In Defense of 'Over-Editing': 3 Reasons I Love It and Reject the CriticismMcLean County Board swears in newest members, names chair and vice chairDrone operators worry that anxiety over mystery sightings will lead to new restrictions

ROBESONIA, Pa., Dec. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Blaqclouds, Inc. BCDS - Prepare to redefine your shopping experience! shopwithcrypto.io is launching, providing a seamless and secure platform for purchasing digital gift cards from thousands of global merchants using a wide array of cryptocurrencies. This groundbreaking platform simplifies the process of spending crypto, making it accessible and convenient for everyone. Unlock the Power of Crypto for Everyday Shopping Gone are the days of complex conversions and limited crypto spending options. shopwithcrypto.io , powered by ZEUSxPay.io , offers a revolutionary solution. Users can now effortlessly acquire digital gift cards for popular brands across a multitude of categories – from fashion and electronics to dining and entertainment – using over 250 different cryptocurrencies, including stablecoins like USDT, USDC, and PYUSD, as well as other prominent tokens and digital currencies such as ZXPAY. Key Benefits of shopwithcrypto.io : Seamless Integration with ZEUSxPay.io: Experience lightning-fast and secure transactions through the robust and trusted ZEUSxPay.io payment gateway. Extensive Cryptocurrency Support: Spend over 250 different cryptocurrencies, offering unparalleled flexibility and convenience. Thousands of Global Merchants: Access a vast selection of digital gift cards from popular brands worldwide. Secure and Reliable: Enjoy peace of mind with secure, encrypted transactions. Easy-to-Use Interface: Navigate the platform effortlessly with a user-friendly design. The Future of Shopping: Experience the convenience of shopping with the currencies of tomorrow. "We are thrilled to introduce shopwithcrypto.io , a platform designed to bridge the gap between the crypto world and everyday retail," said Marjorie Schaefer, CEO of Blaqclouds, Inc. "Our recent acquisition of ZEUSxPay.io allows us to provide a truly seamless and secure experience, making it easier than ever for individuals to spend their cryptocurrency on real-word purchases." Why shopwithcrypto.io ? shopwithcrypto.io isn't just another crypto platform. It's a gateway to real-world spending, making crypto practical and accessible for everyone. Whether you're a seasoned crypto enthusiast or new to the world of digital currency, shopwithcrypto.io empowers you to use your assets in tangible ways. The platform makes using crypto for digital gift cards simple, secure, and the most efficient way to spend your crypto. About Blaqclouds, Inc. BCDS Blaqclouds, Inc. is a publicly traded company developing innovative blockchain and decentralized solutions. The company leverages technology to deliver scalable platforms, empower businesses, and create long-term shareholder value. About ZEUS Blockchain Partners, Inc.: ZEUS Blockchain Partners, Inc. is a Colorado-based blockchain technology company specializing in decentralized finance (DeFi) and scalable blockchain ecosystems. ZEUS has pioneered innovative blockchain applications, providing secure and efficient solutions for businesses and individuals. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on current expectations and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Blaqclouds, Inc. undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements. Media Contact theAlley.io Blaqclouds, Inc. Email: hello@blaqclouds.io Phone: 307-323-4430 Website: www.blaqclouds.io A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f18bb85c-137a-43b7-9c1c-41db53b33adb © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.West Ham goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski alert and conscious after being taken off on a stretcherSOUTHAMPTON, England (AP) — West Ham goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski is “alert” and conscious after being taken off the field on a stretcher during the team's 1-0 win at Southampton in the Premier League on Thursday, manager Julen Lopetegui said. The game was delayed for around eight minutes as Fabianski received treatment on the field at St Mary's Stadium. The 39-year-old Polish goalkeeper was hurt in a collision from a corner and was replaced by Alphonse Areola in the 36th minute. Southampton 'keeper Aaron Ramsdale had run the length of the field to check on Fabianski amid worrying scenes. Fabianski was then greeted by applause as he was taken off with an oxygen mask on, but did not need to go to the hospital. “He had one big knock around the head, around the neck and he was not very sure about his actions. Fortunately the news is he is talking, he is alert, he is conscious,” Lopetegui said. “I talk with him. The doctors say that he feels better and well. I am positive with him. He showed he more or less recovered his sense. I am not afraid. We feared but now he is better and it is a positive feeling because we were very worried.” West Ham, which also saw defender Max Kilman go off in the first half, scored through Jarrod Bowen in the 59th. AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Excitement reverberated throughout School District 25 as K-5 learners participated in the global Hour of Code initiative during the week of Dec. 9-13. This event not only extends learning opportunities for K-5 learners in classrooms around the district’s 13 elementary schools but also emphasizes the district’s commitment to professional development for educators. The weeklong initiative underscores the importance of introducing young learners to the world of coding and programming, laying the foundation for 21st-century skills. At the same time, it provides a valuable opportunity for teachers to deepen their understanding of coding and its applications, ensuring they are equipped to integrate these skills effectively into their classrooms. A.J. Watson, director of elementary education, highlighted the dual benefits of the initiative, saying: “Professional development is essential for equipping teachers with the tools and confidence to integrate coding into their classrooms. Engaging learners through activities like the Hour of Code fosters critical skills that will be invaluable for their future success.” Extending these opportunities even further, the district partnered with the Idaho STEM Action Center to connect classrooms with industry experts. Through this collaboration, 59 teachers across the district worked alongside volunteers from leading organizations such as LA Semiconductor, Idaho Power, Idaho National Laboratory and Idaho State University. These partnerships enriched classroom activities, providing real-world context for learners while equipping educators with deeper insights into the practical applications of coding and programming. Empowering educators with coding professional development To ensure the success of this districtwide initiative, teachers participated in comprehensive training sessions that emphasized the importance of coding in today’s world while equipping them with practical tools to bring programming into their classrooms. This professional development was about more than just learning new technology — it was about empowering educators to confidently integrate coding and programming into lessons that inspire creativity and critical thinking in learners. Teachers explored code.org , a platform designed to align with technology standards and enhance student learning. They gained insight into why coding matters, discovering how it fosters problem-solving, logical thinking and a sense of accomplishment in young learners. With hands-on guidance, educators created lessons tailored to their learners’ grade levels, preparing them to introduce coding in an engaging, age-appropriate way. For those already familiar with coding basics, trainings scheduled in January 2025 will take things a step further by introducing robotics. Teachers will learn how to transfer programming knowledge into hands-on activities using age-appropriate robots for younger learners and more advanced challenges for upper-grade learners. These robotics lessons will help bridge the gap between theoretical skills and practical applications, making coding a tangible, exciting experience for learners. The focus of the professional development is not just about improving technical skills; it centers on giving educators the confidence to lead their learners into the future. By investing in our teachers, we’re ensuring they have the tools to inspire young minds and prepare them for a world where technology and innovation are key. For families and community members, this means your children are gaining skills that will serve them for a lifetime — critical thinking, creativity and the ability to adapt in a fast-changing world. Recognizing that every educator brings unique strengths and needs to the classroom, the district designs its professional development approach to be flexible and personalized. Teachers receive one-on-one training, ensuring they have a clear understanding of how to use coding technology and apply it effectively with their learners. This individualized support allows educators to ask questions, practice new skills and build confidence in a setting tailored to their learning style. To further enhance the experience, Janelle Arvas, who is on the leading edge of coding in her role as one of the district’s two technology training specialists, worked alongside teachers in the classroom. By leading the initial coding lessons with teacher participation, she created a collaborative and supportive environment where educators could observe, learn, and actively engage with learners in real-time. Arvas emphasized the importance of integrating computer science and programming into elementary education to develop well-rounded students. “These initiatives empower teachers with the knowledge and confidence to teach essential skills while inspiring young learners through programs like the Hour of Code. The focus of this initiative is to provide professional development to help teachers effectively nurture future innovators while positioning the district as a leader in coding and computer science Idaho education.” A statewide emphasis on computer science Idaho Gov. Brad Little emphasized the importance of initiatives like these by proclaiming Dec. 9-13 as Computer Science Education Week in Idaho. At a recent school event in Boise, the governor urged citizens to participate in the Hour of Code, noting that introducing students to computer science early fosters critical thinking skills and real-world experiences that will serve them throughout their lives. The Hour of Code, founded in 2013, is a global movement that has reached tens of millions of students in more than 180 countries. Events during Computer Science Education Week provide a one-hour introduction to coding through engaging tutorials. This year’s celebration hosted nearly 120,000 events worldwide, including about 38,000 in the U.S., with Idaho alone hosting over 300 events. Angela Hemingway, executive director of the Idaho STEM Action Center, highlighted the significance of coding as "the fourth R — reading, writing, arithmetic and algorithms." She noted that computer science is integral to modern life and is one of the most in-demand college degrees. Furthermore, STEM careers, particularly those in computing, represent the fastest-growing segment of job opportunities in Idaho. Impact beyond the week Participation in the Hour of Code not only introduces coding concepts to learners; it is a strategic effort to advance professional growth and classroom innovation. Teachers developed new skills that extended beyond the event, enabling them to integrate coding and robotics into their lessons throughout the school year. This combination of hands-on student engagement and robust teacher training underscores the district’s commitment to preparing young learners for a technology-driven future. As learners tackled coding challenges and explored robotics, they weren’t just learning — they were dreaming, creating and imagining new possibilities. Meanwhile, their teachers were gaining the tools and confidence to lead the way. Together, this initiative is setting the stage for a brighter, more innovative tomorrow.

Daily Post Nigeria Police detain man for slitting friend’s throat in Kogi Home News Politics Metro Entertainment Sport Metro Police detain man for slitting friend’s throat in Kogi Published on December 26, 2024 By Ochogwu Sunday A second-year undergraduate of Confluence University of Science and Technology, CUSTECH, Osara in Kogi, Usman Tijani, has been attacked and brutally injured by his friend, Abdulmuqeet Musari, Police have said. The Kogi Command’s Spokesman, SP Williams Aya, confirmed the incident and detention of the suspect by the command to NAN in Lokoja on Thursday. Aya said: “The suspect has been in our custody, and the investigation is ongoing. “He will be arraigned on completion of the investigation.” Narrating the incident in a statement, the Chairman, Adavi Local Government Area, LGA, Mr Bashiru Okatenwu, stated that the incident occurred at about 8 pm on December 23, around Adavi Burial Ground, New Zango in Adavi. According to the statement issued to NAN by Okatenwu’s Media Aide, Suleiman Acheneje, in Adavi, the victim is a 200-level student of the Department of Cyber Security in CUSTECH. “In the late hours of December 23, between 7 pm and 8 pm precisely, an unforeseen circumstance happened around Adavi Burial Ground, where a young boy, named Usman Tijani, got attacked by one of the bad eggs we still have in our society. “Usman was brutally injured by Abdulmuqeet Musari, whose intent was, no doubt, to kill him. “The victim was found nearly dead and rescued around 2 am in New Zango, Adavi LGA, where he was immediately rushed to Lokoja and has since been receiving treatment in a hospital there. “The culprit was already in the run but Kudos to the people’s Governor, the Chairman Of Adavi, and their Security intel, as they were able to apprehend the culprit in Ekiti,” Okatenwu said. He assured the good people of Adavi of his administration’s commitment to ensuring adequate security for their lives and property. Meanwhile, a relation of the victim, Zainab Avosuahu, who commented on the issue through her Meta, Facebook page post on Tuesday, said the suspect allegedly lured her nephew into the bush, collected N200,000 from him and slit his throat. Avosuahu stated: “The 19-year-old victim, who runs a POS business, is currently undergoing surgery in a Lokoja hospital. Related Topics: kogi police Don't Miss Police recover vehicle of kidnapped Anambra lawmaker You may like Police recover vehicle of kidnapped Anambra lawmaker Murder of retired Niger perm sec: Prime suspect dies in police custody Police arrest ex-convict for armed robbery two days after release from jail Police foil kidnap attempt in Katsina, rescue 10 hostages Imo police lose two officers, kill three kidnapping suspects Police enhance security measures for festive season in Taraba Advertise About Us Contact Us Privacy-Policy Terms Copyright © Daily Post Media Ltd

PNY CS3150 M.2 drive PNY 1TB CS3150 M.2 storage drive, available from Amazon for $130, $10 less than its original price during Cyber Monday. . Overall, it's a fast M.2 drive with active cooling to keep running temperatures below the maximum rated temperature. The heatsink makes the drive rather bulky, and you will need a 4-pin fan header on the motherboard to power the fans. Also: The best Cyber Monday deals you can shop right now In the not-so-distant past, the solution for speed-boosting an aging and sluggish PC was to add more RAM or upgrade the processor. Now the way to sail over that speed bump involves getting a new storage drive, and there's no better storage upgrade when it comes to performance than fitting your system with an M.2 drive. Also: My favorite USB-C accessory of all time scores a magnetic upgrade (and it's 30% off) There is no shortage of excellent M.2 drives out there , but if you're looking for high-end performance and stability when the going gets tough, the new CS3150 by PNY is well worth a look. PNY CS3150 M.2 drive The PNY CS3150 M.2 is an NVMe drive that uses PCIe Gen5 x4 interface to deliver sequential read and write speeds of 11,500 and 8,500 MB/s respectively. What makes this drive special? Not only does it have a heatsink, but that heatsink is kitted out with two fans to dissipate the heat generated during use. PNY CS3150 M.2 key specs Capacity : 1TB Form Factor : M.2 2280 Interface : PCIe Gen5 x4 Max Sequential Read Speed : 11,500 MB/s Max Sequential Write Speed : 8,500 MB/s Cooling : Dual-fan plus heatsink Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) : 1,600,000 Hours Warranty : 5-year limited warranty How do you know if your system can take an M.2 drive? Check the manual for your system or the motherboard it uses, do an online search, or open it up and check for an M.2 drive slot . One of the biggest killers of storage drives is heat. While this isn't a problem for most systems, high-end gaming and content creation systems -- when pushed to their limits -- might hit a point where thermal throttling occurs (that is, a deliberate slowing down of the system to allow it to cool down) or -- or the heat might cause crashes or premature damage to the drive. The faster the drive, the more waste heat it generates. And the CS3150 is a fast drive. Clocking sequential read and write speeds of 11,500 and 8,500 MB/s, respectively, it's not as fast -- or as expensive -- as the Crucial T705 , but that drive doesn't have an actively cooled heatsink. The cooler features two fans for active cooling of the M.2 drive. Testing the speed of the CS3150, I got speeds that were within five percent of the specs given by PNY, which is more than acceptable. If you want to get the best out of this drive, note that you'll need at minimum an Intel Core 13th or 14th-gen or AMD Ryzen 7000 CPU on a compatible motherboard with a free Gen5 M.2 slot. Also: The best external hard drives of 2024: Expert tested As for heat, I stress-tested the drive using CrystalDiskMark and monitored the temperatures using CrystalDiskInfo , and -- despite my relentless thrashing of the CS3150 -- I could not get the temperatures to exceed the 70°C/158°F maximum operating temperatures. It would seem that the active cooling is doing its job. It's worth bearing in mind that heatsinks and fans move the heat from the drive to the outside air; therefore -- to maintain the drive's efficiency -- you also need to make sure that the PC has adequate airflow through the system. Also, the built-in fans on this device require a free set of 4-pin fan header pins on the motherboard to work. The cooler is very beefy but can be removed. This is quite a bulky drive. Although it should fit most M.2 drive slots on PC motherboards, it won't fit into external drive enclosures unless you grab a screwdriver and remove the heatsink. This isn't typically recommended, but if you plan on doing it, be careful separating the aluminum heatsink from the drive's circuit board as you don't want to be ripping chips off the board. Need to add a bit of color to your system? There's also a version of this drive with RGB lights built into the heatsink . ZDNET's buying advice I can't fault this drive. It's a solid, fast, well-made drive that takes cooling to the next level with active cooling for those times when the drive is being pushed hard. While the PNY CS3051 isn't the fastest drive around, the read and write speeds are good enough to keep all but the most performance-hungry users happy. And for only $149 for 1TB of storage, that works out at a very reasonable $0.15 per gigabyte, One of the best QLED TVs I've tested isn't made by Samsung or Hisense (and it's $500 off) I finally found a wireless Android Auto adapter that's reliable, functional, and affordable This is the most bizarre portable power station I've tested - and it actually works One of the best cheap soundbars I've tested performs as well as models twice its price

Lawmakers edge closer to deal on government funding

Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Hold onto your bookmarks. The list of our 10 most-loved books published since 2000 spans the literary, experimental and translated as well as true crime, science fiction and memoir genres. Some will make you cry, others will make you laugh – the best will have you doing both. Choosing only 10 books from 25 years means there are notable absences, but the list offers a sketch of the books that have shaped us and our world since the start of the millennium. Our writers, critics and editors were asked to consider their personal favourites – the books that will always have a place on their shelves – as well as quality, influence and legacy. How many have you read? Austerlitz, W G Sebald (2001) W G Sebald was the German master who invented contemporary “faction”, and Austerlitz is the last of his longer works and the one which most resembles a novel. The main character shares a name with the famous Napoleonic battle and he speaks in moody and melancholic arias of desolation over a period that stretches from the 1960s to the 1990s. Austerlitz hates the aggressive brutality of the architecture of Antwerp and exhibits a depth of melancholy that is the basic idiom of his self-delineation and Sebald’s characterisation. This is a mutation of fiction which has the self-validating intensity of great poetry. Austerlitz is a labyrinth of a book in which dream worlds and real worlds shatter and collide. It’s manifestly a masterpiece, perhaps the very greatest of those works which insinuate and actualise the way in which the mind transfigured the world it depicts. Peter Craven Blankets , Craig Thompson (2003) There was once a time when comic books were considered child’s play – throwaway fluff for the emotionally and socially stunted. At the turn of the millennium, the great graphic novels boom happened and suddenly everyone realised they’d unfairly dismissed the literary potential of books with pictures. Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis , Chris Ware’s Jimmy Corrigan and Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home were among the era’s most acclaimed titles, alongside my moody favourite Craig Thompson’s Blankets – a romantic and melancholic coming-of-age story charting the author’s world-opening first love and spirited questioning of his religious upbringing. It all plays like a Softies song – deeply evocative and earnest and reflective, Thompson’s snow-dotted panels are filled with the sort of quiet space that stops you in your tracks repeatedly, something run-on sentences could never do. As my copy’s coffee-stained jacket, quoting Pulitzer winning cartoonist Jules Feiffer, somewhat defensively suggests: “I’d call that literature.” Robert Moran Joe Cinque’s Consolation: A True Story of Death, Grief and the Law, Helen Garner (2004) These days, we’re inundated with true crime content — podcasts, documentaries, books and TV shows — but none come close to the moral inquiry, literary craftsmanship and utter elegance of Helen Garner’s Joe Cinque’s Consolation . The non-fiction work follows the murder trial of Anu Singh, a law student at ANU in Canberra, and her best friend, who were accused of murdering Singh’s boyfriend, engineering student Joe Cinque, in 1997 with a lethal dose of heroin and Rohypnol. Singh had allegedly organised two dinner parties before the murder, hinting to her friends about her plans, but none intervened. Garner’s work avoids easy conclusions and oversimplification, combining sharp analysis with deep empathy to transform a personal tragedy into a universal exploration of justice, grief and human frailty. If only this self-reflective, philosophical book was the standard for all works about true criminal cases. Melanie Kembrey Never Let Me Go, Kazuo Ishiguro (2005) Kathy, Ruth and Tommy are special children growing up in a curiously old-fashioned boarding school with kind teachers. Already the place and time is lit with a nostalgic glow. Kathy, now an adult, looks back without rancour on those formative years and the close ties with her two friends. Gradually, the world surrounding the school is revealed. You may see the twist coming, but it doesn’t matter, because Never Let Me Go is unexpected in different ways. Kazuo Ishiguro ’s delicate handling transcends his science fiction premise and in simple understated language graced with dignified euphemisms tells us a complex and profoundly moving love story. The reader may be shocked and angry, but the characters never are, and we respect that. Kathy’s memories add up to a meditation on human connection, what we can keep and what we have to lose. The last scene, in which Kathy contemplates rubbish flapping on a barbed wire fence, has never left me. Jane Sullivan Ten must-read books published since 2000. A Visit from The Goon Squad, Jennifer Egan (2010) “Time’s a goon, you gonna let that goon push you around?” says Scotty Hausman. He’s a failed guitarist who leaves a dead fish in the office of a friend whose success he resents in A Visit from the Goon Squad , Jennifer Egan’s ode to Proust by way of The Sopranos that I devoured when it came out. Egan’s kaleidoscopic 2010 novel follows unforgettable characters including a kleptomaniac called Sasha Blake and Bennie Salazar, a punk rocker-turned-ageing record executive who sprinkles gold flakes in his morning coffee in a bid to feel again. It’s often praised for its formal daring: its interlocked narratives shuttle back and forth and one of its best chapters is written as a PowerPoint presentation. But to me, the novel’s ability to evoke time’s quieter tragedies — the ghosts of youth, the slow sapping of desire, the choices that distance us from those we most love – that make it profound. Neha Kale My Brilliant Friend, Elena Ferrante (2011) The Italian novelist Elena Ferrante is an elusive figure. The name is a pen-name; Ferrante’s true identity is officially unknown. What we know is that she has published a quartet of evidently autobiographical novels, collectively called the Neapolitan Novels, which prove that fiction in the 21st century can still scale the exhilarating heights that Proust scaled in the 20th. My Brilliant Friend , the disturbing and beautiful first book of Ferrante’s sequence, centres on the narrator’s childhood friendship with the unforgettable Lila. Both girls are ambitious and courageous; both struggle to transcend the limits of the oppressively male world around them. Like Proust, Ferrante has an uncanny memory. She recalls the passions and traumas of her girlhood as if they happened yesterday. The story she tells is in one sense local and particular. But she tells it with a piercing urgency that transforms it into something universal, which has resonated with millions of readers worldwide. David Free Conversations with Friends, Sally Rooney (2017) Before every book marketed to Millennial women became stamped with a cursory “for fans of Sally Rooney”, there was Conversations With Friends , the book that kicked off the Irish author’s career and, arguably, an entire literary genre. Despite having released three novels since – each a success in their own right – Conversations is still Rooney at her best. Ultimately, this is a book about relationships: the friendship between college students, poets and former lovers Frances and Bobbi; the marriage between alluring older couple Melissa and Nick; the addictive and, honestly very hot, love affair of Frances and Nick; and the bloodied relationship between Frances and her body. Being a Rooney fan may have become somewhat of a cliche (though one much less painful than that of her literary haters, in my opinion), but there’s no denying this book changed what we considered possible in fiction for, and about, young women. Gyan Yankovich Hit So Hard, Patty Schemel (2017) I’m sorry, but Patty Schemel’s memoir of drugs, sex(uality) and existential annihilation is rock and roll. The prose is clean, rigorous and every bit as pacy as Schemel’s drums thrashing and churning during Live Through This . You don’t necessarily need to care about Seattle grunge, riot grrrl, textured portraits of Kurt Cobain (whose pathos Schemel perfectly evokes here) or exactly what it’s like to throw a puppy-shaped backpack full of Anne Rice paraphernalia at Courtney Love, to appreciate this memoir. Just savour the unexpected, ambient turns of phrase (an addict’s excuses and escape plans, their little bouts of salvation bargaining: the “geographic cure”; Courtney Love playing Melbourne’s Big Day Out with Hole: a “radiant nightmare”.) There is, too, the affecting gallows humour, as in the unexpected punchline to a story of someone casually injecting heroin in their neck during casual conversation; or the eerie moment Schemel, watching the news, sees her own picture displayed during reports of the death of a fellow Hole member. Dumpster-diving, so to speak, through LA dreams and Madonna’s garbage, all while maintaining the kind of stoicism Marcus Aurelius would kill for, Schemel’s voice – graceful, resonant, beguiling – convinced me that, sometimes, the only way out is through. Declan Fry My Year of Rest and Relaxation, Ottessa Moshfegh (2018) My Year of Rest and Relaxation is an exercise in hypnotised reading. Such is the skill of Ottessa Moshfegh, taking us through the story of an appallingly beautiful 26-year old woman who embarks on an ambitious self-imposed quarantine to sleep for a year. The unnamed narrator is a rich, skinny orphaned elite. She approaches her voluntary isolation with the focus of a cyclist about to tackle the Tour de France. It’s mid-June 2000 when her drug-induced hibernation begins. “I didn’t do much in my waking hours besides watch movies,” she announces in the opening pages. Her dogged attempts to detach herself from reality are thwarted (or aided) by a pair of hilarious sidekicks – her psychiatrist, Dr Tuttle, a turtle-neck wearing quack who encourages 14 hours of sleep; and Reva, the painfully jealous loyal friend who suffers from a degree of self-loathing that makes her both utterly detestable and endearing. Saying no to the world that was not made for women, this text therefore feels resolutely feminist. Our heroine’s utter denial of stimuli feels both outrageous and inspiring. No other book captures the sweet malaise that was the late ’90s, pre-9/11 New York era. Jessie Tu Praiseworthy , Alexis Wright (2023) Praiseworthy is a canon-crushing Australian novel for the ages – a grand, whirling hymn of everywhen. Wright’s real-life frustrations at the indignities of the Anthropocene stalk the pages of this bitterly funny book. When a methane-like haze settles over the once-tidy town of Praiseworthy , a dreamer – Cause Man Steel – sees an opportunity to capitalise on this new, ferocious era of heat. There’s a fortune to be made, deliverance to be found. Is he a schemer or a visionary? Prophet or fool? His journey will be as absurd as it is epic – a Don Quixote of the dust. “I believe literature must meet the scale of what is happening in the world,” Wright explains. “We have to, even foolishly, believe that anything can be done in life or in literature with deep thought”. Praiseworthy is not just the product of deep thought, but an invitation – a mighty and generous invitation – to do the thinking for ourselves. Beejay Silcox Honourable mentions Things I Didn’t Know: A Memoir , Robert Hughes (2005) Wolf Hall, Hilary Mantel (2009) Outline , Rachel Cusk (2014) Lincoln in the Bardo , George Saunders (2017) The Overstory , Richard Powers (2018) What books do you think deserve a place on the list? Tell us in the comments.

https://arab.news/4tkbz UNITED NATIONS: The UN General Assembly on Wednesday overwhelmingly adopted a resolution calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza, a symbolic gesture rejected by the United States and Israel. The resolution — adopted by a vote of 158-9, with 13 abstentions — urges “an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire,” and “the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages” — wording similar to a text vetoed by Washington in the Security Council last month. At that time, Washington used its veto power on the Council — as it has before — to protect its ally Israel, which has been at war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip since the Palestinian militant group’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. It has insisted on the idea of making a ceasefire conditional on the release of all hostages in Gaza, saying otherwise that Hamas has no incentive to free those in captivity. Deputy US Ambassador Robert Wood repeated that position Wednesday, saying it would be “shameful and wrong” to adopt the text. Ahead of the vote, Israel’s UN envoy Danny Danon said: “The resolutions before the assembly today are beyond logic. (...) The vote today is not a vote for compassion. It is a vote for complicity.” The General Assembly often finds itself taking up measures that cannot get through the Security Council, which has been largely paralyzed on hot-button issues such as Gaza and Ukraine due to internal politics, and this time is no different. The resolution, which is non-binding, demands “immediate access” to widespread humanitarian aid for the citizens of Gaza, especially in the besieged north of the territory. Dozens of representatives of UN member states addressed the Assembly before the vote to offer their support to the Palestinians. “Gaza doesn’t exist anymore. It is destroyed,” said Slovenia’s UN envoy Samuel Zbogar. “History is the harshest critic of inaction.” That criticism was echoed by Algeria’s deputy UN ambassador Nacim Gaouaoui, who said: “The price of silence and failure in the face of the Palestinian tragedy is a very heavy price, and it will be heavier tomorrow.” Hamas’s October 2023 attack on southern Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,208 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. That count includes hostages who died or were killed while being held in Gaza. Militants abducted 251 hostages, 96 of whom remain in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead. Israel’s retaliatory offensive in Gaza has killed at least 44,805 people, a majority of them civilians, according to data from the Hamas-run health ministry that is considered reliable by the United Nations. “Gaza today is the bleeding heart of Palestine,” Palestinian UN Ambassador Riyad Mansour said last week during the first day of debate in the Assembly’s special session on the issue. “The images of our children burning in tents, with no food in their bellies and no hopes and no horizon for the future, and after having endured pain and loss for more than a year, should haunt the conscience of the world and prompt action to end this nightmare,” he said, calling for an end to the “impunity.” The Gaza resolution calls on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to present “proposals on how the United Nations could help to advance accountability” by using existing mechanisms or creating new ones based on past experience. The Assembly, for example, created an international mechanism to gather evidence of crimes committed in Syria starting from the outbreak of civil war in 2011. A second resolution calling on Israel to respect the mandate of the UN agency supporting Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) and allow it to continue its operations was passed Wednesday by a vote of 159-9 with 11 abstentions. Israel has voted to ban the organization starting January 28, after accusing some UNRWA employees of taking part in Hamas’s devastating attack.

Fresno’s Parsec Education secures $8M in venture capital to help improve student outcomesHOUSTON — Just like you're watching for holiday sales, criminals are watching for you to let your guard down. They love to take advantage of the seasonal chaos and people's giving nature this time of year. PREVENTION TIPS: • Juggins: Be aware if you are being followed while making a big purchase or withdrawal from the bank. • Porch Pirates: Use alternate delivery methods – many stores are now accepting packages from FedEx, Amazon, and UPS and will hold them until you pick them up. • Burglary of a Motor Vehicle Prevention: Park in well-lit and high-traffic areas, travel light, and leave the extra items at home and not in your car. Always lock your car doors and store any purchases in the trunk. • Robbery Prevention: Carry a crossbody purse and limit the cash and cards you have on you. Also, don't carry a designer purse or wear expensive jewelry or watches. • Online ID Theft Prevention: Before purchasing online, ensure the website you are using is verified. Use alternate, safe online payment methods like PayPal, Google, or Apple Pay. • DWI Prevention: If you are going to parties and plan on drinking, make a plan on how you will get home before you leave the house. • Burglary Prevention: Don't post your holiday vacation plans online; it advertises an empty house, and while you are gone, keep your lights on a timer. • Post Holiday Safety: After the gifts have been opened, don't advertise your gifts to would-be thieves by placing the empty boxes out for trash. Cut them up and place them in trash bags that conceal the contents. For more information, follow HPD on social media, @houstonpolice ; they'll be posting this information throughout the month. Also, go to their website for more crime prevention tips, houstonpolice.org . If you become a victim of a crime, you should call 9-1-1 if you are in danger or need immediate assistance. Or, call the non-emergency line at (713) 884-3131. Some police reports can be made online or over the phone, and the non-emergency number will give you information on how to proceed.

Fishburn leads at Sea Island as Dahmen keeps hope alive to keep job“I feel like he will be the difference” – One player could give Arsenal huge boost this weekendParking charges look set to be brought in at a number of car parks Parking charges look set to be brought in at a number of car parks and coastal locations where they are currently free in Wirral . This is despite 80.6% saying they opposed all the parking plans put forward by Wirral Council . In September, the local authority announced a plan to bring in traffic regulation orders that would see charges introduced at 22 car parks and on roads in three coastal areas where they’re currently free. Car parks where people already pay are also set to see an increase. The plans drew quick backlash from people in areas like New Brighton and Bromborough as well as criticisms from Conservative and Liberal Democrat councillors. One petition received over a car park in Bromborough received 3,558 signatures. At an environment and transport committee on December 3, councillors are recommended to approve new charges on 22 car parks and on-street bays in three areas that are currently free as well as increase fees by 20p where it already charges. A £1 charge could also be brought in overnight. The council said this would be in line with a policy that was unanimously approved in 2023. This parking strategy said the council could apply standardised parking charges across the borough as well as the ability to introduce traffic regulations where required. The report published before the committee said it would help with parking demand during peak times and “encourages fairness and equity across the borough with consistent charging.” The report also suggests on-street charges in places like Hoylake and Meols would help better manage parking issues. Money raised from these new parking charges are expected to be around £150,000 to £300,000 from 2026 with any income not expected to be generated until summer next year in 2025. A £1m bid will be needed to cover the costs of pay and display equipment, new signs, maintenance and lines on roads. This would be covered by borrowing, costing the council’s day to day revenue budget £87,000 a year for ten years. This means Wirral Council could make an extra £63,000 to £213,000 a year by 2026. The local authority plans to review the charges every year in line with road traffic laws. A public feedback exercise carried out by the council before making the changes was filled out by 3,070 people with 85% or more opposing charges in Hoylake and Meols, West Kirby , Wallasey , and New Brighton. 93.9% said they opposed bringing in charges for car parks where it’s currently free. Merseyrail and the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority have also raised concerns about bringing in charges at three car parks close to Hoylake and Green Lane train stations. They worried it could see more people travel into Liverpool by car rather than doing a park and ride and lead to more car journeys overall. In response, the council said if the charges were approved by the committee, the council would explore leasing the three car parks to Merseyrail and the Combined Authority as well as offering that as an option to a local health centre for the Pasture Road car park in Moreton. If no agreement was reached, then charges would be brought in. Concerns brought up by those opposed included concerns about the impact on local businesses, people parking elsewhere and charges potentially stopping people from exercising and going outdoors. However data published by the council showed no drop in trips in the 25 weeks after standardised parking charges were brought in in 2021. The cost of living was also raised as an issue with one person saying it was “the last thing the people need.” However the council said charges moved people towards public transport “helping the socially excluded and more vulnerable members of the local community by providing cost effective alternatives to the rise in motoring costs.” The council had suggested the parking charges were being brought in to address a shortfall in the parking budget back in July . Now Wirral Council insists the plan was “not to raise revenues but to manage the negative transport impacts and provide sustainable options” after complaints that could be illegal. Those in favour argued the council “should not be subsidising free parking in some areas that are more affluent” arguing the council had to pay to maintain car parks . Others said it could help manage traffic in busy areas like New Brighton and West Kirby Charges are expected to increase by 20p at the following car parks where charges already apply with a new £1 overnight charge. In Birkenhead , these are Europa Square, Cook Street, Wilbraham Street, Exmouth Street, Atherton Street, Europa Pools, Barton Street, Woodside Approach, Hinson Street, Duncan Street, Elgin Way, Quarry Bank Street, and Price Street. In Heswall, these are Upper Mount Avenue, Rocky Lane, Pye Road, Mount Avenue, Puddydale in Heswall and in West Kirby, Dee Lane and the Concourse. In Liscard, Seaview Road, Liscard Village, and Liscard Crescent could see costs increase as well as at Wirral Country Park in Thurstaston, Royden Park, Arrowe Country Park, and Eastham Country Park. New charges would also be brought in at the following car parks as well as a £1 overnight charge: Fort Perch Rock car park in New Brighton, Derby Pool car park in New Brighton, Chamberlain Street car park in Birkenhead, Old Chester Road Street car park in Birkenhead, Turner Street car park in Birkenhead, Banks Road car park in Heswall, Roslin Road car park in Irby, Fishers Lane car park in Pensby, Carr Lane car park in Hoylake, Charles Road car park in Hoylake, Market Street car park in Hoylake, Barlow Avenue car park in Bebington, Church Road car park in Bebington, Roland Avenue car park in Bebington, Allport Lane car park in Bromborough, Mill Park Drive car park in Eastham, Manor Road car park in Liscard, Garden Lane car park in Moreton, Holt Avenue car park in Moreton, Pasture Road car park in Moreton, Gunsite car park in Leasowe, Thurstaston Common car park in Thurstaston. Parking permits for traders of £720 a year and Wirral Council Park permits of £120 per year would be available if the new charges are approved.

NEW YORK, Dec. 12, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, announces it is investigating potential breaches of fiduciary duties by the directors and officers of Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) in connection with Southwest Airlines’ information technology infrastructure impacting Southwest Airlines’ business, operations, and stock price. If you currently own shares of Southwest Airlines stock, please visit the firm’s website at https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=10716 for more information. You may also contact Phillip Kim of Rosen Law Firm toll free at 866-767-3653 or via email at case@rosenlegal.com . Why Rosen Law: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs’ Bar. Many of the firm’s attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm , on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/ . Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 case@rosenlegal.com www.rosenlegal.com