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https mnl168 org login None(The Center Square) – U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., has been appointed to lead a subcommittee dedicated to working with President-elect Donald Trump’s new Department of Government Efficiency. Known as a Republican firebrand and close ally of Trump, Greene has already set her sights on rooting out “every penny of waste and abuse.” “We’ll be looking at everything from government-funded media programs like NPR that spread nothing but Democrat propaganda, we’ll be going into grant programs that fund things like sex apps in Malaysia, toilets in Africa,” she said on a media appearance Sunday morning. The subcommittee will be under the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, which is chaired by U.S. Rep. James Comer, R-Ky. “We want to make the government more efficient,” Comer said on a media appearance . “We want to work for the taxpayers, not the bureaucrats. We hate the deep state, we’ve dealt with the deep state, we’ve fought the deep state.” He added that Republicans are excited to implement the recommendations of DOGE, which, as an advisory committee, will have to work with Trump and Congress to change policies. “What Trump has ... are willing partners to make government more efficient,” Comer said of Congress. Elon Musk, CEO of X and Tesla Motors, and Vivek Ramaswamy are currently heading up DOGE. “Looking forward to working together with Congress,” Ramaswamy said on social media of Greene’s appointment . “Proper oversight of agencies and public transparency are critical.” DOGE has made it a key part of its plan to address the national debt of $36 trillion. That is $273,000 owed per taxpayer. “This trend must be reversed, and we must balance the budget,” DOGE posted . For her part, Greene has promised to “drain the swamp,” stating that “nothing is off the table” when it comes to holding government agencies like the Pentagon accountable. “Our government should steward every single cent of your hard-earned money,” Greene said. “The DOGE subcommittee will expose the waste and bring truth and transparency to the American people.” Bureaucrats and independent contractors will also be on the chopping block, in what Greene called a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make real transformational change to government to benefit the American people.” “In the private sector, if you’re not doing a good job, you get fired,” she said on social media . “But for some reason, in government, bad employees – whether they’re failing to do the job they were hired to do or working in roles that are no longer needed – never get fired. This is incredibly unfair to the hard-working taxpayers of our country, and it’s about to change.” Recently, an audit of the IRS found that its employees and contractors owe millions in taxes, all while the agency warned thousands of taxpayers that they could face jail time. “The same unelected IRS government employees and contractors, who owe $50 million in unpaid taxes, would throw Americans in jail for not paying their taxes,” Greene said of the audit . “Time to hold them all accountable.” Greene also addressed Democrats' accusations that the subcommittee will go after programs like Social Security. “No, Senator Warren, we are not going to take away a senior’s Social Security. That’s a lie,” Greene responded on social media . “We are going to investigate all areas of the federal government like CFPB, an ‘independent’ agency inside the federal government. Beholden to no one. Ran by unelected bureaucrats.”UPM needs opposition to back 21 bills when parliament meets

Matt Gaetz Steps Back: A Political Storm UnfoldsSeasoned Blockchain Expert to Lead Intelagen's Expanded Web3 Practice Saint Petersburg, Florida, Dec. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Intelagen , a leading Web3 & AI digital engineering consultancy and portfolio company of Alpha Transform Holdings, today announced the expansion of its Web3 practice with the appointment of a new practice leader. This strategic move comes in response to the growing demand for Intelagen's expertise in developing and integrating decentralized and AI-powered solutions for blockchain-based products and platforms. Nick "Bucky” Buchanan joins as the Head of the Web3 practice brings over a decade of experience in blockchain innovation and venture building to this role, coupled with an extensive background in Big Four consulting, including IBM Global Services, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Taos Mountain. Buchanan has a proven track record of leading high-impact teams and delivering transformative solutions in both traditional and decentralized finance (DeFi). An early blockchain adopter, he co-founded Armor Scientific, where he developed groundbreaking blockchain-based identity solutions that garnered top honors from RSAC and CRN magazine. "We're excited to welcome Nick to Intelagen," says CEO Tom Richer. "His blockchain expertise will be invaluable as we expand our Web3 practice and deliver cutting-edge solutions to our clients. This strategic addition reinforces our commitment to providing exceptional value in the rapidly evolving world of decentralized technologies." During his tenure at PwC, Buchanan served as a Portfolio Manager, spearheading the restructuring of Secure Development Services, which supported the IT security apparatus for member firms in 138 countries. He later returned to the blockchain space as Director of Engineering for Blockperfect, a venture studio supporting protocols on Cosmos and Ethereum. Buchanan is also a published author, having contributed to two IBM RedBooks on reference architectures for meeting regulatory requirements in the banking and financial services industry. Buchanan added, "I'm honored and excited to pave the roads intersecting blockchain and artificial intelligence, with the talent roaming the halls of Intelagen. These technologies are the foundation of a new Internet economy, and I look forward to reshaping industries and creating unprecedented opportunities for innovation in the inevitable transition from Web2 to Web3." Intelagen's Web3 practice offers a comprehensive suite of services, including: Web3 Strategy and Consulting: Helping clients define their Web3 vision, identify opportunities, and develop go-to-market strategies. Decentralized Application (dApp) Development: Building custom dApps on various blockchain platforms, such as Ethereum, Cosmos, and Solana. AI Integration: Integrating AI and machine learning capabilities into Web3 solutions to enhance functionality and user experience. Smart Contract Development and Auditing: Designing, developing, and auditing secure and reliable smart contracts. Tokenization and NFT Solutions: Creating and implementing tokenization strategies and developing non-fungible token (NFT) solutions. About Intelagen Intelagen is a leading Web3 & AI digital engineering consultancy that empowers organizations to build innovative and transformative solutions. As a portfolio company of Alpha Transform Holdings, Intelagen leverages its deep expertise in blockchain technology, artificial intelligence, data engineering, and cloud computing to help clients navigate the evolving digital landscape. Learn more at https://intelagen.ai/ . Contact: Intelagen Investor Relations [email protected] CONTACT: Intelagen Investor Relations Intelagen investorrelations (at) intelagen.ai

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By WILL WEISSERT, JUAN ZAMORANO and GARY FIELDS PANAMA CITY (AP) — Teddy Roosevelt once declared the Panama Canal “one of the feats to which the people of this republic will look back with the highest pride.” More than a century later, Donald Trump is threatening to take back the waterway for the same republic. Related Articles National Politics | President-elect Trump wants to again rename North America’s tallest peak National Politics | Inside the Gaetz ethics report, a trove of new details alleging payments for sex and drug use National Politics | An analyst looks ahead to how the US economy might fare under Trump National Politics | Trump again calls to buy Greenland after eyeing Canada and the Panama Canal National Politics | House Ethics Committee accuses Gaetz of ‘regularly’ paying for sex, including with 17-year-old girl The president-elect is decrying increased fees Panama has imposed to use the waterway linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. He says if things don’t change after he takes office next month, “We will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to the United States of America, in full, quickly and without question.” Trump has long threatened allies with punitive action in hopes of winning concessions. But experts in both countries are clear: Unless he goes to war with Panama, Trump can’t reassert control over a canal the U.S. agreed to cede in the 1970s. Here’s a look at how we got here: What is the canal? It is a man-made waterway that uses a series of locks and reservoirs over 51 miles (82 kilometers) to cut through the middle of Panama and connect the Atlantic and Pacific. It spares ships having to go an additional roughly 7,000 miles (more than 11,000 kilometers) to sail around Cape Horn at South America’s southern tip. The U.S. International Trade Administration says the canal saves American business interests “considerable time and fuel costs” and enables faster delivery of goods, which is “particularly significant for time sensitive cargoes, perishable goods, and industries with just-in-time supply chains.” Who built it? An effort to establish a canal through Panama led by Ferdinand de Lesseps, who built Egypt’s Suez Canal, began in 1880 but progressed little over nine years before going bankrupt. Malaria, yellow fever and other tropical diseases devastated a workforce already struggling with especially dangerous terrain and harsh working conditions in the jungle, eventually costing more than 20,000 lives, by some estimates. Panama was then a province of Colombia, which refused to ratify a subsequent 1901 treaty licensing U.S. interests to build the canal. Roosevelt responded by dispatching U.S. warships to Panama’s Atlantic and Pacific coasts. The U.S. also prewrote a constitution that would be ready after Panamanian independence, giving American forces “the right to intervene in any part of Panama, to re-establish public peace and constitutional order.” In part because Colombian troops were unable to traverse harsh jungles, Panama declared an effectively bloodless independence within hours in November 1903. It soon signed a treaty allowing a U.S.-led team to begin construction . Some 5,600 workers died later during the U.S.-led construction project, according to one study. Why doesn’t the US control the canal anymore? The waterway opened in 1914, but almost immediately some Panamanians began questioning the validity of U.S. control, leading to what became known in the country as the “generational struggle” to take it over. The U.S. abrogated its right to intervene in Panama in the 1930s. By the 1970s, with its administrative costs sharply increasing, Washington spent years negotiating with Panama to cede control of the waterway. The Carter administration worked with the government of Omar Torrijos. The two sides eventually decided that their best chance for ratification was to submit two treaties to the U.S. Senate, the “Permanent Neutrality Treaty” and the “Panama Canal Treaty.” The first, which continues in perpetuity, gives the U.S. the right to act to ensure the canal remains open and secure. The second stated that the U.S. would turn over the canal to Panama on Dec. 31, 1999, and was terminated then. Both were signed in 1977 and ratified the following year. The agreements held even after 1989, when President George H.W. Bush invaded Panama to remove Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega. In the late 1970s, as the handover treaties were being discussed and ratified, polls found that about half of Americans opposed the decision to cede canal control to Panama. However, by the time ownership actually changed in 1999, public opinion had shifted, with about half of Americans in favor. What’s happened since then? Administration of the canal has been more efficient under Panama than during the U.S. era, with traffic increasing 17% between fiscal years 1999 and 2004 . Panama’s voters approved a 2006 referendum authorizing a major expansion of the canal to accommodate larger modern cargo ships. The expansion took until 2016 and cost more than $5.2 billion. Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino said in a video Sunday that “every square meter of the canal belongs to Panama and will continue to.” He added that, while his country’s people are divided on some key issues, “when it comes to our canal, and our sovereignty, we will all unite under our Panamanian flag.” Shipping prices have increased because of droughts last year affecting the canal locks, forcing Panama to drastically cut shipping traffic through the canal and raise rates to use it. Though the rains have mostly returned, Panama says future fee increases might be necessary as it undertakes improvements to accommodate modern shipping needs. Mulino said fees to use the canal are “not set on a whim.” Jorge Luis Quijano, who served as the waterway’s administrator from 2014 to 2019, said all canal users are subject to the same fees, though they vary by ship size and other factors. “I can accept that the canal’s customers may complain about any price increase,” Quijano said. “But that does not give them reason to consider taking it back.” Why has Trump raised this? The president-elect says the U.S. is getting “ripped off” and “I’m not going to stand for it.” “It was given to Panama and to the people of Panama, but it has provisions — you’ve got to treat us fairly. And they haven’t treated us fairly,” Trump said of the 1977 treaty that he said “foolishly” gave the canal away. The neutrality treaty does give the U.S. the right to act if the canal’s operation is threatened due to military conflict — but not to reassert control. “There’s no clause of any kind in the neutrality agreement that allows for the taking back of the canal,” Quijano said. “Legally, there’s no way, under normal circumstances, to recover territory that was used previously.” Trump, meanwhile, hasn’t said how he might make good on his threat. “There’s very little wiggle room, absent a second U.S. invasion of Panama, to retake control of the Panama Canal in practical terms,” said Benjamin Gedan, director of the Latin America Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington. Gedan said Trump’s stance is especially baffling given that Mulino is a pro-business conservative who has “made lots of other overtures to show that he would prefer a special relationship with the United States.” He also noted that Panama in recent years has moved closer to China, meaning the U.S. has strategic reasons to keep its relationship with the Central American nation friendly. Panama is also a U.S. partner on stopping illegal immigration from South America — perhaps Trump’s biggest policy priority. “If you’re going to pick a fight with Panama on an issue,” Gedan said, “you could not find a worse one than the canal.” Weissert reported from West Palm Beach, Florida, and Fields from Washington. Amelia Thomson-Deveaux contributed to this report from Washington.

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Manchester City's players were booed by their own fans Tuesday after blowing a three-goal lead against Feyenoord in the Champions League to extend their winless run to six games. Jeers rang around the Etihad Stadium after the final whistle of a dramatic 3-3 draw. After five-straight losses in all competitions, City looked to be cruising to victory after going three up inside 50 minutes. But Feyenoord mounted an improbable comeback and leveled the game in the 89th minute to leave the home crowd stunned. While the worst losing streak of Guardiola’s managerial career was brought to an end, his wait for a first win since Oct. 26 goes on. Erling Haaland had scored twice, with Ilkay Gundogan also on target to put City in control. But goals from Anis Hadj Moussa in the 75th, Santiago Gimenez in the 82nd and David Hancko in the 89th turned the game on its head. City's players, including Bernardo Silva, Josko Gvardiol and Haaland looked visibly frustrated as they left the field to cheers of the delirious traveling Dutch fans in the away section of the stadium. City plays Premier League leader Liverpool on Sunday — defeat would leave it 11 points adrift of its title rival. James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

ORCHARD PARK — Ja’Marcus Ingram stood on the sidelines, but don’t say he wasn’t part of the game. The Buffalo Bills cornerback listens for the defensive call, then he looks to see what formations and motion the offense is showing. Once the ball is snapped, Ingram’s eyes are locked on the cornerbacks, looking not only at what they are doing, but what he would do if he was in the game. Ingram played 87 snaps over the first four games in Buffalo’s dime package while Taron Johnson recovered from a broken forearm. Since Johnson returned in Week 6, though, Ingram played 11 total defensive snaps over eight weeks. That changed early in the fourth quarter when starter Rasul Douglas left with a knee injury, and with Kaiir Elam inactive, Ingram was the next man in line. Ingram played an uneventful 16 snaps to finish the game, aside from a pass interference penalty on third down that coach Sean McDermott felt was a poor call. Douglas did not practice Wednesday and if he can’t play, Ingram is likely to be thrust into the starting lineup against the Detroit Lions and the highest scoring offense in the NFL. It’s a moment Ingram has been thinking about, . “It was tough because you go from playing a lot on defense to not really playing that much,” Ingram told GNN Sports. “But it’s kind of understood with what the next step is with my role changing from defense to strictly special teams. ... It’s more like a competitive thing. You’re like, ‘I want to be out there on defense.’ But at the same time, I make the shift to special teams, I’m like, ‘All right. I’m going to go dominate special teams.’” The #Bills and #Sabres had a forgettable weekend. @billhoppe.bsky.social and I get into Allen's historic game, McDermott's tough day and postgame comments, the Sabres' skid and Kevyn Adams's press conference. fireside.fm/episode/sMvb... The University at Buffalo product made a splash in his first two games after making the 53-man roster. He made a game-saving pass break-up on the final defensive play of the game against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 1. He followed that with two interceptions, one returned for a touchdown, against the Miami Dolphins the next week. Almost 20 pounds lighter than Douglas, Ingram matches him in length and height at 6-foot-2. But Ingram has shown the versatility to play outside or in the slot, while being a willing tackler against the run. “You saw some of the production early,” McDermott said. “Pick-six he had and his hands on the ball. Making the play in the Arizona game to help us seal the game there. He’s physical in the run game. So, like all of us, we’ve got things to work on.” Throughout minicamp and training camp, Ingram was the No. 4 cornerback on the roster. That held true into the season, including when starter Christian Benford was injured and Elam started against Miami in Week 9. But over the last three games, Ingram has jumped Elam on the depth chart. Elam, a 2022 first-round pick who has been in and out of McDermott’s doghouse with inconsistent play and injuries, has been a healthy scratch the last three games. When McDermott was asked if Elam was not competing enough, he responded, “Maybe that, maybe some other players have earned it more.” “Everything’s earned,” McDermott said. “That’s part of every decision, a big part of every decision, for most of the reasons of who is active or inactive and whatnot. Everything’s earned and will continue to be earned as we move forward this week and we’ll see where it goes.” Aside from his start against the Dolphins, Elam has played 31 defensive snaps all season. It comes a year after being a healthy scratch seven times, . Before his stint on IR, Elam started two games and labored with the injury. He was also in and out of the lineup as a rookie. . He’s got four career interceptions and two have come in the playoffs, including an interception of Mason Rudolph in the end zone during an AFC wild-card win over the Pittsburgh Steelers last season. Elam says the coaching staff reasoned his latest demotion due to numbers not being on par with the other cornerbacks. And that he wasn’t making enough plays during practice, which left Elam wondering how to get back into Buffalo’s good graces. “Coming to work every day, I work hard, I compete, I do what’s asked of me and make plays in practice,” Elam told GNN Sports at his locker Wednesday. “That’s all I can do is control the controllables. I really don’t have any answers.” Elam is still one of the last players off the practice field each day, often putting in extra time with Benford and Douglas. He’s also present in games, even if he’s inactive. During games, Elam can be seen on the sidelines talking to Benford and Douglas to understand what they are seeing on the field and offering tidbits that he’s gleaned from his view from afar. “I’m placed on this earth for a bigger reason,” Elam said. “If I’m not given the opportunity to play or start, I’m going to pour myself into my teammates no matter what. Those guys are trying to feed their family just as I am if I was on the field. So if those guys need extra eyes ... I just try anything that they need help on.” CB Rasul Douglas (knee) and S Taylor Rapp (neck/shoulder) did not participate in Wednesday’s walk-through. ... DE Casey Toohill (ribs) was limited. ... The Bills also opened 21-day windows for LB Baylon Spector (calf) and DE Dawuane Smoot (wrist) to return from injured reserve and both practiced in full.Football: Fairview’s title hopes fall short in the semis

President Joe Biden on Monday announced that he is commuting the sentences of 37 of the 40 people on federal death row, converting their punishments to life imprisonment just weeks before President-elect Donald Trump, an outspoken proponent of expanding capital punishment, takes office. The move spares the lives of people convicted in killings, including the slayings of police and military officers, people on federal land and those involved in deadly bank robberies or drug deals, as well as the killings of guards or prisoners in federal facilities. It means just three federal inmates continue to face execution. They are Dylann Roof, who carried out the 2015 racist slayings of nine Black members of Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina; 2013 Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev; and Robert Bowers, who fatally shot 11 congregants at Pittsburgh’s Tree of life Synagogue in 2018, the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S history. “I’ve dedicated my career to reducing violent crime and ensuring a fair and effective justice system,” Biden said in a statement. “Today, I am commuting the sentences of 37 of the 40 individuals on federal death row to life sentences without the possibility of parole. These commutations are consistent with the moratorium my administration has imposed on federal executions, in cases other than terrorism and hate-motivated mass murder.” Reaction to the president's end-of-year act of clemency was strong, particularly among those who were victimized by Roof. Michael Graham, whose sister Cynthia Hurd was killed by Roof, wants him to die for his crimes and was thankful Biden kept him on death row. He said Roof’s lack of remorse and simmering white nationalism in the U.S. means he is the kind of dangerous and evil person the death penalty is intended for. “This was a crime against a race of people who were doing something all Americans do on a Wednesday night – go to Bible study,” Graham said. “It didn’t matter who was there, only that they were Black.” Felicia Sanders, who shielded her granddaughter while watching Roof kill her son Tywanza and her aunt Susie Jackson sent her lawyer, Andy Savage, a text message that called Biden's decision to not spare Roof's life a wonderful Christmas gift. The Biden administration in 2021 announced a moratorium on federal capital punishment to study the protocols used, which suspended executions during Biden's term. But Biden actually had promised to go further on the issue in the past, pledging to end federal executions without the caveats for terrorism and hate-motivated, mass killings. While running for president in 2020, Biden's campaign website said he would “work to pass legislation to eliminate the death penalty at the federal level, and incentivize states to follow the federal government’s example.” Similar language didn't appear on Biden's reelection website before he left the presidential race in July. “Make no mistake: I condemn these murderers, grieve for the victims of their despicable acts, and ache for all the families who have suffered unimaginable and irreparable loss,” Biden's statement said. “But guided by my conscience and my experience as a public defender, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, vice president, and now president, I am more convinced than ever that we must stop the use of the death penalty at the federal level.” He took a political jab at Trump, saying, “In good conscience, I cannot stand back and let a new administration resume executions that I halted.” Trump, who takes office on Jan. 20, has spoken frequently of expanding executions. In a speech announcing his 2024 campaign, Trump called for those “caught selling drugs to receive the death penalty for their heinous acts.” He later promised to execute drug and human smugglers and even praised China's harsher treatment of drug peddlers. During his first term as president, Trump also advocated for the death penalty for drug dealers. There were 13 federal executions during Trump's first term, more than under any president in modern history, and some may have happened fast enough to have contributed to the spread of the coronavirus at the federal death row facility in Indiana. Those were the first federal executions since 2003. The final three occurred after Election Day in November 2020 but before Trump left office the following January, the first time federal prisoners were put to death by a lame-duck president since Grover Cleveland in 1889. Biden faced recent pressure from advocacy groups urging him to act to make it more difficult for Trump to increase the use of capital punishment for federal inmates. The president's announcement also comes less than two weeks after he commuted the sentences of roughly 1,500 people who were released from prison and placed on home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic, and of 39 others convicted of nonviolent crimes, the largest single-day act of clemency in modern history. The announcement also followed the post-election pardon that Biden granted his son Hunter on federal gun and tax charges after long saying he would not issue one, sparking an uproar in Washington. The pardon also raised questions about whether he would issue sweeping preemptive pardons for administration officials and other allies who the White House worries could be unjustly targeted by Trump’s second administration. Speculation that Biden could commute federal death sentences intensified last week after the White House announced he plans to visit Italy on the final foreign trip of his presidency next month. Biden, a practicing Catholic, will meet with Pope Francis, who recently called for prayers for U.S. death row inmates in hopes their sentences will be commuted. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which has long called for an end to the death penalty, said Biden's decision is a “significant step in advancing the cause of human dignity in our nation” and moves the country “a step closer to building a culture of life.” Martin Luther King III, who publicly urged Biden to change the death sentences, said in a statement shared by the White House that the president "has done what no president before him was willing to do: take meaningful and lasting action not just to acknowledge the death penalty’s racist roots but also to remedy its persistent unfairness.” Madeline Cohen, an attorney for Norris Holder, who faced death for the 1997 fatal shooting of a guard during a bank robbery in St. Louis, said his case “reflects many of the system's flaws” and thanked Biden for converting his sentence to life in prison. Holder, who is Black, was sentenced by an all-white jury. “Norris’ case exemplifies the racial bias and arbitrariness that led the President to commute federal death sentences,” Cohen said. Donnie Oliverio, a retired Ohio police officer whose partner was killed by one of the men whose death sentence was converted, said the execution of "the person who killed my police partner and best friend would have brought me no peace." “The president has done what is right here,” Oliverio said in a statement also issued by the White House, “and what is consistent with the faith he and I share.”

DASANI has removed one of its most criticized ingredients, aiming to improve the taste of what has long been dubbed "the nation's most disgusting water." But while some are celebrating the change, many shoppers are still saying "we're not drinking that." The brand, known for its salty and metallic flavor, has finally eliminated the controversial addition of salt. Shopper Jared Guynes took to social media to share a photo of the new Dasani bottles featuring a detachable label that reads, "now without salt". Celebrating the change, he wrote: "After decades, Dasani has finally done something about their gravel-tasting aquarium water! "They changed the flavor! No more salt! Read more money stories "The nation's most disgusting water might finally be drinkable!" However, the response from many consumers has been less than enthusiastic. "I'm still not drinking it," one user commented. Another shared: "I thought I was the only one who hated Dasani." Most read in Money Many complained about the water's texture, with one user stating: "Still too thick for my taste." Another quipped: "Ocean water still tastes better." The bitterness toward Dasani has a long history. Much of the criticism stems from its unique flavor, which is largely the result of the minerals added during the purification process. Unlike natural spring water, which derives its taste from its source, Dasani’s water comes from municipal sources (tap water), which is purified and then treated with minerals for taste. One of the key minerals in the process has been potassium chloride, a salt compound. Potassium chloride is commonly added to water to enhance flavor. But in the case of Dasani it has often been perceived by drinkers as adding an unpleasant salty or metallic aftertaste. This addition was not a mistake but part of the brand's strategy to make the water taste more "pure," but it may have backfired, creating an off-putting taste for many consumers. It comes as shoppers at Trader Joe's are reeling after learning that a beloved holiday favourite will no longer be gracing the store's shelves. The Gingerbread Coffee, renowned for its cozy blend of medium-dark roast coffee has been discontinued — a decision that caught not just customers but also staff off guard. Read More on The US Sun Meanwhile, McDonald's launched a new frappe flavor inspired by an iconic Latin dessert. The Dulce de Leche Frappe is now available nationwide for sweet tooths to indulge in.

ABILENE, Texas (AP) — Sam Hicks scored on a 53-yard run in the fourth quarter and finished with 171 yards on the ground to lead Abilene Christian to a 24-0 victory over Northern Arizona on Saturday in the first round of the FCS playoffs. The Wildcats (9-4), ranked No. 15 in the FCS coaches poll and seeded 15th, qualified for the playoffs for the first time and will travel to play No. 2 seed and nine-time champion North Dakota State (10-2) on Saturday at the Fargo Dome. The Bison had a first-round bye. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.ABILENE, Texas (AP) — Sam Hicks scored on a 53-yard run in the fourth quarter and finished with 171 yards on the ground to lead Abilene Christian to a 24-0 victory over Northern Arizona on Saturday in the first round of the FCS playoffs. The Wildcats (9-4), ranked No. 15 in the FCS coaches poll and seeded 15th, qualified for the playoffs for the first time and will travel to play No. 2 seed and nine-time champion North Dakota State (10-2) on Saturday at the Fargo Dome. The Bison had a first-round bye. Abilene Christian grabbed a 7-0 lead on its second possession when Carson Haggard connected with Trey Cleveland for a 37-yard touchdown that capped a 10-play 97-yard drive. Northern Arizona (8-5), ranked 17th but unseeded for the playoffs after winning five straight to get in, picked off Haggard on the Wildcats' next two possessions but could not turn them into points. NAU went for it on fourth-and-goal at the 1-yard line with 9:30 left before halftime, but Jordan Mukes tackled Ty Pennington for a 4-yard loss. That led to a 46-yard field goal by Ritse Vaes and a 10-0 lead at halftime. The score remained the same until Hicks' big run with 10:16 left to play. Haggard passed 6 yards to Blayne Taylor for the final score with 2:16 to go. Haggard completed 23 of 29 passes for 244 yards with three interceptions. Abilene Christian's defense allowed at least 20 points in every game during the regular season and yielded at least 30 six times. The Wildcats lost their season opener to FBS member Texas Tech 52-51 in overtime. Abilene Christian's last shutout came in a 56-0 victory over Lamar on Sept. 25, 2021. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — First it was Canada , then the Panama Canal . Now, Donald Trump again wants Greenland . The president-elect is renewing unsuccessful calls he made during his first term for the U.S. to buy Greenland from Denmark, adding to the list of allied countries with which he's picking fights even before taking office on Jan. 20. In a Sunday announcement naming his ambassador to Denmark, Trump wrote that, “For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity." Trump again having designs on Greenland comes after the president-elect suggested over the weekend that the U.S. could retake control of the Panama Canal if something isn't done to ease rising shipping costs required for using the waterway linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. He's also been suggesting that Canada become the 51st U.S. state and referred to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as “governor” of the “Great State of Canada.” Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia, said Trump tweaking friendly countries harkens back to an aggressive style he used during his days in business. “You ask something unreasonable and it’s more likely you can get something less unreasonable,” said Farnsworth, who is also author of the book “Presidential Communication and Character.” Greenland, the world’s largest island, sits between the Atlantic and Arctic oceans. It is 80% covered by an ice sheet and is home to a large U.S. military base. It gained home rule from Denmark in 1979 and its head of government, Múte Bourup Egede, suggested that Trump’s latest calls for U.S. control would be as meaningless as those made in his first term. “Greenland is ours. We are not for sale and will never be for sale,” he said in a statement. “We must not lose our years-long fight for freedom.” The Danish Prime Minister’s Office said in its own statement that the government is “looking forward to welcoming the new American ambassador. And the Government is looking forward to working with the new administration.” “In a complex security political situation as the one we currently experience, transatlantic cooperation is crucial,” the statement said. It noted that it had no comment on Greenland except for it “not being for sale, but open for cooperation.” Trump canceled a 2019 visit to Denmark after his offer to buy Greenland was rejected by Copenhagen, and ultimately came to nothing . He also suggested Sunday that the U.S. is getting “ripped off” at the Panama Canal. “If the principles, both moral and legal, of this magnanimous gesture of giving are not followed, then we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to the United States of America, in full, quickly and without question,” he said. Panama President José Raúl Mulino responded in a video that “every square meter of the canal belongs to Panama and will continue to,” but Trump fired back on his social media site, “We’ll see about that!” The president-elect also posted a picture of a U.S. flag planted in the canal zone under the phrase, “Welcome to the United States Canal!” The United States built the canal in the early 1900s but relinquished control to Panama on Dec. 31, 1999, under a treaty signed in 1977 by President Jimmy Carter . The canal depends on reservoirs that were hit by 2023 droughts that forced it to substantially reduce the number of daily slots for crossing ships. With fewer ships, administrators also increased the fees that shippers are charged to reserve slots to use the canal. The Greenland and Panama flareups followed Trump recently posting that “Canadians want Canada to become the 51st State" and offering an image of himself superimposed on a mountaintop surveying surrounding territory next to a Canadian flag. Trudeau suggested that Trump was joking about annexing his country, but the pair met recently at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Florida to discuss Trump's threats to impose a 25% tariff on all Canadian goods. “Canada is not going to become part of the United States, but Trump’s comments are more about leveraging what he says to get concessions from Canada by putting Canada off balance, particularly given the precarious current political environment in Canada,” Farnsworth said. “Maybe claim a win on trade concessions, a tighter border or other things.” He said the situation is similar with Greenland. “What Trump wants is a win," Farnsworth said. "And even if the American flag doesn’t raise over Greenland, Europeans may be more willing to say yes to something else because of the pressure.” Associated Press writers Gary Fields in Washington and Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this report.Mid-America Apartment Communities Inc. stock underperforms Wednesday when compared to competitors

Trump Hush Money Criminal Case Sentencing Delayed IndefinitelyNEW DELHI: Described as a “reluctant king” in his first stint as prime minister, the quietly spoken Manmohan Singh was arguably one of India’s most successful leaders. The first Sikh in office, Singh, 92, was being treated for age-related medical conditions and died after he was brought to hospital after a sudden loss of consciousness on Thursday. He is credited with steering India to unprecedented economic growth and lifting hundreds of millions out of dire poverty. He went on to serve a rare second term. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: “India mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished leaders, Dr Manmohan Singh Ji.” He applauded the economist-turned-politician’s body of work. Born into a poor family in a part of British-ruled India now in Pakistan, Singh studied by candlelight to win a place at Cambridge University before heading to Oxford, earning a doctorate with a thesis on the role of exports and free trade in India’s economy. He became a respected economist, then India’s central bank governor and a government advisor but had no apparent plans for a political career when he was suddenly tapped to become finance minister in 1991. During that tenure to 1996, Singh was the architect of reforms that saved India’s economy from a severe balance of payments crisis, promoted deregulation and other measures that opened an insular country to the world. Famously quoting Victor Hugo in his maiden budget speech, he said: “No power on earth can stop an idea whose time has come,” before adding: “The emergence of India as a major economic power in the world happens to be one such idea.” Singh’s ascension to prime minister in 2004 was even more unexpected. He was asked to take on the job by Sonia Gandhi, who led the center-left Congress party to a surprise victory. Italian by birth, she feared her ancestry would be used by Hindu-nationalist opponents to attack the government if she were to lead the country. Riding an unprecedented period of economic growth, Singh’s government shared the spoils of the country’s newfound wealth, introducing welfare schemes such as a jobs program for the rural poor. In 2008, his government also clinched a landmark deal that permitted peaceful trade in nuclear energy with the United States for the first time in three decades, paving the way for strong relations between New Delhi and Washington. But his efforts to further open up the Indian economy were frequently frustrated by political wrangling within his own party and demands made by coalition partners. And while he was widely respected by other world leaders, at home Singh always had to fend off the perception that Sonia Gandhi was the real power in the government. The widow of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, whose family has dominated Indian politics since independence from Britain in 1947, she remained Congress party leader and often made key decisions. Known for his simple lifestyle and with a reputation for honesty, Singh was not personally seen as corrupt. But he came under attack for failing to crack down on members of his government as a series of scandals erupted in his second term, triggering mass protests. The latter years of his premiership saw India’s growth story, which he had helped engineer, wobble as global economic turbulence and slow government decision-making battered investment sentiment. In 2012, his government was tipped into a minority after the Congress party’s biggest ally quit their coalition in protest at the entry of foreign supermarkets. Two years later Congress was decisively swept aside by the Bharatiya Janata Party under Narendra Modi, a strongman who promised to end the economic standstill, clean up graft and bring inclusive growth to the hinterlands. But at a press conference just months before he left office, Singh insisted he had done the best he could. “I honestly believe that history will be kinder to me than the contemporary media or, for that matter, the opposition parties in parliament,” he said. Singh is survived by his wife and three daughters. – Reuters