winph 777
winph 777
How Trump's bet on voters electing him managed to silence some of his legal woesPHOTOS: Midview DiFranco Classic basketball, Nov. 27, 2024
Dave Portnoy explains billionaire software founder Larry Ellison's role in securing top player at Michigan
FinX, a corporate training platform specialising in the banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI) sector, has raised $6 million in seed funding from impact investor Elevar Equity. This marks the company’s first institutional funding round after operating as a bootstrapped, profitable venture over the last few years. According to the India Skills Report, over 50% of Indian graduates are deemed unemployable due to a lack of practical skills and industry-specific knowledge. With this funding, FinX aims to address this issue by equipping students with job-ready skills tailored to the BFSI sector. “With this fundraise, our presence will grow in tier-one cities, but we want to begin focusing on state capitals and tier-two locations. Eventually, we aim to reach cities like Kolhapur and Aurangabad,” Himanshu Vyapak, Founder of FinX said in an interview to CNBC-TV18. FinX has a clear roadmap for the future. “In the next five years, we aim to impact 100,000 students annually through our skilling and employability programs. This year alone, we plan to train 15,000 students across 12 states, with 60-65% securing placements through our programs,” Vyapak added. FinX offers a range of industry-relevant courses and certifications, catering to the dynamic needs of the BFSI domain. “Our courses, designed and delivered by industry experts, range from short vocational training embedded within college curriculums to joint management programs. We also provide certifications in specialised areas such as stock markets, wealth management, and investment banking,” Vyapak explained. In a separate development, The United Arab Emirates (UAE) recently organised the inaugural Founders' Retreat in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, fostering collaboration between Indian and Emirati businesses. The event saw participation from founders of 13 Indian unicorn startups and five publicly listed companies. Speaking to CNBC-TV18, Abdulnasser Alshaali, the UAE Ambassador to India, highlighted the growing emphasis on artificial intelligence (AI) as a critical sector for future collaboration. “AI is one of the key sectors that we have been focusing on over the past couple of years. And this will continue to be the case because it's not just about AI, but how can you use AI in terms of all kinds of applications, whether it's in business, whether it's in education, whether it's in healthcare,” Alshaali said. He emphasised that India’s vast market and talent pool present immense opportunities to scale, test, and refine AI-driven technologies. "All of this is quite important because when you deal with AI, it's not just about what you can do with it, but also about the feedback that goes into it to further improve the system," he added. Alshaali also noted the UAE’s focus on utilising AI across various services and industries, stating that the synergy between India’s market size and talent pool and the UAE’s expertise could lead to transformative advancements in AI applications. Since 2000, UAE investors have contributed close to $20 billion to the Indian economy, underscoring the strong financial linkages between the two nations. Additionally, Saurabh Chatterjee, the Founder of Vashishtha Research, shared his perspectives on various aspects of the startup and the promising opportunities ahead for the company. Vashishtha Research, a robotics-focused startup, is placing significant emphasis on India's aerospace and defence sector, with expectations of nearly doubling its revenue in the coming year. Watch accompanying video for more.The Swans stunned Pride Park into silence with less than two minutes on the clock when Zan Vipotnik sent a bullet past Jacob Widell Zetterstrom before Ronald slotted home his first of the season in the 14th minute. Cyrus Christie brought Tom Barkhuizen down inside the box and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing dispatched the resulting penalty to cut the deficit in half and, despite piling on the pressure, Derby succumbed to a second home defeat of the season. Williams told a press conference: “We started the game very well, we were good up until we scored the second goal then we lost the grip on the game and I thought Derby were the better team. “The next thing for us we have to be able to maintain that level throughout the game and we weren’t able to do that to be quite honest today. “They made it difficult, reacted very well after the second goal and didn’t go under, far from it.” Swansea leapfrogged their opponents into the top half of the table with their sixth win of the season and took three points back to south Wales following two last-minute defeats by Burnley and Leeds heading into the match. Williams added: “We’ve recently conceded late goals but they’re a very resilient group and we saw it out in the end. “We’ve dominated games a lot but probably failed to score when we’ve been that dominant and tonight we managed to score the goals when we were dominant. “We scored the goals at the right time today.” Derby had been unbeaten in their last three matches coming into this one but Paul Warne put defeat down to a poor start. He said: “We conceded two and didn’t get close enough, weren’t aggressive enough, not enough body contact and looked soft, that’s my fault. “Maybe I didn’t message it properly. Sometimes it doesn’t come down to shape and tactics but I thought that was what the difference was. “Credit Swansea for the win but after the 25 mins it looked like we would score. I really enjoyed it, that’s the truth. I had 70 minutes of a team giving everything, I don’t think we’ve had that many attempts in the Championship this season. “It’s a rude awakening, last year we would’ve won that 4-2.”
The Christmas tradition has become nearly global in scope: Children from around the world track Santa Claus as he sweeps across the earth , delivering presents and defying time. Watch Santa's location in the live feed of the NORAD tracker above. Each year, at least 100,000 kids call into the North American Aerospace Defense Command to inquire about Santa’s location. Millions more follow online in nine languages, from English to Japanese. On any other night, NORAD is scanning the heavens for potential threats, such as last year’s Chinese spy balloon. But on Christmas Eve, volunteers in Colorado Springs are fielding questions like, “When is Santa coming to my house?” and, “Am I on the naughty or nice list?” “There are screams and giggles and laughter,” said Bob Sommers, 63, a civilian contractor and NORAD volunteer. Sommers often says on the call that everyone must be asleep before Santa arrives, prompting parents to say, “Do you hear what he said? We got to go to bed early.” NORAD’s annual tracking of Santa has endured since the Cold War, predating ugly sweater parties and Mariah Carey classics. The tradition continues regardless of government shutdowns, such as the one in 2018, and this year. Here’s how it began and why the phones keep ringing. It started with a child’s accidental phone call in 1955. The Colorado Springs newspaper printed a Sears advertisement that encouraged children to call Santa, listing a phone number. A boy called. But he reached the Continental Air Defense Command, now NORAD, a joint U.S. and Canadian effort to spot potential enemy attacks. Tensions were growing with the Soviet Union, along with anxieties about nuclear war. Air Force Col. Harry W. Shoup picked up an emergency-only “red phone” and was greeted by a tiny voice that began to recite a Christmas wish list. “He went on a little bit, and he takes a breath, then says, ‘Hey, you’re not Santa,’” Shoup told The Associated Press in 1999. Realizing an explanation would be lost on the youngster, Shoup summoned a deep, jolly voice and replied, “Ho, ho, ho! Yes, I am Santa Claus. Have you been a good boy?” Shoup said he learned from the boy’s mother that Sears mistakenly printed the top-secret number. He hung up, but the phone soon rang again with a young girl reciting her Christmas list. Fifty calls a day followed, he said. In the pre-digital age, the agency used a 60-by-80 foot plexiglass map of North America to track unidentified objects. A staff member jokingly drew Santa and his sleigh over the North Pole. The tradition was born. “Note to the kiddies,” began an AP story from Colorado Springs on Dec. 23, 1955. “Santa Claus Friday was assured safe passage into the United States by the Continental Air Defense Command.” In a likely reference to the Soviets, the article noted that Santa was guarded against possible attack from “those who do not believe in Christmas.” Some grinchy journalists have nitpicked Shoup’s story, questioning whether a misprint or a misdial prompted the boy’s call. In 2014, tech news site Gizmodo cited an International News Service story from Dec. 1, 1955, about a child’s call to Shoup. Published in the Pasadena Independent, the article said the child reversed two digits in the Sears number. “When a childish voice asked COC commander Col. Harry Shoup, if there was a Santa Claus at the North Pole, he answered much more roughly than he should — considering the season: ‘There may be a guy called Santa Claus at the North Pole, but he’s not the one I worry about coming from that direction,’” Shoup said in the brief piece. In 2015, The Atlantic magazine doubted the flood of calls to the secret line, while noting that Shoup had a flair for public relations. Phone calls aside, Shoup was indeed media savvy. In 1986, he told the Scripps Howard News Service that he recognized an opportunity when a staff member drew Santa on the glass map in 1955. A lieutenant colonel promised to have it erased. But Shoup said, “You leave it right there,” and summoned public affairs. Shoup wanted to boost the morale of the troops and the public alike. “Why, it made the military look good — like we’re not all a bunch of snobs who don’t care about Santa Claus,” he said. Shoup died in 2009. His children told the StoryCorps podcast in 2014 that it was a misprinted Sears ad that prompted the phone calls. “And later in life he got letters from all over the world,” said Terri Van Keuren, a daughter. “People saying ‘Thank you, Colonel, for having, you know, this sense of humor.’” NORAD’s tradition is one of the few modern additions to the centuries-old Santa story that have endured, according to Gerry Bowler, a Canadian historian who spoke to the AP in 2010. Ad campaigns or movies try to “kidnap” Santa for commercial purposes, said Bowler, who wrote “Santa Claus: A Biography.” NORAD, by contrast, takes an essential element of Santa’s story and views it through a technological lens. In a recent interview with the AP, Air Force Lt. Gen. Case Cunningham explained that NORAD radars in Alaska and Canada —- known as the northern warning system — are the first to detect Santa. He leaves the North Pole and typically heads for the international dateline in the Pacific Ocean. From there he moves west, following the night. “That’s when the satellite systems we use to track and identify targets of interest start to kick in every single day,” Cunningham said. “A probably little-known fact is that Rudolph’s nose that glows red emanates a lot of heat. And so those satellites track (Santa) through that heat source.” NORAD has an app and website, www.noradsanta.org , to track Santa on Christmas Eve from 4 a.m. to midnight, Mountain Standard Time. People can call 1-877-HI-NORAD to ask live operators about Santa’s location from 6 a.m. to midnight, Mountain Time.Even with technology taking over much of our day-to-day lives, board games still offer quality entertainment that can’t be beaten. Of course, the popular board games of today are a far cry from the games your parents grew up playing. Board games are perfect for encouraging your family to work together or for bringing your group of friends around the table for an evening. If you’d like to start up a weekly game night, let this helpful list of the most popular board games be your guide. Utter Nonsense Ages 8+ This game will have every player rolling in stitches with each ridiculous phrase that’s uttered. Combine crazy accents and hilarious phrases to impress the Nonsense Judge and win the round. The player with the highest number of wins ultimately wins the game, but the true fun of this card game is listening to your fellow players trying to say some of the most entertaining phrases of all time. This game is perfect for game nights or parties. Speak Out Ages 8+ This hilarious game is perfect if you have teenagers or are hosting a party with all adults. To play, you insert a mouthpiece that alters the sound of your speech, making every word sound silly. Set the timer and read one of the phrases on the cards and try to help your teammate guess what you’re saying. Speak Out easily provides hours of fun that even grandparents will love. Escape Room in a Box Ages 13+ What’s the next best thing to trying to break out of a room? Escape Room in a Box, of course. This thrilling, immersive game involves solving 2D and 3D puzzles in order to prevent a mad scientist from turning you and your friends or family into werewolves. Work together to escape your fate and use Amazon Alexa to enhance the experience. Codenames Ages 14+ This fun strategy game is perfect for anyone with teenagers. Form two teams and select a spymaster on each team. Using clues, spymasters try to help their teammates find all 25 of the agents they’re in contact with, hopefully without selecting the other team’s agents or running into the deadly assassin. This innovative game offers a challenging and rewarding time working together. Harry Potter Clue Ages 9+ Excite your kids on game night with this modern twist on a classic. Play as six recognizable Hogwarts characters — Harry, Hermione, Ron, Luna, Ginny or Neville — to solve the mystery behind a fellow student’s disappearance. It’s up to you to figure out who attacked the student, what bewitching spell they used and where it occurred. Watch out for the Dark Mark, moving staircases and secret passages as you travel along in this magical family game. Pandemic Ages 8+ If you’ve ever wanted to save humanity from a deadly outbreak, you’ll love spending an hour playing Pandemic. You and your teammates must fight to contain four deadly diseases threatening the human race. Players must learn to work with their teammates to control outbreak hotspots and treat diseases. Win the game by curing all diseases without wiping out humanity first. Catan Ages 10+ This tactical 60-minute game will push your imagination to its limits as you embark on a journey across Catan. Acquire crucial resources as you travel, build roads, buildings, and cities, and be wary of the ruthless robber and other players halting you on your own road. Through careful trading and clever decisions, you can lead your travelers to victory in this role-playing game of limitless possibilities. Play again and again. Every game is different. Ticket to Ride Ages 8+ Train lovers will enjoy this innovative board game which has won numerous awards. This cross-country train adventure game mimics the concept of traveling around the world in 80 days. Collect train cars and claim railways across the country. Players earn the most points by establishing long train routes and connecting distant cities. Each game takes roughly 30 to 40 minutes to complete, and every adventure is different. 5 Second Rule Ages 10+ This quick-paced game gives each player five seconds to name items on a certain topic. Although the topics are objectively easy —“Name 3 Mountains,” “Name 3 Types of Hats” or “Name 3 Super Heroes,” the pressure of the time crunch is likely to put you on edge. Race the clock and remain composed to win this game. You can even make up your own topics if you prefer. Half the fun is just hearing what other people blurt out, whether it’s relevant to the topic or not. Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change. Check out our Daily Deals for the best products at the best prices and sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter full of shopping inspo and sales. BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.
The Smartest High-Yield Oil Stock to Invest $500 in Right Now
Your HVAC system is a sophisticated network of machinery and technology that works year-round to keep you comfortable–cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Even if your system is in good condition, routine checkups are necessary to help ensure everything functions properly. Winterizing your HVAC system is easy, inexpensive, and can prevent potential issues down the road. Here are a few steps to consider as cold weather and heating season approaches: Call Your Local HVAC Professional for an Inspection – This is the most important step. A local Trane® technician will conduct a thorough inspection of your heating system, checking the thermostat, ductwork, electrical components, fans, motors, refrigerant levels, and airflow. They can also recommend preventative measures to help you guard against any wintertime emergencies. To find a local Trane dealer near you, visit https://www.trane.com for more information and to schedule an appointment today.Ottawa native Sean Stoqua joins Oklahoma City Thunder as athletic performance coachIsraeli attorney general orders probe into report that alleged Netanyahu's wife harassed opponents
AMMO, Inc. Investors: Please contact the Portnoy Law Firm to recover your losses. November 29, 2024 Deadline to file Lead Plaintiff Motion
Two Maryland politicians are being considered to become the next chair of the Democratic National Committee, vying to lead a political party that is rebuilding after November losses in the White House and both chambers of Congress. Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley and nonprofit executive-turned Senate hopeful Robert Houton are on the increasingly long list of candidates vying to lead the DNC following its Feb. 1 election to replace outgoing Chair Jaime Harrison. Author and former presidential candidate Marianne Williamson was the latest competitor to launch her bid Thursday . O’Malley, Houton and Williamson represent wildly different political figures and are reflective of the growing list of DNC chair candidates. The field also includes Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party chair Ken Martin and Wisconsin Democratic Party chair Ben Wikler. O’Malley, who served as mayor of Baltimore from 1999 to 2007 before becoming governor and launching a failed presidential bid in 2016, has chalked up the party’s 2024 defeat to its leaders growing out of touch with everyday Americans on “kitchen table” issues such as the economy. He has touted his record as chair of the Democratic Governors Association — which he did while in Annapolis from 2011 to 2012 — and repeatedly called for rejecting “the politics of fear.” “It’s time to get back to the party of FDR. The party that says there is nothing to fear but fear itself,” O’Malley wrote on X/Twitter Dec. 5 upon announcing his bid. O’Malley has received endorsements from both of Maryland’s incumbent senators, Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, as well as Senate-elect Angela Alsobrooks. Houton has a more colorful recent political history. A relative unknown from Bethesda, he campaigned on tackling opioid abuse in Maryland’s 2024 Democratic Senate primary but garnered less than 2,000 votes — just 0.29% — of the vote in Maryland’s 2024 Democratic Senate primary, a race dominated by eventual Senate-elect Alsobrooks and Rep. David Trone. Despite hoping to become the party’s nominee against former GOP Gov. Larry Hogan, Houton ultimately endorsed Hogan in October while calling out Alsobrooks for what he called a campaign based on “lying, fear-mongering, name-calling and blame-gaming.” Thus far, Houton has not received the endorsement of any Maryland big wigs, but still has time to campaign before the party selects its new chair during its annual winter meeting in National Harbor, Prince George’s County. The ultimate choice for DNC chair will be tasked with rebuilding a party in the political wilderness — Republicans will hold a trifecta in the 119th Congress — amidst criticisms it has lost sight of pivotal working-class voters. ©2024 The Baltimore Sun. Visit at baltimoresun.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Mark Few liked what he saw unfold at San Diego State's Viejas Arena when his No. 3 Gonzaga Bulldogs made their first foray outside of Spokane, Washington, this season. A double-digit victory in a packed, loud arena. Toughness from a deep, experienced lineup that once again is driven to win an elusive national championship. And, peeking a few seasons ahead, he saw an SDSU team that he views more as a future Pac-12 partner than rival. Behind big man Graham Ike and guard Ryan Nembhard, Gonzaga displayed its size, speed and strength in beating Brian Dutcher's young, hobbled squad 80-67 on Monday night. The Bulldogs returned the favor after SDSU won 84-74 last December at The Kennel in Spokane, which ended their 59-game nonconference winning streak. Both teams reached the Sweet Sixteen last season. Gonzaga is the only team in the nation to reach the Sweet Sixteen the last nine seasons as the Bulldogs extended their streak of NCAA Tournament appearances to 25 straight. Back in Spokane on Wednesday night, the Zags improved to 5-0 by routing Long Beach State 84-41, no doubt firing up expectations in the Lilac City and beyond. In a college sports climate dominated by NIL and the transfer portal, the Zags are stacked. Of the 12 possible players who could return from last year, 10 did, including all four starters. They returned 81% of last season's scoring and 71% of their rebounding. Six of its top seven scorers are back, along with 81.4% of minutes played. “We're tougher,” Few said. “We're physically tougher, we're mentally tougher, at least so far in the season. A lot of the same guys from last year. That's what happens when you stick around a couple of years. “You've got to have both to be able to go on the road in a place like this and dig out wins," Few added. "That's one thing San Diego State is going to bring. They're going to bring physicality, they're going to bring great athleticism, they're going to challenge you in every facet of the game.” Hoops powerhouse Gonzaga announced on Oct. 1 that it will move from the West Coast Conference, where it has dominated for most of the last quarter-century, into a Pac-12 conference being rebuilt around football. Beginning with the 2026-27 academic year, Gonzaga will become the eighth member along with holdovers Washington State and Oregon State, and fellow newcomers Boise State, San Diego State, Fresno State, Utah State and Colorado State from the Mountain West. While not as dominant as the Zags, the Aztecs have been one of the West Coast's best programs for several years, first under Steve Fisher and then Dutcher, his longtime assistant who is in his eighth season as head coach. “They're just going to be such a great partner, because they value basketball and they support basketball,” said Few, who's in his 26th season as head coach. “They understand, when you have a national program like we both have, it pays unbelievable dividends to the university, to the community, to the city and the state, like the Northwest and down here. They get that. We're looking for other like-minded places to partner with us.” Few said he would often chat with Fisher about the possibility of the Zags and Aztecs playing in the same conference. Fisher watches Aztecs games with his wife, Angie, from the second row above Steve Fisher Court. “We talked about it forever,” Few said. “I'm happy for Dutch. He's doing a great job." San Diego State reached its first Final Four in 2023, when Lamont Butler's thrilling buzzer-beater against Florida Atlantic lifted the Aztecs into the national championship game, where they lost 76-59 to UConn. SDSU was routed again by UConn, 82-52, in last season's Sweet Sixteen, while Gonzaga lost to Purdue. Gonzaga opened this season with a 101-63 win against then-No. 8 Baylor at the Spokane Arena. It was Gonzaga’s biggest victory margin over a top-10 opponent, over a team it lost to in the 2021 national title game in Indianapolis. Nembhard, who had 19 points and 10 assists against the Aztecs, said the Zags “did a really good job, actually,” of handling the pressure of playing at Viejas Arena. "Every time they went on a little run and the crowd got loud, we did a good job staying composed and trusting our offensive sets.” Nembhard will be gone when the Bulldogs and Aztecs are in the Pac-12 together, but thinks "the rivalry will be great. This is a great program. I played them a couple of times at Creighton, and they always gave us a tough game. They have a great fan base, a great coach over there, and they play really hard. I think it’ll be a great rivalry to come.” ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball
Nana Kwame Bediako, the leader of the New Force and presidential candidate for the 2024 general elections, has refuted claims that he did not vote for himself. According to him, rumors and videos that went viral after the election outcome, purportedly portraying that he did not vote for himself but rather voted for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, should be disregarded. He explained that after voting for himself, he was just counting the number of candidates on the ballot paper to make sure it tallied up to 13, which made people perceive that he cast his vote differently. Speaking during a press conference on December 23, 2024, in Accra, he stated, “The 276 tour that I did, upon all the challenges we passed through, the kind of food and water that we took, the coldness and all, so upon all these, Ghanaians want to tell me that I still went ahead and voted for someone... I took the paper to count if the number was still 13 and if I was still number 12. “So, while I was counting, somebody said I held it and voted, but you see, as a nation, don’t we get enough of destroying our own?” He added, “So I want to use this opportunity to clear it once and for all... and yes, my wife voted for me, and my family also voted. That is okay, but whatever they gave us, that is okay because sometimes God gives you 1, sometimes He gives you 10, sometimes He gives you 9.” He also thanked Ghanaians for supporting his bid in the elections. According to him, he chose peace over victory, and as a result, he feels he is a winner in the just-ended presidential polls. It may be recalled that Ruby Bediako, the wife of Nana Kwame Bediako, demanded the whereabouts of her vote during the elections. Ruby, who voted together with her husband during the December 7 presidential and parliamentary general elections, could not account for her vote after the close of polls. This follows rumors that Nana Kwame Bediako received only one vote at a polling station in the Korle Klottey constituency (University of Media Arts and Communication (UniMAC) GIJ Campus, Ringway premises), where he cast his ballot together with his wife. Speaking in an interview, she questioned the whereabouts of her missing vote, stating, “It wasn’t just me. I think it was the whole family that went. I’m heartbroken because I think the system failed us. Where is my vote, people? I don’t know where my vote went,” she said in an interview. “I think that the comment on social media, it’s not just me. I think there are a lot more people looking for their votes, but we are all very happy. Ghana won, and that’s the most important thing. Let’s all celebrate and support our President-elect. Thank you very much, and thank you, Ghana,” she added. The Electoral Commission Chairperson, Jean Mensa, on Monday, December 9, declared National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate John Mahama the winner of the presidential election, with a total of 6,328,397 votes. Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia of the NPP received 4,657,304 votes. Mahama’s party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), achieved historic success by gaining a majority in Parliament. According to the National Communications Officer of the NDC, Sammy Gyamfi, the party has so far won 185 parliamentary seats. Nana Kwame Bediako, on the other hand, had 84,478 of the total valid votes cast, representing 0.75%. AM/GA Watch some videos from the recent Parliamentary sittings below:Cowboys set for Thanksgiving visit from Giants after ending 5-game losing streakWhich three House races are still waiting to be called? See just how close they are.
Mayo player scoops €5.4m Lotto jackpot while two Dublin players win €40k
The Fine Gael leader was asked about the controversy in the first question posed during the second and final TV leaders’ debate of Ireland’s General Election campaign. Mr Harris apologised over the weekend for his handling of the discussion with Charlotte Fallon while canvassing in Kanturk in Co Cork on Friday evening. The Taoiseach was accused of dismissing concerns that Ms Fallon raised about Government support for the disability sector during the exchange filmed by RTE in a supermarket. Mr Harris rang Ms Fallon on Saturday and said he unreservedly apologised for the way he treated her, however focus has since shifted to Fine Gael’s interactions with the national broadcaster about the social media video. At the outset of Tuesday’s TV debate, co-host Miriam O’Callaghan directly asked the Fine Gael leader whether a member of his party contacted RTE to ask for the clip to be taken down. “I have no knowledge of that whatsoever, because this clip was entirely appropriate,” said Mr Harris. “It was a very important moment on the campaign. “And RTE and indeed many media outlets have been with me throughout the campaign, covering many interactions that I’ve had with many, many people right across this country.” The Taoiseach said the approach by his team member was part of the “normal contact that happens between party politics and broadcasters on a daily basis”. Mr Harris’s partner-in-government in the last coalition, Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin, said he was not aware of the approach to RTE by Fine Gael. “I didn’t realise this had happened,” he said. “I think Simon has given his explanation to it. I’m not sure it’s as normal or as usual. I just get on with it every day. But, again, I think, you know, I’m not au fait with the details behind all of this, or the background to it. “The video didn’t come down, and it was seen by many, many people. “And I think it illustrates that out there, there are a lot of people suffering in our society. “Notwithstanding the progress we’ve made as a country, a lot of people are facing a lot of individual challenges, and our job as public representatives and as leaders in travelling the country is to listen to people, hear their cases, to understand the challenges that they are going through in their lives. “And when we go about in election campaigns, we have to open up ourselves to criticism and to people calling us to account.” Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald had earlier in the day described reports of the Fine Gael approach to RTE as “chilling”. However, at the start of the debate, she was asked about a media-focused issue related to her own party, namely the controversial manifesto proposal for an independent expert review of RTE’s objectivity in its coverage of the war in Gaza and other international conflicts. Mr Harris previously branded the proposal a “dog whistle to conspiracy theorists” while Mr Martin said it was a “dangerous departure”. Ms McDonald defended the idea during the RTE Prime Time debate on Tuesday. “Politics and politicians should not try to influence editorial decisions or try and have clips taken down because they are inconvenient to them,” she said. “There has to be distance, there has to be objectivity. But I would say I am struck by the very defensive reaction from some to this (the review proposal). “The BBC, for example, a peer review looked at their coverage on migration. Politicians didn’t put their hands on it, and rightly so. “I think in a world where we have to rely on quality information, especially from the national broadcaster, which is in receipt of very substantial public funding, that has to be the gold standard of reliability. I think peer reviews like that are healthy.”ENGLEWOOD – When the Broncos showed up for practice on Christmas Day, rookie quarterback Bo Nix had a big surprise for his offensive linemen. Nix took them to an area at Broncos Park. He then showed off to his linemen a bunch of Traeger smoker grills and said his present was one for each. “It’s a great gift,’’ center Luke Wattenberg told The Denver Gazette after Thursday’s practice. “I’m super excited to use it. He took us in (Wednesday) morning to one of the garages out there and he had them all stacked up.” Traeger grills can cost in excess of $1,000. Broncos tackle Mike McGlinchey said all of Denver's offensive linemen got one, regardless of roster status. That amounts to 13 linemen, with nine being on the 53-man roster, three on the practice squad and tackle Quinn Bailey on injured reserve. “It was awesome,’’ McGlinchey told The Denver Gazette. “We’re really excited to use it. I needed one here in Colorado, so I can start cooking some good food and barbecue.” McGlinchey called it a “huge Traeger smoker grill” that has “all kinds of stuff” on it. He said the plan is for each player to have his grill taken off a loading dock with there being “dollies” available to help with the moving process. Denver's offensive line has protected Nix well this season. He has been sacked just 22 times in 15 games. Wattenberg said the gift was a big surprise and all the linemen were very appreciative of it. “Everyone loved it,’’ Wattenberg said. “We were all thanking Bo and giving him a hug and it was great.” Wattenberg said he “definitely” will be inviting Nix over to his home in the future to cook for him on his new grill. McGlinchey said he will as well. “Of course, no doubt,’’ he said. “I will happily.”
