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circus poster “Gladiator II” asks the question: Are you not moderately entertained for roughly 60% of this sequel? Truly, this is a movie dependent on managed expectations and a forgiving attitude toward its tendency to overserve. More of a thrash-and-burn schlock epic than the comparatively restrained 2000 “Gladiator,” also directed by Ridley Scott, the new one recycles a fair bit of the old one’s narrative cries for freedom while tossing in some digital sharks for the flooded Colosseum and a bout of deadly sea-battle theatrics. They really did flood the Colosseum in those days, though no historical evidence suggests shark deployment, real or digital. On the other hand (checks notes), “Gladiator II” is fiction. Screenwriter David Scarpa picks things up 16 years after “Gladiator,” which gave us the noble death of the noble warrior Maximus, shortly after slaying the ignoble emperor and returning Rome to the control of the Senate. Our new hero, Lucius (Paul Mescal), has fled Rome for Numidia, on the North African coast. The time is 200 A.D., and for the corrupt, party-time twins running the empire (Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger), that means invasion time. Pedro Pascal takes the role of Acacius, the deeply conflicted general, sick of war and tired of taking orders from a pair of depraved ferrets. The new film winds around the old one this way: Acacius is married to Lucilla (Connie Nielsen, in a welcome return), daughter of the now-deceased emperor Aurelius and the love of the late Maximus’s life. Enslaved and dragged to Rome to gladiate, the widower Lucius vows revenge on the general whose armies killed his wife. But there are things this angry young phenom must learn, about his ancestry and his destiny. It’s the movie’s worst-kept secret, but there’s a reason he keeps seeing footage of Russell Crowe from the first movie in his fever dreams. Battle follows battle, on the field, in the arena, in the nearest river, wherever, and usually with endless splurches of computer-generated blood. “Gladiator II” essentially bumper-cars its way through the mayhem, pausing for long periods of expository scheming about overthrowing the current regime. The prince of all fixers, a wily operative with interests in both managing gladiators and stocking munitions, goes by the name Macrinus. He’s played by Denzel Washington, who at one point makes a full meal out of pronouncing the word “politics” like it’s a poisoned fig. Also, if you want a masterclass in letting your robes do a lot of your acting for you, watch what Washington does here. He’s more fun than the movie but you can’t have everything. The movie tries everything, all right, and twice. Ridley Scott marshals the chaotic action sequences well enough, though he’s undercut by frenetic cutting rhythms, with that now-familiar, slightly sped-up visual acceleration in frequent use. (Claire Simpson and Sam Restivo are the editors.) Mescal acquits himself well in his first big-budget commercial walloper of an assignment, confined though he is to a narrower range of seething resentments than Crowe’s in the first film. I left thinking about two things: the word “politics” as savored/spit out by Washington, and the innate paradox of how Scott, whose best work over the decades has been wonderful, delivers spectacle. The director and his lavishly talented design team built all the rough-hewn sets with actual tangible materials the massive budget allowed. They took care to find the right locations in Morocco and Malta. Yet when combined in post-production with scads of medium-grade digital effects work in crowd scenes and the like, never mind the sharks, the movie’s a somewhat frustrating amalgam. With an uneven script on top of it, the visual texture of “Gladiator II” grows increasingly less enveloping and atmospherically persuasive, not more. But I hung there, for some of the acting, for some of the callbacks, and for the many individual moments, or single shots, that could only have come from Ridley Scott. And in the end, yes, you too may be moderately entertained. “Gladiator II” — 2.5 stars (out of 4) MPA rating: R (for strong bloody violence) Running time: 2:28 How to watch: Premieres in theaters Nov. 21. Michael Phillips is a Tribune critic.FBI Director Christopher Wray announced he will resign at the end of President Joe Biden's term, paving the way for President-elect Donald Trump's nominee, Kash Patel, to potentially take over . "This is the best way to avoid dragging the Bureau deeper into the fray, while reinforcing the values and principles that are so important in how we do our work," Wray said during a town hall on Wednesday . Trump responded on social media, calling Wray's resignation a "great day for America." Trump appointed Wray during his first term but criticized him and the FBI's search for classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago home. Although Wray still had years left in his term, Trump nominated Kash Patel to lead the agency. Trump's cabinet picks continue their fight to secure confirmation on Capitol Hill. "It's about earning support in this process in ongoing conversations," said Pete Hegseth, Trump's nominee for Defense Secretary . Controversial Pentagon pick Pete Hegseth met with Senator Susan Collins for more than an hour on Wednesday. Collins said she pressed him on various claims of misconduct, which he denies, but fell short of saying she would support him. "We had a good discussion, I'm not going to go into every question I asked," said Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine. Momentum appears to be shifting in Hegseth's favor. "I had a good exchange, and we'll see what the process bears," said Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska. "He's much better off this week than he was last week," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina. Analysts say Hegseth is not the only one under pressure. "There have been some challenges to some senators. There's been some real arm twisting in terms of the threat of mounting primary challenges against them," said Todd Belt of George Washington University. Also on the Hill, Secretary of Homeland Security nominee and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem pushed back on allegations that she neglected her state during major flooding this year.

Special counsel moves to dismiss Donald Trump election interference caseGun found on suspect in killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO matches shell casings at scene, police say ALTOONA, Pa. (AP) — New York City’s police commissioner says the gun found on the suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO matches shell casings found at the crime scene. Commissioner Jessica Tisch also said Wednesday that lab results matched suspect Luigi Mangione’s prints to a water bottle and a snack bar wrapper found near the scene of the killing. Police had said earlier that they believed the gunman bought the items at a nearby coffee shop while awaiting his target. Mangione is jailed in Pennsylvania on weapon and forgery charges, but he also has been charged in New York with murder in Brian Thompson's death. His lawyer has noted that Mangione is presumed innocent. Authorities are scrutinizing evidence and the suspect’s experiences with the health care industry. Arguments over whether Luigi Mangione is a 'hero' offer a glimpse into an unusual American moment Memes and online posts in support of 26-year-old Luigi Mangione, who's charged with killing UnitedHealthcare's CEO, have mushroomed online. Some cast Mangione as a hero. That's too far, says Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a rising Democrat who was almost the Democratic vice presidential nominee this year. CEO Brian Thompson's death touched off off these ripples. They offer a glimpse into how so many different aspects of 21st-century life can be surreally connected, from public violence to politics, from health care to humor, or attempts at it. FBI Director Wray says he intends to resign before Trump takes office in January WASHINGTON (AP) — FBI Director Christopher Wray says he plans to resign at the end of President Joe Biden’s term in January. The announcement Wednesday comes a week and a half after President-elect Donald Trump announced his intention to nominate loyalist Kash Patel for the position. His impending resignation will bring him three years short of the completion of a 10-year term during which he tried to keep the FBI out of politics even as the bureau found itself entangled in a string of explosive investigations. Trump applauded the news Wednesday, saying it will end the weaponization of what he called the “Department of Injustice.” Donald Trump will ring the New York Stock Exchange bell as he's named Time's Person of the Year NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is expected to ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange for the first time and be named Time magazine's Person of the Year. Thursday's events will be a notable moment of twin recognitions for Trump, a born-and-bred New Yorker who has long seen praise from the business world and media as a sign of success. Four people with knowledge of his plans told The Associated Press that Trump was expected to be on Wall Street on Thursday to mark the ceremonial start of the day's trading, while a person familiar with the selection confirmed that Trump had been selected as Time's Person of the Year. The Trump and Biden teams insist they're working hand in glove on foreign crises WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump doesn’t think much of Joe Biden’s foreign policy record. He frequently casts the outgoing Democratic president as a feckless leader who shredded American credibility around the world during his four-year term. But the Trump and Biden national security teams have come to an understanding that they have no choice but to work together as conflicts in Gaza, Syria and Ukraine have left a significant swath of the world on a knife’s edge. It’s fuzzy how much common ground Biden and Trump’s teams have found as they navigate crises that threaten to cause more global upheaval as Trump prepares to settle back into the White House. Syrians flock to morgues looking for loved ones who perished in Assad's prisons DAMASCUS (AP) — Many bodies have been found in Syrian detention centers and prisons since President Bashar al-Assad's government fell. Now Syrians around the world are circulating images of the corpses in hopes that they will see slain loved ones whose fate had been a mystery. At the morgue visited by The Associated Press on Wednesday in Damascus, families flocked to a wall where some of the pictures were pinned in a haunting gallery of the dead. Relatives desperately scanned the images for a recognizable face. Some of the prisoners died just weeks ago. Others perished months earlier. US warns Russia may be ready to use new lethal missile against Ukraine again in 'coming days' WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon says Russia could launch its lethal new intermediate-range ballistic missile against Ukraine again soon. Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh cited a U.S. intelligence assessment in telling reporters on Wednesday that an attack could come “in the coming days.” She says the U.S. does not consider the Oreshnik missile a game changer on the battlefield. But that Russia is using the weapon to intimidate Ukraine as both sides wrestle for an advantage that will give them leverage in any negotiations to end the war. The Russian Defense Ministry also is warning it may retaliate against Kyiv for an attack on a military base in the Rostov region in southern Russia on Wednesday. Israeli strikes on Gaza kill at least 33 including children, Palestinian medics say DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Palestinian medical officials say Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip have killed at least 33 people. One of the strikes hit a home where displaced people were sheltering in the isolated north, killing 19. A separate strike outside nearby Kamal Adwan Hospital killed a woman and her two children, and another strike in central Gaza killed at least seven people. Israel's military says it tries to avoid harming civilians and accuses militants of hiding among them, putting their lives in danger. Local health officials say Israel’s retaliatory offensive after the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023 has killed over 44,000 Palestinians in Gaza. Hannah Kobayashi, missing Hawaii woman whose disappearance prompted a massive search, is found safe LOS ANGELES (AP) — Hannah Kobayashi has been found safe. That’s according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Kobayashi vanished last month in Los Angeles. The missing Hawaii woman's disappearance prompted a massive search and a missing persons investigation. It was not immediately clear where she was found, but police previously said she had voluntarily crossed the border into Mexico. The LAPD said Wednesday the department will wrap up its investigation. Kobayashi's family reported her missing to law enforcement on Nov. 11 after relatives received “strange and cryptic, just alarming” text messages. Kobayashi’s mother and sister said they are “grateful” she has been found safe. Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 World Cup. But when exactly? ZURICH (AP) — Saudi Arabia scored a major win in its campaign to attract major sports events to the kingdom when it was formally appointed as the 2034 World Cup host on Wednesday. Still, many questions remain about the tournament. Key issues include during which part of the year to stage the tournament, where to play the games, whether alcohol will be allowed at all and how to protect workers rights in the massive construction projects required to host the World Cup.

Where to watch WWE Friday Night Smackdown FREE STREAM today (12/13/24)NoneCHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Bill Belichick spent time after his NFL exit talking with college coaches wanting his thoughts on managing new wrinkles at their level that looked a lot like the pros. The two-minute timeout. The transfer portal as de facto free agency. Collectives generating name, image and likeness (NIL) money for athletes becoming like a payroll. The impending arrival of revenue sharing. It didn't take long for Belichick to envision how a college program should look based on his own NFL experience. "I do think there are a lot of parallels," Belichick said. And that's at least partly why the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach is now taking over at North Carolina. Years of rapid change at the have only increased the professionalization of college football across the country, with schools adjusting staffing to handle growing duties once seemingly more fitting for a pro team. UNC just happens to be making the most audacious of those bets, bringing in a 72-year-old who has never coached in college and asking him to build what amounts to a mini-NFL front office. But plenty could follow. "I really think there's going to be some of those guys that maybe don't have a job in the NFL anymore," Kansas State general manager Clint Brown said, "and now that this is going to be structured in a way where there is a cap that that's going to be something they're interested in." The rapid changes in college athletics have fueled that, notably with players able to transfer and play right away without sitting out a year and be paid through NIL endorsement opportunities in the past five years. Recruiting is now just as much about bringing in veteran talent through the portal as signing recruits out of high school, mirroring the NFL with free agency and the draft, respectively. And a bigger change looms with revenue sharing, the result of a $2.78 billion legal settlement to antitrust lawsuits. Specifically, that model will allow the biggest schools to establish a pool of about $21.5 million for athletes in the first year, with a final hearing in that case set for April 2025. It will be up to schools to determine how to distribute that money and in which sports, though football's role as the revenue driver in college sports likely means a prominent cut everywhere as a direct parallel to a professional team's salary cap. Throw all that together, and it's why coaches are adjusting their staffs like Florida's Billy Napier interviewing candidates to be the Gators' general manager. "We're built to do it now," Napier said. "The big thing here is that we're getting ready to be in a business model. We have a cap. We have contracts. We have negotiation. We have strategy about how we distribute those funds, and it's a major math puzzle. "We're going to build out a front office here in the next couple of months, and it's primarily to help us manage that huge math problem," Napier added. "There'll be a ton of strategy around that. I'm looking forward to it." Still, that also explains why Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule, the former head coach of the NFL's Carolina Panthers, said: "This job as a head coach is a juggernaut. There's way more to do here than I had to do in the NFL." And it explains why the Tar Heels are betting on Belichick to be the right fit for today's changing climate. "If I was 16 of 17 years old, a coach who came at you and won how many Super Bowls? And he said, 'Come play for me,'" said New York Giants offensive lineman Joshua Ezeudu, now in his third year out of UNC. "I mean, that's pretty hard to turn down now, especially in this day and age, he's telling you to come play for him and he's offering you some money, too. I mean, you can't go wrong with that choice." The timing worked for UNC with Belichick, who was bypassed for some NFL openings after leaving the New England Patriots last year and instead spent months taking a closer look at the college game. Those conversations with coaches — some in the Atlantic Coast, Big Ten and Southeastern conferences, he said Thursday — made him understand how the changes in college aligned with his pro experience. "College kind of came to me this year," Belichick said. "I didn't necessarily go and seek it out." And his mere presence in Chapel Hill makes a difference, with athletic director Bubba Cunningham saying his "visibility" would likely allow the team to raise prices for advertising such as sponsorships and signage. Belichick is also hiring Michael Lombardi, a former NFL general manager and executive, as the Tar Heels' general manager. Cunningham also said the plan is for Belichick to continue his appearances on former NFL quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning's "Manningcast" broadcasts during Monday Night Football as well as ESPN's "The Pat McAfee Show" — all giving the coach the chance to promote himself and the program. Yet these steps to reshape football at North Carolina comes with a rising price. Belichick will make $10 million per year in base and supplemental pay, with the first three years of the five-year deal guaranteed, according to a term sheet released by UNC on Thursday. That's roughly double of former coach Mack Brown, whose contract outlined about $4.2 million in base and supplemental salary before bonuses and other add-ons. Additionally, Belichick's deal includes $10 million for a salary pool for assistant coaches and $5.3 million for support staff. That's up from roughly $8.1 million for assistants and $4.8 million for support staff for the 2022 season, according to football financial data for UNC obtained by The Associated Press. And those figures from 2022 under Brown were already up significantly from Larry Fedora's tenure with the 2017 season ($4 million for assistant coaches, $2.3 million for support staff). There is at least one area where the Tar Heels are set for Belichick's arrival: facilities. UNC spent more than $40 million on its football practice complex with an indoor facility (2018) as the biggest project, while other projects include $3 million in upgrades to the locker room and weight room (2019), $14.5 million on renovations to the Kenan Football Center (2022), even $225,000 on Brown's former office (2021). Now it's up to Belichick to rethink the approach to football here for the changing times. "We're taking a risk," Cunningham said. "We're investing more in football with the hope and ambition that the return is going to significantly outweigh the investment." AP Sports Writers Tom Canavan in New Jersey; Mark Long in Florida; and Eric Olson in Nebraska; contributed to this report. Get local news delivered to your inbox!By Katheryn Houghton and Arielle Zionts, KFF Health News (TNS) Tescha Hawley learned that hospital bills from her son’s birth had been sent to debt collectors only when she checked her credit score while attending a home-buying class. The new mom’s plans to buy a house stalled. Hawley said she didn’t owe those thousands of dollars in debts. The federal government did. Hawley, a citizen of the Gros Ventre Tribe, lives on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation in Montana. The Indian Health Service is a federal agency that provides free health care to Native Americans, but its services are limited by a chronic shortage of funding and staff. Hawley’s local Indian Health Service hospital wasn’t equipped to deliver babies. But she said staff there agreed that the agency would pay for her care at a privately owned hospital more than an hour away. That arrangement came through the Purchased/Referred Care program, which pays for services Native Americans can’t get through an agency-funded clinic or hospital. Federal law stresses that patients approved for the program aren’t responsible for any of the costs. But tribal leaders, health officials, and a new federal report say patients are routinely billed anyway as a result of backlogs or mistakes from the Indian Health Service, financial middlemen, hospitals, and clinics. The financial consequences for patients can last years. Those sent to collections can face damaged credit scores, which can prevent them from securing loans or require them to pay higher interest rates. The December report , by the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, found these long-standing problems contribute to people in Native American-majority communities being nearly twice as likely to have medical debt in collections compared with the national average. And their amount of medical debt is significantly higher. The report found the program is often late to pay bills. In some cases, hospitals or collection agencies hound tribal citizens for more money after bills are paid. Hawley’s son was born in 2003. She had to wait another year to buy a home, as she struggled to pay off the debt. It took seven years for it to drop from her credit report. “I don’t think a person ever recovers from debt,” Hawley said. Hawley, a cancer survivor, still must navigate the referral program. In 2024 alone, she received two notices from clinics about overdue bills. Frank White Clay, chairman of the Crow Tribe in Montana, testified about the impact of wrongful billing during a U.S. House committee hearing in April. He shared stories of veterans rejected for home loans, elders whose Social Security benefits were reduced, and students denied college loans and federal aid. “Some of the most vulnerable people are being harassed daily by debt collectors,” White Clay said. No one is immune from the risk. A high-ranking Indian Health Service official learned during her job’s background check that her credit report contained referred-care debt, the federal report found. Native Americans face disproportionately high rates of poverty and disease , which researchers link to limited access to health care and the ongoing impact of racist federal policies . White Clay is among many who say problems with the referred-care program are an example of the U.S. government violating treaties that promised to provide for the health and welfare of tribes in return for their land. The chairman’s testimony came during a hearing on the Purchased and Referred Care Improvement Act, which would require the Indian Health Service to create a reimbursement process for patients who were wrongfully billed. Committee members approved the bill in November and sent it for consideration by the full House. A second federal bill, the Protecting Native Americans’ Credit Act , would prevent debt like Hawley’s from affecting patients’ credit scores. The bipartisan bill hadn’t had a hearing by mid-December. The exact number of people wrongfully billed isn’t clear, but the Indian Health Service has acknowledged it has work to do. The agency is developing a dashboard to help workers track referrals and to speed up bill processing, spokesperson Brendan White said. It’s also trying to hire more referred-care staff, to address vacancy rates of more than 30%. Officials say problems with the program also stem from outside health providers that don’t follow the rules. Melanie Egorin, an assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said at the hearing that the proposed legislation doesn’t include consequences for “bad actors” — health facilities that repeatedly bill patients when they shouldn’t. “The lack of enforcement is definitely a challenge,” she said. But tribal leaders warned that penalties could backfire. Related Articles Health | How America lost control of the bird flu, setting the stage for another pandemic Health | How to kick back, relax and embrace a less-than-perfect holiday Health | New childhood leukemia protocol is ‘tremendous win’ Health | For some FSA dollars, it’s use it or lose it at year’s end Health | Norovirus is rampant. Blame oysters, cruise ships and holiday travel White Clay told lawmakers that some clinics already refuse to see patients if the Indian Health Service hasn’t paid for their previous appointments. He’s worried the threat of penalties would lead to more refusals. If that happens, White Clay said, Crow tribal members who already travel hours to access specialty treatment would have to go even farther. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau report found clinics are already refusing to see any referred-care patients due to the program’s payment problems. The bureau and the Indian Health Service also recently published a letter urging health care providers and debt collectors not to hold patients accountable for program-approved care. White, the Indian Health Service spokesperson, said the agency recently updated the referred-care forms sent to outside hospitals and clinics to include billing instructions and to stress that patients aren’t liable for any out-of-pocket costs. And he said the staff can help patients get reimbursed if they have already paid for services that were supposed to be covered. Joe Bryant, an Indian Health Service official who oversees efforts to improve the referral program, said patients can ask credit bureaus to remove debt from their reports if the agency should have covered their bills. Leaders with the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation in Washington state helped shape the proposed legislation after their citizens were repeatedly harmed by wrongful billing. Tribal Chairman Jarred-Michael Erickson said problems began in 2017, when a regional Indian Health Service office took over the referred-care program from local staff. It “created a domino effect of negative outcomes,” Erickson wrote in a letter to Congress. He said some tribal members whose finances were damaged stopped using the Indian Health Service. Others avoided health care altogether. Responsibility for the Colville Reservation program transferred back to local staff in 2022. Staffers found the billing process hadn’t been completed for thousands of cases, worth an estimated $24 million in medical care, Erickson told lawmakers . Workers are making progress on the backlog and they have explained the rules to outside hospitals and clinics, Erickson said. But he said there are still cases of wrongful billing, such as a tribal member who was sent to collections after receiving a $17,000 bill for chemotherapy that the agency was supposed to pay for. Erickson said the tribe is in the process of taking over its health care facilities instead of having the Indian Health Service run them. He and others who work in Native American health said tribally managed units — which are still funded by the federal agency — tend to have fewer problems with their referred-care programs. For example, they have more oversight over staff and flexibility to create their own payment tracking systems. But some Native Americans oppose tribal management because they feel it releases the federal government from its obligations. Beyond wrongful billing, access to the referred-care program is limited because of underfunding from Congress. The $1 billion budget this year is $9 billion short of the need, according to a committee report by tribal health and government leaders. Donald Warne, a physician and member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe in South Dakota, called the proposed legislation a “band-aid.” He said the ultimate solution is for Congress to fully fund the Indian Health Service, which would reduce the need for the referred-care program. Back in Montana, Hawley said she braces for a fight each time she gets a bill that the referral program was supposed to cover. “I’ve learned not to trust the process,” Hawley said. ©2024 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Dictionary.com Names "Demure" as the 2024 Word of the YearAra: Thirty-three-year-old Veer Kunwar Singh University (VKSU) held its sixth convocation in Ara on Wednesday. Governor-cum-chancellor of universities, Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar , who was the chief guest, conferred gold medals on 111 toppers from 2016 to 2024 batches and doctoral degrees on 246 students. Asserting the importance of timely exams and results , the governor said he was looking forward to the day when the students of Bihar will stop going to other states, and pursue their studies in the state itself. “When I joined the office here, I was astonished to find out in some universities, students were mostly absent, whereas in others, regular presence of teachers was lacking. There were also complaints of not holding timely examinations or publication of results. These issues were addressed by holding regular meetings with the vice-chancellors. When we can't hold timely exams and publish the results on time, what can we expect from the students? Many students shift to other states for quality education,” he said. He stressed universities should prepare students as job givers rather than seekers by inculcating entrepreneurial skills in them. “The need of the hour is to change our outlook. The central as well as state govt is promoting start-ups and entrepreneurship skills in the youth to make them self-reliant,” the governor said, adding the prime minister has a vision to make India a developed nation by 2047. “The universities can become the centre of a Vikshit Bharat if quality education is imparted.” The governor also appreciated VKSU VC Shailendra Kumar Chaturvedi for holding regular convocation. We also published the following articles recently VKSU convocation: Bihar governor highlights importance of timely exams and results Bihar Governor Rajendra Arlekar presided over Veer Kunwar Singh University's sixth convocation, awarding medals and degrees. He emphasized timely exams and results, aiming to retain Bihar's students within the state for higher education. Arlekar urged universities to foster entrepreneurship, aligning with the Prime Minister's vision for a developed India by 2047. Students awarded in Bihar Engineering Universitys first convocation Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar presided over the inaugural convocation of Bihar Engineering University (BEU), conferring degrees, medals, and laptops upon top-performing engineering students. He also launched a university publication and viewed a film showcasing the science and technology department's accomplishments. 1558 students get degrees at 21st convocation of MANIT MANIT Bhopal celebrated its 21st convocation, honoring 1,558 graduates across various disciplines. Chief guest Prof Abhay Karandikar, Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology, witnessed the conferral of degrees and prestigious awards. Distinguished alumni Amitabh Jain and Virendra Prakash Rathi received recognition for their outstanding achievements. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , and Mini Crossword .

TEHRAN – Germany, Britain, and France have told the United Nations that they are ready to trigger the so-called “snapback” mechanism which would bring back anti-Iran international sanctions lifted in 2015 under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Under the JCPOA, the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany possess the authority to reinstate international sanctions against Iran if Tehran is deemed non-compliant. The U.S., having unilaterally withdrawn from the agreement in 2018 and subsequently re-imposed its own sanctions, has forfeited this right. The JCPOA, signed between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries namely the U.S., UK, Germany, France, Russia, and China, aimed to curtail Iran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. However, this benefit evaporated for Tehran within three years of the agreement's signing, following the U.S. withdrawal and the re-imposition of sanctions. The situation worsened with the European signatories, who not only failed to mitigate the impact of U.S. sanctions but also implemented their own bans. The European Troika told the UN Security Council on Wednesday that it would return UN sanctions as well if it deems the move necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. The E3 will lose the ability to take such action on October 18 next year. Iran argues that while Britain, Germany, and France have not officially left the JCPOA, they lack the moral and legal standing to trigger the snapback mechanism as they have failed to fulfill their commitments since the U.S. withdrawal. In a letter to the President of the UN Security Council on Thursday, Russia's UN Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya reaffirmed Iran’s stance while blaming the U.S. and three European countries for rendering the JCPOA ineffectual. He said the four states are attempting to falsely portray Iran as responsible while dismissing their repeated violations of the pact. Nebenzya asserted that Iran remains ready to resume compliance, contingent upon reciprocal action from Western parties, but that this condition has yet to be met. Although the potential re-imposition of UN sanctions is unlikely to significantly exacerbate Iran's already difficult situation—given the pervasive impact of existing U.S. sanctions—it's widely viewed as a setback for diplomatic efforts to address Iran's nuclear program. Some Iranian officials have said Tehran would look into leaving the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) if Europe triggers the snapback. Growing Iranian skepticism toward dialogue with the West is fueling domestic calls for nuclear weapons development. Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei issued a fatwa (religious decree) years ago that banned the country from developing weapons of mass destruction. He has yet to rescind that fatwa.Thank You Jesus!

No. 8 Kentucky flying high ahead of Western Kentucky meeting

EDITORIAL: Lessons from COVID? Try a little common sense

Oppn submits notice in RS to impeach HC judge(BPT) - Consumers are facing increasing costs on virtually every purchase these days and auto insurance is no exception. While skyrocketing costs of this auto-related expense can be attributed to everything from parts replacement to service — even health costs as a result of accidents — consumers can better manage these increases with thoughtful study and attention to detail. Some of the common causes for higher insurance rates are Inflation, car accidents, extreme weather conditions such as hail, hurricanes and wind, along with increased vehicle theft claims. Mercury Insurance has partnered with financial literacy influencer Sam Jarman to highlight specific ways consumers can address these rising costs. "Your car is the second biggest expense for most people, right behind your home, and car insurance is a big part of that," said Jarman. "Checking rates and coverage with your Mercury Insurance agent makes sense along with choosing a car with low maintenance costs." According to Consumer Price Index data released earlier this year, car insurance rates are up almost 21% year-over-year for the 12 months which ended in February. The last time car insurance rates rose that much on an annual basis was 1976. Here are some auto insurance statistics recently released from Forbes : "Our goal is to help our customers get the best rates possible because we know that every dollar counts." said Justin Yoshizawa, Director, Product Management, State. "We encourage consumers to build a close relationship with their agent and discuss what discounts they may be eligible to receive. The answer might be surprising." Mercury offers the following tips for lowering your insurance costs: Review your deductibles with your insurance agent – It is recommended that you review your coverage and deductible with your Mercury agent at least once a year. Their wisdom and experience can help you make wise decisions regarding your insurance. Explore car insurance discounts – In addition to bundling your home and auto insurance, Mercury offers discounts for multi-car, good drivers, good students and auto pay. Your agent may have additional discounts to offer. Let Your Insurer Track Your Driving – Most insurers offer discounts for customers who install telematics. This technology allows your insurance company to collect information regarding your mileage and driving habits. This can also provide valuable information regarding your driving as well as saving you money. Drive a safe car with low repair costs – According to Bankrate , some of the cheapest cars to insure are the Subaru Outback, Honda CR-V and Honda Pilot. Also, look for cars with lower repair costs such as the Toyota Corolla, Toyota Prius and Tesla Model 3. Doing some research before you purchase a vehicle can save you money over the length of ownership. Install an anti-theft device on your car – Drivers may receive an additional discount on your auto insurance if you install an anti-theft device on your car. Before you buy a car, compare insurance costs – You can get a fast and easy quote from your Mercury Insurance agent. To receive a quote, you can reach us at 844-514-2893. To learn more about common types of auto insurance discounts, visit https://www.mercuryinsurance.com/resources/auto/understanding-types-of-auto-insurance-discounts.html . For more information on your auto insurance, you can reference the Insurance Information Institute .

CHICAGO (AP) — The Seattle Seahawks placed running back Kenneth Walker III on injured reserve prior to their game against the Chicago Bears on Thursday because of an ankle injury. Walker hurt his ankle in last week's loss to Minnesota and left that game after sitting out the previous two because of a calf problem. He also missed two weeks in September with an oblique issue. Walker has run for 573 yards and seven touchdowns on 153 carries. A second-round draft pick by Seattle in 2022, he has 2,528 yards rushing and 24 TDs in his career. Walker could, in theory, return if the Seahawks win two playoff games, though their postseason hopes were slim entering the game against Chicago. Seattle (8-7) trailed the NFC West-leading Los Angeles Rams (9-6) by one game with two to play. The Seahawks' best path to the postseason was to win the final two regular-season games and have Los Angeles lose to Arizona on Saturday. Seattle visits the Rams to close the regular season. With Walker out, Seattle signed rookie running back George Holani off the practice squad. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFLHarimau Malaya’s Dominic Tan is pushed by a Timor-Leste player during the match. — Bernama photo KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 12): Malaysia’s head coach Pau Marti Vicente praised his team’s resilience after they overcame a tough challenge to secure a crucial 3-2 victory against Timor-Leste in their second Group A match in the 2024 Asean Cup at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil last night. Speaking after the game, Vicente admitted that it had been a challenging outing, especially with injuries, but commended his players for their determination and ability to fight until the end. “Today’s match, as you can imagine, was very tough for us. But the best things about today are, of course, the final result and the lesson that we learned, that we need to fight every moment to get what we want. When things don’t go our way, when luck is not on our side, when we suffer injuries during the game and concede two goals, the team still needs to show up at the end. “It was very, very difficult, but in the end, we got the win. As we said, this is a tournament, and winning was important. In the end, this is what we need to take from today,” he said in the post-match press conference here last night. Meanwhile, Timor-Leste head coach Simon Ellichett applauded his players for their tactical discipline but lamented their inability to capitalise on key opportunities. “We are not very happy with the result at this moment, but we did our best. We were able to defend when Malaysia controlled the ball and stay organised in our defense. “Our boys showed good tactical discipline, but we are not happy with the result. We hope this game will help us improve in our next matches in Singapore and Cambodia,” he added. Earlier, Harimau Malaya narrowly avoided embarrassment against minnows Timor-Leste, coming from behind to secure a 3-2 victory. Naturalised striker Paulo Josue emerged as the hero for the Harimau Malaya squad, scoring two goals in the second half to turn the tide after Timor-Leste, ranked 196th in the world, led 2-1 at halftime. Malaysia had earlier opened the scoring through a volley by forward Muhammad Syafiq Ahmad in the 38th minute, while both of Timor-Leste’s goals were scored by Olagar Xavier and captain Joao Pedro during the first-half injury time. — Bernama

Darigabat is under clinical development by Cerevel Therapeutics and currently in Phase II for Seizures. According to GlobalData, Phase II drugs for Seizures have an 82% phase transition success rate (PTSR) indication benchmark for progressing into Phase III. GlobalData tracks drug-specific phase transition and likelihood of approval scores, in addition to indication benchmarks based off 18 years of historical drug development data. Attributes of the drug, company and its clinical trials play a fundamental role in drug-specific PTSR and likelihood of approval. Darigabat overview Darigabat (CVL-865) is under development for the treatment of panic disorder and drug-resistant focal onset seizures. It is administered orally as a tablet. The drug candidate specifically targets alpha 2,3 and 5 subunits of GABA-A receptor to overcome the . It was under development for the treatment for chronic low back pain and generalized anxiety disorder. Cerevel Therapeutics overview Cerevel Therapeutics (Cerevel), a subsidiary of AbbVie Inc, is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that develops therapies to treat neuroscience diseases. The company’s product pipeline includes various drug candidates such as emraclidine for the treatment of schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease psychosis; and darigabat targets epilepsy and panic disorder; tavapadon for both early and late-stage Parkinson’s disease; and CVL-871 to treat dementia-related apathy. The company is also developing other programs such as CVL-354, PDE4 inhibitor, and M4 Agonist for therapeutic areas of major depressive disorder (MDD), psychiatric, neuroinflammatory disorder and neurological indications. Cerevel is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the US. For a complete picture of Darigabat’s drug-specific PTSR and LoA scores, This content was updated on 12 April 2024 From Blending expert knowledge with cutting-edge technology, GlobalData’s unrivalled proprietary data will enable you to decode what’s happening in your market. You can make better informed decisions and gain a future-proof advantage over your competitors. , the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article. GlobalData’s Likelihood of Approval analytics tool dynamically assesses and predicts how likely a drug will move to the next stage in clinical development (PTSR), as well as how likely the drug will be approved (LoA). This is based on a combination of machine learning and a proprietary algorithm to process data points from various databases found on GlobalData’s .Colombian superstar Shakira is giving away her LamborghiniPrime Minister Robert Abela on Monday avoided addressing the scandal involving two ministers who were found to have breached ethics by the Standards Commissioner. Abela was speaking in Parliament during the debate on the budget estimates regarding the Office of the Prime Minister. Rebutting accusations of fraud listed by Opposition Leader Bernard Grech in his earlier address, Abela described his political opponent as the prime tax evader, making reference to Grech's tax controversy of four years ago. Abela accused the Opposition of wanting to obscure the benefits emanating from the budget, which aims to put the country on the road towards better quality. The tax cut delivered in the budget intended to provide reprieve to the middle class, he said, saying that the measure the government undertook was more than double what Labour had promised in its electoral manifesto. "This was possible because public finances are on a sound footing," Abela said. The Opposition was unable to present a finished pre-budget document in time, let alone be responsible for public finances, Abela said, saying the PN should not be trusted with the administration of public finances. Abela said the budget, apart from introducing tax cuts, had improved social benefits, higher pensions, and described the government's plans for more green spaces without compromising economic growth. The government was able to do this by the third budget in this legislature and new targets will now be set as the country needs to continue moving forward, "and this is why we are embarking on Vision 2050," Abela said. "We are committed to create new prosperity for all Maltese and Gozitans and this is why we are working for better quality," Abela said. Abela said that the 2025 Budget not only builds on previous budgets but is of the best presented by a Labour government, more so during the midterm of his legislature. Abela added that under the PN government, their midterm budget actually raised duties whilst they bragged about increasing the COLA. In light of recent positive results from financial authorities such as Moody's, Abela said that the EU commission is set to revise the Maltese economic forecasts for the better partially due to the country's use of AI and digitization. "This faith puts a greater responsibility on us, since on the other side is absolutely empty," Abela said pointing out that the PN's pre-budget document wasn't published. "It is easy to come and criticise but when you cannot complete a pre-budget document that shows the incompetence. Their own friends said 'It needs more beef' and they are still looking for it." Abela said that whilst abroad, in countries with greater economies, tax rates are booming, "We didn't present a budget of burden but one which gives peace of mind to everyone in society." He said that in the last few months the PN tried to scare people that the Labour's energy economy wasn't sustainable but he pointed out, "We were always clear that this policy was the best measure we took to buffer against inflation and keep up the economy's competition," adding that the government was "the biggest cushion against inflation". Abela said that the labour government was a "shield to our businesses and families from great economic shocks". He added that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, "We were in a situation worse than back then but we still came out on top." With regards to the PN's income tax proposals, Abela said that they were poorly and quickly made and with "regressive measures" which would set parents back if implemented.

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Nelivaptan is under clinical development by HMNC and currently in Phase II for Major Depressive Disorder. According to GlobalData, Phase II drugs for Major Depressive Disorder have a 39% phase transition success rate (PTSR) indication benchmark for progressing into Phase III. GlobalData tracks drug-specific phase transition and likelihood of approval scores, in addition to indication benchmarks based off 18 years of historical drug development data. Attributes of the drug, company and its clinical trials play a fundamental role in drug-specific PTSR and likelihood of approval. Nelivaptan overview Nelivaptan (NB-415, SSR-149415) is under development for the treatment of depression including major depressive disorder (MDD). The drug candidate targets vasopressin receptor 1B ((V1bR). It is administered through oral route in the form of capsule. It is being developed based on artificial intelligence platform. HMNC overview HMNC (HMNC Brain Health) is a precision psychiatry biopharma company that develops innovative therapies for mental health disorders. Its pipeline products include Ketabon, Nelivabon and Cortibon. The company’s lead products Ketabon, which treats Oral prolonged release formulation of Ketamine; Nelivabon for Vasopressin V1b antagonist and test and Cortibon treats CRH1-receptor antagonist and test. Its other program includes standalone pharmacogenomic test ABCB1 and PTSD blood test. HMNC Brain Health uses AI platform, combining psychiatry, genomics and analytics for the development of mental health disorder therapies. It has an operational presence in Germany and the US. HMNC Brain Health is headquartered in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. For a complete picture of Nelivaptan’s drug-specific PTSR and LoA scores, This content was updated on 12 April 2024 From Blending expert knowledge with cutting-edge technology, GlobalData’s unrivalled proprietary data will enable you to decode what’s happening in your market. You can make better informed decisions and gain a future-proof advantage over your competitors. , the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article. GlobalData’s Likelihood of Approval analytics tool dynamically assesses and predicts how likely a drug will move to the next stage in clinical development (PTSR), as well as how likely the drug will be approved (LoA). This is based on a combination of machine learning and a proprietary algorithm to process data points from various databases found on GlobalData’s .Judge grants dismissal of election subversion case against Trump

A NANNY state plot to slap cigarette-style warnings on chocolate bars and crisp packets was last night branded “crackpot” by critics. Downing Street also distanced itself from the joyless plans cooked up by former government food tsar Henry Dimbleby. The healthy eating campaigner is calling for sweeping restrictions on junk food including forcing supermarkets to display them less prominently . He told the BBC: “If you walk into a supermarket, the first thing you’ll see is a huge amount of fruit and veg. “And then you have aisles and aisles of food-like substances - you have Kit Kat cereal next to Crave cereal being marketed at children with discounts, because that is the food that it’s easier to make money selling that food. “The food would still be there but be displayed less prominently, you’d have black marks on it to say this is not a good thing to eat... a mandatory label saying this is bad for you in a big visible way.” READ MORE ON POLITICS Although Labour is pressing ahead with a ban on junk food advertising, Sir Keir Starmer’s processing said “we have no plans” for the smoking-like disclaimers. Chris Snowdon, Head of Lifestyle Economics at the IEA said: "Mr Dimbleby seems to think that the normal rules of policy-making shouldn't apply to his crackpot ideas about food. "He wants politicians to ignore public opinion, forget about the economic costs and not worry about whether the policies will work or not.” It came as a study found that listing calorie counts next to items on pub and restaurant menus does not result in punters eating less. Most read in Politics Liverpool University researchers studied 3,300 people at 330 eateries in 2021 and again in 2022 after mandatory labelling was introduced by the Government. Writing in the journal Nature Human Behaviour, they found people said they read the information but did not significantly reduce their calorie intake. Mr Snowdon added: “Yet another nanny state policy crashes and burns.”"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum." Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" To keep reading, please log in to your account, create a free account, or simply fill out the form below.