraine, formed early on in Russia's nearly 3-year-old war against its neighbor. On the battlefield, Ukrainian forces are straining to hold at bay a push by Russia's bigger army at places in the eastern Donetsk region. Russian forces recently have gained ground at “a significantly quicker rate” than they did in the whole of last year, according to the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington think tank. The Russians have detected and are exploiting weaknesses in the Ukrainian defenses, it said in an analysis late Sunday. The war surpassed 1,000 days last week, and the milestone coincided with a significant escalation in hostilities. Meanwhile, Ukraine's Air Force said Russia is adapting its drone tactics, as it fired 145 Shahed drones at Ukraine. Russia has started launching drones during the day, whereas in the past most drone attacks occurred during the night, the air force said. Andrii Kovalenko, the head of the National Security Council's Counter-disinformation Centre, said earlier this month that the Russians were looking to conserve their stocks of more destructive but more expensive missiles and also terrorise civilians. The air force said it stopped almost all the drones before they struck. But a morning missile attack on downtown Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city in the northeast, injured at least 23 people, according to Mayor Ihor Terekhov. He said the attack on a densely populated residential area was carried out by a modified surface-to-air S-400 missile. A Russian ballistic missile also struck the southern Ukraine city of Odesa in the middle of the day, injuring 10 people as it landed in the downtown area, officials said. Ukraine, meantime, continued its attacks on logistical targets inside Russia that support the Kremlin's war effort. Ukrainian drones set off explosions and a fire at an oil depot in Russia's Kaluga region overnight, about 200 kilometers (120 miles) from the border, a military intelligence official told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the rules of his job do not allow him to be quoted by name. Russia made no comment about the alleged strike. It was not possible to independently verify Ukraine's claim. The father of the British man says he was told by a Ukrainian commander of his capture. The captured Briton reportedly served as an instructor for Ukrainian troops and was deployed to the Kursk region against his will. Tass published a video of the man saying in English that he doesn't want to be “here”. The report couldn't be independently verified, but if confirmed it could be one of the first publicly known cases of a Western national captured on Russian soil while fighting for Ukraine. The U.K. Embassy in Moscow said officials were "supporting the family of a British man following reports of his detention” but provided no further details. The Russian Defence Ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The soldier's father, Scott Anderson, told Britain's Daily Mail newspaper that his son's Ukrainian commander had informed him that the young man had been captured. Scott Anderson said his son had served in the British military for four years, then briefly worked as a police custody officer before going to Ukraine to fight. He said he tried to convince his son not to join the Ukrainian military, and now he fears for his safety. “I'm hoping he'll be used as a bargaining chip, but my son told me they torture their prisoners and I'm so frightened he'll be tortured," he told the newspaper. The International Legion for Defense of Ukraine was created at the request of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shortly after Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. The Legion is a unit of Ukraine's Ground Forces that consists mostly of foreign volunteers. Apart from the Legion, Ukraine recruits foreigners to other units of its army, filling squads, companies, or even battalions. Early on in the war, Ukraine's authorities said over 20,000 people from 52 countries came to Ukraine to help it defend itself against Russia's aggression. Ever since, the numbers of foreign fighters in the ranks of the Ukrainian military have been classified. Published - November 26, 2024 03:20 am IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Russia / Russia-Ukraine CrisisTimberwolves didn’t turn to small ball to close last game, and those lineups don’t seem to be on the horizon

Network completed in partnership with Escambia River Electric Cooperative brings high-speed internet to more than 12,000 rural homes and businesses KANSAS CITY, Mo. , Nov. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Conexon Connect , the internet service provider (ISP) formed by rural fiber broadband leader Conexon , has completed its first fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) project in the state of Florida , a 2,000-mile network launched in partnership with Escambia River Electric Cooperative (EREC). The Connect, powered by Escambia River Electric Cooperative, network marks the ISP's sixth FTTH network completion. With this milestone, Conexon Connect has successfully delivered fiber internet access to 12,000 EREC members across rural Escambia and Santa Rosa counties in northern Florida , bringing world-class, high-speed internet service to homes and businesses previously lacking reliable connectivity. The newly completed network enables residents to access essential online services including telemedicine, remote education and modern work opportunities. "Completing the fiber network across EREC's service area is another major step forward in our mission to bring connectivity to underserved communities nationwide," said Randy Klindt , Conexon Founding Partner and co-CEO. "We're proud to empower these areas with digital access to help drive innovation, opportunity and growth in Florida ." The Connect, powered by Escambia River Electric Cooperative, network provides members access to multi-gigabit-speed symmetrical internet capabilities, offering the same fast download and upload speeds, as well as reliable phone service. Fiber broadband technology also enables the benefits of smart grid capabilities to the co-op's electrical infrastructure. "Over the past two years, we've worked tirelessly to bring this critical infrastructure to every EREC member in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties," said Ryan Campbell , CEO of EREC. "Today, every member of our cooperative has access to fast, reliable internet, which is not just about improving connectivity – it's about enhancing quality of life, fostering economic growth and ensuring that no one in our community is left behind in the digital age. This project represents our commitment to providing not just electricity, but the tools that empower our members to thrive in an increasingly connected world. By partnering with Connect, we've been able to make a lasting impact on our community." Conexon's current impact in Florida spans five electric cooperatives' service territories – delivering Connect high-speed internet to members of Tri-County Electric Cooperative, Glades Electric Cooperative and EREC – and partnering with Central Florida Electric Cooperative and Suwannee Valley Electric Cooperative as those co-ops build FTTH networks to serve their members with broadband. Collectively the co-ops' broadband project investment totals more than $260 million , with nearly 9,000 miles of fiber built to date, reaching well over 70,000 rural Floridians. "In rural areas across the state, there is only one group of people who truly care about getting broadband to every home in every rural area – not the telephone companies that have abandoned rural Florida , not the cable companies that never built to rural Florida – it is the rural electric cooperatives that have been serving their communities for over 85 years," said Conexon co-CEO Jonathan Chambers . "We are proud of the partnership we formed with Escambia River Electric Cooperative. In just eighteen months, we built a fiber broadband network to serve every member of the cooperative, a network that will last for decades to come." About Conexon Connect Conexon Connect, the fiber-to-the-home internet service provider (ISP) formed and operated by Conexon, is an emerging local broadband leader in rural communities across the country. Connect works predominantly with electric cooperatives and communities, building networks using Conexon's proven methodology and architecture that leverage existing infrastructure to power reliable and affordable 100 percent fiber broadband service for rural homes and businesses. Connect currently operates in Colorado , Florida , Georgia , Kentucky , Louisiana , Mississippi , and Missouri . About Escambia River Electric Cooperative Founded in 1939, Escambia River Electric Cooperative (EREC) is a member-owned electric distribution cooperative serving approximately 12,000 residents in northern Escambia County and Santa Rosa County, Florida . Headquartered in Jay, Florida , with an additional location in Walnut Hill , EREC has a long-standing commitment to providing affordable, reliable electric power to its members. In recent years, the cooperative has expanded its service offerings, including the successful deployment of high-speed fiber internet to every member in its service area. EREC's mission is to provide dependable electric and broadband services at competitive rates while enhancing the region's quality of life through community-driven initiatives. These include supporting economic development, promoting safety and environmental education, and generously contributing time, energy, and resources to charitable organizations, schools, and community events. Cindy Parks 913-526-6912 cindy.parks@conexon.us View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/conexon-connect-completes-first-fiber-to-the-home-project-in-florida-marking-sixth-broadband-network-completion-nationwide-302316929.html SOURCE Conexon Connect © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.Workday Names Rob Enslin President, Chief Commercial OfficerCounterpoint: We aren’t doing the Earth any favors by saying ‘no’ to mining

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Minnesota utility regulators on Thursday unanimously approved what would be the state’s first carbon dioxide pipeline, stretching 28 rural miles from an ethanol plant near Fergus Falls to the North Dakota border. The decision is the latest victory for Summit Carbon Solutions for its plan to capture planet-warming gases from 57 ethanol plants, transport them through a sprawling network of Midwestern pipelines and bury the carbon in North Dakota. The “Midwest Carbon Express” has sparked contentious debate in Minnesota over whether this type of carbon capture is actually a benefit for the climate — or worth the health and safety risks of a rupture. Summit says the project will help ethanol plants earn premium prices in California’s regulated fuel markets by slashing carbon emissions, and possibly open a Midwest market for lower-carbon aviation fuel made of ethanol. The Public Utilities Commission (PUC) voted 5-0 to grant Summit a route permit. In exchange, the company must start construction in North Dakota before it can build the Minnesota pipeline, among other conditions. “It’s a new concept, we get that,” said Republican commissioner John Tuma. “We’re going to have to try some new things. Some of them will be successful, some of them are going to fail. If we’re really truly about reducing carbon and meeting our 2040 goal, we gotta look at all things.” The PUC’s vote Thursday marks a continuing turnaround for the five-state, $8.9 billion system, which once looked to be in doubt. On Thursday, regulators in North Dakota are considering crucial underground storage permits for Summit , one month after approving the company’s route there. Iowa also approved Summit this year. Still, Summit faces a more uncertain future for a critical stretch of its project through South Dakota, where the company in November reapplied for permission with an altered route after being rejected by the state in 2023. Tuma also said Republicans under incoming President Donald Trump could eliminate federal tax credits for carbon capture that are important to the project’s viability. Still, Trump’s choice for Interior Secretary, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, supports the Summit project. To hedge against the possibility the project is abandoned, the PUC required Summit to create a fund to “protect against the failure to complete construction and fund decommissioning.” Summit wants to build a carbon capture facility at the Green Plains ethanol plant near Fergus Falls that collects the gas produced by fermenting ethanol, and then compress, dehydrate and cool it for transport. The four-inch carbon steel pipeline would carry about 524 metric tons of carbon dioxide per day. A typical car emits about 4.6 metric tons of carbon each year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency . Summit is also planning a much longer pipeline through southern Minnesota to reach ethanol plants there. The company has had to navigate complex politics to reach this point. In other states, it faces opposition from some conservatives over the potential use of eminent domain along the route. That’s not an issue in Minnesota, because Summit can’t invoke eminent domain under state law. The company has voluntary easements for 89% length of its path in Minnesota. Summit still needs to strike deals with seven landowners. Summit has support from some Democrats, Republicans and climate action groups who believe carbon capture is essential to slashing emissions from transportation fuels, as well as those who want the construction and operation jobs from the project such as labor unions. The Minnesota project would create about 200 construction jobs. An environmental impact statement published by the Minnesota Department of Commerce said the pipeline would still benefit the climate if it captures even 40% of emissions from the ethanol plant. At 10%, the project would be a net polluter. Yet the pipeline faced local opposition from several environmental nonprofits who argue Summit’s project would push farmers to grow more corn, leading to more emissions and other issues like water pollution. They also fear the captured carbon would be used for oil production. “We have serious concerns that these broader emissions outweigh the amount of carbon that’s captured and sequestered here,” said Abigail Hencheck, an attorney for the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy. Summit attorney Christina Brusven said Thursday that using carbon for oil production is possible elsewhere. The pipeline would be a common carrier that can’t choose to deny shippers based on how the gas would be used, she said. Still, Brusven said Summit has a contract with the Green Plains to permanently sequester the carbon transported along this 28-mile route. Nearby landowners were among those who have raised concerns about the potential health hazard of any leak from the pipeline. Project skeptics note that a carbon pipeline rupture in 2020 in Mississippi sent 45 people to the hospital and forced the evacuation of 200 people. A rupture can be explosive, and carbon dioxide is toxic at high levels. In response to that disaster, federal regulators are strengthening pipeline safety rules. The environmental nonprofit CURE argued companies pitching new pipelines should wait until that process is finished before moving ahead. The state’s environmental assessment notes the pipeline that ruptured in Mississippi was six times larger than what would be built in Minnesota. Summit says it will exceed current pipeline standards, is following federal recommendations after the Mississippi failure and would have to follow any new rules. A state contractor modeled a potential rupture, finding it could be life-threatening to people at a maximum of 617 feet away under a worst-case scenario, a distance of roughly two football fields. There are eight homes and one business within that distance of the approved route. The permit requires Summit to buy carbon dioxide detectors for nearby homes if people want them, as well as to pay for training local emergency preparedness, and to conduct a public safety awareness campaign. Tuma said environmental groups wanted to make the vote a broader debate about ethanol use in Minnesota rather than focus on how the law applies to this pipeline. The legislature has subsidized these plants and even exempted some from certain environmental regulations, he said. “Is it 100% sequestering every piece of carbon that hits that ethanol plant in Northern Minnesota? No,” Tuma said. “But it is ... a net benefit.” ©2024 The Minnesota Star Tribune. Visit startribune.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLCLiminal Forecasts Third-Party Risk Management Solutions Market to Hit $19.9 Billion by 2030

As an investor, especially one with a healthy level of risk tolerance, it’s natural to be intrigued by artificial intelligence (AI) stocks. It’s a new phenomenon in the market, and considering the meteoric growth of companies like , it can also be highly profitable. However, there are risks involved. Choosing a safe AI stock can be challenging if you need help understanding the underlying technology, business model, and, by extension, its prospects. One way to balance out the risks is to diversify, and instead of pouring all the capital (that you have set aside for this purpose) into one AI stock, divert some of it to a more trusted growth stock. You can do that without going out of the tech sector. An AI stock Calling ( ) an AI stock might be a bit of a stretch because that’s not its primary focus. Their original forte is customer experience (CX), but since it heavily leverages data and, to an extent, algorithms and solutions that fall under AI, we put it in this category. They also offer a range of AI solutions and services, including chatbots, and have their own enterprise-grade generative AI engine called Fuel iX. Ironically, despite having a significant amount of AI DNA at its core, Telus Digital is in a perpetual phase. Apart from a few disparate bullish phases, the stock has mostly gone down and is currently trading at a massive 88% discount from its price at the inception. However, the company is still afloat, and insiders have trust in its prospects, as evidenced by its director’s recent purchase of 100,000 stock in the company. While it’s not a traditional vote of confidence, the parent company, , still has massive holdings in Telus Digital, and we might even say that it has helped keep the stock afloat. A conventional tech stock If you are looking for a traditional tech stock that may offer consistent returns and have an impressive performance track record, ( ) is arguably a top pick. The stock is constantly reaching new heights, and even though its current pace is a fraction of its long-term annualized growth, it’s still among the top growth stocks in Canada. The stock rose by about 220% in the last five years. It pays dividends as well, but the yield is tiny — 0.12% at the time of writing this. The stock is quite dangerously overvalued. However, its compelling and consistent performance undermines these danger signals. The stock has pushed through unfavourable conditions in the past as well, and unless something fundamental to the company changes, it may keep outperforming the general market, even the vibrant tech sector, in the future. Foolish takeaway The two offer two completely different types of growth opportunities. Constellation Software offers tried and tested growth, while Telus Digital offers the early bird advantage, assuming the stock would take off. Both stocks carry different types of risks as well. Another significant fall or period of slump might crush the confidence of Telus Digital investors. In contrast, the main risk with Constellation Software is slow or no growth.49ers claim RB Israel Abanikanda off waivers from Jets