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NEW YORK (AP) — Top-ranked chess player Magnus Carlsen is headed back to the World Blitz Championship on Monday after its governing body agreed to loosen a dress code that got him fined and denied a late-round game in another tournament for refusing to change out of jeans . Lamenting the contretemps, International Chess Federation President Arkady Dvorkovich said in a statement Sunday that he'd let World Blitz Championship tournament officials consider allowing “appropriate jeans” with a jacket, and other “elegant minor deviations” from the dress code. He said Carlsen's stand — which culminated in his quitting the tournament Friday — highlighted a need for more discussion “to ensure that our rules and their application reflect the evolving nature of chess as a global and accessible sport.” Carlsen, meanwhile, said in a video posted Sunday on social media that he would play — and wear jeans — in the World Blitz Championship when it begins Monday. “I think the situation was badly mishandled on their side,” the 34-year-old Norwegian grandmaster said. But he added that he loves playing blitz — a fast-paced form of chess — and wanted fans to be able to watch, and that he was encouraged by his discussions with the federation after Friday's showdown. “I think we sort of all want the same thing,” he suggested in the video on his Take Take Take chess app’s YouTube channel. “We want the players to be comfortable, sure, but also relatively presentable.” The events began when Carlsen wore jeans and a sportcoat Friday to the Rapid World Championship, which is separate from but held in conjunction with the blitz event. The chess federation said Friday that longstanding rules prohibit jeans at those tournaments, and players are lodged nearby to make sartorial switch-ups easy if needed. An official fined Carlsen $200 and asked him to change pants, but he refused and wasn't paired for a ninth-round game, the federation said at the time. The organization noted that another grandmaster, Ian Nepomniachtchi, was fined earlier in the day for wearing sports shoes, changed and continued to play. Carlsen has said that he offered to wear something else the next day, but officials were unyielding. He said “it became a bit of a matter of principle,” so he quit the rapid and blitz championships. In the video posted Sunday, he questioned whether he had indeed broken a rule and said changing clothes would have needlessly interrupted his concentration between games. He called the punishment “unbelievably harsh.” “Of course, I could have changed. Obviously, I didn’t want to,” he said, and “I stand by that.”

Grandma got run over by a reindeer. It’s more complicated than you think. After all, the reindeer — let’s presume it’s Rudolph — is not a human being. As such, the anthropomorphism of him notwithstanding, he does not have independent agency or free will, at least as contemplated by the law. Add to that the fact that the whole Santa-and-the-reindeer shtick flowered from a Sears and Roebuck marketing campaign, admittedly one that has taken off and through the years gained traction, you can see that we have quite a mess. To pile it on, well ... Santa himself. Let’s presume for our purposes that — yes, Virginia — he is real. With our parameters now set, let’s examine the legalities. First, did Grandma contribute to her own harm? Was she jaywalking rather than crossing at a marked intersection when the sleigh slid through? Or, as Santa tends to fly, was she waiting for him on her rooftop near the chimney? If the answer to either of these questions is a “yes,” then that’s a different kettle of fish entirely, and Grandma’s claim will likely be reduced. Let’s take this a bit further; in knowing it was Christmas Eve, in posting up in harm’s way near the chimney, can it be maintained that Grandma “accepted the risk?” Or worse, perhaps, that she “came to the nuisance?” Both of which would, at the least, lay some culpability on Grandma’s head and reduce Poor Rudolph’s (and therefore, Santa’s) legal exposure. Did others potentially contribute to Grandma’s woes? Let’s say this whole sorry affair takes place in New England, certain parts of which are known for widow’s walks. Let’s say too that Grandma’s was recently resurfaced. What if the resurfaced — a roofing company, I presume — failed to lay the surface flat, the consequence of which is that Grandma tripped and, in tripping, her noggin got up close and personal with Rudolph’s churning hooves as he, Santa, and the other reindeer were coming in for a swift and stealthy landing? In that case — ah hah! — add the roofer to the complaint as he may be comparatively negligent and, accordingly, may share responsibility for Grandma’s injuries. There too is the question of Grandma potentially ignoring all the warnings. Since at least 1939, when the Rudolph story was first born, every sentient being from 3 to 103 knows that: a) Santa and the Reindeer wing it on Christmas Eve; b) they are in a hurry; c) they swoop in and out just long enough for the fat man to shimmy with his bag of goodies down the chimney, have a quick nibble of a cookie and a slug of milk, then pop back up and off they go; and d) that Rudolph’s nose is brighter than the blast cloud of a nuclear detonation. If Grandma ignored all this, shouldn’t the fault be largely hers? What if the sled itself was defective? Is this Santa’s or the reindeer’s fault, or does liability lie with the manufacturer? This may call for the testimony of experts who can recreate the precise mechanism by which Grandma was injured. Say a runner was defectively bolted to the sleigh; this could change the whole equation and shift liability for Rudolph, Santa, and the other reindeer to Boeing, MacDonnell Douglas or wherever else it more rightly belongs. Before we get to damages, a word or two first about agency. It seems unequivocal that Rudolph is Santa’s agent and the injury, if Grandma is to be believed, occurred on the job — in the performance of his employment duties. As Santa had the reins and was presumably in charge, Rudolph was, more likely than not, acting at Santa’s behest. As such, the law of agency would come into play and, even though it might be Rudolph who caused the actual harm, responsibility will flow to Jolly ‘ol Saint Nick who, after facing a jury of his peers, might find himself a bit less jolly. Now, what about her damages? If liability is proved, what might Grandma hope to recover? First, she may be entitled to reimbursement of her medical expenses. Next, if future care is indicated, Santa may have to work extra hours next year at his workshop to cover that as well. If there is lost or damaged property, Santa will likely have to ante up for it. If Grandma is employed, lost wages may be recoverable and, if the facts so demonstrate, for both past and future losses. What if — God forbid! — Grandma was disfigured? Particularly if she were a Betty Crocker model or some such, you may include that in the stash of her potential yuletide goodies. Pain and suffering? Yes, of course. And if Grandma is married (as to be a Grandma, she most surely is or was), then Grandma’s hubby may entitled to loss of consortium damages (the loss or impairment of the intangible benefits of his relationship with Granny). However you slice it, it is a sorry affair. Grandma lies injured during this festive time of year, Rudolph is, at the least chagrined, and Santa, wishing he had been better insured, may be working long hours in the offseason instead of lounging on the clement shores of Bali. And yet ... His eyes will still twinkle and his dimples will be merry. His cheeks will be like roses and his nose like a cherry. After filling the stockings of good girls and boys, away he will sprite with a Happy Christmas to all. And to all, a good night.Sheriff office assistance grants by the Attorney General Gentner Drummond’s office have gone to 77 counties per House Bill 2914. Individual grants range from $150,000 to $300,000 and can be used for training, technology, equipment, capital improvements, stipends and more. Drummond said the funds will positively impact all areas of the state. Payne County received $300,000 in this disbursement. “We are using the funds to help pay for a recovery support specialist, care coordinator and an assistant district attorney who monitors the progress of cases. The first two positions are provided by Grand Mental Health to which we will use the grant to reimburse them,” said Rockford Brown with the Payne County Sheriff’s Office. Noble County received $250,000; Logan County received $300,000 and Lincoln and Pawnee Counties received $300,000 and $150,000 respectively.

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CNBC's Jim Cramer previewed next week's important Wall Street action, pointing to a slew of retail earnings, as well as reports from Dell and CrowdStrike. Best Buy, Abercrombie & Fitch, Kohl's, Macy's, Burlington Stores and Dick's Sporting Goods all report Tuesday. The coming week is typically a good one for the market and he advised investors to ring the register on some of their more volatile stocks that have seen significant gains. CNBC's Jim Cramer on Friday previewed next week's important Wall Street action, suggesting it's wise to pay attention to a slew of retail earnings as well as reports from Dell and CrowdStrike . He also said that the coming week is typically a good one for the market and advised investors to ring the register on some of their more volatile stocks that have seen significant gains. "If you have huge profits in the month of November, could you do me a favor?" he said. "I would show a little thanks next week and take something off the table in your most risky positions." Monday brings quarterly reports from Bath & Body Works and Zoom . Cramer noted that the soap maker's stock hasn't been popular on Wall Street as of late, but wondered if positive commentary about the holiday season from management would make a difference. He also pointed to the tension between those who are shorting stock of Zoom and those intending to buy and said it seems the company always "has a lot of irons in the fire." Tuesday is a big day for retailers, with reports from Best Buy , Abercrombie & Fitch , Kohl's , Macy's , Burlington Stores and Dick's Sporting Goods . Cramer noted that many of these stocks have run up heading into earnings — so it's "treacherous" to buy now — and wondered which ones will impress Wall Street. He added that some retailers whose earnings weren't great still saw their stocks soar but others got badly dinged , like Target . J.M. Smucker will also post earnings that day. Cramer said some investors weren't pleased with the snack food company's pricey Hostess acquisition , but he suggested the stock could climb if results are in-line. A few major tech names also report Tuesday, including CrowdStrike , Dell , and Workday . Cramer said he's positive on all three, noting that Dell is a major Nvidia partner that is helping implement its newest technology. He said investors might want to buy some Dell stock now and some after earnings if it pulls back. HP will report after close, and Cramer said he wants to know if new artificial intelligence-enabled PCs are seeing success. While stock action tends to slow during the rest of the holiday week, Cramer pointed out that on Wednesday the government will release the latest personal consumption expenditures index. This data is an inflation metric for the Federal Reserve and could indicate whether there will be another interest rate cut before the end of the year. Sign up now for the CNBC Investing Club to follow Jim Cramer's every move in the market. Disclaimer The CNBC Investing Club Charitable Trust holds shares of Best Buy, CrowdStrike and Nvidia. Questions for Cramer? Call Cramer: 1-800-743-CNBC Want to take a deep dive into Cramer's world? Hit him up! Mad Money Twitter - Jim Cramer Twitter - Facebook - Instagram Questions, comments, suggestions for the "Mad Money" website? madcap@cnbc.com

Symbotic Stock Sinks Nearly 40% On Filing Delay, Lowered OutlookCountless cables are used in the home — whether for charging smartphones, transferring data, or connecting audio systems. However, frequent use and regular bending can quickly lead to unsightly kinks or even damage to sensitive areas. Caution is advised in the event of serious damage, such as a broken or exposed cable core: Repairs in such cases should be left to experienced users. For non-experts, replacing the cable is usually the safer option. In other cases, however, anyone can attempt an uncomplicated repair: If the cables are only kinked or the sheath is broken, damaged household cables can be quickly repaired. Find out here how you can easily repair kinked or broken cables — and even repair-damaged cable cores (conductors). Repairing kinked cables: This is how it works Bent or kinked cables are a typical occurrence in the home, and sometimes such cables are delivered completely bent: When manufacturers severely compress or twist them in the packaging for space reasons. If such kinks do not disappear on their own and cannot be straightened, there is a simple trick to help: the heat trick. Plastic cables are thermoplastic. This means that the warmer they are, the easier they are to bend and move. In winter, you can therefore simply place bent cable sections on a warm radiator for a few minutes and then carefully straighten the bent section with your hands; the process can also be repeated several times if the cable is severely bent. : Always disconnect the cable from connected devices or the socket beforehand and allow it to cool down after the process. Alternatively, kinked cable sections (if not directly on the plug) can also be heated in a hot water bath and then smoothed by hand. However, this method requires special care: The plugs must never get wet and there is a risk of water ingress if the cable sheaths are porous. Make sure that the plugs remain dry — and remember to disconnect the cable from the power supply beforehand. Both methods work best if you heat the cable to around 50 to 60 degrees Celsius. You should avoid higher temperatures. Repairing a broken cable: Depending on the damage, only for experienced hobbyists After the kink often comes the break, at least in cable management. A distinction must be made between two levels of damage: If only the sheath is broken, then the repair is child’s play and can be done quickly. However, if the cable core, i.e. the cable inside, is also damaged, it is a little more complicated. We only recommend such repairs to users with some experience. Headphone, audio, or charging cables can also be repaired inexpensively. If the cables of larger household appliances such as vacuums or lawnmowers break, laymen should not attempt to repair them and should leave the repair to specialized personnel. How to repair a broken cable sheath With older cables or cables that are used frequently (such as charging cables), it is often the case that the cable sheaths become cracked or break open completely. As long as the actual conductor inside remains undamaged, the problem can be quickly solved with some insulating tape. Such special tapes only cost a few dollars, and you can also find offers for them at the end of this article. The damaged area can be easily repaired by wrapping two to three layers of insulating tape around it — and the cable is ready for use again. Tighten the insulating tape slightly when wrapping to seal the damaged area more tightly and ensure better adhesion. Alternatively, heat-shrink tubing (see below) is suitable for sealing open cable sheaths quickly and reliably. Repair the cable core in just a few steps If cables from low-current devices (up to 50 volts) break, you can also try to repair them at home. Proceed as follows: : As a first step, pull the cable plug out of the connected appliance or power source. : Now locate the damaged area — in most cases the break is obvious. : You can then use a wire stripper or cable cutter (see below) to cut the damaged area out of the cable. If necessary, you can also use a cutter knife. Try to work evenly and cut the cable cleanly. : Strip the two new ends of the cable to a length of about one centimeter. The wire stripper is perfect for this. : Now reconnect the separated cable. This works best with crimping pliers, but you can also twist the conductors together by hand and wrap them with insulating tape. Heat-shrink tubing is a particularly clean and safe way to do this. If you do not have this equipment in stock, you will find suitable purchase recommendations at the end of the article. Prevent cable breakage or kinking with simple tricks Annoying cable breaks or kinks in sensitive areas can be avoided with a simple trick. The weak point is usually at the transition to the plug — exactly where the fixed plug joins the flexible cable. The load is particularly high at this point, which is why damage often occurs here sooner or later. To prevent this, you can reinforce the area, which is easy to do with some insulating tape. Simply wrap two to three layers of tape over a length of two to three cm of the cable sheath at the sensitive point. The cable end then remains flexible, but no longer bends so much under load that you have to fear a cable break. : Instead of tape, you can also use the nib of a biro at this point. To do this, simply open an old biros, pull the nib off the lead, and wind it over the sensitive end of the cable. Useful equipment for cable repair With these tools, you can make broken cables functional and safe to use again in no time at all or reinforce sensitive areas. Insulating tape black PVC 19mm x 20m Erko Price: $1 Stretchy, thick, and flexible to use: A roll of insulating tape belongs in every household. This inexpensive tool reliably and securely seals open cables and is helpful or even necessary for many of the repairs described in this article. You can find the tape in a variety of colors and also a narrower version measuring just 15 × 10mm. Stanley FatMax automatic wire stripper and cutter Stanley Price: $39 Powerful tool for working with cables: This multi-tool can strip cables (0.2 to 6 mm2) or cut them cleanly. Cable conduits can be quickly and easily pulled from the conductor core (stripped) so that the ends can then be reconnected and re-insulated. The robust pliers are well made and offer a secure, non-slip grip. Someline crimping pliers cable connector set Someline Price: $17 Crimping pliers are the best tool for reconnecting exposed and separated cable cores. With this practical tool, you can press cable sleeves firmly and securely onto the open cable points, ensuring that the new insulation holds reliably. The package already includes three different butt connectors for different conductor cross-sections. After crimping, you can shrink the cable sleeves with a heat source (such as a lighter) so that they adhere inseparably to the cable. Heat-shrink tubing set with various sizes, 580 pieces Amazon Price: $7 Heat-shrink tubing in all standard sizes can be used to seal damaged cable sheaths or safely insulate newly connected cable ends. To do this, simply pull the appropriate heat-shrink tubing over the affected area of the cable. When heated, the material shrinks and adheres firmly and inseparably to the cable sheath. A heat gun is best suited for heating, but if you are careful, you can also simply use a lighter. This article originally appeared on our sister publication and was translated and localized from German. Steffen Zellfelder is a freelance graduate journalist from Bonn. As an experienced software expert, he is particularly enthusiastic about apps, tools and future trends.

NoneJeffrey Fleishman | (TNS) Los Angeles Times The national furor in recent years around banning books on race and gender in public schools is intensifying as President-elect Donald Trump threatens to shut down the Department of Education, emboldening conservatives to end “wokeness” in classrooms. Battles over books in school libraries have become emblematic of the country’s larger culture wars over race, historical revisionism and gender identity. A new report by PEN America found book bans increased by nearly 200% during the 2023-24 school year, including titles on sexuality, substance abuse, depression and other issues students face in an age of accelerating technologies, climate change, toxic politics and fears about the future. Book censorship has shaken and divided school boards, pitted parents against parents, and led to threats against teachers and librarians . It is part of an agenda driven by conservative parental rights groups and politicians who promote charter schools and voucher systems that could weaken public education. The issue goes to the heart not only of what students are taught but how federal and state education policies will affect the nation’s politics after one of the most consequential elections in its history. “It’s not just about taking a book off a shelf,” said Tasslyn Magnusson, an author and teacher from Wisconsin who tracks book censorship across the U.S. “It’s about power and who controls public education. It’s about what kind of America we were and are. We’re trying to define what family is and what America means. That comes down to the stories we tell.” She said she feared Trump’s return to the White House would further incite those calling for book bans: “I don’t have lots of hope. It could get a lot worse.” Over the last year, PEN counted more than 10,000 book bans nationwide that targeted 4,231 unique titles. Most were books dealing with gender, sexuality, race and LGBTQ+ storylines. The most banned title was Jodi Picoult’s “Nineteen Minutes,” about a school shooting that included a short description of date rape. Florida and Iowa — both of which have strict regulations on what students can read — accounted for more than 8,200 bans in the 2023-24 school year. “This crisis is tragic for young people hungry to understand the world they live in and see their identities and experiences reflected in books,” Kasey Meehan, director of PEN’s Freedom to Read Program, said in a statement. “What students can read in schools provides the foundation for their lives.” Trump’s calls to close the Department of Education would need congressional approval, which appears unlikely. Although public schools are largely funded and governed by state and local institutions, the department helps pay to educate students with disabilities, provides about $18 billion in grants for K-12 schools in poor communities and oversees a civil rights branch to protect students from discrimination. But Trump’s election has inspired conservative parental groups, including Moms For Liberty and Parents Defending Education, to strengthen efforts to limit what they see as a liberal conspiracy to indoctrinate children with books and teachings that are perverse, amoral and pornographic. Tiffany Justice, co-founder of Moms for Liberty, has criticized schools that she says spend too much time on diversity and inclusion when only about one-third of U.S. children are reading at grade level: “We’re talking about public school libraries and content for kids,” Justice told NewsNation after Trump’s victory. “I think it’s very clear that there are certain things that are appropriate for kids, certain things that are appropriate for adults. We’re just getting back to commonsense America.” Trump’s threat to deny federal funding to schools that acknowledge transgender identities could affect curricula and the kinds of books school libraries stock. During his rally at Madison Square Garden in October, Trump — who has has accused schools of promoting sex change operations — said his administration would get “transgender insanity the hell out of our schools.” Vice President-elect JD Vance has accused Democrats of wanting to “put sexually explicit books in toddlers’ libraries.” Nicole Neily, president of Parents Defending Education, told Newsmax that she was excited about Trump’s calls to remake education and “clean up a lot of the mess” he has inherited from the Biden administration. Trump “has centered parental rights back in his platform, which is incredible. He has prioritized knowledge and skill, not identity politics,” she said. “American children deserve better, and it is time for change.” In nominating Linda McMahon to be his secretary of Education, Trump appears to be pushing for more conservative parental control over what is taught and read in classrooms. A former professional wrestling executive, McMahon chairs the America First Policy Institute, a Trump-connected organization that has criticized schools for teaching “racially divisive” theories, notably about slavery and a perspective about the nation’s founding it views as anti-American. “Today’s contentious debates over using classrooms for political activism rather than teaching a complete and accurate account of American history have reinvigorated calls for greater parental and citizen involvement in the curriculum approval process,” the institute’s website says. Culturally divisive issues, including race and LGBTQ+ themes, cost school districts an estimated $3.2 billion during the 2023-24 school year, according to a recent study called “The Costs of Conflict.” The survey — published by the Institute for Democracy, Education and Access at UCLA — found that battles over books and teaching about sexuality and other topics led to increased expenses for legal fees, replacing administrators and teachers who quit, and security, including off-duty plainclothes police officers. “Are we really going to spend our tax dollars on these kinds of things?” asked Magnusson. “After Trump was elected, I saw a bunch of middle-class white ladies like me who were saying, ‘This isn’t America.’ But maybe it is America.” One school superintendent in a Western state told the study’s researchers that his staff was often consumed with correcting misinformation and fulfilling public record requests mainly from hard-line parental rights activists attempting to exploit cultural war issues to discredit the district. “Our staff are spending enormous amounts of time just doing stupid stuff,” the superintendent said. “The fiscal costs to the district are enormous, but [so are] the cultural costs of not standing up to the extremists. If someone doesn’t, then the students and employees lose. ... It’s the worst it’s ever been.” The survey found that 29% of 467 school superintendents interviewed reported that teachers and other staff quit their profession or left their districts “due to culturally divisive conflict.” Censoring books in school libraries grew out of opposition to COVID-19 restrictions. A number of conservative parental groups, including Moms for Liberty, which invited Trump to speak at its national convention in August, turned their attention to lobbying against “liberal indoctrination.” Their protests against what they criticized as progressive teaching on sexuality and race were focused on increasing conservative parental control over a public education system that was struggling at teaching children reading and math. That strategy has led to a national, right-wing effort that is “redefining government power to restrict access to information in our schools,” said Stephana Ferrell, co-founder of the Florida Freedom to Read Project. “This movement to protect the innocence of our children believes if children never read it in a book they won’t have to know about it and can go on to lead harmonious lives. But books teach us cautionary tales. They instruct us. You can’t protect innocence through ignorance.” School districts across the country have removed “Gender Queer” by Maia Kobabe and “All Boys Aren’t Blue” by George Johnson, which are about gender identity and include graphic depictions of sex, along with titles by renowned writers such as Toni Morrison, Kurt Vonnegut, George Orwell, Maya Angelou and Flannery O’Connor. Related Articles National Politics | Trump promised mass deportations. Educators worry fear will keep immigrants’ kids from school. National Politics | Trump team says Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire deal brokered by Biden is actually Trump’s win National Politics | How Trump’s bet on voters electing him managed to silence some of his legal woes National Politics | After delay, Trump signs agreement with Biden White House to begin formal transition handoff National Politics | Rudy Giuliani in a courtroom outburst accuses judge in assets case of being unfair, drawing a rebuke Surveys show that most Americans do not favor censorship. The Florida Freedom to Read Project and similar organizations around the country have called for thorough public reviews of challenged books to prevent one scene or passage from being taken out of context. Moderate and liberal parents groups over the last two years have also become more active in school board politics. They have supported school board candidates who have defeated those backed by Moms for Liberty in Texas, Florida and other states. “People say the pendulum will swing back,” said Ferrell. But, she said, conservatives want to “stop the pendulum from swinging back.” Picoult is accustomed to conservatives attempting to censor her. Her books have been banned in schools in more than 30 states. Published in 2007, “Nineteen Minutes” explores the lives of characters, including a girl who was raped, in a town leading up to a school shooting and its aftermath. “Having the most banned book in the country is not a badge of honor. It’s a call for alarm,” said Picoult, whose books have sold more than 40 million copies. “My book, and the 10,000 others that have been pulled off school library shelves this year, give kids a tool to deal with an increasingly divided and difficult world. These book banners aren’t helping children. They are harming them.” ©2024 Los Angeles Times. Visit at latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Click to share on X (Opens in new window) Most Popular Let it burn: Days-old underground fire at Williamsburg outlet mall could smolder for a week Let it burn: Days-old underground fire at Williamsburg outlet mall could smolder for a week Video: Fire burns at Williamsburg Premium Outlets as officials eye air quality Video: Fire burns at Williamsburg Premium Outlets as officials eye air quality Neighbors get into argument before fatal shooting, Hampton police say Neighbors get into argument before fatal shooting, Hampton police say Newport News council bans guns in city buildings Newport News council bans guns in city buildings Newport News council to consider banning guns from government buildings Newport News council to consider banning guns from government buildings Vinyl records comeback continues: 2 stores open in Newport News, Hampton Vinyl records comeback continues: 2 stores open in Newport News, Hampton Navy sailor charged with negligent homicide after Yorktown patrol boat incident Navy sailor charged with negligent homicide after Yorktown patrol boat incident Teel: Return as columnist at The Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press is a privilege Teel: Return as columnist at The Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press is a privilege ‘Clothing optional’ resort in King William again loses bid to expand 'Clothing optional' resort in King William again loses bid to expand Hayfield’s football team withdraws from VHSL playoffs after ‘evidence of potential impropriety’ Hayfield’s football team withdraws from VHSL playoffs after ‘evidence of potential impropriety’ Trending Nationally NYC judge excuses Rudy Giuliani lawyers, refuses to delay trial amid courtroom outburst from ex-mayor Dickies, 102-year-old Texas workwear company, moving its HQ to California ‘Hungry for this kind of food.’ Raw milk use surging in Florida despite law banning sales for human consumption Crazy cleaning fees have caused once-loyal Airbnb travelers to consider hotels 10 best books of 2024: The surprising reads that stuck

Patna: A male government teacher in Bihar was granted maternity leave after which he took a week-long break. The bizarre anomaly came to light when users of a portal, set up for government teachers applying for leave online, saved a screenshot and posted it on social media. However, authorities claim it was a “technical error” that would be set right, and there was nothing to smell a rat. “It is a case of wrongful entry in the leave application format. The error is technical and will be rectified,” said Archana Kumari, the education officer in charge of the Mahua block in Vaishali district, where the teacher, Jitendra Kumar Singh, is posted. She agreed that maternity leaves were granted only to women but pointed out that “even males get ‘pitritva avakash’ (paternity leave) to look after their newborns.”. “We will find out the details of this instance, which has been brought to our notice,” she said. “Some teachers have complained of their earned leaves being deducted even though they had applied for casual leaves,” she added.Some viewers were left unimpressed by scores that were awarded to a couple on the latest episode of Strictly Come Dancing , with there now more complaints of "overmarking". Saturday's episode opened with a performance by reality TV star Pete Wicks , 36, and his dance partner Jowita Przystał , 30. They danced a tango to the song Easy Lover by Philip Bailey and Phil Collins on the BBC show this weekend. The performance received a score of 29 from the judges. Craig Revel Horwood , 59, awarded him a six and Motsi Mabuse , 43, gave a seven, whilst head judge Shirley Ballas , 64, and former pro Anton Du Beke , 58, both gave an eight. Although there's support for Pete and Jowita among fans, some viewers took to X, formerly known as Twitter , following the scoring to share their frustration. It comes following criticism in previous weeks over some scores on Strictly. One fan tweeted on Saturday: "Pete's Tango was what you'd expect in week 3 not week 10. WTF were those 8 paddles!?" Another said: "No way was that Tango worth an 8." A third wrote: "The scoring tonight is WILD [...] Pete very overscored." Someone commented: "Knew Shirley would overmarked Pete." Another said: "Of course Shirley and Anton would give Pete an 8." Whilst one viewer said: "Shirley and Anton overmarking, surprise ... not." Another said: "Shirley agreed with Motsi's critique yet still awarded Pete one mark higher than her." Sharing their thoughts, one fan wrote in a tweet on the platform this week: "Can the judges PLEASE vote/score fairly. It seems the contestants who CAN dance are critiqued more meanwhile Pete Wicks gets smoke blown up his a***?!" Pete and Jowita however were bottom of the leaderboard following the other remaining couples' performances on Saturday night. Fans are now awaiting the next dance-off, which will feature in Sunday night's result show. Whilst giving feedback to Pete on Saturday, Motsi said: "I loved your topline, because it was quite controlled and steady and it gave the tone to the dance. All your open work is always brilliant [but] when you were doing the tango pieces, I did feel a little bit of hesitation but only because I think you're trying so hard, which is a good thing." Shirley said as part of her response: "I feel that you're quite an extraordinary performer. [...] What I love this week is you've come out and are absolutely focused on the job at hand. [...] I love visual improvement. [...] I thought you did very well this week." Anton said in his feedback: "Credit where credit's due. I mean, you've improved so dramatically. [...] Your posture is absolutely super now. [...] Your open work I've loved for weeks [and] when you're dancing in closed position [...] you just need to get into your knees and feel like you're sitting into the dance. But I have to say, it's just a joy watching slightly improve every week." Craig's critique included him saying to Pete: "It's not difficult to improve on last week! I do love you though darling, I do. The footwork was a little but unsure, I felt, a little bit unsteady. And the timing I thought was just a little bit slower behind and that's only because I think you're lacking the drive that this dance needs. But I loved the sharpness of it." Addressing previous criticism of her judging, as reported by the Sun , Shirley said recently: "I judge without fear or favour. I'm just someone who sits in that chair as head judge to stay in my lane and judge the dancing - legs, feet, body co-ordination, synchronisation and chemistry between the leader and the follower." And she told the Daily Mail : "The audiences at home see certain camera angles, with all the effects and things like leaves falling down on the screen. But as judges we just see the cold ballroom as it is. We see all the footwork and landings, little mistakes, things like that, that influence our decision." Follow Mirro r C elebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

NoneWidening loan defaults and foreclosures haunted Bay Area properties in 2024, but a late-year flurry of significant tech industry leases offered hope for the battered South Bay office sector. Throughout the year, sky-high vacancy levels jolted Bay Area buildings, a dearth of business travelers posed problems for hotels and expensive financing afflicted the suddenly shaky apartment market. However, as the year closed, impactful office deals by high-profile tech companies may have foreshadowed a rebound in the sputtering sector in 2025. Several big leases — one of them a huge rental agreement that could accommodate thousands of workers — occurred in the South Bay alone. Among the significant rental deals: • Snowflake subleased 773,000 square feet of office space in Menlo Park, enough room for 3,800 workers. • Amazon reached an agreement to occupy 217,000 square feet of space in Mountain View. • Nvidia leased 101,600 square feet of office and research space in North San Jose. • Netgear leased an office building totaling 89,400 square feet in North San Jose. And it wasn’t just leases. A few technology powerhouses also pulled off some of the biggest property purchases in the Bay Area, particularly in the South Bay — transactions that helped to buoy the sinking commercial real estate sector in the nine-county region and portend a back-to-the-office trend for next year. “More and more companies in Silicon Valley will have people working in offices in 2025,” said Chad Leiker, a first vice president with Kidder Mathews, a commercial real estate firm. “If that happens, it will bring us closer to where we were in the old days” before the COVID-19 outbreak. The year began ominously, providing an early glimpse of what became a trend throughout 2024: A big office building was facing foreclosure due to a delinquent loan. Located at 3100 North First St., the site in San Jose fell into a loan default and was eventually seized by its lender through foreclosure before it was sold — a reminder of the boom-bust cycle of Silicon Valley and the battered commercial real estate market. In January, it was valued at $32.1 million. The foreclosure in May slashed its value to $19 million. In September, a biotech firm bought it for $17.5 million. The building’s fate illustrated the general struggles of the office market and was a reminder that despite relentless layoffs, companies continued to scout for purchases that could help them solidify their footprints in Silicon Valley. Here are the biggest property purchases of 2024 in the Bay Area: • Nvidia paid $374.3 million in May for eight buildings in Santa Clara that are near the company’s campus. • Microsoft paid $330 million in September for a Mountain View property it had occupied since 2019. • Fortinet paid $192 million for a Santa Clara tech campus that it bought from Texas Instruments. Despite some successes, dozens of office buildings, apartment complexes and hotels throughout the Bay Area toppled into various stages of loan delinquencies or seizures. Those that escaped foreclosure were bought at prices that were a fraction of their prior worth, unleashing a dramatic reset in property values. The Courtyard Oakland Downtown, a prominent hotel in the urban heart of the East Bay’s largest city, was bought in October for $10.6 million, 76% less than the $43.8 million that the seller paid in 2016. In downtown San Jose, the historic Hotel De Anza was purchased for $11.6 million, or roughly half of its prior value. The owner of the 686-room, 36-story Hyatt Regency San Francisco Downtown SoMa hotel walked away and gave back the keys to the lender. The hotel had been bought in 2018 for $315 million, but the foreclosure showed it was worth no more than $290 million. A plunge in values also created plenty of opportunities to capitalize on countless bargain basement properties. George Mersho, top boss at Shoe Palace, is one such bargain hunter. Mersho-led groups purchased two office complexes in downtown San Jose at a fraction of their prior value. In February, a Mersho-led group paid $34.2 million for a downtown complex that was 77% below the $141.4 million the sellers shelled out in 2019. But despite a slumping real estate market, some high-profile commercial hubs are thriving. Westfield Valley Fair in San Jose continues to land new tenants, including a new Alamo Drafthouse movie theater and numerous merchants that will expand the shopping, restaurant and entertainment center’s collection of luxury stores. Santana Row, a mixed-use destination neighborhood in San Jose, remains a magnet for new restaurants and shops. The One Santana West office building is now more than half full after several firms leased spaces. One of the tenants that headed to One Santana West was a unit of PwC, a global professional services company. PwC exited downtown San Jose to take space at Santana Row, which was deemed to be a blow to the city’s urban core. However, the building at 488 South Almaden Blvd. that lost PwC subsequently landed the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority as its principal tenant. Across the street at a different Santana Row site, Cisco Systems officially moved into an office in November where it will jointly operate with its subsidiary Splunk. Some 3,900 Cisco and Splunk employees will work in the building. Looking toward the future, downtown San Jose is ready to welcome an ambitious and massive effort to produce thousands of homes alongside data centers, with key support from PG&E. Construction is slated to launch in 2025. Global developer Westbank, PG&E and the city of San Jose have allied to speed the development of eco-friendly housing towers whose energy would be powered by surplus heat from the nearby data centers. In another unique downtown project, a former hotel tower was converted this year into a housing high-rise for San Jose State University students. The project helped meet housing needs and improved hotel vacancy levels in the South Bay. Downtown San Jose has also attracted an array of one-of-a-kind merchants. They include Urban Putt, a miniature golf course site; Unofficial Logging, an ax-throwing venue; and Eos & Nyx, a top-notch restaurant and bar. Pete Be Center also is preparing a music, entertainment and live events venue. The state of the Bay Area property market also may have helped to unravel the increasingly shaky real estate empire that China-based Z&L Properties had fashioned in San Jose. Z&L has neglected its properties, creating blighted conditions at three of the downtown sites it owns. After it had proposed several housing towers, it eventually presided over failed development efforts. The only project Z&L has completed, a 600-unit double-tower residential complex, is in default on its loan and could be seized by its lender. Even with commercial real estate struggles, some merchants are taking over spaces that were occupied by failed retailers. In San Jose, Hobby Lobby leased a space vacated by Bed, Bath and Beyond at Almaden Plaza. In the same center, Sports Basement is renting a site occupied by bookseller Barnes and Noble, which is planning to leave. A few miles away at The Plant shopping and restaurant center in San Jose, family-owned Mexican grocery chain Vallarta Supermarkets is opening its first Bay Area store. It will replace a long-shuttered Toys ‘R Us and Babies ‘R Us location. The collapse in valuations affects more than property owners — it is also poised to unleash widespread impacts on public agencies. The nosedive in real estate prices raised the specter that property taxes could erode and diminish the revenue flow to cities, counties, school districts and other government agencies. Still, some green shoots have begun to sprout amid the grim rubble of the commercial real estate landscape. The Plaza at Walnut Creek, a downtown Walnut Creek office complex described as a “trophy” real estate property, was bought for $162 million. The price of $477 a square foot is deemed to be a “top dollar” amount.

S&P Dow Jones Indices Float Adjusted Liquidity Ratio Clarification for Certain U.S. Indices‘All leaders of Zionist terrorist gang must be prosecuted’

AMERICAN businesses are eyeing Papua New Guinea as a key investment partner, potentially boosting the nation’s drive towards its Vision 2050 development goals. Speaking at the PNG Investment Conference 2024, US Ambassador Ann Marie Yastishock emphasised this growing interest following an official visit by a US business delegation exploring opportunities in sectors like renewable manufacturing, particularly fish processing. Ambassador Yastishock said discussions also focused on climate financing, renewable energy, and service delivery, signaling a broad range of potential US private sector involvement in PNG’s future. The delegation included representatives from the education, health, energy, resources, and information and communications sectors. The United States private sector has the potential to become a critical partner for Papua New Guinea as the country strives to achieve its Vision 2050 goals. Ms Yastishock also highlighted this potential at the PNG Investment Conference 2024. She referenced a recent visit by a US business delegation to Port Moresby, the first of its kind, aimed at exploring bilateral commercial opportunities. “Prime Minister (James) Marape and his top leadership engaged with our delegation to discuss potential partnerships in renewable manufacturing, particularly fish processing,” Ambassador Yastishock said. “Other areas of interest raised by the delegation included climate financing, renewable energy, and service delivery.” The US delegation comprised representatives from various sectors, including education, health, energy and resources, information and communications technology, and finance. Ambassador Yastishock emphasised her commitment to bringing more such delegations to PNG. With the right support, she believes the US private sector can play a vital role in helping PNG achieve its strategic objectives.

Dana Hull | (TNS) Bloomberg News Jared Birchall, Elon Musk’s money manager and the head of his family office, is listed as the chief executive officer. Jehn Balajadia, a longtime Musk aide who has worked at SpaceX and the Boring Co., is named as an official contact. Related Articles National Politics | Trump’s picks for top health jobs not just team of rivals but ‘team of opponents’ National Politics | Biden will decide on US Steel acquisition after influential panel fails to reach consensus National Politics | Biden vetoes once-bipartisan effort to add 66 federal judgeships, citing ‘hurried’ House action National Politics | A history of the Panama Canal — and why Trump can’t take it back on his own National Politics | President-elect Trump wants to again rename North America’s tallest peak But they’re not connected to Musk’s new technology venture, or the political operation that’s endeared him to Donald Trump. Instead, they’re tied to the billionaire’s new Montessori school outside Bastrop, Texas, called Ad Astra, according to documents filed with state authorities and obtained via a Texas Public Information Act request. The world’s richest person oversees an overlapping empire of six companies — or seven, if you include his political action committee. Alongside rockets, electric cars, brain implants, social media and the next Trump administration, he is increasingly focused on education, spanning preschool to college. One part of his endeavor was revealed last year, when Bloomberg News reported that his foundation had set aside roughly $100 million to create a technology-focused primary and secondary school in Austin, with eventual plans for a university. An additional $137 million in cash and stock was allotted last year, according to the most recent tax filing for the Musk Foundation. Ad Astra is closer to fruition. The state documents show Texas authorities issued an initial permit last month, clearing the way for the center to operate with as many as 21 pupils. Ad Astra’s website says it’s “currently open to all children ages 3 to 9.” The school’s account on X includes job postings for an assistant teacher for preschool and kindergarten and an assistant teacher for students ages 6 to 9. To run the school, Ad Astra is partnering with a company that has experience with billionaires: Xplor Education, which developed Hala Kahiki Montessori school in Lanai, Hawaii, the island 98% owned by Oracle Corp. founder Larry Ellison. Ad Astra sits on a highway outside Bastrop, a bedroom community about 30 miles from Austin and part of a region that’s home to several of Musk’s businesses. On a visit during a recent weekday morning, there was a single Toyota Prius in the parking lot and no one answered the door at the white building with a gray metal roof. The school’s main entrance was blocked by a gate, and there was no sign of any children on the grounds. But what information there is about Ad Astra makes it sound like a fairly typical, if high-end, Montessori preschool. The proposed schedule includes “thematic, STEM-based activities and projects” as well as outdoor play and nap time. A sample snack calendar features carrots and hummus. While Birchall’s and Balajadia’s names appear in the application, it isn’t clear that they’ll have substantive roles at the school once it’s operational. Musk, Birchall and Balajadia didn’t respond to emailed questions. A phone call and email to the school went unanswered. Access to high quality, affordable childcare is a huge issue for working parents across the country, and tends to be an especially vexing problem in rural areas like Bastrop. Many families live in “childcare deserts” where there is either not a facility or there isn’t an available slot. Opening Ad Astra gives Musk a chance to showcase his vision for education, and his support for the hands-on learning and problem solving that are a hallmark of his industrial companies. His public comments about learning frequently overlap with cultural concerns popular among conservatives and the Make America Great Again crowd, often focusing on what he sees as young minds being indoctrinated by teachers spewing left-wing propaganda. He has railed against diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, and in August posted that “a lot of schools are teaching white boys to hate themselves.” Musk’s educational interests dovetail with his new role as Trump’s “first buddy.” The billionaire has pitched a role for himself that he — and now the incoming Trump administration — call “DOGE,” or the Department of Government Efficiency. Though it’s not an actual department, DOGE now posts on X, the social media platform that Musk owns. “The Department of Education spent over $1 billion promoting DEI in America’s schools,” the account posted Dec. 12. Back in Texas, Bastrop is quickly becoming a key Musk point of interest. The Boring Co., his tunneling venture, is based in an unincorporated area there. Across the road, SpaceX produces Starlink satellites at a 500,000-square-foot (46,000-square-meter) facility. Nearby, X is constructing a building for trust and safety workers. Musk employees, as well as the general public, can grab snacks at the Boring Bodega, a convenience store housed within Musk’s Hyperloop Plaza, which also contains a bar, candy shop and hair salon. Ad Astra is just a five-minute drive away. It seems to have been designed with the children of Musk’s employees — if not Musk’s own offspring — in mind. Musk has fathered at least 12 children, six of them in the last five years. “Ad Astra’s mission is to foster curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking in the next generation of problem solvers and builders,” reads the school’s website. A job posting on the website of the Montessori Institute of North Texas says “While their parents support the breakthroughs that expand the realm of human possibility, their children will grow into the next generation of innovators in a way that only authentic Montessori can provide.” The school has hired an executive director, according to documents Bloomberg obtained from Texas Health and Human Services. Ad Astra is located on 40 acres of land, according to the documents, which said a 4,000-square-foot house would be remodeled for the preschool. It isn’t uncommon for entrepreneurs to take an interest in education, according to Bill Gormley, a professor emeritus at the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University who studies early childhood education. Charles Butt, the chairman of the Texas-based H-E-B grocery chain, has made public education a focus of his philanthropy. Along with other business and community leaders, Butt founded “Raise Your Hand Texas,” which advocates on school funding, teacher workforce and retention issues and fully funding pre-kindergarten. “Musk is not the only entrepreneur to recognize the value of preschool for Texas workers,” Gormley said. “A lot of politicians and business people get enthusiastic about education in general — and preschool in particular — because they salivate at the prospect of a better workforce.” Musk spent much of October actively campaigning for Trump’s presidential effort, becoming the most prolific donor of the election cycle. He poured at least $274 million into political groups in 2024, including $238 million to America PAC, the political action committee he founded. While the vast majority of money raised by America PAC came from Musk himself, it also had support from other donors. Betsy DeVos, who served as education secretary in Trump’s first term, donated $250,000, federal filings show. The Department of Education is already in the new administration’s cross hairs. Trump campaigned on the idea of disbanding the department and dismantling diversity initiatives, and he has also taken aim at transgender rights. “Rather than indoctrinating young people with inappropriate racial, sexual, and political material, which is what we’re doing now, our schools must be totally refocused to prepare our children to succeed in the world of work,” Trump wrote in Agenda 47, his campaign platform. Musk has three children with the musician Grimes and three with Shivon Zilis, who in the past was actively involved at Neuralink, his brain machine interface company. All are under the age of five. Musk took X, his son with Grimes, with him on a recent trip to Capitol Hill. After his visit, he shared a graphic that showed the growth of administrators in America’s public schools since 2000. Musk is a fan of hands-on education. During a Tesla earnings call in 2018, he talked about the need for more electricians as the electric-car maker scaled up the energy side of its business. On the Joe Rogan podcast in 2020, Musk said that “too many smart people go into finance and law.” “I have a lot of respect for people who work with their hands and we need electricians and plumbers and carpenters,” Musk said while campaigning for Trump in Pennsylvania in October. “That’s a lot more important than having incremental political science majors.” Ad Astra’s website says the cost of tuition will be initially subsidized, but in future years “tuition will be in line with local private schools that include an extended day program.” “I do think we need significant reform in education,” Musk said at a separate Trump campaign event. “The priority should be to teach kids skills that they will find useful later in life, and to leave any sort of social propaganda out of the classroom.” With assistance from Sophie Alexander and Kara Carlson. ©2024 Bloomberg News. Visit at bloomberg.com. 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