circus ringmaster

MUNICH (AP) — Harry Kane is the quickest player to score 50 goals in the Bundesliga after scoring a hat trick on his 43rd appearance on Friday. Kane’s three goals – including two penalties – gave Bayern a 3-0 win over Augsburg , stretching the Bavarian powerhouse’s lead to eight points ahead of the rest of the 11th round. Kane scored 36 goals in 32 league appearances last season, his first for Bayern after joining from Tottenham. It was also the first season since 2012 that Bayern failed to win the title, as Bayer Leverkusen went undefeated to snap Bayern's winning run. As well as 14 league goals this season, Kane has scored five in the Champions League and one in the German Cup. Against Augsburg, he had to be patient as Augsburg goalkeeper Nediljko Labrović and his defenders stood firm. “It was somehow typical Harry Kane,” Bayern coach Vincent Kompany said. “It was close in the first half, close, close, close, and then it happens, I think three goals in 15 minutes. Of course, he can do that. But for such a player, I have to say, he had a lot of chances that he could maybe make more of. Then, in an instant, everything is perfect and he can score many goals.” AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccerJosh Gottheimer trades in Microsoft options, buys and sells various stockspassed his first Real test as boss - by achieving what predecessor never could. In almost a decade in charge of Liverpool, Klopp failed to beat . But Slot has now taken down the European champions within six months - as part of his mission to make sure Klopp will not be missed. Second half goals from Alexis Mac Allister and substitute Cody Gakpo were more than enough to see Liverpool win this clash of European royalty. Whether Liverpool can go on to take Real's crown remains to be seen. Come and join The Daily Star on , the social media site set up by ex-Twitter boss Jack Dorsey. It's now the new go-to place for content after a mass exodus of the Elon Musk-owned Twitter/X. Fear not, we're not leaving , but we are jumping on the bandwagon. So come find our new account on , and see us social better than the rest. You can also learn more about The Daily Star team in what Bluesky calls a . So what are you waiting for?! Let's But this win left Slot's men on top of the table looking down on the rest, safe in the knowledge no-one will want to face them further down the line. Fifteen years had passed since Liverpool last beat Real. A run of eight games, including two crushing final losses. But this felt like the right time for Liverpool to bring an end to the hoodoo. Want to be on the ball with all of the latest football news? Well then sign up for the brilliant Daily Star Football email newsletter! From the latest transfer news to breaking stories, get it all in your email inbox. It only takes a matter of seconds. Simply , then provide your email address and that's it, job done. You'll receive an email with all of the top football stories. You can also sign up for our sport email, Off the Ball, for all the latest darts, boxing, snooker, F1 stories and more, The team's transition from Klopp to Slot has been seamless, with the Merseyside outfit storming into a handsome lead at the top of the table. Liverpool had also started this week top of the Champions League pile as well, following four straight wins. Real, meanwhile, arrived at Anfield second in La Liga to bitter rivals , and in the bottom half of the Champions League table. Pressure was growing on Carlo Ancelotti, who was still struggling to get the best from superstar signing Kylian Mbappe. While Jude Bellingham was also failing to hit the remarkable heights of his debut season, with just two goals in 13 games in all competitions. And it was Liverpool who almost went ahead inside the opening five minutes. Mo Salah picked the pocket of Mbappe before exchanging passes with Darwin Nunez, who saw his angled shot hacked off the line by Raul Asencio. Luis Diaz then shot wide before Thibaut Courtois produced an instinctive save to deny Nunez from point blank range. Liverpool dominated while Real offered little. And when Mbappe did threaten to break free, the impeccable Conor Bradley was on hand to snuff him out with a crunching tackle. Nunez sent a header inches wide of the far post, before Courtois kept another one out from Diaz as Real continued to ride their luck. Curtis Jones shot over the top before Courtois produced another fine save to keep out Bradley's header. But Real's resistance was broken before the hour mark when Mac Allister ran onto Bradley's pass and swivelled, before sliding a low shot into the bottom corner. Moments later Mac Allister could have doubled the advantage, but curled a shot just wide. Then came the low point of a miserable night for Mbappe, when Caoimhin Kelleher saved his penalty. With 20 minutes remaining Salah had the chance to bury Real, but came out in sympathy for Mbappe instead by missing a penalty of his own. But it didn't matter. The Spanish giants had been reduced to a shambles. And Gakpo piled on the pain for Ancelotti's men 14 minutes from time with a powerful header that gave Courtois no chance. History has shown you can never write-off Real. But there was no coming back this time, against a team under Slot that will take some stopping in the coming months.circus ringmaster 。

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Several members of Donald Trump’s incoming administration have received threats including bomb alerts, the FBI said on Nov 27, with one nominee reporting a pipe-bomb scare sent with a pro-Palestinian message. “The FBI is aware of numerous bomb threats and swatting incidents targeting incoming administration nominees and appointees, and we are working with our law enforcement partners,” the agency said, in a statement. Swatting refers to the practice in which police are summoned urgently to someone’s house under false pretences. Such hoax calls are common in the United States and have seen numerous senior political figures targeted in recent years. Ms Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for Trump’s transition team, earlier said that several appointees and nominees “were targeted in violent, un-American threats to their lives and those who live with them.” READ MORE HERE Lebanon’s Hezbollah on Nov 27 vowed to continue its resistance and support Palestinians, including fighters, a day after a ceasefire deal between the group and Israel was announced. In the first statement by Hezbollah’s operations centre since the deal was announced, the group made no direct mention of the ceasefire deal. “The Islamic resistance’s operations room affirms that its fighters in all military disciplines will remain fully equipped to deal with the aspirations and assaults of the Israeli enemy,” the group said. READ MORE HERE US President-elect Donald Trump announced on Nov 27 that he was nominating staunch loyalist and retired general Keith Kellogg as his Ukraine envoy, charged with ending the two-and-a-half-year Russian invasion. Trump campaigned on a platform of ushering a swift end to the war in Ukraine, boasting that he would quickly mediate a ceasefire deal between President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian leader Vladimir Putin. But his critics have warned that the incoming Republican will likely leverage US military aid to pressure Kyiv into an agreement that leaves it ceding occupied territory permanently or agreeing not to join Nato. READ MORE HERE Italian police said on Nov 27 they had dismantled the most widespread transnational criminal video piracy network, which had over 22 million users in Italy and Europe. The network allegedly had an estimated illegal turnover of over €250 million (S$350 million) a month, hurting the revenue of pay TV companies to the tune of €10 billion, Italian police in the Sicilian town of Catania said. They said 270 officers had carried out 89 searches in 15 Italian regions. Another 14 searches were made in Britain, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, Romania and Croatia, leading to 11 arrests, Italian authorities said in a press conference in Catania. READ MORE HERE Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal has won the 2024 Golden Boy award, capping a year in which he helped Spain win Euro 2024, and at 17 years and four months is the youngest-ever winner of the prize, Italian sports newspaper Tuttosport reported on Nov 27. The award recognises players under the age of 21 playing in Europe, and Yamal was chosen ahead of Real Madrid’s Arda Guler and Paris St Germain’s Warren Zaire-Emery. Yamal was named Young Player of Euro 2024 in Germany, where he became the youngest player to appear in the finals and his goal in the semi-final win over France made him the tournament’s youngest scorer. READ MORE HERESouth Korea president escapes impeachment over martial law fiascoLAS VEGAS — There are three races remaining in the Formula 1 season and Max Verstappen of Red Bull is close to a fourth consecutive world championship, which can wrap up Saturday night at the Las Vegas Grand Prix. All is not smooth sailing headed into this final month of racing: "It was a bit of a surprise, I think, for everybody," said Mercedes driver George Russell, a GPDA director. "It's a hell of a lot of pressure now onto the new race director (with) just three races left. Often, as drivers, we probably feel like we're the last to find out this sort of information." The Andretti team is expected to receive F1 approval to join the grid, albeit without Michael Andretti, who has scaled back his role dramatically since the IndyCar season ended in September. Many drivers, particularly seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, have been at odds with FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem since his election following the 2021 season finale. In the GDPA statement, they reminded the sanctioning body "our members are adults" who don't need lectures and fines on foul language or jewelry bans, and simply want fair and consistent race control. There's been no response from Ben Sulayem, and won't be this weekend since he does not attend the LVGP. He will be at Qatar and the finale in Abu Dhabi next month. Hamilton doesn't think all the behind-the-scenes changes will be a fan topic as the season comes to a close. But he noted that consistency from race control is all the drivers have asked for, while throwing his support behind Domenicali and the job Maffei has done in growing F1 since Liberty took over. "I really hope Stefano is not leaving because he's been so instrumental in changes and progress to this whole thing," Hamilton said. "And he knows the sport as well as anyone. But all good things do come to an end, and whoever they put into place, I just hope they are like-minded. But sometimes you have to shake the trees." That's just what happened with the surprise departure of race director Wittich. Although drivers have been unhappy with race officiating this season and held a private GPDA meeting in Mexico City, Russell said they had no prior warning Wittich was out. The race director is the referee each weekend and Wittich has been in charge since 2022, when Michael Masi was fired following the controversial 2021 season-ending, championship-altering finale at Abu Dhabi. Now the man in charge for the final three races is Rui Marques, the Formula 2 and Formula 3 race director. Las Vegas, which overcame multiple stumbling blocks in last year's debut before putting on one of the best races of the season, is a difficult place to start. Verstappen can win his fourth title by simply scoring three points more than Lando Norris of McLaren. "It's a bit weird with three races to go to do that," Verstappen said. "It doesn't matter if you're positive or negative about certain things. I thought in Brazil there was definitely room for improvement, for example. It's still a bit weird having to now then deal with a different race director." Charles Leclerc of Ferrari wondered why the move was made with only three races to go. "To do it so late in the season, at such a crucial moment of the season, it could have probably been managed in a better way," he said. The drivers have consistently asked for clearer guidelines in the officiating of races, specifically regarding track limits and racing rules. The drivers have no idea how Marques will officiate, highlighting a disconnect between the competitors and Ben Sulaymen's FIA. "We just want to be transparent with the FIA and have this dialogue that is happening," Russell said. "And I think the departure of Niels is also a prime example of not being a part of these conversations." The GDPA statement made clear the drivers do not think their voice is being heard. "If we feel we're being listened to, and some of the changes that we are requesting are implemented, because ultimately we're only doing it for the benefit of the sport, then maybe our confidence will increase," Russell said. "But I think there's a number of drivers who feel a bit fed up with the whole situation. It only seems to be going in the wrong direction." He also said the relationship between the drivers and the FIA seems fractured. "Sometimes just hiring and firing is not the solution," he said. "You need to work together to improve the problem." Norris, who has battled Verstappen this year with mixed officiating rulings, said "obviously things are not running as smoothly as what we would want." Marques has his first driver meeting ahead of Thursday night's two practice sessions and then three weeks to prove to the competitors he is up for the job. Carlos Sainz Jr., who will leave Ferrari for Williams at the end of the season, hopes the drama doesn't distract from the momentum F1 has built over the last five years. "I think Formula 1 is in a great moment right now and all these rumors, I think in every team, every job, there's job changes," he said. "It's not big drama. I'm a big fan of the people you mentioned, they've done an incredible job in Formula 1 and Formula 1 is what it is thanks to these people. But it's just so emotional, especially the Stefano one. The only one that has a real effect is the race director. But I think if he does a good job, it should be transparent and nothing big."

have always been something to be admired because of their beauty, and they are now ready to be used in the critical field of space exploration. Scientists from UNSW have designed an innovative maser device based on purple diamonds. It will have the potential to boost weak microwave signals originating from distant celestial objects or spacecraft, revolutionizing our space exploration techniques. Boosting Signals from Deep Space According to , an innovative maser device makes use of a lab-grown purple diamond that is capable of amplifying weak microwave signals by 1000 times. These signals come from deep-space objects like pulsars, galaxies, and distant spacecraft like Voyager 1. The diamond can do this at room temperature, an extraordinary feat away from the very low temperatures used in the traditional masers. Room-Temperature Operation Unlike any currently used maser technology, existing devices mostly rely on extreme cooling down to temperatures of around -269°C (-452°F). The process, that would suppress electrical noise produced from moving electrons, is at once costly and technologically taxing. The new maser removes this roadblock. "Our room-temperature solid-state maser amplifier avoids all the complication and cost of having to cool everything down to extremely low temperatures and is also much more compact," said UNSW researcher Dr. David Pla. How the Purple Diamond Maser Works To produce this cutting-edge maser, scientists synthesized nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in the diamond by introducing defects during its growth. The NV centers are crucial for the functionality of the maser. The maser amplifies incoming microwave signals by applying a magnetic field and a green laser to the diamond's spin system. "The microwaves enter the device and then the spins inside the diamond create copies of them, which in effect amplifies the microwave signals. Ideally, the microwave signals then come out much larger and with very little noise on top," Pla. Applications Beyond Space Exploration Although its main application is in space exploration, the room-temperature maser also has immense potential in defense technology, especially in radar systems. Radars work by sending out electromagnetic radiation, which bounces off objects and returns to the radar system. More advanced maser technology would make these systems more sensitive, thus enabling them to pick up objects at a greater distance with higher accuracy. The maser technology is promising but still needs further improvement. Some of the key areas that need to be enhanced include noise reduction and increasing the concentration of NV centers in the diamond. In essence, we have to make the diamonds more purple. The purple color arises due to red light emission from NV centers. Increasing density to get darker samples produces more gain but also noise," Tom Day, the lead author of the study said. On the other hand, with increased NV density, defects that may appear undesirable surface, present materials engineering challenges that scientists are tackling with intensity. Within a few years, the first commercial version of this maser device may find its way onto the market and potentially change the face of space exploration, defense, and other areas. The study published in Physical Review X has made it possible to reach another step forward in exploiting diamond-based technology for more useful applications.

City of Tracy Parks & Rec hosted adult softball co-ed championship game last Monday night. Jay’s Gourmet - Food with Soul took home the trophy, ending their undefeated season with an 11-0 record. The Brew Jays took second place. The co-ed league came back to life this year after a pandemic caused hiatus and will be back again in the spring of 2025. Contact the Tracy Press sportsdesk at aarmeniakos@tracypress.com , or call 209-830-4229.

Police hunt for UnitedHealthcare CEO's masked killer after 'brazen, targeted' attack on NYC street NEW YORK (AP) — A gunman killed UnitedHealthcare’s CEO on Wednesday in a “brazen, targeted attack” outside a Manhattan hotel where the health insurer was holding its investor conference, police said, setting off a massive search for the fleeing assailant hours before the annual Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting nearby. Brian Thompson, 50, was shot around 6:45 a.m. as he walked alone to the New York Hilton Midtown from a nearby hotel, police said. The shooter appeared to be “lying in wait for several minutes” before approaching Thompson from behind and opening fire, New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. Police had not yet established a motive. “Many people passed the suspect, but he appeared to wait for his intended target,” Tisch said, adding that the shooting "does not appear to be a random act of violence.” Surveillance video reviewed by investigators shows someone emerging from behind a parked car, pointing a gun at Thompson’s back, then firing multiple times from several feet away. The gunman continues firing, interrupted by a brief gun jam, as Thompson stumbles forward and falls to the sidewalk. He then walks past Thompson and out of the frame. “From watching the video, it does seem that he’s proficient in the use of firearms as he was able to clear the malfunctions pretty quickly,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said. UnitedHealthcare CEO kept a low public profile. Then he was shot to death in New York NEW YORK (AP) — Brian Thompson led one of the biggest health insurers in the U.S. but was unknown to millions of people his decisions affected. Then Wednesday's targeted fatal shooting of the UnitedHealthcare CEO on a midtown Manhattan sidewalk thrust the executive and his business into the national spotlight. Thompson, who was 50, had worked at the giant UnitedHealth Group Inc for 20 years and run the insurance arm since 2021 after running its Medicare and retirement business. As CEO, Thompson led a firm that provides health coverage to more than 49 million Americans — more than the population of Spain. United is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans, the privately run versions of the U.S. government’s Medicare program for people age 65 and older. The company also sells individual insurance and administers health-insurance coverage for thousands of employers and state-and federally funded Medicaid programs. The business run by Thompson brought in $281 billion in revenue last year, making it the largest subsidiary of the Minnetonka, Minnesota-based UnitedHealth Group. His $10.2 million annual pay package, including salary, bonus and stock options awards, made him one of the company's highest-paid executives. Hegseth fights to save Pentagon nomination as sources say Trump considers DeSantis WASHINGTON (AP) — A defiant Pete Hegseth fought to save his nomination to be Donald Trump's defense secretary Wednesday as the president-elect considered possible replacements in the face of growing questions about the former Fox News host's personal conduct and ability to win Senate confirmation. Hegseth met with legislators on Capitol Hill, conducted a radio interview and released an opinion article denying allegations of sexual assault and excessive drinking. He insisted he was “not backing down one bit," that Trump was still supporting him and he planned to return Thursday for more meetings with lawmakers. But the president-elect's team was looking at alternatives including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Trump himself remained quiet about Hegseth while issuing a flurry of statements on social media Wednesday about other nominees and his news coverage. Hegeth, asked if he'd meet with Trump on Thursday, said he'd meet with him “anytime he'd like." Hegseth is the latest nominee-designate to be imperiled by personal baggage after the recent withdrawal of Trump’s initial pick for attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, whose vulnerabilities were well-documented. But Hegseth’s past, including the revelation that he made a settlement payment after being accused of a sexual assault that he denies, was not widely known. Supreme Court seems likely to uphold Tennessee's ban on medical treatments for transgender minors WASHINGTON (AP) — Hearing a high-profile culture-war clash, the Supreme Court on Wednesday seemed likely to uphold Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming care for minors. The justices’ decision, not expected for several months, could affect similar laws enacted by another 25 states and a range of other efforts to regulate the lives of transgender people, including which sports competitions they can join and which bathrooms they can use. The case is being weighed by a conservative-dominated court after a presidential election in which Donald Trump and his allies promised to roll back protections for transgender people, showcasing the uneasy intersection between law, politics and individual rights. The Biden administration's top Supreme Court lawyer warned a decision favorable to Tennessee also could be used to justify nationwide restrictions on transgender healthcare for minors. In arguments that lasted more than two hours, five of the six conservative justices voiced varying degrees of skepticism of arguments made by the administration and Chase Strangio, the ACLU lawyer for Tennessee families challenging the ban. Peter Navarro served prison time related to Jan. 6. Now Trump is bringing him back as an adviser WASHINGTON (AP) — Former White House adviser Peter Navarro, who served prison time related to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, will return to serve in Donald Trump’s second administration, the president-elect announced Wednesday. Navarro, a trade adviser during Trump’s first term, will be a senior counselor for trade and manufacturing, Trump said on Truth Social. The position, Trump wrote, “leverages Peter’s broad range of White House experience, while harnessing his extensive Policy analytic and Media skills.” The appointment was only the first in a flurry of announcements that Trump made on Wednesday as his presidential transition faced controversy over Pete Hegseth, Trump’s choice for Pentagon chief. Hegseth faces allegations of sexual misconduct, excessive drinking and financial mismanagement, and Trump has considered replacing him with another potential nominee. As he works to fill out his team, Trump said he wanted Paul Atkins, a financial industry veteran and an advocate for cryptocurrency, to serve as the next chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission. He wrote on Truth Social that Atkins “recognizes that digital assets & other innovations are crucial to Making America Greater than Ever Before.” Trump also said he was changing course on his choice for White House counsel. He said his original pick, William McGinley, will work with the Department of Government Efficiency, which will be run by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy with the goal of cutting federal spending. Now David Warrington, who has worked as Trump’s personal lawyer and a lawyer for his campaign, will serve as White House counsel. Israeli strikes on a Gaza tent camp kill at least 21 people, hospital says KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli airstrikes tore through a tent camp for displaced Palestinians in southern Gaza on Wednesday, sparking fires and killing at least 21 people, according to the head of a nearby hospital, in the latest assault on a sprawling tent city that Israel designated a humanitarian safe zone but has repeatedly targeted. The Israeli military said it struck senior Hamas militants “involved in terrorist activities” in the area, without providing additional details, and said it took precautions to minimize harm to civilians. The strike on the Muwasi tent camp was one of several deadly assaults across the Gaza Strip on Wednesday. An Israeli attack in central Gaza killed at least 10 more people, including four children, according to Palestinian medics. Israel’s devastating war in Gaza, launched after Hamas’ October 2023 attack, shows no signs of ending after nearly 14 months. Hamas is still holding dozens of Israeli hostages, and most of Gaza’s population has been displaced and is reliant on international food aid to survive. Israel is also pressing a major offensive in the isolated north, where experts say Palestinians might be experiencing famine. The Biden administration has pledged to make a new push for a Gaza ceasefire now that there's a truce in Lebanon between Israel and the militant group Hezbollah, ending more than a year of cross-border fighting. Meanwhile, President-elect Donald Trump demanded this week the release of hostages held by Hamas before he is sworn into office in January. South Korean President Yoon's martial law declaration raises questions over his political future SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — President Yoon Suk Yeol’s stunning martial law declaration lasted just hours, but experts say it raised serious questions about his ability to govern for the remaining 2 1/2 years of his term and whether he will abide by democratic principles. The opposition-controlled parliament overturned the edict, and his rivals on Wednesday took steps to impeach him. One analyst called his action “political suicide.” Yoon’s political fate may depend on whether a large number of people in coming days take to the streets to push for his ouster. Here's a look at the political firestorm caused by the martial law declaration, the first of its kind in more than 40 years. Yoon's declaration of emergency martial law on Tuesday night was accompanied by a pledge to eliminate “shameless North Korea followers and anti-state forces at a single stroke.” He vowed to protect the country from “falling into the depths of national ruin.” Yoon, a conservative, cited repeated attempts by his liberal rivals in control of parliament to impeach his top officials and curtail key parts of his budget bill for next year. French lawmakers vote to oust prime minister in the first successful no-confidence vote since 1962 PARIS (AP) — France’s far-right and left-wing lawmakers joined together Wednesday in a historic no-confidence vote prompted by budget disputes that forces Prime Minister Michel Barnier and his Cabinet members to resign, a first since 1962. The National Assembly approved the motion by 331 votes. A minimum of 288 were needed. President Emmanuel Macron insisted he will serve the rest of his term until 2027. However, he will need to appoint a new prime minister for the second time after July’s legislative elections led to a deeply divided parliament. Macron will address the French on Thursday evening, his office said, without providing details. Barnier is expected to formally resign by then. A conservative appointed in September, Barnier becomes the shortest-serving prime minister in France’s modern Republic. White House says at least 8 US telecom firms, dozens of nations impacted by China hacking campaign WASHINGTON (AP) — A top White House official on Wednesday said at least eight U.S. telecom firms and dozens of nations have been impacted by a Chinese hacking campaign. Deputy national security adviser Anne Neuberger offered new details about the breadth of the sprawling Chinese hacking campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans. Neuberger divulged the scope of the hack a day after the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued guidance intended to help root out the hackers and prevent similar cyberespionage in the future. White House officials cautioned that the number of telecommunication firms and countries impacted could still grow. The U.S. believes that the hackers were able to gain access to communications of senior U.S. government officials and prominent political figures through the hack, Neuberger said. “We don’t believe any classified communications has been compromised,” Neuberger added during a call with reporters. Harris found success with women who have cats, but Trump got the dog owner vote: AP VoteCast WASHINGTON (AP) — The lead-up to the 2024 election was all about cat owners. But in the end, the dogs had their day. President-elect Donald Trump won slightly more than half of voters who own either cats or dogs, with a big assist from dog owners, according to AP VoteCast, a survey of more than 120,000 voters. Dog owners were much more likely to support the Republican over Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris. Cat owners were split between the two candidates. About two-thirds of voters said they own a dog or cat, but pet owners don't usually get much attention from politicians. This year, however, past comments by Trump's running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, about “childless cat ladies” briefly became a campaign issue — and Taylor Swift signed her Instagram endorsement of Harris in September as “Taylor Swift Childless Cat Lady.” Harris did end up decisively winning support from women who owned a cat but not a dog. Still, those voters were a relatively small slice of the electorate, and pet owners as a whole did not seem to hold Vance's remarks against the GOP ticket. Childless or not, women who only owned a cat were more likely to support Harris than were dog owners, or voters who had a cat and a dog. About 6 in 10 women who owned a cat but not a dog supported Harris, according to AP VoteCast. She did similarly well among women who did not own either kind of pet.

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Mitchell Santner ekes out New Zealand's first-innings total to 347Romania's far-right candidate Calin Georgescu on Saturday urged voters to go to polling stations despite the country's top court having scrapped the presidential elections over alleged irregularities amid claims of Russian interference. The court's shock ruling, coming just before the presidential run-off which had been due Sunday, opens the way for a new electoral process starting from scratch in the EU and NATO member state bordering war-torn Ukraine. The annulment follows a spate of intelligence documents declassified by the presidency this week detailing allegations against Georgescu and Russia, including claims of "massive" social media promotion and cyberattacks. Georgescu -- who unexpectedly topped last month's first round of voting -- called for voters on Sunday "to wait to be welcomed, to wait for democracy to win through their power", said a statement from his team. "Mr. Calin Georgescu believes that voting is an earned right," said the statement. "That is why he believes that Romanians have the right to be in front of the polling stations tomorrow." Georgescu himself would go to a polling station near Bucharest at 0600 GMT, said his team. Earlier Saturday, police raided three houses in Brasov city in central Romania as part of the investigation "in connection with crimes of voter corruption, money laundering, computer forgery". Among the houses searched was that of businessman Bogdan Peschir, a TikTok user who according to the declassified documents allegedly paid $381,000 to those involved in the promotion of Georgescu, Romanian media reported. Peschir has compared his support for Georgescu to the world's richest man Elon Musk's backing of US president-elect Donald Trump. Little-known outsider Georgescu, a 62-year-old former senior civil servant, was favourite to win the second round on Sunday against centrist pro-EU mayor Elena Lasconi, 52, according to several polls. But the constitutional court on Friday unanimously decided to annul the entire electoral process as it was "marred... by multiple irregularities and violations of electoral legislation". President Klaus Iohannis said on Saturday that he had discussed with European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, and they agreed on the "need to strengthen the security of social media". The European Commission announced earlier this week that it had stepped up monitoring TikTok after Romania's authorities alleged "preferential treatment" of Georgescu on the platform -- a claim the company has denied. Following the court's decision, the United States said it had faith in Romania's institutions and called for a "peaceful democratic process". Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., on X branded the vote's cancellation an "attempt at rigging the outcome" and "denying the will of the people". Georgescu called it "a formalised coup d'etat" and said democracy was "under attack". His team on Saturday declined to comment on the raids, saying they "will not comment or provide answers until we have exact data". Georgescu and another far-right party, the AUR, have said they plan to appeal the decision to stop the voting to the High Court of Cassation and Justice. A past admirer of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Georgescu, an EU and NATO sceptic, in recent days had reframed himself as "ultra pro-Trump," vowing to put Romania "on the world map" and cut aid for neighbouring Ukraine. In an interview with US broadcaster Sky News on Saturday, Georgescu said there were no links between him and Russia. Political scientist Costin Ciobanu told AFP that the annulment has "further polarised Romanian society". With trust in institutions and the ruling class already low, the vote's cancellation poses a "major danger that Romanians will think that it doesn't matter how they vote", Ciobanu added. Elsewhere in the EU, Austria annulled presidential elections in 2016 because of procedural irregularities. In Romania, a new government is expected to set another date for the presidential vote. In last weekend's legislative elections, the ruling Social Democrats came top. But far-right parties made big gains, securing an unprecedented third of the ballots on mounting anger over soaring inflation and fears over Russia's war in Ukraine. In a joint appeal on Wednesday, the Social Democrats and three other pro-EU parties -- together making up an absolute majority in parliament -- signed an agreement to form a coalition, promising "stability". bur-jza/jj1 2 Kolkata: In a remarkable achievement for biodiversity research, the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) has identified a new species of parasitic wasp, Ceraphron initium , in Nagaland. The discovery, along with the identification of four additional parasitic wasp species in the Western Ghats, underscores the critical ecological role these tiny insects play in maintaining environmental balance and supporting sustainable agriculture . Parasitic wasps , though often overlooked, play an indispensable role in regulating pest populations and maintaining ecological balance. These discoveries not only highlight India's abundant biodiversity but also provide valuable insights into sustainable agriculture practices.The findings were published in prestigious journals, including the European Journal of Taxonomy and Zootaxa, and mark significant progress in understanding India's rich natural heritage. A team of ZSI scientists, led by Kaomud Tyagi, discovered Ceraphron initium during a SERB-funded field survey in Nagaland. The species, belonging to the enigmatic Ceraphronoidea superfamily, was confirmed through meticulous morphological analysis by researchers Amit Kumar Ghosh, Vikas Kumar, and Dr Rameshkumar Anandan. The discovery sheds light on the "dark taxon" group—a term used to describe species that have remained undocumented due to their minute size (0.8 mm to 1.5 mm) and complex morphology. Advanced technologies and cutting-edge methodologies enabled researchers to identify this species, which is characterized by distinct wing patterns, pigmentation, body structure, and unique male genitalia. Dr Dhirti Banerjee, Director of ZSI, emphasized the significance of the finding: "This discovery highlights the incredible diversity of insect species in India and their crucial roles in ecosystem stability . It also underscores the need for sustained research and conservation efforts to preserve our natural heritage." Dr Banerjee added that future studies will focus on the molecular and bioecological aspects of these insects, which are vital for sustainable agriculture. In another major discovery, a ZSI team led by Dr Rajmohana K identified four new species of parasitic wasps—Calotelea acuta, C chitraka, C foveata, and C fulva—in the Western Ghats. These Hymenopteran wasps are known to regulate insect populations, thereby contributing to ecosystem health. The discoveries increase the total number of Calotelea species in India to 25, reinforcing the ecological importance of these lesser-known insect groups. ZSI scientist Kaomud Tyagi said,"These findings are a testament to the rich biodiversity of India and emphasize the need for continued exploration and study of our natural ecosystems." The detailed findings of Ceraphron initium have been published in Zootaxa, featuring high-resolution images, comprehensive descriptions, and an analysis of the species' ecological significance. Similarly, the research on the four newly discovered wasp species was published in the European Journal of Taxonomy. ZSI plans to focus on molecular studies and extensive taxonomical research on parasitic wasps better to understand their roles in agriculture and ecosystem health. These discoveries serve as a reminder of the importance of preserving India's natural habitats. The newly identified species underscore the need for increased awareness and action to protect the country's incredible biodiversity that supports life and agriculture.