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Opinion editor’s note: Strib Voices publishes a mix of commentary online and in print each day. To contribute, click here . ••• “It is said an Eastern monarch once charged his wise men to invent him a sentence which should be true in all situations. They presented him the words: ‘And this, too, shall pass away.’ “How much it expresses! How chastening in the hour of pride! — how consoling in the depths of affliction!” — Abraham Lincoln, 1859 ••• Weary and wary, Americans have emerged from yet another “most important election in the nation’s history.” By my count it was at least our 17th consecutive most-important-campaign-ever. (Dwight Eisenhower’s re-election in 1956 was something of a snoozer, particularly for us 4-year-olds.) Anyhow, we’re now fully engaged on at least our 17th consecutive post-vote debate over the causes and consequences of the most seismic political realignment in generations (or something like that) — an outcome the estimable Ross Douthat of the New York Times recently labeled “a real turning point in history, an irrevocable shift from one era to another.” Well, maybe. Donald Trump’s restoration might mark a watershed in American culture and governance. We have reached such moments before, and will again. And surely the president-elect’s comeback against an utterly unprecedented grand alliance of establishment institutions determined to stop him by almost any means (two impeachments, four indictments, untold investigations, trials and lawsuits, petitions to banish him from ballots, etc., etc.) does constitute the most astounding personal vindication in the annals of American rabble-rousing. And yet, it’s also quite possible that Trump’s hair-raising triumph remains at bottom a mere continuation of our decadeslong age of indecision and serial upheaval. Republicans have now won two of the last three presidential elections. But Democrats have won three of the last five. The parties have evenly split the last eight. And Republicans hold a one-election edge in the last 12. This is hardly an epoch in which political shifts, however striking, can safely be assumed to be “irrevocable.” The electorate’s affections weren’t always so fickle. Between 1896 and 1928 Republicans won seven of nine presidential contests. Democrats then won seven of the following nine (1932 to 1964) — after which the GOP took five out of six (1968 to 1988). According to Bruce Mehlman’s “Age of Disruption” Substack , the 2024 vote also was the sixth in a row, including off-year elections, to change party control of at least one of Washington’s three elective power centers — presidency, House and Senate. It’s the longest such streak of instability in American history. Meantime, Trump’s margins were shallow, if respectably widespread. And as a lame duck who can never be on the ballot again, he will have to defy historic norms once more to achieve transformative policy change in his final term. One hesitates in his case to say anything is impossible just because it’s unheard of — but still. All this being said in the somewhat forlorn hope of chastening MAGA end zone dancers and consoling afflicted progressives, the 2024 election actually may have revealed that on one big issue a turning point has already been reached. The results suggest that America may at long last be on its way toward a compromise on abortion. Perhaps “settlement” would be a better word for making a hard and bitter peace with differing state-by-state resolutions on legal access to abortion. But if any one public policy choice was squarely before voters this year, it was whether America would continue to tolerate being a “house divided” on abortion. Returning abortion regulation to the separate states was the essence of the Supreme Court’s landmark “Dobbs” decision in 2022, overturning nationwide legal abortion guaranteed for a half century by the Roe vs. Wade ruling. This year’s election was the second in which a vow to restore abortion rights coast to coast was the Democrats’ central, almost single-minded campaign theme. Kamala Harris and company also were foursquare for “Democracy,” of course. But it wasn’t clear what that meant beyond keeping Trump out of office. Otherwise, it was easier to list bold progressive positions Harris had abandoned than ones she championed. She had more to say about small-business subsidies than climate change. But restoring “reproductive freedom” — while preventing Republicans from imposing abortion bans on every state — was a clarion battle cry. Trump helped sharpen the issue when he declared that he did not favor any kind of federal one-size-fits-all policy. In the 2022 off-year election, Democrats’ abortion-centered campaign had enjoyed considerable success, blunting GOP gains in Congress. Along with voter approval of several state ballot measures favoring abortion rights — including one in Republican-leaning Ohio in 2023 — this led to high hopes that the anti-Dobbs backlash could boost Democratic prospects again in 2024. No fewer than 10 states had referenda guaranteeing abortion rights on their Nov. 5 ballots, measures pushed not least in hopes that they would fuel progressive turnout and provide “reverse coattails” for Democratic candidates from Harris on down. It didn’t turn out that way. The abortion rights ballot measures did well; seven out of 10 passed . But Trump carried four of those seven states, including two battleground states (Arizona and Nevada). And of course Trump also carried Ohio, along with Kentucky, Kansas and battleground Michigan, all states whose voters had earlier approved referenda protecting abortion rights. This could be evidence that as the state-by-state abortion debate has unfolded, more voters have accepted the idea of supporting abortion rights in their own states while letting other states go their own way. Or at least that fewer feel they must let the cause of nationwide abortion rights override other considerations in their votes for president and Congress. While 27% of voters in 2022 told exit polls that abortion was their most important issue, barely half that, 14%, said that Nov. 5 . Reinforcing this interpretation, an analysis for KFF Health News shows that in all 10 states with abortion referenda on the ballot, abortion rights polled significantly more votes than Harris did, “indicating that many people voted both to elect Donald Trump and to protect access to abortion.” In Arizona and Nevada, abortion rights outpolled Harris by 14 and 17 percentage points, respectively. If support for or opposition to legal abortion is becoming disconnected from partisan allegiances, at least at the national level, that’s a realignment of some note, with at least some potential to lower the ideological temperature in America. But it won’t necessarily please fevered advocates on either side of the issue. Following this year’s votes, 19 states across the South and Great Plains — what used to be called the Bible Belt — will have abortion bans or limits in place beyond what Roe permitted. The other 31 retain Roe-era laws or have enacted more spacious abortion rights. Hence America now enforces far too much restriction on reproductive freedom for some, and far too little protection for the unborn for others. Doubtless state-level battles will continue. In the near term it’s anti-abortion forces who will feel tempted to reimpose uniformity – to use the GOP’s trifecta control of Washington to enact a nationwide restriction. Despite Trump’s disavowal, I warned of this among other hazards in a recent column making an ill-fated wish for post-election gridlock . Clearly the sentiment that human rights cannot properly differ from one state to another is potent and pungent on both sides of the abortion divide. In “The Party of Lincoln Resurrects the Corpse of Stephen Douglas,” in the Claremont Review of Books, conservative essayist and novelist Mark Helprin denounces Trump and other Republicans who would disinter the pre-Civil War doctrine of “popular sovereignty,” which held that each state was free to decide the issue of slavery for itself. America, Helprin argues, must not again tolerate “two contradictory answers to a fundamental question that demands only one.” Is abortion that kind of question? Or is there some irreducible moral uncertainty, some room for different social settlements, about where to draw the line between a woman’s right to bodily autonomy and a fetus’ right to live? If nothing else, the 2024 election suggests America is irrevocably grappling with that question. D.J. Tice is a retired Minnesota Star Tribune commentary editor.GENEVA (AP) — Netflix has secured the U.S. broadcasting rights to the Women’s World Cup in 2027 and 2031 as the streaming giant continues its push into live sports. The deal announced Friday is the most significant FIFA has signed with a streaming service for a major tournament. The value was not given, though international competitions in women’s soccer have struggled to draw high-value offers. “Bringing this iconic tournament to Netflix isn’t just about streaming matches,” its chief content officer Bela Bajaria said in a statement. “It’s also about celebrating the players, the culture and the passion driving the global rise of women’s sport.” Netflix dipped into live sports last month with more than 60 million households watching a heavily hyped boxing match between retired heavyweight legend Mike Tyson and social media personality Jake Paul. Some viewers reported streaming problems , however. Netflix also will broadcast two NFL games on Christmas Day: the Kansas City Chiefs at the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens at the Houston Texans. That’s part of a three-year deal announced in May. World Cups are typically broadcast on free-to-air public networks to reach the biggest audiences, and the last women's edition in 2023 earned FIFA less than 10% of the men's 2022 World Cup. FIFA president Gianni Infantino had publicly criticized public broadcasters , especially in Europe, for undervaluing offers to broadcast the 2023 tournament that was played in Australia and New Zealand. That tournament was broadcast by Fox in the U.S. “This agreement sends a strong message about the real value of the FIFA Women’s World Cup and the global women’s game,” Infantino said. The World Cup rights mark another major step in Netflix’s push into live programming. It’s recipe that Netflix has cooked up to help sell more advertising, a top priority for the company since it introduced a low-priced version of its streaming service that includes commercials two years ago. The ad-supported version is now the fastest growing part of Netflix’s service, although most of its 283 million worldwide subscribers till pay for higher-priced options without commercial. But Netflix is still trying to sell more ads to boost its revenue, which is expected to be about $30 billion. Netflix executives have predicted it might take two or three years before its ad sales become a major part of its revenue. Netflix expects to spend about $17 billion on programming this year — a budget that the Los Gatos, California, company once funneled almost entirely into scripted TV series and movies. But Netflix is now allocating a significant chunk of that money to sports and live events, a shift that has made it a formidable competitor to traditional media bidding for the same rights. FIFA will likely use the Netflix deal to drive talks with European broadcasters that likely will be hardball negotiations. Soccer finance expert Kieran Maguire, a co-host of The Price of Football podcast, suggested the deal was “a bit of a gamble" for FIFA and “saber-rattling” by Infantino. “(Netflix) get experience of football broadcasting, FIFA can say, ‘we are now partnering with a blue chip organization, so watch out you nasty Europeans,’” Maguire, an academic at the University of Liverpool, said in a telephone interview. FIFA and Infantino also want to raise the price of broadcast deals to help fund increased prize money and close the gender pay gap on the men’s World Cup. At the men’s 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the 32 team federations shared $440 million in prize money. For the women’s 2023 tournament , FIFA had a $152 million total fund for prize money, contributions to teams’ preparation costs and payments to players’ clubs. In FIFA’s financial accounts for 2023 , the soccer body reported total broadcasting revenue of $244 million. In the year of the men’s 2022 World Cup it was almost $2.9 billion. The next Women's World Cup will be a 32-team, 64-game tournament in 2027, played in Brazil from June 24-July 25. The U.S. originally bid jointly with Mexico. The 2031 host has not been decided, though the U.S. likely will bid for a tournament which FIFA is expected to try to expand to 48 teams. That would match the size of the 104-game format of the men's World Cup that debuts in 2026 in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Spain won the 2023 Women's World Cup after the U.S. won the two previous titles — in France in 2019 and Canada in 2015. More than 25 million viewers in the U.S. watched the 2015 World Cup final, a 5-2 win over Japan, played in Vancouver, Canada, in a time zone similarly favorable to Brazil. FIFA tried to sign Apple+ to an exclusive global deal to broadcast the inaugural 32-team Club World Cup which is being played in 11 U.S. cities next June and July. Broadcast networks showed little interest in the FIFA club event that will now be broadcast for free on streaming service DAZN, which is building closer business ties to Saudi Arabia. Ahead of the next Women's World Cup, Netflix will "produce exclusive documentary series in the lead-up to both tournaments, spotlighting the world’s top players, their journeys and the global growth of women’s football,” FIFA said. AP Technology Writer Michael Liedtke in San Francisco contributed to this report. AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

US proposes voluntary guidelines for self-driving vehicles in waning days of Biden administrationFrom a restless pup to a mourning horse – your pet queries answeredDespite concerns over Saudi Arabia's human rights record, football's governing body has voiced confidence the kingdom can host the 2034 World Cup. Amnesty International called the FIFA report an "astonishing whitewash." FIFA, the world's governing football body, released a report Saturday on Saudi Arabia 's bid to host the 2034 World Cup . Saudi Arabia is the only nation seeking to host the tournament in 2034, and one whose de facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, is chummy with FIFA President Gianni Infantino . FIFA's report gave Saudi Arabia high marks, while assessing the kingdom's bid as presenting "low" environmental and "medium" human rights risks . Late last year, Saudi Arabia submitted its bid to host the 2034 tournament (which was only open to Asia and Oceania nations) — while Morocco, Spain and Portugal submitted a joint bid for 2030, with Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay also each slated to host one game during the centenary edition of the tournament. The fate of Saudi Arabia's bid , as well as that of the 2030 hosts, will be known on December 11, when a virtual meeting of FIFA's 211 national football associations takes place. Why is Saudi Arabia investing billions in sports? To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Saudi bid presents 'strong all-round proposition' The Saudi bid, according to FIFA, "presents a very strong all-round proposition, reflected in the results of the technical evaluation, which assesses the proposed infrastructure (both sporting and general) as well as its commercial potential." FIFA highlighted the "substantial hospitality footprint proposed" by Saudi Arabian organizers as another potential revenue stream . Despite past evidence, the FIFA report voiced hope the tournament could prompt a turnaround in Saudi Arabia's repressive society, "in terms of human rights, the undertaking involved in implementing the various measures... particularly in certain areas, could involve significant effort and time." "It is important to note that the bid involves significant opportunities for positive human rights impact," continued FIFA, "There is good potential that the tournament could serve as a catalyst for some of the ongoing and future reforms and contribute to positive human rights outcomes for people in Saudi Arabia and the region that go beyond the scope of the tournament itself." Saudi Arabia has worked hard to shake negative headlines about its human rights abuses and even its state-sanctioned killing of political rivals , for instance, by investing massive amounts of oil cash into sporting events like Formula One races, tennis tournaments and even a new, professional golf league — in a phenomenon known as "sportswashing." Despite those investments and much international attention, Saudi society has yet to experience the arrival of a new era of human rights and liberalization. Saudi guards accused of killing Ethiopian migrants To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Amnesty International denounces FIFA report as 'astonishing whitewash' Human rights organization Amnesty International blasted Saturday's report releasing a statement denouncing it as an "astonishing whitewash." "FIFA's evaluation of Saudi Arabia's World Cup is an astonishing whitewash of the country's atrocious human rights record," Amnesty's head of labor rights and sport Steve Cockburn said. "The sports body has decided to ignore the clear evidence of worker exploitation, legalized discrimination and severe repression, and press ahead with a predetermined decision." "At every stage of the process," continued the statement, "FIFA has ensured that nothing would stand in the way of Saudi Arabia hosting the 2034 World Cup and it has effectively discarded its human rights policies to achieve this end." Rights groups have regularly highlighted Saudi Arabia's myriad abuses, including mass executions and allegations of torture, pointing out that free expression, too, is severely restricted — with some people receiving lengthy jail terms over critical social media posts. js/wd (AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters)

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It's the weekend after Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and Walmart just keeps on giving with a massive weekend sale. The retailer has launched a holiday sale with left-over Black Friday prices on best-selling gift ideas. You can save on AirPods, robot vacuums, air fryers, TVs, gaming consoles, and toys. • Shop Walmart's full holiday sale As a deals editor and self-proclaimed shopping expert, I've gone through Walmart's weekend sale and hand-picked the 23 best deals on gift ideas. I've selected highly rated products from brands like Apple, Ninja, Dyson, and Roomba that would make great Christmas gifts. A few highlights include Apple's MacBook Air M1 on sale for $599.99 , the popular Solo Stove Ranger 2.0 on sale for $199.99 , and this Chefman Turbofry air fryer on sale for only $50 . Most of Walmart's deals listed below are still on sale for the same record-low prices we saw during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. That will change as we get closer to Christmas, so you should snag these bargains while you can. Walmart's holiday sale quick links Apple: AirPods, iPads & Apple Watch from $80 Baby: 40% off car seats, highchairs & strollers Christmas trees: deals from $38.99 Clothing: 40% off coats, jeans & shoes Furniture: couches, beds & chairs starting at $49 Gift ideas: deals for the family from $5 Headphones: Sony and Apple from $29 Holiday decor: save on throws, trees & furniture Home: coffee makers & air fryers from $35 Laptops: up to $550 off Mattresses: deals starting at $65 Toys: up to 40% off Lego, Star Wars & Barbie TVs: smart 4K TVs from $148 Vacuums: robot vacuums from $99 Walmart's 23 best-selling gifts on sale Roku's most affordable streaming stick is fast, cheap, and easy to use, making it a great way to get started in the world of streaming. This discount brings this device to under $20, which is a bargain for TV owners looking for a simple and effective way to add smart features to their display. Get the best compact, single-serve blender for just $39.99 at Walmart's holiday sale. This is an ideal solution for your daily smoothie or protein shake. With its built-in handle and sippy cup lid, you'll be ready to make your favorite creation just before leaving the house. If you're looking to gift a cheap air fryer, Walmart has a massive 50% discount on the top-rated Chefman air fryer, bringing the price down to $50. The eight-quart air fryer features a basket divider, so you can separate food for dual cooking. Apple devices are always popular products during the Christmas shopping season, and Walmart has Apple's cheapest AirPods, the AirPods 2, on sale for just $89. That's the best deal you can find right now, only $20 more than the record-low price. This offer is highly recommended if you want new AirPods and don't need noise-canceling technology. You can get the best-selling Beats Studio 3 headphones for just $89 right now -an excellent price. That's the lowest price we've found for the wireless headphones that include noise-canceling technology and provide up to 22 hours of battery life. At Walmart's holiday sale, you can grab this Ninja Grand Kitchen blender for $98. You'll get an XL 72-oz. blender, an 18-oz Nutri Ninja Cup with a to-go lid to take your smoothie on the go, and an eight-cup food processor bowl. The top-rated Tineco cordless wet-dry vacuum mop combo is on sale for a record-low price of $99 at Walmart's holiday sale. The Tineco iFloor 2 vacuums and washes hard floors in one step, handling wet and dry messes in one sweep. Make a cup of coffee in less than two minutes with Keurig's best-selling K-Elite, which is on sale for $119. Five brew-size selections let you choose how much to make, while Strong brew and Iced options mean you can enjoy a bold morning cup or a refreshing afternoon beverage with the touch of a button. If you're looking for a budget laptop, Walmart's holiday sale has HP's 14-inch laptop for just $129 – an incredible price. For that money, you're getting an Intel Celeron processor, 4GB RAM, 64GB of SSD, and up to 10 hours of battery life. The Ninja Creami ice cream maker will surely be a popular Christmas gift this year, and Walmart has the appliance down to a record-low price. You can make ice cream, milkshakes, and sorbets with a touch of a button and add your favorite mix-ins and flavors. Apple's best-selling AirPods Pro 2 are some of the best earbuds on the market, and Walmart has them on sale for $169 - $15 more than the record-low price we briefly saw on Black Friday. The AirPods Pro 2 feature active noise cancellation, an improved audio quality, and a wireless charging case that provides more than 24 hours of battery life. Walmart is known for its stunningly low prices on TVs during Black Friday, and this 2024 Hisense set is still on sale for a record-low price. For just $178, you get 4K HD resolution, Dolby Vision HDR and HDR10, DTS Studio Sound, and the Roku operating system for easy streaming. This is an incredible offer, and I don't expect it to be around for long. The best-selling Solo Stove makes a great Christmas gift idea, and Walmart's holiday sale includes the Ranger 2.0 model for $199.99 – a record-low price. The smokeless, portable Solo Stove includes a stand, a removable base plate, and an ash pan, making cleaning easier. If you're on a budget but still want a high-end vacuum, Dyso's V8 Absolute is a fantastic option at just $299.99. Perfect for pet owners, the Dyson V8 features a de-tangling motor bar that works across hardwood floors and carpets and can transform into a handheld vac for quick and convenient clean-ups. Walmart has Apple's best-selling 10.9 iPad on sale for $299 – just $20 more than the record-low price. In our iPad 10.9 (2022) review , we said Apple's latest base-level tablet is a big upgrade over the previous generation model, offering a larger Liquid Retina display, a new A14 Bionic chip, improved cameras, USB-C support, and a sleek design. Big-screen budget TVs are always popular during Black Friday, and this 65-inch display from Onn. is still on sale for only $298. It offers 4K UHD resolution on a frameless bezel for an edge-to-edge viewing experience. The Onn. display also comes with the Roku experience for easy streaming and a compatible app that allows you to use your voice to launch shows, browse movies, and adjust the volume. Here's an incredible deal on a Roomba robot vacuum mop combo, bringing the price down to its lowest ever. The j5 uses the iRobot Home App to create no-mop zones, so it will vacuum your hard floors while mopping at the same time but will avoid your carpet. There have been savings galore for the Xbox Series X Digital Edition this Black Friday. And rightly so, as I feel its retail price is a touch on the pricey side given the lack of a disc drive. It's certainly more compelling below that $400 mark. Sadly there's no bundle here, but still a decent saving for the console itself. This TV deal sold out on Black Friday, but now it's back in stock at the same record-low price of $478. The 2024 display features 4K UHD resolution, Dolby Vision HDR and HDR10, and smart capabilities courtesy of a voice-enabled remote, making this an outstanding value. Walmart has a $100 discount on the top-rated Shark IQ robot vacuum. It offers powerful suction on carpets and hardwood floors, and the Shark app allows you to set cleaning schedules from anywhere. If you're after the best-value PS5 Slim console as well as the best-value bundle, then this Fortnite Cobalt Star listing at Walmart is the way to go, with a $50 discount. At just $599 - Walmart is practically giving away Apple's MacBook Air. Not only is this an outstanding price for such a powerful laptop that still holds up great for 2024, but this could be the last chance to pick one up now that it's officially discontinued. Don't miss this incredible deal if you're looking for a great bang for the buck MacBook. Samsung's The Frame TV is my dream Christmas present, and the 55-inch model is on sale for a record-low price of $887. The 2024 Samsung Frame TV features Pantone art-validated colors that deliver lifelike images. Plus, the display now comes with Streams, a complimentary set of artwork streamed from the Samsung Art Store.How Far Can Tesla Stock Go After Nearing All-Time High in Massive Turnaround Year?

Syrian rebels have claimed victory over the Assad regime and taken the capital of Damascus, bringing an end to Bashar al-Assad’s more than two decade rule. What we know: After the military command of the Syrian opposition launched a surprise offensive in Aleppo just a week ago, the rebels over the weekend took control of the key city of Homs and the capital of Damascus ( Reuters ); According to Reuters , Syria’s army command told its officers on Sunday that the Assad government had been toppled and the dictator had fled to an unknown location; The rebel group in a statement claimed that Damascus was free of Assad’s rule, bringing an end to the “dark period and the beginning of a new era in Syria” ( The Age ); Russia confirmed that Assad had left office and fled the country, with a spokesperson for the foreign ministry saying he had given orders for a peaceful handover of power ( The Guardian ); It brings an end to the reign of the Assad family, which ruled over Syria for more than 50 years, while Bashar al-Assad had been in power since 2000; In a televised statement on Sunday afternoon, the Syrian rebels said they had released all the people being held at the large military prison on the outskirts of Damascus ( ABC ); The Syrian civil war has been raging for 13 years, with about 600,000 people killed and 12 million displaced, about half of the country’s population ( The Saturday Paper ); Assad’s family reportedly fled to Russia earlier on the weekend, but the Kremlin has since said that Moscow does not plan to assist the leader ( The Australian ); The Assad regime received little help from its key allies to repel the rebels, with Russia focused on its ongoing war with Ukraine and Hezbollah weakened by its conflict with Israel; UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres overnight praised the end of Syria’s “dictatorial regime” and said that “today the people of Syria can seize an historic opportunity to build a stable and peaceful future” ( Reuters ). Australia’s national science agency has rejected Peter Dutton’s claims that nuclear power is cheaper than renewable energy due to its operating life, with the Opposition Leader expected to reveal costings for the Coalition’s plan this week. What we know: CSIRO has today released its draft GenCost report, an annual assessment of electricity prices, which backs in its previous findings that nuclear energy is too slow to be implemented and too costly ( AFR ); The Coalition has previously railed against these claims and said that nuclear power plants could be established in Australia in less than 15 years, and that their longer operating life makes them cheaper; The CSIRO analysis , conducted with the Australian Energy Market Operator, rejected these claims; CSIRO chief energy economist and report lead Paul Graham said that the longer lifetime of nuclear energy gave it “no unique cost advantage” due to the substantial re-investment costs across this time, and that “similar cost savings can be achieved with shorter-lived technologies, including renewables ( The Guardian ); Dutton is expected to this week reveal costings of the Coalition’s plan to build seven nuclear reactors around Australia, with an aim for the first to come online in 2035 or 2037 ( The Saturday Paper ); The CSIRO report claimed that a nuclear reactor would not be able to produce any energy in Australia until at least 2040, and that it would cost between $145 and $238 per unit of generation, well above the price of firmed renewables; The report found the cost of electricity from a grid dominated by renewable energy with firming support in 2030 would be at least 50% and up to 300% cheaper than nuclear energy; It said the cost of building a 1000 megawatt nuclear plant in Australia for the first time would be up to $18bn; Following similar findings earlier this year, opposition energy spokesperson Ted O’Brien met with CSIRO and asked it to redo its modelling with key assumptions changed ( SMH ). The latest draft report has accommodated these changes and still found nuclear power to be far more expensive than “variable renewables” such as wind and solar power backed up with batteries and a transmission-line rollout. Victoria Police and the AFP will meet in Melbourne today to determine whether the firebombing of a synagogue on Friday was an act of terrorism, with the leaders of the two major parties both saying they believe it was ( The Age ). Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Sunday said he believed that the attack on the Adass Israel synagogue in Ripponlea was an act of terrorism ( ABC ). “If you want my personal view , quite clearly terrorism is something that is aimed at creating fear in the community and the atrocities that occurred at the synagogue in Melbourne clearly were designed to create fear in the community and, therefore, from my personal perspective, certainly fulfil that definition of terrorism,” Albanese said. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton earlier described it as a “national disgrace” and an “act of terrorism”, and blamed the federal government for its “grotesque stance” on the Israel-Palestine conflict ( The Australian ). In a social media post over the weekend, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directly linked the attack to Australia's voting record on the Gaza conflict at the UN. The federal government on Sunday announced a further $32.5m over 18 months as part of a new round of funding for Jewish communities, aiming to combat the rise in anti-Semitic incidents ( The Conversation ). The number of Australians becoming homeless has increased by more than 20% in the last three years, with a sharp increase in employed people accessing support services, according to a new report ( The Guardian ). The report by UNSW and Homelessness Australia found that an additional 10,000 Australians are becoming homeless every month, with about half of these people sleeping rough and the rest couch surfing or living in short-term accommodation. There has been a major increase in the number of people with jobs accessing homelessness services, up from 10.9% to 15.3% or 33,000, over the five years to 2022-23 ( Canberra Times ). UNSW Professor of Housing Research and report lead Hal Pawson said that the increase was largely driven by the increase in rent prices and that “rental affordability stress has deepened to such a degree that more people are being forced into situations of severe instability and rough sleeping” ( news.com.au ). Homelessness Australia chief Kate Colvin said that support services are “buckling” under pressure and that the new statistics need to be a “wake-up call for action”. South Korea’s former defence minister has been arrested over his role in the brief declaration of martial law in the country last week ( Reuters ). Prosecutors said that Kim Yong-hyun, who stepped down as defence minister last week following the rescinding of martial law, was arrested on Sunday, with reports he directly proposed martial law to President Yoon Suk Yeol. Yoon survived an attempt to impeach him in parliament on Saturday, but the leader of his party said that he would need to step down eventually ( The Guardian ). Members of the president’s party boycotted the impeachment attempt, with not enough votes cast for it to be counted ( SBS ). It comes after South Korea’s three minority opposition parties filed a complaint with the prosecution against the president, ex-defence minister and the martial law commander, accusing them of treason. Yoon imposed martial law in an unscheduled televised address late on Tuesday night last week, but the order was rescinded by the National Assembly just hours later ( The Saturday Paper ). Insiders have told The Saturday Paper that party members are not happy about the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's treatment of Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek when he overturned a deal on strengthened environmental laws that was struck with concessions from the Greens ( The Saturday Paper ). The creator of Raygun: The Musical, comedian Steph Broadbridge, confirmed on social media the show had been cancelled after receiving notice from lawyers, adding, “We will be back soon and with a whole new story arc to add" ( The Guardian ).BLS Int’l commence Spain Visa Operations in Sri Lanka

Concussion awareness advocate Isabel Dwyer crowned Miss Lakes Region’s Teen 2025COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Will Howard passed for two touchdowns and rushed for another, TreVeyon Henderson ran for a score and No. 2 Ohio State beat previously undefeated No. 5 Indiana 38-15 on Saturday. Read this article for free: Already have an account? As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed. Now, more than ever, we need your support. Starting at $14.99 plus taxes every four weeks you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website. or call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527. Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community! COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Will Howard passed for two touchdowns and rushed for another, TreVeyon Henderson ran for a score and No. 2 Ohio State beat previously undefeated No. 5 Indiana 38-15 on Saturday. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Will Howard passed for two touchdowns and rushed for another, TreVeyon Henderson ran for a score and No. 2 Ohio State beat previously undefeated No. 5 Indiana 38-15 on Saturday. All Ohio State (10-1, 7-1 Big Ten, CFP No. 2) has to do now is beat Michigan at home next Saturday and it will earn a return to the Big Ten championship game for the first time since 2020 and get a rematch with No. 1 Oregon. The Ducks beat Ohio State 32-31 in a wild one back on Oct. 12. The Hoosiers (10-1, 7-1, No. 5 CFP) had their best chance to beat the Buckeyes for the first time since 1988 but were hurt by special teams mistakes and disrupted by an Ohio State defence that sacked Canadian quarterback Kurtis Rourke five times. “In life, all good things come to an end,” Indiana coach Curt Cignetti said. Late in the first half, Indiana punter James Evans fumbled a snap and was buried at his own 7-yardline with the Buckeyes taking over. That turned quickly into a 4-yard TD run by Henderson that gave the Buckeyes a 14-7 lead. Early in the second half, Caleb Downs fielded an Evans punt at the Ohio State 21, raced down the right sideline, cut to the middle and outran the coverage for a TD that put the Buckeyes up 21-7. It was the first time a Buckeye returned a punt for a touchdown since 2014. Howard finished 22 for 26 for 201 yards. Emeka Egbuka had seven catches for 80 yards and a TD. “Our guys just played with a chip today, and that’s the way you got to play the game of football,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said. Indiana scored on its first possession of the game and its last, both short runs by Ty Son Lawson, who paced the Hoosiers with 79 rushing yards. Rourke, a 24-year-old from Oakville, Ont., is the brother of BC Lions QB Nathan Rourke. He was 8 for 18 for 68 yards. “We had communication errors, pass (protection), every time we dropped back to pass, something bad happened,” Cignetti said. Indiana’s 151 total yards was its lowest of the season. And it was the most points surrendered by the Hoosier’s defence. The takeaway Indiana: Its special season was blemished by the Buckeyes, who beat the Hoosiers for the 30th straight time. Indiana was eyeing its first conference crown since sharing one with two other teams in 1967. That won’t happen now. “Ohio State deserved to win,” Cignetti said. “They had those (third quarter scores), and we just couldn’t respond.” Ohio State: Didn’t waste the opportunities presented by the Hoosiers when they got sloppy. The Buckeyes led 14-7 at the break and took control in the second half. An offensive line patched together because of multiple injuries performed surprisingly well. “We know what was at stake,” Day said. “We don’t win this game, and we have no chance to go to Indianapolis and play in the Big Ten championship. And that’s real. We’ve had that approach for the last few weeks now, more than that.” Poll implications Some voters were obviously unsure of Indiana because it hadn’t played a nationally ranked team before Ohio State. After this one, the Hoosiers will drop. All about Will Howard made history by completing 80% of his passes for the sixth time this season. No other Ohio State quarterback has done that. He completed his first 14 passes in a row and finished with a 85% completion rate. “I think Buckeye nation is now seeing, after 11 games, that this guy is a winner, he’s tough, he cares about his teammates, he’s a leader,” Day said. Up next Indiana hosts Purdue in the regular-season finale next Saturday. Ohio State hosts rival Michigan on Saturday. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football Advertisement AdvertisementGAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — DJ Lagway threw two touchdown passes, Montrell Johnson ran for 127 yards and a score, and Florida upset No. 9 Mississippi 24-17 on Saturday to knock the Rebels out of College Football Playoff contention. The Gators (6-5, 4-4 Southeastern Conference), who topped LSU last week, beat ranked teams in consecutive weeks for the first time since 2008 and became bowl eligible. The late-season spurt provided another vote of confidence for coach Billy Napier, who is expected back for a fourth season. Ole Miss (8-3, 4-3), which entered the day as a 10-point favorite, lost for the first time in four games and surely will drop out of the 12-team playoff picture. The Rebels ranked ninth in the latest CFP and needed only to avoid stumbling down the stretch against Florida and lowly Mississippi State to clinch a spot in the playoff field. But coach Lane Kiffin’s team failed to score in three trips inside the red zone and dropped countless passes in perfect weather. No. 2 OHIO ST. 38, No. 5 INDIANA 15 COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Will Howard passed for two touchdowns and rushed for another, TreVeyon Henderson ran for a score and No. 2 Ohio State beat previously undefeated No. 5 Indiana. All Ohio State (10-1, 7-1 Big Ten, CFP No. 2) has to do now is beat Michigan at home next Saturday and it will earn a return to the Big Ten championship game for the first time since 2020 and get a rematch with No. 1 Oregon. The Ducks beat Ohio State 32-31 in a wild one back on Oct. 12. The Hoosiers (10-1, 7-1, No. 5 CFP) had their best chance to beat the Buckeyes for the first time since 1988 but were hurt by special teams mistakes and disrupted by an Ohio State defense that sacked quarterback Kurtis Rourke five times. Howard finished 22 for 26 for 201 yards. Emeka Egbuka had seven catches for 80 yards and a TD. No. 8 GEORGIA 59, UMass 21 ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Carson Beck threw four touchdown passes, Nate Frazier ran for 136 yards with three scores and No. 8 Georgia overwhelmed Massachusetts as the Bulldogs tried to protect their College Football Playoff hopes. Georgia (9-2, No. 10 CFP) needed the big offense from Beck and Frazier to rescue a defense that gave up 226 rushing yards. UMass (2-9) played its first game under interim coach Shane Montgomery, the offensive coordinator who retained his play-calling duties after replacing fired coach Don Brown on Monday. Jalen John led the Minutemen with 107 rushing yards and a touchdown. Georgia extended its streak of consecutive home wins to 30, the longest active streak in the Football Bowl Subdivision. No. 10 TENNESSEE 56, UTEP 0 KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Nico Iamaleava threw for 209 yards and four touchdowns to lead No. 10 Tennessee to a victory over UTEP. The Volunteers (9-2) overcame a sluggish start to roll up the impressive win. Both teams were scoreless in the first quarter, but Tennessee found its rhythm. Grad student receiver Bru McCoy, who hadn’t caught a touchdown pass this season, had two. Peyton Lewis also ran for two scores. Tennessee’s defensive line, which had no sacks in last week’s loss to Georgia, had three against the Miners. UTEP (2-9) struggled with two missed field goals and three turnovers. Tennessee’s offense came alive with 28 points in the second quarter. In the final four drives of the quarter, Iamaleava completed 11 of 12 passes for 146 yards and touchdowns to Squirrel White, Ethan Davis and McCoy. No. 11 MIAMI 42, WAKE FOREST 14 MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Cam Ward passed for 280 yards and threw two touchdowns to Jacolby George on another record-breaking day, Mishael Powell ran an interception back 76 yards for a touchdown and No. 11 Miami pulled away late to beat Wake Forest. The Hurricanes (10-1, 6-1 Atlantic Coast Conference, No. 8 College Football Playoff) can clinch a berth in the ACC title game with a win at Syracuse next weekend. Ward completed 27 of 38 passes, plus ran for a score. He broke two more single-season Miami records, both of which had been held for 40 years by Bernie Kosar — most passing yards in a season and most completions in a season. Ward now has 3,774 yards on 268 completions this season. Kosar threw for 3,642 yards on 262 completions in 1984. Demond Claiborne had a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown for Wake Forest (4-7, 2-5). Claiborne also rushed for 62 yards for the Demon Deacons, and starting quarterback Hank Bachmeier was 8 of 14 passing for 86 yards and a touchdown. No. 13 SMU 33, VIRGINIA 7 CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Kevin Jennings threw for a career-high 323 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another, and No. 13 SMU clinched a spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game by routing Virginia. Isaiah Smith and Jared Harrison-Hunte each had two sacks to help the Mustangs (10-1, 7-0, No. 13 CFP) extend their winning streak to eight. They would earn an automatic bid into the expanded College Football Playoff by beating 11th-ranked Miami or 17th-ranked Clemson in the ACC title game on Dec. 7 in Charlotte, North Carolina. SMU had to get there first, and Jennings led the way again, bouncing back from an interception and a fumble to complete 25 of 33 passes to six different receivers, including TD tosses to Jordan Hudson and Matthew Hibner. Brashard Smith provided a little balance on offense, running for 63 yards and his 13th touchdown of the season. SMU’s defense overwhelmed UVa’s offensive line, sacking Anthony Colandrea nine times and allowing the Cavaliers (5-6, 3-4) just 173 yards. Special teams contributed, too, with Roderick Daniels Jr. returning a punt 48 yards and Collin Rogers making two field goals. No. 24 ILLINOIS 38, RUTGERS 31 PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) — Luke Altmyer found Pat Bryant for a catch-and-run, 40-yard touchdown pass with 4 seconds left, sending No. 24 Illinois to a wild victory over Rutgers. Illinois (8-3, 5-3 Big Ten) was down 31-30 when it sent long kicker Ethan Moczulski out for a desperation 58-yard field goal with 14 seconds to go. Rutgers coach Greg Schiano then called for a timeout right before Moczulski’s attempt was wide left and about 15 yards short. After the missed field goal was waved off by the timeout, Illinois coach Bret Bielema sent his offense back on the field. Altmyer hit Bryant on an in cut on the left side at the 22, and he continued across the field and scored untouched in a game that featured three lead changes in the final 3:07. Rutgers (6-5, 3-5) gave up a safety on the final kickoff return, throwing a ball out of bounds in the end zone as players passed it around hoping for a miracle touchdown. Altmyer was 12-of-26 passing for 249 yards and two touchdowns. Bryant finished with seven receptions for 197 yards.Thane Election Results 2024: Sanjay Kelkar vs Rajan Vichare vs Avinash Jadhav, who's winning?

A Peter Dutton-led government would deport non-citizens who voice rhetorical support for terror groups and demand the Australian Broadcasting Corporation avoid bias on Israel, according to a keynote speech home affairs spokesman James Paterson will deliver outlining the Coalition’s pledges. Portraying the bloody war in Gaza and Lebanon as a battle for democracy, Paterson will say Australian Jews were being held responsible for “difficult choices” Israel was forced to make in its fight against terror groups supported by Iran. Liberal frontbencher James Paterson. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen Paterson will say that a Coalition government will strengthen the laws used by police to lay charges on incitement and displaying terror symbols if they prove too difficult to enforce. “I am deeply troubled by the number of Jews who have told me they are contemplating moving to Israel because they think they may feel safer in a country under attack from three terrorist organisations and a genocidal nation state than they do in Melbourne or Sydney,” he will say in a speech to the Executive Council of the Australian Jewry’s annual general meeting in Melbourne on Sunday. “But I understand it.” The Coalition has sought to tie community unrest in Australia over Gaza to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s actions, portraying him as soft on antisemitism as Labor has gradually shifted support away from Israel through key United Nations votes and actions such as blocking the visa of a former Israeli minister, Ayelet Shaked, on character grounds. Loading The opposition has refrained from criticising Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu’s military campaign even as the United Nations, European Union and International Criminal Court condemn his actions, marking the Coalition as one of the most pro-Israel centre-right parties in the Western world. Israel launched its assault on Gaza after Hamas-led terrorists stormed across the border, killed 1200 people and seized more than 250 hostages on October 7, 2023. Since then, the Israeli attack has killed nearly 44,000 Palestinians in Gaza, much of which has been laid to waste. On Friday, the Coalition released a statement saying Australia should reject the ICC’s decision to issue arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former defence minister Yoav Gallant and Hamas leader Mohammed Deif.

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Inflation is predicted to average 2.5% this year and 2.6% next year, according to forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility. The British Medical Association said the Government showed a “poor grasp” of unresolved issues from two years of industrial action, and the Royal College of Nursing called the pay recommendation “deeply offensive”. The National Education Union’s chief said teachers were “putting the Government on notice” that the proposed increase “won’t do”. The pay recommendations came after Chancellor Rachel Reeves called for every Government department to cut costs by 5%, as she started work on a sweeping multi-year spending review to be published in 2025. Independent pay review bodies will consider the proposals for pay rises for teachers, NHS workers and senior civil servants. The Department of Health said it viewed 2.8% as a “reasonable amount” to set aside, in its recommendations to the NHS Pay Review Body and the Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration Board remit groups. A 2.8% pay rise for teachers in 2025/26 would “maintain the competitiveness of teachers’ pay despite the challenging financial backdrop the Government is facing”, the Department for Education said. The Cabinet Office also suggested pay increases for senior civil servants should be kept to no more than 2.8%. Paul Johnson, director of the influential economics think tank the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), said it was “not a bad ballpark figure” and feels “just about affordable” given the Government’s public spending plans. The downside, he said, is that public sector workers have lost out since 2010 and unions will be upset that this is not making up the gap, he told Sky News’ Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge. “But given the constraints facing the Chancellor I think it’s pretty hard to argue for more for public sector pay when public sector services ... are under real strain,” he said. Unions expressed their disappointment in the recommendations, with some hinting they could be willing to launch industrial action. The Royal College of Nursing general secretary and chief executive called for “open direct talks now” to avoid “further escalation to disputes and ballots”. Professor Nicola Ranger said: “The Government has today told nursing staff they are worth as little as £2 extra a day, less than the price of a coffee. “Nursing is in crisis – there are fewer joining and too many experienced professionals leaving. This is deeply offensive to nursing staff, detrimental to their patients and contradictory to hopes of rebuilding the NHS. “The public understands the value of nursing and they know that meaningful reform of the NHS requires addressing the crisis in nursing. “We pulled out of the Pay Review Body process, alongside other unions, because it is not the route to address the current crisis. “That has been demonstrated today. “Fair pay must be matched by structural reform. Let’s open direct talks now and avoid further escalation to disputes and ballots – I have said that directly to government today.” Professor Philip Banfield, chairman of the British Medical Association’s council, urged the sector’s pay review body to “show it is now truly independent”. “For this Government to give evidence to the doctors’ and dentists’ pay review body (DDRB) believing a 2.8% pay rise is enough, indicates a poor grasp of the unresolved issues from two years of industrial action,” he said. He said the proposal is far below the current rate of inflation and that the Government was “under no illusion” when doctors accepted pay offers in the summer that there was a “very real risk of further industrial action” if “pay erosion” was not addressed in future pay rounds. “This sub-inflationary suggestion from the current Government serves as a test to the DDRB. “The BMA expects it to take this opportunity to show it is now truly independent, to take an objective view of the evidence it receives from all parties, not just the Government, and to make an offer that reflects the value of doctors’ skills and expertise in a global market, and that moves them visibly further along the path to full pay restoration.” The NEU’s general secretary, Daniel Kebede, said teachers’ pay had been cut by more than one-fifth in real terms since 2010. “Along with sky-high workload, the pay cuts have resulted in a devastating recruitment and retention crisis. Teacher shortages across the school system hit pupils and parents too. “A 2.8% increase is likely to be below inflation and behind wage increases in the wider economy. This will only deepen the crisis in education.” In a hint that there could be a return to industrial action he added: “NEU members fought to win the pay increases of 2023 and 2024. “We are putting the Government on notice. Our members care deeply about education and feel the depth of the crisis. This won’t do.” The offer for teachers is the “exact opposite of fixing the foundations” and will result in bigger class sizes and more cuts to the curriculum, Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “The inadequacy of the proposed pay award is compounded by the Government’s intention that schools should foot the bill out of their existing allocations. “Given that per-pupil funding will increase on average by less than 1% next year, and the Government’s proposal is for an unfunded 2.8% pay award, it is obvious that this is in fact an announcement of further school cuts.” Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders’ union NAHT, said: This recommendation falls far short of what is needed to restore the competitiveness of the teaching profession, to enable it to retain experienced professionals and attract new talent. Unison head of health Helga Pile said: “The Government has inherited a financial mess from its predecessors, but this is not what NHS workers wanted to hear. “Staff are crucial in turning around the fortunes of the NHS. Improving performance is a key Government pledge, but the pay rise proposed is barely above the cost of living.”