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jilimacao casino super ace WASHINGTON (AP) — Advocates for transgender rights are turning to a conservative-dominated Supreme Court after a presidential election in which Donald Trump and his allies promised to roll back protections for transgender people. The justices on Wednesday are taking up the issue of gender-affirming care for transgender minors, which has been banned by Tennessee and 25 other Republican-led states. The fight over whether transgender adolescents can access puberty blockers and hormonal treatments is part of a broader effort to regulate the lives of transgender people, including which sports competitions they can join and which bathrooms they can use. Trump backed a national ban on such care as part of his 2024 campaign in which he demeaned and mocked transgender people. In its waning days, the Biden administration, along with families of transgender adolescents, will appeal to the justices to strike down the Tennessee ban as unlawful sex discrimination and protect the constitutional rights of vulnerable Americans. "The stakes are high, of course, for transgender adolescents, but also for the parents who are watching their children suffer, who are just trying to do right by their kids," Chase Strangio, who represents the families at the Supreme Court, said in an interview. Strangio, a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union, will be the first openly transgender person to argue before the high court. A lawyer for Tennessee will argue that the "life-altering gender-transition procedures" are risky and unproven and that it's the state's role to protect children. Trump nominated three justices in his first term who pushed the court in a more conservative direction that included the decision in 2022 overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling, which had protected abortion rights for nearly 50 years. Yet one of Trump's appointees, Justice Neil Gorsuch, also authored a ruling in 2020 that protected LGBTQ people from discrimination in the workplace under federal civil rights law. The administration and transgender families both rely on that decision to bolster their arguments. After Trump takes office on Jan. 20, 2025, it's possible the new administration could weigh in on the case, which is not expected to be decided until the spring. There are about 300,000 people between age 13 and 17, and 1.3 million adults who identify as transgender in the United States, according to the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law. The Williams Institute is a think tank that researches sexual orientation and gender identity demographics to inform laws and public policy decisions. Most Republican-controlled states have adopted a ban similar to the one in Tennessee, and those laws mostly are in effect, despite legal challenges. The Tennessee case is the first time the nation's top court will consider the constitutionality of the bans. Sivan Kotler-Berkowitz, a 20-year-old college student in Massachusetts who is transgender, said his life would have been very different if he were just a few years younger and living in one of the states. "These bans are denying people the opportunity to live and excel," he said in an interview. "There are thousands of transgender youth across the country that are thriving just like me because we've had the love and understanding of our families and because we've had access to proper care." The bans in Tennessee and elsewhere have put families in the position of deciding whether to travel for ongoing health care, go without or wait until their children turn 18. Erin Friday, a leader of Our Duty, an international group that supports the bans on gender-affirming care for minors, said the case is going to be as important as Roe v. Wade. She said upholding the Tennessee law would bolster the cases for the laws restricting sports participation and bathroom use. Among the arguments advanced by defenders of the state laws is that many children who initially say they are transgender eventually change their mind. Friday said her daughter was 11 when she said she was transgender, which Friday attributed to the child having been "indoctrinated" at school. But after receiving psychiatric treatment, her daughter changed her mind, Friday said. If laws like Tennessee's are struck down, "more children would be irreversibly harmed and live a life of deep regret," Friday said in a Supreme Court filing. Guidelines from the World Professional Association for Transgender Health that were revised in 2022 say evidence of regret about transitioning is scant but also that patients should be told about the possibility during psychological counseling. Some doctors who work with transgender minors said a state should not come between doctors, their patients and parents. "From a medical standpoint, I think it's really frightening and dangerous to think that legislators could pass a law that basically judges or controls what people could do with a medication based on a diagnosis," Dr. Susan Lacy of Memphis, Tennessee, who joined with the families in suing the state, said in an interview. Michelle Quist Ryder, CEO of the American Psychological Foundation, said the laws, if left in place, are damaging for the physical and mental health of transgender people and their supporters. Gender dysphoria — the unease a person may have when their assigned sex and gender identity don't match — has been linked to depression and suicidal thoughts. "The more we lessen the sense of safety in this community, trans youth will look out and say, 'Who else is going to come after me?'" she said. There are prominent names in some of the 83 briefs, an unusually high number, filed on both sides of the case. Actors Elliot Page and Nicole Maines, and Sarah McBride of Delaware, who in November became the first openly transgender person to win election to Congress, have joined more than five dozen people in urging the court to strike down the Tennessee law. Tennis legend Martina Navratilova and Olympic swimming gold medalists Donna de Varona and Summer Sanders are among 135 athletes, coaches, officials and parents who want the justices to uphold the ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors. _______ Mulvihill reported from Cherry Hill, New Jersey. AP Medical Writer Carla K. 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VICTORIA — British Columbia Premier David Eby says his fellow premiers and the federal government have hatched a game plan to fight U.S. tariffs, with conservative premiers lobbying Republican counterparts, left-leaning provincial leaders courting the Democrats, and Ottawa focusing on president-elect Donald Trump. The premiers and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau talked about using their political diversity and connections to thwart the prospect of Trump's proposed 25 per cent tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico, Eby said Thursday in a year-end interview. He said it was discussed that conservative premiers Danielle Smith in Alberta, Doug Ford in Ontario and Nova Scotia's Tim Houston are well-placed to lobby Republican governors and business leaders. Eby said as a New Democrat he will likely have more in common with Democrat governors and business leaders from the West Coast states. "I can easily have conversations with governors and businesses down the West Coast of the U.S., where we have close relationships and our politics are very similar," he said. "Premier Smith can have conversations with Republican governors. That would be more challenging for me, and (she) would have more connections potentially with the Trump administration than an NDP administration in B.C. would." He said a meeting last week between the premiers and Trudeau discussed Canada's diversity of representation, and how it could bring leverage and advantages in tariff talks. "It's interesting, there was a lot of talk about what unity means in terms of Canada's response to the tariffs," he said. "There's obviously a diversity of views around the Council of the Federation table of all the premiers. Certainly, mine is not the same as Premier Smith's or Premier Ford's or Premier Houston's, and that diversity of views is actually potentially a significant strength for us as we enter into these discussions." Eby also said he was prepared to appear on American's right-leaning Fox News TV network, as did premiers Ford and Smith. "Anything that I can do to support the national effort to protect the families in Canada from the impact of tariffs and also families in the U.S. from those unjustified tariffs," he said. "Absolutely, if I thought it was helpful." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 5, 2024. Dirk Meissner, The Canadian PressSWEDESBORO, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 5, 2024-- Wedgewood Equine, a dedicated division of Wedgewood , the nation’s largest provider of compounded veterinary medications, is excited to unveil Blue Rabbit for equine veterinarians at this year’s American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) 70 th Annual Convention. As the premier event for equine veterinary professionals, AAEP sets the stage for the launch of this innovative platform, which builds on the success of Blue Rabbit’s companion animal debut earlier this year at VMX. Blue Rabbit revolutionizes equine care by empowering veterinarians with tools and services to optimize their on-the-go practices. The platform features dynamic, mobile online prescribing and prescription management that provides comprehensive online pharmacy capabilities and direct-to-barn deliveries , making it easier than ever to serve clients and care for equine patients. Visit us at Booth #681 to learn more and take advantage of an exclusive, limited-time special offer on compounded medications, only available at AAEP. Jackie Bernard, Wedgewood’s VP of Sales, Equine & Special Markets, stated, "We are excited to introduce Blue Rabbit to the equine veterinary community at AAEP. This platform is more than just a tool—it's a transformative solution designed to simplify operations, enhance patient care, and strengthen the bond between veterinarians and their clients. We can't wait to see how Blue Rabbit empowers equine practitioners to elevate their practices and deliver exceptional care to their patients." Blue Rabbit: Empowering Equine Veterinarians With its innovative tools and services, Blue Rabbit simplifies the complexities of equine veterinary practice while enhancing patient outcomes: Giving Back to the Equine Community Wedgewood Equine is proud to support the equine veterinary community through two impactful charitable initiatives: Introducing New Innovations for Equine Care At AAEP, Wedgewood will debut several new compounded medications tailored to equine practitioners, including: A Coast-to-Coast Network for Equine Compounding Wedgewood Equine is strengthened by the integration of Bakersfield, CA-based Precision Equine , which fully integrated with Wedgewood earlier this year, and Wickliffe Veterinary Pharmacy in Lexington, KY, part of Wedgewood since 2023. Together, these three pharmacies form the largest coast-to-coast compounding network for equine veterinarians , ensuring unparalleled service and access to critical medications nationwide. Join Us at AAEP Experience the innovation of Blue Rabbit and the expertise of Wedgewood Equine firsthand. Stop by booth #681 to explore new products, meet our team, and discover how Wedgewood Equine is redefining veterinary compounding for equine professionals. About Wedgewood: Wedgewood is the nation’s largest and most trusted provider of compounded veterinary medications. Its merger with Blue Rabbit enables the company to provide veterinarians with a next-generation delivery platform to streamline patient care and marks a significant evolution in services. Together, Blue Rabbit and Wedgewood serve more than 70,000 veterinary professionals and more than one million animals annually. For more information or to schedule a press interview with the Wedgewood team at AAEP, contact: Meg Thomann, Communications Director, mthomann@wedgewood.com View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241205946476/en/ Meg Thomann, Communications Director, mthomann@wedgewood.com KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA NEW JERSEY INDUSTRY KEYWORD: RETAIL DATA MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY PHARMACEUTICAL OTHER CONSUMER GENERAL HEALTH ONLINE RETAIL PETS OTHER TECHNOLOGY VETERINARY SOFTWARE NETWORKS CONSUMER INTERNET HEALTH SOURCE: Wedgewood Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/05/2024 03:44 PM/DISC: 12/05/2024 03:45 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241205946476/enImage via Getty Currently Taylor and Travis bring together the fans of both music and football through their presence at each other’s concerts and matches. While Swift is busy concluding Eras Tour, Kelce’s team Kansas City Chiefs entered the NFL 2024 Playoffs yesterday. It’s safe to say that both Taylor and Travis are currently in the best phases of their career. The Black Friday Match After a cosy Thanksgiving with Kelce’s parents and her own family, Swift made news yesterday when she arrived to attend the Chiefs game against the Chicago Bears last night. Dressed in a red shirt and black jeans, Swift looked beautiful cheering for her boyfriend. Interaction with the Fans Many people who attended the game reported that Swift interacted with many of her fans at the game yesterday which was captured in a video that was shot by WIBW sports director Vince Lovergine. She was seen speaking to a lot of fans and enjoying the game with them. Taylor Swift gives gifts & takes photos with young fans after Chiefs win A Gift for a Fan Taylor’s attendance at the game was not marked just by her cheering for Travis. Taylor has reportedly handed some souvenirs to a teenage girl when the stadium cleared out. What was the Gift? Even though Swift was captured handing out the gift, it was not exactly clear what gift it was. However, this itself excited all the Swifties and many were upset that they missed a chance to meet the global popstar. Taylor’s Era is Coming to an End According to many media reports, Taylor is disheartened with her Eras Tour coming to an end this year. The Eras Tour began last year and became highly popular. She has travelled the world for it with fans queuing up to watch her. Travis is apparently supporting his girlfriend through this, while they are planning to take off next year’s summer and spend it in Italy away from fans and their media. Also Read - Sauce Gardner’s Social Media Slip-Up: A Leaked DM and a Public Apology What’s Next for Them? According to sources, Swift and Kelce are planning to get married in June 2025. While neither of them have confirmed this rumour, speculations are on the rise since the time they started dating each other last year. Stay updated with the latest from IPL Auction 2025 , including the final squads of all 10 teams – MI , CSK , RCB , GT , RR , KKR , DC , PBKS , SRH , and LSG . Don't miss the latest updates on our Live Cricket Score page .An Oregon man who threatened a Helena Motor Vehicles Division employee was sentenced Thursday to the Department of Corrections for five years, with all suspended except 34 days. Scott Lee McClintock, 60, made threats to the employee in March after she declined to process his out-of-state license transfer because his birth certificate was in pieces and could not be accepted, a Helena Police Department detective said. He was charged with felony threats or improper influence in official or political matters and felony intimidation. Lewis and Clark County Attorney Kevin Downs told District Court Judge Christopher Abbott the Motor Vehicle Division employee moved away from Helena and quit her job because of the threats. Court documents state McClintock threatened to shoot her and other employees with a shotgun because they would not process the request after he was told it was not recommended to drive with an invalid license. Employees told the defendant if he decided to drive he may receive a citation, so he said he would shoot law enforcement too, the detective said. McClintock gave a statement before sentencing, but the judge told him "You're kind of talking yourself into a harsher sentence a little bit" when he finished. The defendant talked about how he helps people and tries to do the right thing. "I don't have a violent streak in me," he said. The state's recommendation was five years to the DOC with all but 60 days suspended, which meant he would have spent 26 days in jail had the sentence not been changed to 34 days. The 34 days were already served during his initial arrest. Abbott did not know if it would be impactful to place him behind bars due to the jail being over capacity. "You had mentioned that the jail was a little over (capacity), when they arrested me and took me to jail they didn't treat me very nicely ... I slept on the floor the whole time I was there," McClintock said. He called the situation a "he-said she-said" incident, while showing little remorse or accountability for the trauma he had caused the victim, in Abbott's eyes. "When you're facing something that's he-said she-said, his word is going to be taken. I'm going to take the plea deal and I don't feel strongly that I'm a threat to society," McClintock said. Abbott said what disturbed him about cases like this one was when someone came in and pleaded guilty to receive a benefit and once that is complete, they say they did not do anything wrong. "You've taken the victim posture," Abbott said.

First Quarter KU_Neal 19 run (T.Allen kick), 5:18. BAY_Baldwin 36 pass from Robertson (Hankins kick), 2:51. BAY_Baldwin 39 pass from Robertson (Hankins kick), :59. Second Quarter KU_FG T.Allen 26, 9:16. BAY_Cameron 14 pass from Robertson (Hankins kick), 6:00. Third Quarter BAY_Washington 10 run (Hankins kick), 10:58. BAY_Pendergrass 20 pass from Robertson (Hankins kick), 6:25. KU_L.Arnold 14 run (T.Allen kick), 5:03. BAY_Washington 1 run (Hankins kick), :07. Fourth Quarter BAY_FG Hankins 40, 9:31. INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING_Kansas, Neal 20-133, Daniels 5-37, Grimm 2-15, Arnold 1-14, Morrison 3-12. Baylor, Washington 28-192, Pendergrass 11-104, Reese 3-9, Bell 1-1, (Team) 1-(minus 2), Robertson 6-(minus 11). PASSING_Kansas, Daniels 12-23-2-280. Baylor, Robertson 23-31-0-310. RECEIVING_Kansas, Skinner 3-77, Grimm 3-73, Casey 2-57, Ahoafi-Noa 1-40, Arnold 1-22, Kardell 1-6, Neal 1-5. Baylor, Cameron 8-102, Baldwin 7-119, Presley 3-32, Pendergrass 1-20, Washington 1-14, A.Hawkins 1-13, Klopfenstein 1-5, Reese 1-5. MISSED FIELD GOALS_Kansas, T.Allen 38. Baylor, Hankins 53.

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Young men swung to the right for Trump after a campaign dominated by masculine appealsNEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks climbed Thursday after market superstar Nvidia and another round of companies said they’re making even fatter profits than expected. The S&P 500 pulled 0.5% higher after flipping between gains and losses several times during the day. Banks, smaller companies and other areas of the stock market that tend to do best when the economy is strong helped lead the way, while bitcoin briefly broke above $99,000. Crude oil, meanwhile, continued to rise. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 461 points, or 1.1%, and the Nasdaq composite edged up by less than 0.1%. Nvidia rose just 0.5% after beating analysts’ estimates for profit and revenue yet again, but it was still the strongest force pulling the S&P 500 upward. It also gave a forecast for revenue in the current quarter that topped most analysts’ expectations due to voracious demand for its chips used in artificial-intelligence technology. Its stock initially sank in afterhours trading Wednesday following the release of the results. Some investors said the market might have been looking for Nvidia’s revenue forecast to surpass expectations by even more. But its stock recovered in premarket trading Thursday, and Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said it was another “flawless” profit report provided by Nvidia and CEO Jensen Huang, whom Ives calls “the Godfather of AI.” The stock meandered through Thursday as well, dragging the S&P 500 and other indexes back and forth. How Nvidia’s stock performs has more impact than any other because it’s grown into Wall Street’s most valuable company at roughly $3.6 trillion. The frenzy around AI is sweeping up other stocks, and Snowflake jumped 32.7% after reporting stronger results for the latest quarter than analysts expected. The company, whose platform helps customers get a better view of all their silos of data and use AI, also reported stronger revenue growth than expected. BJ’S Wholesale Club rose 8.3% after likewise delivering a bigger profit than expected. That may help calm worries about how resilient U.S. shoppers can remain, given high prices across the economy and still-high interest rates. A day earlier, Target tumbled after reporting sluggish sales in the latest quarter and giving a dour forecast for the holiday shopping season. It followed Walmart , which gave a much more encouraging outlook. Nearly 90% of the stocks in the S&P 500 ended up rising Thursday, and the gains were even bigger among smaller companies. The Russell 2000 index of smaller stocks jumped a market-leading 1.7%. Google’s parent company, Alphabet, helped keep indexes in check. It fell 4.7% after U.S. regulators asked a judge to break up the tech giant by forcing it to sell its industry-leading Chrome web browser. In a 23-page document filed late Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Justice called for sweeping punishments that would include restrictions preventing Android from favoring its own search engine. Regulators stopped short of demanding Google sell Android but left the door open to it if the company’s oversight committee continues to see evidence of misconduct. All told, the S&P 500 rose 31.60 points to 5,948.71. The Dow jumped 461.88 to 43,870.35, and the Nasdaq composite added 6.28 to 18,972.42. In the crypto market, bitcoin eclipsed $99,000 for the first time before pulling back toward $98,000, according to CoinDesk. It’s more than doubled so far this year, and its climb has accelerated since Election Day. President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to make the country “the crypto capital of the planet” and create a “strategic reserve” of bitcoin. Bitcoin got a further boost after Gary Gensler, the chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission, said Thursday he would step down in January . Gensler has pushed for more protections for crypto investors. Bitcoin and related investment have a notorious history of big price swings in both directions. MicroStrategy, a company that’s been raising cash expressly to buy bitcoin, saw an early Thursday gain of 14.6% for its stock quickly disappear. It finished the day with a loss of 16.2%. In the oil market, a barrel of benchmark U.S. crude rose 2% to bring its gain for the week to 4.8%. Brent crude, the international standard, climbed 1.8%. Oil has been rising amid escalations in the Russia-Ukraine war. In stock markets abroad, shares of India’s Adani Enterprises plunged 22.6% Thursday after the U.S. charged founder Gautam Adani in a federal indictment with securities fraud and conspiracy to commit securities and wire fraud. The businessman and one of the world’s richest people is accused of concealing that his company’s huge solar energy project on the subcontinent was being facilitated by an alleged bribery scheme. Stock indexes elsewhere in Asia and Europe were mixed. In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury inched up to 4.43% from 4.41% late Wednesday following some mixed reports on the U.S. economy. One said fewer U.S. workers applied for unemployment benefits last week in the latest signal that the job market remains solid. Another report, though, said manufacturing in the mid-Atlantic region unexpectedly shrank. Sales of previously occupied homes, meanwhile, strengthened last month by more than expected. AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Yuri Kageyama contributed.

WASHINGTON — Nearly 100 former senior U.S. diplomats and intelligence and national security officials have urged Senate leaders to schedule closed-door hearings to allow for a full review of the government’s files on former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard , Donald Trump’s pick to be national intelligence director. The former officials, who served in both Democratic and Republican administrations, said they were “alarmed” by the choice of Gabbard to oversee all 18 U.S. intelligence agencies. They said her past actions “call into question her ability to deliver unbiased intelligence briefings to the President, Congress, and to the entire national security apparatus.” A spokesperson for Gabbard on the Trump transition team on Thursday denounced the appeal as an “unfounded” and “partisan” attack. Avril Haines, the current director of national intelligence, when asked Thursday whether intelligence sharing with allies could be in jeopardy under the next administration, cited the importance of those relationships and noted the strong bipartisan support for them in Congress. The question, at a Council on Foreign Relations talk, focused on the especially close intelligence sharing among the Five Eyes — the U.S., Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. It did not mention Gabbard by name. “It is hard for me to believe that anybody coming in wouldn’t want to maintain those relationships,” Haines said. “So I wouldn’t think of them as being in significant risk,” she added. “I certainly hope that will continue.” Among those who signed the letter to Senate leaders were former Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, former NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller, former national security adviser Anthony Lake, and numerous retired ambassadors and high-ranking military officers. They wrote to current Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and incoming Republican Majority Leader John Thune on Wednesday to urge the closed briefings as part of the Senate’s review of Trump’s top appointments. They requested that Senate committees “consider in closed sessions all information available to the U.S. government when considering Ms. Gabbard’s qualifications to manage our country’s intelligence agencies, and more importantly, the protection of our intelligence sources and methods.” The letter singles out Gabbard’s 2017 meetings in Syria with President Bashar Assad, who is supported by Russian, Iranian and Iranian-allied forces in a now 13-year war against Syrian opposition forces seeking his overthrow. The U.S., which cut relations with Assad’s government and imposed sanctions over his conduct of the war, maintains about 900 troops in opposition-controlled northeast Syria, saying they are needed to block a resurgence of extremist groups. Gabbard, a Democratic member of Congress from Hawaii at the time of her Syria trip, drew heavy criticism for her meetings with a U.S. adversary and brutal leader. As the letter notes, her statements on the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine have aligned with Russian talking points , diverging from U.S. positions and policy. Gabbard throughout her political career has urged the U.S. to limit military engagement abroad other than combatting Islamic extremist groups. She has defended the Syria trip by saying it is necessary to engage with U.S. enemies. In postings on social media earlier this year she confirmed that the U.S. had for a time placed her “on a secret terror watch list” as a “potential domestic terror threat.” She blamed political retaliation. Neither she nor U.S. authorities have publicly detailed the circumstances involved. Alexa Henning, a spokesperson for Gabbard with the Trump team, called the letter sent to the Senate leaders “a perfect example” of why Trump chose Gabbard for this position. “These unfounded attacks are from the same geniuses who have blood on their hands from decades of faulty ‘intelligence,’” and use classified government information as a “partisan weapon to smear and imply things about their political enemy,” Henning said. A spokesperson for Thune did not immediately respond to questions about the request. —- Associated Press writer Didi Tang contributed.

Duke rallies from 14 down, beats Wake Forest 23-17 on final-play pass

Kosovo arrested several suspects Saturday after an explosion at a key canal feeding two of its main power plants, while neighbouring Serbia rejected accusations of staging the blast. The explosion Friday near the town of Zubin Potok, which sits in an ethnic Serb-dominated area in Kosovo's troubled north, damaged a canal that supplies water to hundreds of thousands of people and cooling systems at two coal-fired power plants that generate most of Kosovo's electricity. As security forces swarmed the area around the canal, whose concrete walls were left with a gaping hole gushing water, Prime Minister Albin Kurti visited the site and announced authorities had arrested several people. Law enforcement "carried out searches" and "collected testimony and evidence, and the criminals and terrorists will have to face justice and the law," he said. The arrests follow a security meeting late Friday, when Kurti pointed the finger at Serbia. "The attack was carried out by professionals. We believe it comes from gangs directed by Serbia," he told a press conference, without providing evidence. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic hit back Saturday, denying the "irresponsible" and "baseless accusations". "Such unfounded claims are aimed to tarnish Serbia's reputation, as well as to undermine efforts to promote peace and stability in the region," he said in a statement to AFP. Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric had earlier suggested on X that the Kosovar "regime" could itself be behind the blast, calling for an international investigation. The main political party representing Serbs in Kosovo, Serb List, also condemned the attack "in the strongest possible terms". AFP journalists at the scene saw water leaking heavily from one side of the reinforced canal, which runs from the Serb-majority north of Kosovo to the capital, Pristina. However, electricity supplies to consumers were running smoothly on Saturday morning, with authorities having found an alternative method to cool the plants, said Kosovo's Economy Minister Artane Rizvanolli. Repair work was ongoing, authorities said, while Kurti confirmed workers had managed to restore water flows to 25 percent capacity. - Fears of 'escalation' - The United States strongly condemned the "attack on critical infrastructure in Kosovo", the US embassy in Pristina said in a statement on Facebook. "We are monitoring the situation closely... and have offered our full support to the government of Kosovo to ensure that those responsible for this criminal attack are identified and held accountable." Turkey's foreign ministry also condemned the attack, adding: "We call on all parties to exercise restraint to avoid escalation in the region." The NATO-led KFOR peacekeeping mission for Kosovo joined the calls for restraint. "It is important that facts are established and that those responsible are held accountable and brought to justice," it said in a statement. The force is providing security in the surrounding area and has offered logistical, explosives removal and engineering support to the Kosovo authorities, it added. The European Union's ambassador to Kosovo, Aivo Orav, joined the international condemnation, saying on X: "The incident needs to be investigated and those responsible brought to justice." Animosity between ethnic Albanian-majority Kosovo and Serbia has persisted since the end of the war between Serbian forces and ethnic Albanian insurgents in the late 1990s. Kosovo declared independence in 2008, a move that Serbia has refused to acknowledge. Kurti's government has for months sought to dismantle a parallel system of social services and political offices backed by Belgrade to serve Kosovo's Serbs. Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama on Saturday denounced "the act of sabotage on the critical water supply infrastructure in the Iber-Lepenc Canal" in comments on X, calling it "a serious crime that endangers the lives of Kosovo's citizens and undermines the process of normalizing relations in our region." Friday's attack came after a series of violent incidents in northern Kosovo, including the hurling of hand grenades at a municipal building and a police station earlier this week. ih/ach/giv/jhb/sbk

CARSON, Calif. — The LA Galaxy finished 26th in the 29-team Major League Soccer standings just one season ago, and their biggest supporters boycotted certain matches to protest a decade of poor performance. The most successful club in league history seemed light years away from its luminous prime. When the Galaxy raised the MLS Cup again Saturday amid confetti and fireworks, their spectacular transformation was complete. In only one year, a team that was profoundly lost had rediscovered its peerless championship pedigree. "We won this trophy, and it's finally back where it belongs," striker Dejan Joveljic said. Joseph Paintsil and Joveljic scored in the first half, and the Galaxy won their record sixth MLS Cup championship with a 2-1 victory over the New York Red Bulls. After striking twice in the first 13 minutes of the final, the Galaxy nursed their lead through a scoreless second half to raise their league's biggest trophy for the first time since 2014. MLS' most successful franchise struggled through most of the ensuing years, but everything changed after LA spent smartly in the offseason to build a high-scoring new lineup topped by Paintsil, Joveljic and Gabriel Pec. The Galaxy finished second in the Western Conference and streaked through the postseason with an MLS playoff-record 18 goals in five games to win another crown. "I'm just so proud of this group after the challenges that we (had) and the way they bounced back and competed as a group," Galaxy coach Greg Vanney said. "We spent a lot of energy at the start, but I'm just so proud of these guys. They've cemented themselves as legends in this club." The Galaxy even won this title without perhaps their most important player. Riqui Puig, the playmaking midfielder from Barcelona who ran their offense impressively all season long, tore a ligament in his knee last week in the conference final. Puig watched this game in a suit, but the Catalan catalyst's teammates hadn't forgotten him: After his replacement, Gastón Brugman, set up LA's opening goal with a superb pass in the ninth minute, Paintsil held up Puig's jersey to their roaring fans during the celebration. "I was really waiting for this moment," said Paintsil, who scored his 14th goal of an impressive season. "I'm much more, 10 times faster than them, and Gaston saw the space. ... It was really a good thing. We did it for Riqui, and we did it for our family that came, and our supporters." Just four minutes later, Joveljic sprinted past four New York defenders and chipped home his 21st goal. Brugman was named the MLS Cup MVP after a commanding performance in midfield. The Uruguayan hadn't started a match for the Galaxy since Oct. 5 after an injury-slowed season, playing only as a postseason substitute before the final. "I dreamed of that yesterday, of something I could give to the team," Brugman said of his pass to Paintsil. "Today, it happened." Sean Nealis scored for the seventh-seeded Red Bulls, whose improbable postseason charge ended one win shy of their first Cup championship. With the league's youngest roster, New York fell just short of becoming the lowest-seeded team to win the tournament under first-year German coach Sandro Schwarz. "I love these guys," Schwarz said. "Some guys, they are crying. In the big picture, that's a start. Sometimes when you lose the final, it's tough, but you use this experience to create the next energy, the next intensity." Galaxy goalkeeper John McCarthy made four saves to win his second MLS title in three seasons, but Nealis beat the 2022 MLS Cup MVP in the 28th minute when he volleyed from the penalty area. The second half was lively: Red Bulls captain Emil Forsberg hit the outside of the post in the 72nd minute, while Pec and Galaxy substitute Marco Reus nearly converted chances a few moments later. The ball got loose in the Galaxy's penalty area in the third minute of extra time, but two Red Bulls couldn't finish. After Galaxy owner Phil Anschutz received the MLS Cup that bears his name because of his steady financial support of the league during its shaky years, Galaxy captain Maya Yoshida carried the trophy to his teammates for the celebration. The Galaxy extended their lead over DC United (4) for the most MLS Cup championships in league history. The Red Bulls remain one of three original MLS franchises never to win the title, along with FC Dallas and the New England Revolution. The Galaxy finished 17-0-3 this season at their frequently renamed suburban stadium, where the sellout crowd of 26,812 for the final included several robust cheering sections of Red Bulls supporters hoping to see their New Jersey-based club's breakthrough. But this season was about the Galaxy's rebirth. The club famous for employing global stars from David Beckham and Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Robbie Keane and Javier "Chicharito" Hernández swiftly turned itself into a contender again by acquiring young talents without international fame. The Galaxy signed Pec from Brazil and grabbed Paintsil, a Ghanaian playing in Belgium. The duo combined with Joveljic to form a potent attack with orchestration from Puig, one of MLS' best players. "Losing a guy like Riqui after the performance he put in all season was devastating," McCarthy said. "Even if he wasn't on the field, we did it for him."

OTTAWA — Persistently down in the polls and with a Parliament that has ground to a halt, the Liberals attempted to solve both problems Thursday with a two-month GST cut and $250 cheques to millions of Canadians, just in time for the holiday season. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his government is trying to give Canadians a break on the cost of living when prices are typically highest. “Our government can’t set prices at checkout, but we can put more money in people’s pockets,” he said. Under the Liberals’ proposal, the GST cut would be applied to children’s clothes, toys, diapers and car seats and the Christmas trees those toys would go under. All of the beer, wine and cider Canadians buy for holiday parties would be exempt and many grocery items that are currently subject to GST — like pre-made meals and salads, as well as chips and candy — would not have the tax applied from Dec. 14 until Feb. 15. Canadians who don’t feel like cooking themselves would also be covered, because the GST will not apply to restaurant meals during the two-month period. The GST cut would cost the government an estimated $1.6 billion. For a family spending $2,000 over that period, the government estimates a $100 savings. Pratik Parmar, owner of The Cottage Cheese, a restaurant in Kensington Market that specializes in Indian cuisine, says he is still trying to understand how Ottawa’s announcement will impact his business. “It’s a good initiative, but only for some small period of time,” Parmar said. “It does not solve the problem completely.” The restaurant industry was among the hardest hit by pandemic closures and still hasn’t recovered. While inflation has cooled this year, consumers went through two years of above-average increases. The Liberals have trailed the Conservatives in public opinion polls for more than a year now, sometimes by more than 20 points, with cost of living consistently ranking as a top issue. Consumers are spending less on dining out while business owners continue to face rising labour costs, sky-high rents and debt loads. Parmar is hopeful the GST cuts will help stimulate post-holiday season traffic at his restaurant. “January is dead, as always,” he said. Trudeau also announced Thursday that anyone who worked in 2023 and made less than $150,000 would also qualify for a new Working Canadians Rebate of $250, expected to be delivered in April. The government estimates the rebate will go to 18.7 million Canadians and cost $4.68 billion. Trudeau had previously rejected the suggestion his government send cheques to Canadians, arguing they would be inflationary, with prices rising right alongside any government largesse. On Thursday, he said that is no longer the case. “We’ve been close to a year within the target range that the Bank of Canada set, which is why the Bank of Canada is now dropping interest rates faster than for most of our peer countries,” he said. “This is something that we’re able to do because Canada has one of the strongest balance sheets in the world.” Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said the Liberals are offering a temporary tax holiday, while continuing to increase the carbon levy and other costs for Canadians. “What we have is a two-month temporary tax trick that will not make up for the permanent quadrupling of the carbon tax on heat housing, food and fuel,” Poilievre said. “Ironically, in just a few months, Trudeau and the NDP plan to raise taxes on all the same items they claim they’re giving you a break on directly through the carbon tax.” Poilievre called on the government to scrap the consumer price on carbon and implement his proposal for a permanent GST cut on newly constructed homes. At Queen’s Park, where Premier Doug Ford’s government has promised to send $200 cheques to Ontarians early in the new year, Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy accused the prime minister of being a copycat. “Obviously that was our idea,” Bethlenfalvy told reporters. “But look, the best thing he can do is cut that carbon tax ... if you really want to put money back in people’s pockets.” Ford’s rebate plan is expected to cost $3 billion. The New Democrats have been proposing a broader GST cut, which would cover cellphone, internet and home heating bills and would be permanent. NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said Wednesday that his party had pushed the Liberals into action, even if it was only partially what the NDP had proposed. “This is temporary, and it doesn’t include the monthly bills, but we know that middle-class families need a break, so we’re going to work as hard as possible to get this done as quickly as possible,” he said. However, whether the temporary GST cuts can be implemented will now depend on the government being able to pass legislation through what has become a stalled Parliament. The House of Commons has ground to a halt for weeks over a privilege debate that has prevented any legislation from advancing, as the opposition demands documents related to Sustainable Development Technology Canada be tabled in the house, and the government cites Charter of Rights issues and attorney-client privilege in withholding some of them. The New Democrats are not willing to relent on the broader privilege debate, but will work with the government to pass the GST cuts. To do so, the NDP hopes to pause — but not end — the ongoing stalemate by temporarily adjourning debate in the House of Commons for a single day. Singh plans on making a “programming” motion, which would require the Liberals’ support to pass, that would theoretically allow for the legislation to be introduced and green-lit in one day. That would allow debate on the privilege motion to continue the next sitting day. “We don’t want to let the Liberals off the hook, but we want to see some relief for middle-class families,” he said. Business groups mostly welcomed the proposed GST suspension. Canadian Federation of Independent Business president Dan Kelly said this will be a helpful but complicated initiative for his members. “The biggest issue members have right now is consumer demand, so anything which helps with that is good, but the administrative complexity of this could outweigh the benefits,” he said. “My biggest concern is am I going to get a bunch of calls from members in March or April because they’ve been told they gave a GST break on things they shouldn’t and didn’t do one on things they should have.” Kelly Higginson, president and CEO of Restaurants Canada, said more than half of restaurants are currently losing money or just breaking even. Higginson said fewer Canadians are dining out, and they’re spending less when they do. “The recent drop in foot traffic has been deeply discouraging for our operators as they head into the challenging winter season,” she said. “Today’s announcement restores some much-needed hope to our industry and we are optimistic it will translate to increased spending at local restaurants across the country.”