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Stock market today: Losses for Big Tech pull US indexes lowerLos Angeles Lakers Head Coach is Astonished With 4x Champion Still Able to Play at a High Level With His Age: 'I Played Against LeBron in High School'
HAMILTON, Ontario, Nov. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Manufacturing is essential to the Canadian economy, contributing approximately 10% of our GDP. Two of the biggest challenges facing manufacturers is ensuring that their workers have the right skills to support them as they take on new technologies and practices, and onboarding enough new workers to support sustained operations and growth. These challenges will be exacerbated as more of the existing workforce enters retirement. Introducing automation and other digital technologies has been proposed as a solution to address the skills gap, but it poses its own set of unique challenges. Canada’s Occupational and Skills Information System (OaSIS) contains data on the competencies required to work in 900 different occupations, providing the users with a standardized way to understand how competencies vary by level of proficiency across occupations. With the rapid adoption of technologies, can the OaSIS database support the future needs of the manufacturing sector? Also, is there alignment of skills and competencies across manufacturing subsectors? In one study conducted under NGen’s Future Ready program, funded in part by ESDC’s Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program (SWSP), the cluster contracted 6 industry associations (APMA, BioTalent Canada, CMISA, DAIR, FPSC, and SIMSA) to engage their members to help generate a snapshot of the current skills and proficiencies of the Canadian manufacturing workforce, and how those skills and proficiencies are projected to evolve through 2040. In total, 157 Canadian manufacturers participated in this study. Projected skill levels for 2030 and 2040 indicate an emerging emphasis on digital literacy, cognitive skills, and soft skills, with the largest changes in projected proficiencies occurring in Digital Literacy, Problem Solving, and Creativity and Innovation. The results paint a picture of a digitally literate workforce that will require cognitive and soft skill enhancement to be effective in the digital work environment of the future. These findings suggest that manufacturing needs to understand and prepare for changes in competencies across all job functions. This will require a strategy of incorporating continuous upskilling and recruitment within and across the manufacturing sector. Another important finding was that there is a great deal of commonality across the various sectors of manufacturing and across regions, meaning that pan-Canadian, cross-sectoral solutions have the potential to drive tremendous economic impact. To read more about NGen’s workforce research initiatives, visit www.ngen.ca/futureready . Research Papers Decarbonization and its Impact on Canada's Manufacturing Workforce Digitizing Canada's Advanced Manufacturing Sector: Reshaping Jobs and Skills Technological Innovation and Workforce Diversity in the Advanced Manufacturing Sector The Manufacturing Workforce: Trends and Opportunities An Assessment of the Changing Skill Needs of the Canadian Manufacturing Workforce Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing: The Evolution of Technology and Jobs in the Sector Digitizing Canada's Manufacturing Sector Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Toolkit Advanced Manufacturing Skills Catalogue Best Practices for Newcomers Labour Market Intervention Programmes Quotes “We believe that our manufacturing workforce is a critical national asset and must be looked at through a pan-Canadian, cross-sectoral lens. Through our collaboration with six organizations supporting specific manufacturing sectors, we have identified common core competencies as well as common skills challenges facing Canada’s manufacturing sector which provides nearly ten percent of Canada’s GDP.” - Stewart Cramer, Chief Manufacturing Officer, NGen “As the lead skills training organization for Canada's food and beverage manufacturing industry, we know — as do businesses — that upskilling and continuous learning is fundamental to any successful workforce. Skills training values individuals and supports recruitment and retention." - Jennefer Griffith, Executive Director, Food Professing SKills Canada "Transitions aren’t only about innovation and technology. The companies that get it right are the ones that will bet on their current workforce with new skills, patience and direction. The jurisdictions that will lead in the new automotive will be the ones that partner with those companies and workers to chart their path." - Flavio Volpe, President, APMA “The Saskatchewan labour market is very competitive, and the manufacturing market has a difficult time competing with other booming, high productivity markets such as mining, energy and tech. The skill trend analysis we did in partnership with NGen underscores a dynamic shift in occupational competencies, highlighting the move from solely technical skills to a more broadly skilled and adaptable workforce across various sectors. Research of this kind is essential to our ability to build the workforce that we will need to compete and grow not only against our global competitors, but also in the fierce competition for talent in our home province of Saskatchewan. SIMSA greatly appreciates the support of and invaluable work by NGen!” - Eric Anderson, Executive Director, SIMSA About NGen NGen is the industry-led not-for-profit organization that leads Canada’s Global Innovation Cluster for Advanced Manufacturing. Its mandate is to help build world-leading advanced manufacturing capabilities in Canada for the benefit of Canadians. NGen works to strengthen collaboration among its membership of more than 5,000 manufacturers, technology companies, innovation centres, and researchers, and provides funding and business support to industry-led initiatives that aim to develop, apply, or scale-up transformative manufacturing solutions in Canada for commercialization in global markets. www.ngen.ca/membership . Media Contact Robbie MacLeod Robbie.macleod@ngen.ca 613-297-3578
COMMERCE, Texas (AP) — Zach Calzada passed for 333 yards and three touchdowns, and he rushed for a score as Incarnate Word beat East Texas A&M 38-24 on Saturday to claim the Southland Conference title. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * COMMERCE, Texas (AP) — Zach Calzada passed for 333 yards and three touchdowns, and he rushed for a score as Incarnate Word beat East Texas A&M 38-24 on Saturday to claim the Southland Conference title. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? COMMERCE, Texas (AP) — Zach Calzada passed for 333 yards and three touchdowns, and he rushed for a score as Incarnate Word beat East Texas A&M 38-24 on Saturday to claim the Southland Conference title. Incarnate Word (10-2, 7-0) became the first team in program history to finish undefeated in conference play. The No. 6 Cardinals await the FCS selection show on Sunday to learn the playoff matchups. Calzada came in leading the FCS in passing touchdowns with 30 on the season and No. 6 for passing yards (3,018). He finished 26 of 40 with an interception against East Texas A&M. Incarnate Word linebacker Darius Sanders made his third interception in two games then Calzada launched a 43-yard pass to Jalen Walthall to tie it at 14 midway through the second quarter. The Cardinals’ Marcus Brown blocked a 45-yard field-goal attempt that would have broken a tie at 24 early in the fourth. Calzada found wide-open Logan Compton in the end zone for a 31-24 lead. Mason Pierce was also left wide open for an 18-yard score with 2:43 left. Ron Peace was 21 of 38 for 165 yards with one touchdown and one interception for East Texas (3-9, 2-4). He also rushed for a score. ___ 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
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While sales of electric vehicles surge in China , adoption of more environmentally friendly vehicles is stumbling in the United States and Europe as carmakers and governments struggle to meet years-old promises about affordability and charging stations. Adding to those headwinds : an incoming new U.S. president who has disparaged government support for electric vehicles . China is the exception. Driven by government subsidies and mandates, vehicles with electric motors, including plug-in hybrids that combine electric and fossil fuel motors, topped 50% of sales in the month of July. Concerns about range, charging infrastructure and higher prices are sore points among both electric car enthusiasts and skeptics in Europe and the U.S. | Solar panels power charging at Detlef Mueller-Salis’ home in Mainz, Germany, so he thought he was all set to go electric. But range concerns, charging times and confusing charging payment methods have proved frustrating. So after four years, he and his wife sold their Porsche Taycan and Fiat 500 electrics and bought a BMW 5-Series and a Volkswagen Polo, both internal combustion. The smaller Fiat could run 220 kilometers (136.70 miles) on a charge in summer and 180 in winter, he said, against the manufacturer’s specification of 320 kilometers. Constantly checking the battery before quick trips to visit grandchildren and elder parents grew annoying. So did going on vacation with payment cards from five different charging plans. The Porsche took 30 minutes to charge instead of the 22 minutes advertised, not a huge difference but “not what the company promised,” said Mueller-Salis, who is retired from a logistics company. Driving fast on the autobahn reduced range so that “you paid for it with charging time.” Both retirees in their 70s, Ken and Roxanne Honeycutt mainly drive their used Kia Soul around their town near Oakland, California. They charge the EV, with a range of about 111 miles (179 kilometers), in their garage and don’t rely much on public infrastructure. But for longer trips they have to plan fast charging stops ahead of time. “We wanted to try it,” Roxanne said of the EV. “Sometimes we found that the charging stations don’t always work, they’re broken down, so that gives you a little bit of anxiety if you know okay, I need to charge.” On one cold, rainy January day, the Soul’s range dropped faster than expected, so they had to stop twice to charge. Another time, they hit multiple non-functioning chargers — even in California, where EV adoption leads the rest of the country. Their range dropped to 13 miles. “We’re used to having a gas station on every corner, 24 hours a day,” Roxanne said, adding they still like the vehicle. Electric cars aren’t going away. They are essential for planet-warming carbon emissions reductions governments agreed to under the 2015 Paris climate agreement. Electrified vehicle sales will reach 17 million this year, or one car in five sold globally, according to the International Energy Agency. That includes plug-in hybrids that combine electric with internal combustion motors. But about 60% of those sales are in China. In Europe, sales of electric-only cars fell 5.8% in January-September from a year earlier, while their market share fell to 13% from 14%. Pure EVs accounted for 8% of overall U.S. vehicle sales in October. So, the market is growing , but sales have slowed. They’re not plunging, but they’re not yet growing fast enough to meet climate goals. Aside from buyer hesitancy, barriers remain Higher prices matter. A Volkswagen ID. 3 hatchback costs 39,995 euros (about $42,090), compared to the similar-sized Volkswagen Golf fuel engine version at 27,180 euros ($29,136), according to the ADAC auto association. U.S. EV prices have fallen significantly since 2022, but the average price in October for a new one, $56,902 , still exceeded the average $48,623 for a new vehicle. Cost remains an issue for the more mainstream American consumers EV makers hope to target , according to a recent poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago. Uncertainty over purchase subsidies also complicates price comparisons. EV sales plunged in Germany early this year after the government abruptly cancelled the purchase premium of 6,750 euros for cars up to 40,000 euros and 4,500 euros for cars up to 65,000 euros. ADAC says that means most internal combustion models are a better deal over a car’s lifetime. Conservative political parties and the industry are now questioning the EU’s goal of eliminating most fuel engine vehicles by 2035, a decision that’s up for review in 2026. The European Auto Manufacturers’ Association is urging that carbon dioxide limits which carmakers must meet by 2026 or face heavy fines be relaxed. Some carmakers have pushed back electrification plans . President-elect Trump has vowed to end what he called the Biden administration’s EV “mandate,” though he has softened his anti-EV stance as his ties with Tesla CEO Elon Musk grew closer. Automakers are not required to sell EVs under the Environmental Protection Agency’s greenhouse gas emissions standards regulating tailpipe pollution , though they need EV sales to be at least 56% of their total sales to meet ambitious standards for cutting emissions. Trump may also eliminate critical EV tax credits . Even if fewer buyers choose EVs, tax credits or not , auto companies show no intention of fully retreating from the transition away from gas-burning cars and trucks. The China difference China’s auto market, the world’s largest has been transformed by billions of dollars in subsidies, with EV sales reaching 25.8% of the 13.5 million vehicles sold in January-August, according to the China Passenger Car Association. The government is encouraging car buyers to go electric, and many are buying EVs or plug-in hybrids under an economic stimulus program. The phasing out of earlier subsidies in 2022 unleashed a fierce price war, toppling some weaker automakers. Some Chinese EVs sell for less than $20,000 in their home market. The government push encouraged many start-ups that took the Tesla model and ran with it. They simplified car designs to cut costs and filled interiors with gadgetry appealing to a smartphone-savvy generation. Photographer Wu Cong sat inside his $23,000 Hongqi E-QM5 as it recharged in Beijing. He travels often for work, racking up 80,000 kilometers (50,000 miles) in the last two years. The EV saves him about 50 yuan ($7) in fuel costs for every 100 kilometers, he said, which would add up to $5,600 over two years. The sedan’s navigation system reminds him to recharge after driving a distance of his choosing. “It will tell you if there are charging stations ahead and if anyone is using them,” he said. Beijing tech worker Shang Wenting said her family hardly uses their gasoline-powered car anymore except for on long trips, preferring a sapphire Tesla Model Y they bought for about $37,000. During a weekly trip to a charging station 10 minutes from her home, Shang said the Tesla is cheaper to drive and she loves its “smart features,” like an energy recovery system that means she can press on the accelerator less. “It feels like switching from an old phone to a smart phone,” she said. —David McHugh, Alexa St. John and Ken Moritsugu, Associated Press Associated Press video producer Caroline Chen and researcher Yu Bing contributed to this report. The application deadline for Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas Awards is Friday, December 6, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply today.Hunter, Jeanty give Heisman ceremony a different vibeWith rising public sector employment and general pressure on wages, the next deal could involve an annual increase in the public pay bill of €1.66 billion, more than three times the annual increase which resulted from the current deal. In an overview setting out the fiscal context for the new Dáil, the independent Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) has identified the future public sector pay bill as one of the main six risks facing the Irish economy during the term of the 34th Dáil. The paper, which has just been published, sets out forecasts for increases in wages in the Irish economy between 2025 and 2030. It states that wages in the Irish economy are expected to grow strongly over the term of the next government, with annual increases ranging from 3.7 per cent to 4.2 per cent Noting that the current pay deal in the public sector will expire in 2026, the analysis says if a future public sector pay deal grew in line with wage increases in the private sector, and the number of workers grew in line with expected population growth, the annual increase in State spending on public pay would rise from €554.7 million in 2026 to €1.66 billion by 2027. Public sector employment has been rising fast. The report says that between 2008 and 2023 employees in the public sector increased by 22 per cent, more than a fifth. “The increase in public sector employment reflects the growing demand for public services, but it also adds to the fiscal burden.” The biggest increase was in the education sector, where employee numbers rose by a third. In marked contrast there was a decline of almost 30 per cent in the numbers employed in the defence sector. Another potential risk identified by the analysis is the State’s reliance on corporation tax, in line with other recent warnings from the Fiscal Advisory Council and the Central Bank of Ireland. The receipts from this sector are “very volatile”, the PBO warns. “From 2015 to 2023, annual growth rates ranged from a high of 48 per cent in 2022 to a low of 5 per cent in 2019,” it notes. “The top 10 companies’ contribution to net receipts peaked at 57 per cent in 2022 before slightly decreasing to 52 per cent in 2023. In the first 11 months of 2024 Corporation Tax Revenue was 59 per cent higher than the same period last year.” Another possible risk highlighted by the PBO is Ireland’s tax system’s heavy reliance on high-income earners. “Those earning €100,000 or more make up just 11.4 per cent of taxpayers but account for 66 per cent of total income tax and USC. “While this highlights a very progressive redistributive system, this concentration of tax revenue from a small segment of the population underscores the vulnerability of the tax base to economic shifts affecting high earners,” it notes. The report warns that, taking into account the volatility of these key revenue sources, there are “structural fiscal challenges that need to be addressed to ensure long-term sustainability”. Harry McGee is a Political Correspondent with The Irish Times
CHARLOTTE — East Tennessee State owned the second half for a second straight game against a team from the Queen City. The Bucs had a 16-2 run early in the second half and went on to score a 77-55 victory over Charlotte on Wednesday afternoon at Halton Arena. It was the third straight win for ETSU (5-2) after beating USC Upstate and Queens of Charlotte in a Multi-Team Event (MTE) over the weekend. Quimari Peterson, who was named Southern Conference Player of the Week on Monday, led the Bucs with 16 points, five rebounds and four assists. The Bucs had four players hit double figures. John Buggs III totaled 15 points, while Karon Boyd provided 14 points and seven rebounds. Jaden Seymour scored 12 points and Maki Johnson had a season-high eight points including a pair of 3-point shots. Davion Bradford pulled down seven rebounds. The Bucs didn’t commit a turnover the final 24 minutes of the game to provide a happy homecoming for Seymour from Charlotte and Boyd from nearby Concord, N.C. “No disrespect, they’re a good team, but I think we’re better,” ETSU coach Brooks Savage said on the post-game radio broadcast. “We felt like we could get to them physically on the glass, get to them transitionally. I thought our energy and togetherness could ultimately wear them down. We got great contributions from everybody.” ETSU continued to dominate its opponents on the glass. They held a 45-30 rebounding advantage, including 16-6 on the offensive end. Charlotte (3-3) from the American Athletic Conference came into Wednesday’s contest averaging nearly 73 points per game. The 49ers were held well under that number, hitting 40 percent from the field and 24 percent from 3-point range. It was the first time Charlotte lost back-to-back home games since the 2022-23 season. The 49ers had scored consistently off backdoor cuts in the first half, pushing its lead to 13 points before the Bucs closed to 36-31 at the half. Buggs nailed a 3-point shot and Boyd scored on a put-back bucket right before the horn sounded. ETSU was red hot out of the locker room and had a 12-point lead by the halfway point of the second half to mark a 25-point turnaround. The Bucs kept the defensive intensity throughout the rest of the game as the 49ers scored just 19 points over the final 20 minutes. “The second-half defense was big time,” Savage said. “We got back to what we’re best at, that’s sitting down and guarding. As we settled into the game, that showed up on defense.” The Bucs also took advantage of the 49ers going to a 1-3-1 defense. It played in the Bucs’ offensive hands as they hit the first 3-point shots of the second half. Savage liked the way his team made the extra pass to have those good shots. “We did a really good job playing on balance,” Savage said. “We turned down some good shots for great shots in the second half. When we’re doing that, we’re hard to guard.” Nik Graves and Jaehshon Thomas each scored 13 points to lead the 49ers. Giancarlo Rosardo had nine points before leaving the game early in the second half with an injury. NEXT UP ETSU returns home to face Austin Peay on Saturday at 4 p.m. Charlotte has a week off before hosting Livingstone College.ESTERO, Fla. (AP) — Kaden Cooper led Louisiana Tech with 16 points, and Daniel Batcho and Amaree Abram made key free throws in the closing seconds as the Bulldogs defeated Richmond 65-62 on Tuesday. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * ESTERO, Fla. (AP) — Kaden Cooper led Louisiana Tech with 16 points, and Daniel Batcho and Amaree Abram made key free throws in the closing seconds as the Bulldogs defeated Richmond 65-62 on Tuesday. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? ESTERO, Fla. (AP) — Kaden Cooper led Louisiana Tech with 16 points, and Daniel Batcho and Amaree Abram made key free throws in the closing seconds as the Bulldogs defeated Richmond 65-62 on Tuesday. Cooper added nine rebounds and four steals for the Bulldogs (6-0). Batcho scored 13 points, going 4 of 6 and 5 of 7 from the free-throw line. Abram shot 3 for 13 (2 for 7 from 3-point range) and 4 of 4 from the free-throw line to finish with 12 points, while adding six rebounds. Delonnie Hunt finished with 26 points and three steals for the Spiders (3-4). Abram scored eight points in the first half and Louisiana Tech went into halftime trailing 35-27. Sean Newman Jr. scored a team-high 12 points for Louisiana Tech in the second half. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar. Advertisement
Harris dismisses ‘project fear’ approach to Sinn Fein
SEC Chair Gary Gensler, who led US crackdown on cryptocurrencies, to step down‘We Deserved More Than One Point!’ –Finidi Reflects On Rivers United’s Draw At Sunshine StarsThe Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) lurched into the high side on Monday, kicking the new trading week off with a fresh record high just a hair below the 44,800 handle. Investors bid up prices on rumors that the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon may have a ceasefire deal on the table. Closer to home, investors turned further bullish after pending president-elect Donald Trump tapped Scott Bessent as his future Treasury secretary when he returns to the White House in January. Investors hit the gas pedal on news that former President Donald Trump will pick Scott Bessent as his Treasury secretary. Scott Bessent is the founder of Key Square Group and a former partner at Soros Fund Management, making Bessent an odd choice for an incoming president who has routinely courted corners of the voting public laden with anti-Soros conspiracy theories.Investors hit the gas pedal on news that former President Donald Trump will pick Scott Bessent as his Treasury secretary. Scott Bessent is the founder of Key Square Group and a former partner at Soros Fund Management, making Bessent an odd choice for an incoming president who has routinely courted corners of the voting public laden with anti-Soros conspiracy theories. Despite equity markets rallying hard on the prospect of incoming President Donald Trump tapping a hedge fund manager for a federal oversight position, a notably bullish appointment for the equity field in general, former President Donald Trump’s track record of making dubious staff picks remains unchallenged: the Key Square Group’s fund performance has a notably volatile history. According to reporting from Reuters, institutional investors have fled Key Square Group in recent years, with the macro-focused hedge fund peaking over $5 billion in AUM in late 2017 and tumbling to a 2024 low of barely over $500 million. Despite Key Square Group opening its doors with seed funding from Soros Capital, Soros has reportedly withdrawn all funding from Bennet’s fund and now has no exposure to the investment vehicle. Although US officials dampening expectations and noting that a ceasefire deal hasn't been officially reached, markets are still optimistic that the geopolitical situation in the Middle East might stabilize later . According to an X (née Twitter) post from an AXIOS reporter, A US-proposed truce between Israel and Lebanon that would see Israeli troops withdraw from South Lebanon is set to be voted on, and presumably approved, by both sides in the coming days. Despite an overall uptick in investor sentiment on the prospect of cooling Middle East instability, Crude markets took a hard hit on the news, with West Texas Intermediate (WTI) US Crude Oil backsliding nearly 3% on Monday to $69/barrel. Dow Jones news Despite an early-week bid pin into a new record high, the Dow Jones is settling into a more reasonable stance for Monday, still trading on the high side but easing back from a record high near 44,800. Two-thirds of the major equity index are finding gains on the day, with the remaining third stuck on the red side of the day’s opening line. Nvidia (NVDA) missed out on Monday’s bullish push, falling another 3.3% and backsliding into $137 per share as investors continue to rebalance their sky-high expectations of the chipmaker. Despite reporting annual revenue growth figures north of 90% last week, bidders in the amorphous AI-tech rally expected more, and are balking at the prospect of Nvidia’s future revenue growth easing from 2025’s 112% forecast to a comparatively sluggish 49% in 2026. Dow Jones price forecast The Dow Jones’ Monday bid into a fresh record high near 44,800 has left the blue-chip index back on the high side of a near-term bull run, shrugging off a recent dip into the low well before any bearish technical could form. The Dow Jones is up nearly 19% bottom-to-top in 2024, and up an eye-watering 32% since daily candlesticks last touched the 200-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) way back in November of 2023 near the 33,800 region. Dow Jones daily chart Risk sentiment FAQs In the world of financial jargon the two widely used terms “risk-on” and “risk off'' refer to the level of risk that investors are willing to stomach during the period referenced. In a “risk-on” market, investors are optimistic about the future and more willing to buy risky assets. In a “risk-off” market investors start to ‘play it safe’ because they are worried about the future, and therefore buy less risky assets that are more certain of bringing a return, even if it is relatively modest. Typically, during periods of “risk-on”, stock markets will rise, most commodities – except Gold – will also gain in value, since they benefit from a positive growth outlook. The currencies of nations that are heavy commodity exporters strengthen because of increased demand, and Cryptocurrencies rise. In a “risk-off” market, Bonds go up – especially major government Bonds – Gold shines, and safe-haven currencies such as the Japanese Yen, Swiss Franc and US Dollar all benefit. The Australian Dollar (AUD), the Canadian Dollar (CAD), the New Zealand Dollar (NZD) and minor FX like the Ruble (RUB) and the South African Rand (ZAR), all tend to rise in markets that are “risk-on”. This is because the economies of these currencies are heavily reliant on commodity exports for growth, and commodities tend to rise in price during risk-on periods. This is because investors foresee greater demand for raw materials in the future due to heightened economic activity. The major currencies that tend to rise during periods of “risk-off” are the US Dollar (USD), the Japanese Yen (JPY) and the Swiss Franc (CHF). The US Dollar, because it is the world’s reserve currency, and because in times of crisis investors buy US government debt, which is seen as safe because the largest economy in the world is unlikely to default. The Yen, from increased demand for Japanese government bonds, because a high proportion are held by domestic investors who are unlikely to dump them – even in a crisis. The Swiss Franc, because strict Swiss banking laws offer investors enhanced capital protection.
NoneWith more than half of the 16 teams still mathematically alive to make the conference championship game, the Big 12 will command a lot of attention in the final week of the regular season. No. 14 Arizona State and No. 17 Iowa State would play for the Big 12 title and likely College Football Playoff spot on Dec. 7 if they both win Saturday and there's a four-way tie for first place. There are seven other teams that begin this week with hopes, slim in most cases, of getting into the game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Last week it was No. 19 BYU and No. 23 Colorado that had the inside track to the championship game. Arizona State beat the Cougars and Kansas knocked off the Buffaloes, and here we are. "Everybody counted us out, I think, two weeks ago," Iowa State coach Matt Campbell said after his team beat Utah 31-28. "We didn't flinch. We didn't waver. And we just keep fighting." The Cyclones were national darlings the first half of the season as they won seven straight games to match the best start in program history. Back-to-back losses to Texas Tech and Kansas followed. Now they've won two straight heading into "Farmageddon," their rivalry game against Kansas State at home. "Right now they've got the pen and they continue to write the story," Campbell said of his players, "and I hope they will continue to write it the way they've got the ability to write it. Unwavering. Tough, mentally tough, physically tough. This group has stood for it every step of the way." Arizona State has been an even better story than the Cyclones. The Sun Devils have six more wins than they did last season, when they went 3-9. They were picked to finish last in their first year in the Big 12. They'll go for their fifth straight victory when they play at Arizona on Saturday. "These guys came off no momentum and everybody doubting them, and everybody is still doubting them. That's what makes this special," second-year coach Kenny Dillingham said. "Hopefully the expectations become higher. I don't know if there's a way we can exceed expectations more than we're exceeding them right now." Checking in on five of the Top 25: The Ducks were idle Saturday after clinching a spot in the Big Ten championship game with their win at Wisconsin on Nov. 16. Oregon can go 12-0 in the regular season for the first time since 2010 if it beats Washington at home this week. Oregon's only two losses last season came against the Huskies, both decided by three points. The first was a top-10 matchup in the regular season and the second was a top-five matchup in the Pac-12 championship game. The Ducks are 19 1/2-point favorites this time, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. The Buckeyes' showdown with upstart Indiana combined with Michigan's dropoff after winning the national championship have lowered the volume on this week's meeting with the Wolverines at the Horseshoe. If Michigan beats Ohio State a fourth straight time and it keeps the Buckeyes out of the Big Ten championship game and playoff ... well, there'll be lots of noise in Columbus then. The Lone Star Showdown returns to the gridiron for the first time since 2011, when Texas and Texas A&M were in the Big 12. The Longhorns head to No. 20 Texas A&M on a four-game win streak. The Aggies have lost two of three after Saturday's four-overtime loss at Auburn. The winner advances to the Southeastern Conference championship game against Georgia. The Broncos are tied with Notre Dame for the second-longest active win streak, at nine games, and they seem to have adopted a survive-and-advance mantra. They trailed 23-point underdog Wyoming in the fourth quarter before winning 17-13 and clinching a spot in the Mountain West championship game. They won their previous game, 42-21 against San Jose State, but didn't pull away until the fourth quarter. Two weeks ago they beat a three-win Nevada team 28-21. Just when you think Illinois is about to cash in for the season, they do what they did against Rutgers. The Illini were down 31-30 when they lined up for a 58-yard field goal with 14 seconds left. Ethan Moczulski missed. But wait. Rutgers called timeout before the snap, and Bret Bielema thought better of trying another kick and sent his offense back on the field. Luke Altmyer passed to Pat Bryant for the winning 40-yard touchdown. The Illini won't play for the Big Ten title, but they have a chance for nine wins and a nice bowl. Ohio State played in three of the five regular-season top-five matchups and won three of them. The Buckeyes lost to Oregon and beat Penn State and Indiana. ... Kansas' 37-21 win over Colorado made the Jayhawks the first FBS team with a losing record to beat three straight Top 25 opponents. The Jayhawks, who were 2-6 a month ago, will be bowl eligible if they win at Baylor. ... Nebraska ended the longest power conference bowl drought with its 44-25 win over Wisconsin. The Cornhuskers haven't played in a bowl since 2016. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Tweet Facebook Mail Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu underwent successful surgery Sunday to have his prostate removed, hospital officials said, a procedure that came as he manages multiple crises including the war in Gaza and his trial for alleged corruption. Netanyahu, who has had a series of health issues in recent years, has gone to great lengths to bolster a public image of himself as a healthy, energetic leader. During his trial this month, he boasted about working 18-hour days, accompanied by a cigar. But as Israel's longest-serving leader, such a grueling workload over a total of 17 years in power could take a toll on his well-being. READ MORE: Former US President Jimmy Carter dies at 100 Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has undergone prostate surgery. (AP) Netanyahu, 75, is among older world leaders including US President Joe Biden, 82, President-elect Donald Trump, 78, Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, 79, and Pope Francis, 88, who have come under scrutiny for their age and health issues. Netanyahu's latest condition is common in older men, but the procedure has had some fallout. The judges overseeing his trial accepted a request from his lawyer on Sunday to call off three days of testimony scheduled this week. The lawyer, Amit Hadad, had argued that Netanyahu would be fully sedated for the procedure and hospitalised for "a number of days." Dr Ofer Gofrit, head of the urology department at Jerusalem's Hadassah Medical Centre, said in a video statement late Sunday that the procedure had gone well and "there was no fear" of cancer or malignancy. "We only hope for the best," he said. READ MORE: Jetliner was shot down by Russia unintentionally, Azerbaijan's president says Netanyahu at his trial earlier this month. (AP) In a statement, Netanyahu thanked his doctors. His office said he was "fully alert" and was taken to an underground recovery unit fortified against potential missile attacks. Netanyahu was expected to remain in the hospital for several days of observation. Justice Minister Yariv Levin, a close ally, served as acting prime minister during the operation. With so much at stake, Netanyahu's health in wartime is a concern for both Israelis and the wider world. A turbulent time in the region As Israel's leader, Netanyahu is at the centre of major global events that are shifting the Middle East. With the dizzying pace of the past 14 months, being incapacitated for even a few hours can be risky. Netanyahu will be in the hospital at a time when international mediators are pushing Israel and Hamas to reach a ceasefire in Gaza and as fighting between Israel and Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels intensifies. Prostate issues are common and in many cases easily treatable. Still, the procedure puts a dent in Netanyahu's image of vigour at a time when he would want to project strength more than ever, both to an Israeli audience navigating constant threats as well as to Israel's enemies looking to expose its weaknesses. READ MORE: Two of the 181 people on board survived fiery plane crash at South Korean airport Netanyahu has presided over Israel's invasion of Gaza. (AP) Previous health issues, including a heart condition Netanyahu insists he is in excellent health. His office releases footage of him touring war zones in full protective gear flanked by military officers, or meeting with defence officials on windswept hilltops in youthful dark shades and puffer jackets. But that image was shattered last year when Netanyahu's doctors revealed that he had a heart condition, a problem that he had apparently long known about but concealed from the public. A week after a fainting spell, Netanyahu was fitted with a pacemaker to control his heartbeat. Only then did staff at the Sheba Medical Center reveal that Netanyahu has for years experienced a condition that can cause irregular heartbeats. The revelation came as Netanyahu was dealing with massive anti-government protests. The news about a chronic heart problem stoked further anger and distrust during extreme political polarisation in Israel. Last year, Netanyahu was rushed to the hospital for what doctors said likely was dehydration. He stayed overnight, prompting his weekly cabinet meeting to be delayed. Earlier this year, Netanyahu underwent hernia surgery, during which he was under full anesthesia and unconscious. Levin served as acting prime minister during the operation. Civilians flee in Rafah as Israel pushes ahead with its offensive View Gallery Recovery can be quick According to Netanyahu's office, the Israeli leader was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection on Wednesday stemming from a benign enlargement of his prostate. The infection was treated successfully with antibiotics, but doctors said the surgery was needed in any case. Complications from prostate enlargement are common in men in their 70s and 80s, Dr. Shay Golan, head of the oncology urology service at Israel's Rabin Medical Centre, told Israeli Army Radio. Golan spoke in general terms and was not involved in Netanyahu's care or treatment. He said an enlarged prostate can block proper emptying of the bladder, leading to a build-up of urine that can lead to an infection or other complications. After medicinal treatment, doctors can recommend a procedure to remove the prostate to prevent future blockages, Golan said. In Netanyahu's case, because the prostate is not cancerous, Golan said doctors were likely performing an endoscopic surgery, carried out by inserting small instruments into a body cavity, rather than making surgical cuts in the abdomen to reach the prostate. The procedure lasts about an hour, Golan said, and recovery is quick. He said that aside from catheter use for one to three days after the procedure, patients can return to normal activity without significant limitations. DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP : Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play .None
NoneThe Constitution of India is an embodiment of the aspirations of its citizens. These aspirations were also reflected in the long and painstaking process through which the Constitution came into being. This process, however, didn’t begin on November 26, 1949, when the first session of the Constituent Assembly was gavelled into existence. Debates and discussions on what should be incorporated into the Constitution started in the 19th century itself. Social movements played a crucial role in shaping the constitutional discourse, laying down the foundations of equality, dignity, social justice, and equal opportunity for any future document to govern a yet-to-be-born republic. The movements, led by Jyotiba Phule and Dr. BR Ambedkar, respectively, in different periods of history are representative of the direct impact of social movements on the framing of the Constitution. Phule’s constitutional project took inspiration from the 13th Amendment (1865) to the American Constitution, which abolished the slavery of African Americans. In 1873, Phule wrote a seminal book, titled Gulamgiri (translated as slavery), with a dedication to “the good people of the United States as a token of admiration for their sublime disinterested and self-sacrificing devotion in the cause” of slavery. Phule also hoped that the oppressor communities in India would follow a similar track in abolishing untouchability and emancipating the oppressed castes. Gulamgiri was a sharp critique of India’s caste system and oppression. In the same year, Phule also started the Satyashodhak Samaj (the truth seekers’ society) movement to unite the oppressed castes, promote their education, and build an alternative vision of an equal society. He further advocated before the British government for free and compulsory education for all. In 1882, he submitted to the Hunter Commission a document that asked the administration to “be kind enough to sanction measures for the spread of female primary education”. Dr. Ambedkar built further on Phule’s legacy in demanding constitutional rights for the oppressed castes. Before the Southborough Committee in 1919, Dr Ambedkar insisted on universal adult franchise (voting rights) for all Indians. Rejecting the contention that “franchise should be given to those only who can be expected to make an intelligent use of it’, he argued that franchise would promote the political awakening of the marginalised communities, who had long been excluded from politics and the social mainstream. The two Mahad Satyagraha led by Dr Ambedkar in 1927 established the groundwork for the non-discrimination principle and broadened the constitutional imagination of rights. The Satyagraha was a challenge to the age-old practice of restricting Dalits from accessing water from a public source used by oppressor castes. Dr Ambedkar regarded the access to public places and water resources as a fundamental civil right. In March 1927, thousands of oppressed castes walked several kilometres, under the leadership of Dr. Ambedkar, to drink water from the Chavdar tank, which was made open to everyone by the Mahad municipality in Maharashtra. However, after the gathering drank water from the tank, it was attacked by a large crowd of people from the oppressor castes, who came with sticks and stones. Later, the oppressor castes performed purification of the water tank by chanting hymns, while taking out the water from the tank in pots. This was seen by Dr Ambedkar as an effort to demoralise the Dalits in demanding their rights. Dr Ambedkar then launched a second Satyagraha in Mahad in December 1927. During this gathering, he presented certain resolutions prepared by him beforehand. These resolutions highlighted the principles that all human beings were born equal; the use of public roads, public schools, public water sources and temples is open to all; and that the “law should be equally applicable to all”. These are the modern principles of equality before law and equal protection of laws, and non-discrimination, which were later incorporated in Articles 14 and 15 of the Constitution. The second Mahad Satyagraha also rejected the authority of “Manusmriti” as Dr Ambedkar publicly burnt it. During the Round Table conferences in London in the early 1930s, Dr Ambedkar presented a clause on non-discrimination and equal access to public places, which were inspired not only by Mahad Satyagraha, but the words of the American Civil Rights Act of 1875. His negotiations at the Conference, and later with Mahatma Gandhi, led to the reservation of seats for Dalits in Parliament and state assemblies. This framework was expanded later in the Constitution by providing for the reservation of seats for backward classes, including the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes, in government services and educational institutions. Around this time, Dr. Ambedkar also wrote a landmark lecture titled “Annihilation of Caste” as part of his advocacy against caste oppression, but refused to deliver it after the organisers asked him to tone down his content. Later published as a book in 1936, it conceptualised “a society based on liberty, equality and fraternity”. As he elaboarated in this treatise, fraternity was “only another name for democracy”. These ideas garnered through the anti-caste social movements were brought by Dr Ambedkar to the Constituent Assembly. Similarly, other members of the assembly carried forward the demands from anti-colonial struggle, women’s movements, Adivasi movements, and peasant movements. In effect, social movements were instrumental in deciding the fate of the final text of several constitutional provisions such as equality, free speech, freedom of conscience and social reform, universal adult franchise, constitutional remedies, and even the Preamble. The broader principles embedded in the Constitution, influenced by earlier pre-independence social movements, were invoked by subsequent movements to advocate for enhanced constitutional safeguards and rights for citizens. Post-independence social movements have led to the enactment of laws to prohibit and prevent atrocities against Dalits and Adivasis, outlaw manual scavenging, and provide adequate quotas in educational institutions for other backward classes. Several pieces of legislation, such as the law providing the right to information, have been passed due to the efforts of civil society-led movements. These vignettes hint at why the Indian Constitution is a unique document – one that lays the legal foundation of a republic but more importantly creates a just and equitable social landscape for that republic to stand and thrive on. This is why pioneering American constitutionalist Granville Austin called the Constitution primarily a social document, one that he described as the cornerstone of a nation. Anurag Bhaskar is the author of The Foresighted Ambedkar: Ideas That Shaped Indian Constitution Discourse. The views expressed are personal.
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