fishing lure

fishing lure Federal DEI spending explodes under Biden-Harris administrationBy Elizabeth Ayoola, NerdWallet The investing information provided on this page is for educational purposes only. NerdWallet, Inc. does not offer advisory or brokerage services, nor does it recommend or advise investors to buy or sell particular stocks, securities or other investments. Kids are often pretty good at being consumers. If you’re a parent with a small business, you have the opportunity to show your kids firsthand what it means to be a producer. Small Business Saturday, which takes place on Nov. 30 this year, may be a great time to do just that. Small Business Saturday was established by American Express in 2010 and encourages consumers to patronize their local stores as a way to keep dollars circulating within their community. Here are three reasons you should consider getting your kids involved in Small Business Saturday, according to two mompreneurs. It teaches them positive work values Ronne Brown is the owner of HERLISTIC, a plant-derived beauty and feminine care brand in Washington, D.C. She’s been participating in Small Business Saturday since she established her business in 2020. The entrepreneur gets her kids (ages 24, 18 and 12), plus her bonus daughter, 10, to help out on Small Business Saturday and beyond. Brown’s kids help with customer service, shipping and fulfillment tasks. That could include counting inventory, quality control or packaging boxes. Other times, help looks like Brown’s 12-year-old daughter keeping her up-to-date with TikTok trends and influencers in the beauty field. “I just want them to understand the price and the value of a dollar and what it actually costs to make it,” Brown says. The mompreneur also hopes her kids learn the benefits of commitment and hard work. “What I want to show them is that you have to work hard every day. And there are gonna be moments where you’re gonna be tired, you’re gonna be exhausted, and you’re not gonna want to do things, and you’re going to have to push through,” she says. It creates an opportunity to earn money Hiring your kids to do legitimate work during Small Business Saturday provides a chance for them to learn pillars needed for a strong financial foundation: earning money , saving money and investing. That said, before hiring kids, it’s critical to understand the child labor laws for your state in addition to the IRS’ rules around hiring kids. Brown says she pays all of her children, including her 24-year-old son who is on payroll. Additionally, she teaches them about investing in the stock market. “I want them to understand the importance of making money, but also investing the money that they’re making,” she says. “Because when I pay them, I always ask them, ‘so what are you gonna do to double this money?’” If you hire your minor kids, they could get a headstart on investing by putting some of their income into a custodial Roth IRA , which requires earned income to open. You could also open them a custodial brokerage account. Another perk of your kids earning income by working for you is that they may be exempt from paying federal income taxes if they earn less than the standard deduction . In 2024, that threshold is $14,600. It gives you extra hands to deal with demand Having your kids add helping hands, whether it be doing administrative tasks or helping customers, can ensure you keep up with a potential increase in sales. A 2024 NerdWallet holiday spending report found that 16% of 2024 holiday shoppers plan to shop on Small Business Saturday this year. Lisset Tresvant, owner of Glow Esthetics Spa in Hollywood, Florida, has been participating in Small Business Saturday since the genesis of her business in 2019. “I do tend to sell more because people are usually more inclined to purchase because of the sales, and it gives them a reason to support us,” she says. To help with the demand, Tresvant’s daughter, 12, and son, 9, fill her skincare products, add labels and help prep items for shipping. Tresvant says she decided to let her kids get involved in her business so they have a better understanding of what she does. Looking beyond Small Business Saturday, hiring your child can also help with succession planning , which is about planning for your departure from your business. Tresvant hopes to pass hers down to her kids one day. “They understand that I’m building this legacy just for not myself, but for them as well,” says Tresvant. More From NerdWallet Elizabeth Ayoola writes for NerdWallet. Email: eayoola@nerdwallet.com. The article 3 Reasons to Involve Your Kids in Small Business Saturday originally appeared on NerdWallet .‘You’ll never get in front of it’: Hackers target schools daily

‘Lonely’: Queen Mary announces podcastDisenfranchisement of Muslims row: Let them jail me, I’ve left it to God, says Vokkaliga seer

Alexander: Dodgers’ signing of Blake Snell creates the traditional uproarThe national consumer watchdog is taking online travel booking website Webjet to over allegations it misled customers and breached consumer law. or signup to continue reading The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission alleges Webjet advertised minimum airfares but failed to disclose compulsory service and booking fees. It will also allege Webjet took payments for flights and sent customers confirmation emails, but had not booked the flights with the airline. ACCC chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said she was very concerned about the conduct. The pricing claims relate to Webjet's marketing on social media, emails and its app about minimum airfares to domestic and international destinations. Webjet advertised "flights from $x", however the quoted price did not include the Webjet servicing fee or booking price guarantee fee, which ranged from $34.90 to $54.90 per booking, the ACCC alleges. Among the examples were airfares to London advertised as "Flights from $1398* return". The statements were made between November 2018 to November 2023, the ACCC said. The ACCC alleges the additional fees were not disclosed on social media. It said while the information was available on the Webject app and website, it was not prominent and was written in fine print. Ms Cass-Gottlieb said the conduct came at a time when consumers were carefully . "A statement about the lowest price must be a true minimum price, not a price subject to further fees and charges before a booking can be made," she said. The ACCC will also allege Webjet breached consumer law by taking payment from customers but not booking the flight with the respective airline. Customers allegedly received a confirmation email after paying, but were then asked for an additional payment before Webjet would complete the booking, or were offered a refund instead. This conduct occurred across 382 bookings between at least November 2018 and June 2024, the ACCC alleges. The watchdog said customers may have made other travel arrangements having paid for their flight and receiving confirmation from Webjet. They may have had to choose between paying more money or cancelling other travel plans at a potential loss, the ACCC said. "We are very concerned about this alleged conduct by Webjet, which represented to consumers that their flight booking had been confirmed and left some consumers in the position of having to pay more to later complete the booking," Ms Cass-Gottlieb said. Through the Federal Court action, the ACCC is seeking penalties, declarations, injunctions, consumer redress, costs and other orders. Brittney is part of the federal political bureau, covering politics, the public service and economics. Brittney joined The Canberra Times in 2021 and was previously the property reporter. Got a news tip? Get in touch: brittney.levinson@canberratimes.com.au Brittney is part of the federal political bureau, covering politics, the public service and economics. Brittney joined The Canberra Times in 2021 and was previously the property reporter. Got a news tip? Get in touch: brittney.levinson@canberratimes.com.au DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. WEEKLY Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. WEEKLY Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. WEEKDAYS Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. TWICE WEEKLY Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday. WEEKLY Get news, reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert, ACM's exclusive motoring partner. TWICE WEEKLY Get real, Australia! Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over. AS IT HAPPENS Be the first to know when news breaks. DAILY Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! DAILY Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily! Advertisement Advertisement

No. 5 UCLA snaps No. 1 South Carolina's 43-game win streak

Elections Alberta is prepping for byelection already affected by postal strike'Most corrupt president': Outrage mounts over Trump's latest move in government takeoverThings to watch this week in the Big 12 Conference: No. 14 BYU (9-1, 6-1 Big 12, No. 14 CFP) at No. 21 Arizona State (8-2, 5-2, No. 21), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN) League newcomer Arizona State has a three-game winning streak and BYU is coming off its first loss. The Cougars, after losing at home to Kansas, still control their own destiny in making the Big 12 championship game. They can clinch a spot in that Dec. 7 game as early as Saturday, if they win and instate rival Utah wins at home against No. 22 Iowa State. Arizona State was picked at the bottom of the 16-team league in the preseason media poll, but already has a five-win improvement in coach Kenny Dillingham's second season. No. 16 Colorado (8-2, 6-1, No. 16 CFP) at Kansas (4-6, 3-4), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (Fox) Coach Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes are in prime position to make the Big 12 title game in their return to the league after 13 seasons in the Pac-12. If BYU and Utah win, Colorado would be able to claim the other title game spot with a win over Kansas. The Buffs have a four-game winning streak. The Jayhawks need another November win over a ranked Big 12 contender while trying to get bowl eligible for the third season in a row. Kansas has won consecutive games over Top 25 teams for the first time in school history, knocking off Iowa State before BYU. Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht has thrown a touchdown in a school-record 14 consecutive games, while receivers Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel both have more than 800 yards receiving. San Jose State is the only other FBS team with a pair of 800-yard receivers. Becht has 2,628 yards and 17 touchdowns passing for the Cyclones (8-2, 5-2), who are still in Big 12 contention. Oklahoma State goes into its home finale against Texas Tech with a seven-game losing streak, its longest since a nine-game skid from 1977-78. The only longer winless streak since was an 0-10-1 season in 1991. This is Mike Gundy's 20th season as head coach, and his longest losing streak before now was five in a row in 2005, his first season and the last time the Cowboys didn't make a bowl game. ... Baylor plays at Houston for the first time since 1995, the final Southwest Conference season. The Cougars won last year in the only meeting since to even the series 14-14-1. ... Eight Big 12 teams are bowl eligible. As many as six more teams could reach six wins. The Big 12 already has four 1,000-yard rushers, including three who did it last season. UCF's RJ Harvey is the league's top rusher (1,328 yards) and top scorer with 21 touchdowns (19 rushing/two receiving). The others with consecutive 1,000-yard seasons are Texas Tech career rushing leader Tahj Brooks (1,184 yards) and Kansas State's DJ Giddens (1,128 yards). Cam Skattebo with league newcomer Arizona State has 1,074 yards. Devin Neal, the career rushing leader at his hometown university, is 74 yards shy of being the first Kansas player with three 1,000-yard seasons. Cincinnati's Corey Kiner needs 97 yards to reach 1,000 again.

The national consumer watchdog is taking online travel booking website Webjet to over allegations it misled customers and breached consumer law. or signup to continue reading The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission alleges Webjet advertised minimum airfares but failed to disclose compulsory service and booking fees. It will also allege Webjet took payments for flights and sent customers confirmation emails, but had not booked the flights with the airline. ACCC chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said she was very concerned about the conduct. The pricing claims relate to Webjet's marketing on social media, emails and its app about minimum airfares to domestic and international destinations. Webjet advertised "flights from $x", however the quoted price did not include the Webjet servicing fee or booking price guarantee fee, which ranged from $34.90 to $54.90 per booking, the ACCC alleges. Among the examples were airfares to London advertised as "Flights from $1398* return". The statements were made between November 2018 to November 2023, the ACCC said. The ACCC alleges the additional fees were not disclosed on social media. It said while the information was available on the Webject app and website, it was not prominent and was written in fine print. Ms Cass-Gottlieb said the conduct came at a time when consumers were carefully . "A statement about the lowest price must be a true minimum price, not a price subject to further fees and charges before a booking can be made," she said. The ACCC will also allege Webjet breached consumer law by taking payment from customers but not booking the flight with the respective airline. Customers allegedly received a confirmation email after paying, but were then asked for an additional payment before Webjet would complete the booking, or were offered a refund instead. This conduct occurred across 382 bookings between at least November 2018 and June 2024, the ACCC alleges. The watchdog said customers may have made other travel arrangements having paid for their flight and receiving confirmation from Webjet. They may have had to choose between paying more money or cancelling other travel plans at a potential loss, the ACCC said. "We are very concerned about this alleged conduct by Webjet, which represented to consumers that their flight booking had been confirmed and left some consumers in the position of having to pay more to later complete the booking," Ms Cass-Gottlieb said. Through the Federal Court action, the ACCC is seeking penalties, declarations, injunctions, consumer redress, costs and other orders. Brittney is part of the federal political bureau, covering politics, the public service and economics. Brittney joined The Canberra Times in 2021 and was previously the property reporter. Got a news tip? Get in touch: brittney.levinson@canberratimes.com.au Brittney is part of the federal political bureau, covering politics, the public service and economics. Brittney joined The Canberra Times in 2021 and was previously the property reporter. Got a news tip? Get in touch: brittney.levinson@canberratimes.com.au DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. WEEKLY Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. WEEKLY Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. WEEKDAYS Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. TWICE WEEKLY Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday. WEEKLY Get news, reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert, ACM's exclusive motoring partner. TWICE WEEKLY Get real, Australia! Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over. AS IT HAPPENS Be the first to know when news breaks. DAILY Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! DAILY Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily! Advertisement AdvertisementCOLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — Tafara Gapare scored 19 points, freshman Derik Queen had 15 points and eight rebounds and Maryland beat Bucknell 91-67 on Wednesday night. Maryland opened the game on a 15-2 run, extended it to 25-7 with 10:38 left and led 51-28 at the break. The Terrapins led by at least 16 points the entire second half, which included runs of 12-0 and 9-0. Gapare scored the 10 straight points during the second-half run. Gapare threw down a highlight dunk while being fouled with 2:08 remaining to give Maryland an 89-62 lead. He was called for a technical foul after stepping over Patrick O’Brien, who was attempting to take a charge. Jayden Williams made the two free throws for Bucknell and Gapare missed his free-throw attempt that would have tied his career high of 20 points. Maryland (6-1) has won 20 consecutive home games against unranked nonconference foes with its last loss coming on Dec. 1, 2021, against Virginia Tech in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Julian Reese added 14 points and Selton Miguel scored 13 for Maryland. Gapare, a Georgia Tech transfer, reached double-figure scoring as a Terp for the first time. The Terrapins shot 50% from the field with three 3-pointers apiece by Gapare and Miguel. Ruot Bijiek led Bucknell (4-4) with 20 points and Josh Bascoe added 10. The Bison turned it over 20 times leading to 22 Maryland points. Maryland stays at home to play Alcorn State on Sunday. Bucknell returns home to play Siena on Saturday. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

Democrats look to governors to lead them to promised landLast year, North Olmsted Coach Matt Joseph was on the sidelines for Midview, as an assistant coach. In his first game as the Eagles coach, his team was tested. After 17 practices, they faced Amherst in the 2024 DiFranco Classic at Midview. Comets freshman Jack Coleman hit the go-ahead shot to spoil Joseph’s homecoming with a 51-50 win. PHOTOS: Midview DiFranco Classic basketball, Nov. 27, 2024 /*! This file is auto-generated */!function(d,l){"use strict";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&"undefined"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),c=new RegExp("^https?:$","i"),i=0;i

Stellar Don't miss out on the headlines from Stellar. Followed categories will be added to My News. Two-and-a-half years ago, the world collectively lost it over Robert Irwin’s unanticipated glow-up. Then just 18, he stepped out of his trademark khakis for his first fashion shoot, appearing on the cover of Stellar in a defining moment that marked the conservationist’s transition from adorable boy with a bowl cut to handsome leading man. “I think it was one of the first times that Australia – and the world, really – got to see Robert out of khakis,” Irwin says of the shoot, which went viral and made headlines around the globe. “It started a new era for me, for my life.” Flattered by the attention he’s since received, in particular the swooning over his transformation into a young sex symbol, Irwin can only laugh good-naturedly. “I’ll take it,” he demurs. “But I don’t get it. As long as it means my message – not just for wildlife conservation, but for positivity – is being heard, then that’s all good.” ‘Life is about pushing yourself and having fun!’ Picture: Robbie Fimmano for Stellar Irwin credits his Stellar makeover in July 2022 with hard-launching an exciting phase of his career, which culminated not only in marriage proposals and modelling offers but also a role on prime time TV, where he replaced Dr Chris Brown as Julia Morris’s co-host this year on the Network 10 reality show I’m A Celebrity ... Get Me Out Of Here! As well as holding his own alongside his more experienced co-host, Irwin scored his first Gold Logie nomination, and will start filming his second season in January. “It’s live TV and it’s the biggest adrenaline rush ever. That’s what I love,” he tells Stellar. “Life is about pushing yourself and having fun. And getting to really delve into this experience alongside Julia has been such a gift. I’ve learnt a lot. “I’ve always wanted to continue the legacy – that’s very important to me, obviously – my dad’s legacy, my family’s legacy,” he adds. “But I want to do it in my own way. At the end of the day, my heart still beats khaki. “But to be able to step out and try something different every now and again means the world to me.” Where once Irwin would have shied away from experimenting with fashion, these days he’s more likely to lean in for a play with stylists. He’s also taking tentative steps towards carving out his own niche as a millennial renaissance man. ‘New era!’ Robert Irwin turns 21-years-old today, as he poses on set for the new issue of Stellar. Picture: Robbie Fimmano for Stellar “I love the arts, I love photography, I love painting, I love music,” he explains. “And to me, fashion is part of that. It’s a visual representation of yourself and where you’re at in your life.” That’s why, as he marks his 21st birthday today, Irwin wants this shoot with Stellar to declare, “This is the 2024 Robert Irwin. And he’s tackling some more modern things.” While the family business of wildlife and conservation will always be his first love – including the new-look Crocoseum at Australia Zoo, where he, his sister Bindi, and mum Terri are continuing to burnish their family’s legacy – Robert Irwin 3.0 is also keen to take risks outside the jungle. Not one to ever sit idle, Irwin began learning the guitar during the pandemic, has since picked up the ukulele and now has the banjo in his sights as well. “I’ve never told anyone this but I have written stuff,” he says, explaining he has composed his own songs to process his thoughts and feelings, and unplug from the world. “I’ve written little bits and bobs. I love writing music and putting songs together with different chords. “And I’ve written some stuff that I played for a very small group of people who liked it. But that small group of people are all friends and family, so they’re biased. Who knows if it’s actually good. But [would I release an album]? Who knows?” Picture: Robbie Fimmano for Stellar Picture: Robbie Fimmano for Stellar One of his most passionate groupies is Bindi’s three-year-old daughter Grace, who he says frequently agitates her uncle to make up silly songs. “She will be like: ‘Shu Shu!’ – she calls me Shu Shu, which is Mandarin for uncle – ‘sing a song about sloths riding bicycles.’ “And I’ll be like, ‘Done!’ I don’t think the songs about sloths riding bicycles will be making it onto my album, though.” It’s not just music that Irwin is keen to explore. Last month, he was lightheartedly touted as a potential replacement for Daniel Craig in the next James Bond movie after he shared a photo of himself on Instagram clad in a tuxedo. While he jokes that he prefers his “Bundaberg Ginger Beer shaken not stirred,” Irwin says the idea of playing the debonair spy is not as far-fetched as it first might seem. “One of those people [who suggested me for Bond] was Jasin Boland, who is the photographer for the 007 films with Daniel Craig,” Irwin tells Stellar with a mix of complete sincerity and humour. Read the full interview with Robert Irwin in the latest issue of Stellar. “And when he commented, I was like: ‘Oh, hang on ... [maybe]?’ To be honest, I’ve always loved the idea of getting into acting and doing drama, because I’ve done a lot of different mediums within the television space and whatnot, and I know a lot of people in that industry. It would be an incredible thing to do. “So watch this space. I can do a pretty good British accent.” There’s no doubt that Irwin’s gung-ho approach to seizing the day comes from a mix of nature and nurture. Yes, he inherited the exuberant genes from his father Steve Irwin, but he also explains that his dad’s death in 2006 has been a constant reminder that life can be unpredictable – and short. So Irwin is eager to grab life with both hands, even if it takes him outside his comfort zone. When Stellar asks what’s on his bucket list, he smiles and quickly replies: “That’s easy. Everything. I don’t want to get to the end of my life and say, ‘I wish I’d done ...’ I want to have done it all.” But Irwin isn’t just looking to have fun. He’s eager to galvanise his fame to promote causes that are close to his heart. Promoting mental health awareness has become a priority, which is why he wants to encourage youngsters to spend more time outdoors rather than online. “As I’ve grown up, I’ve wanted to tackle bigger issues,” he explains. ‘I want to have done it all.’ Picture: Matrix “In my work as an environmental advocate, I wanted to sort of step out and start talking about big issues like climate change through social media and my work in front of and behind the camera. “I really want to have a global presence for positivity in the world. “For young people, it can be very hard to navigate. There’s a lot of negativity going around.” Of course, negativity is hard to find in the Irwin household. But that’s a conscious choice rather than a fait accompli. Irwin believes more people should approach life like his father did, adding: “If a little bloke from Beerwah, Queensland – population 1000 in the 1970s – who liked rescuing snakes from the side of the road and set up a little roadside zoo that was two acres can grow up to be one of the biggest and most influential voices in history, I think anyone can do it.” For more from Stellar, listen to the podcast Something To Talk About: Irwin practises what he preaches. He was named a Global Ambassador for Prince William’s Earthshot Prize in September, which led to him spending time with the Prince of Wales in South Africa last month. It wasn’t the first time the pair had met, and Irwin tells Stellar he considers the royal a kindred spirit and “an incredible person to talk to. “But in Cape Town I got a really good chance to spend some time and really, really chat to him. It was amazing. Prince William, left, and Robert Irwin during a visit to Signal Hill in Cape Town, South Africa, last month. Picture: Getty Images “There are so many parallels with what he does with the environment and what we do. “And there’s definitely that unspoken understanding of the things that we all go through. I mean, as a human being, at some point in your life, you’re going to go through grief. If you love, you grieve. “That’s a simple fact, and I think in a way that connects us all. If you dig down, we all have a similar story in the grief department, and we all will at some point. And it can be oddly uniting.” That’s why Irwin welcomes it when strangers come up to tell him where they were when they heard the news that his father had died following a stingray attack while filming a documentary in the Great Barrier Reef on September 4, 2006. “I think the entire world was – and still is – grieving,” Irwin says of his father’s death at the age of 44, when he was just two years old. “I don’t think the world will ever be the same without him. “It’s challenging, obviously, but I really like when people come up and talk about that because it’s pretty cool to have a dad that was like the world’s dad. I’ve always really liked celebrating and acknowledging Dad. ‘He was a superhero!’ The late Steve Irwin and his son, Robert, at Australia Zoo. Picture: AAP Robert Irwin with his mother, Terri, at the Steve Irwin Gala dinner in Brisbane. Picture: NewsWire/Tertius Pickard With I’m A Celebrity co-host Julia Morris, right, at the Logies in August. Picture: Getty Images “And I think my mum, particularly, noticed that from when I was a really young age. He was a superhero, even though I didn’t get him very long.” Irwin cites his sister’s 2020 marriage to husband Chandler Powell and his parents’ own happy relationship as road maps for his own future. “My mum and dad were just this incredible power couple. And then I look at Bindi and Chandler and it’s like they’re literally the same person. “They’re made for each other. I mean, if that isn’t your couple’s goals, what would be?” he says. “I really want to find the perfect person, but I’m not in any rush for it. I’m very open to it. “The thing that I’ve come to discover in that space is you’ve just got to let it happen.” Beneath all of the family’s trademark enthusiasm, the loss of Steve is still felt acutely, particularly around big life moments such as today’s milestone birthday. “It can be heartbreaking,” Irwin admits. “I can’t beat around the bush. It’s really hard, particularly when it’s those milestones. It’s difficult navigating that without a father figure. “But I have to really praise my entire family, and particularly my mum, on the way in which she’s stepped up, to make sure that – while there will always be part of myself missing and I’ll never be complete – I never felt like I missed out on anything.” The now 21-year-old is marking today with an early morning surf alongside his mates, followed by a small gathering with his family and friends. In typical Irwin style, he’ll also be ready to put on a show, feeding crocodiles at Australia Zoo. And throughout the celebrations, Irwin will be thinking of his father. “I hope,” he says, “that somewhere, somehow, he knows I’m trying to make him proud.” The new season of I’m A Celebrity ... Get Me Out Of Here! premieres at 7pm on January 19 on Network 10. See the full cover shoot and interview with Robert Irwin in today’s Stellar, out via The Sunday Telegraph (NSW), Sunday Herald Sun (VIC), The Sunday Mail (QLD) and Sunday Mail (SA). For more from Stellar and the podcast, Something To Talk About, click here . More Coverage Exclusive: Lindy Klim breaks silence on marriage rumours Angela Mollard for Stellar Cher blasts critics: ‘I don’t give a sh*t’ Nicholas Fonseca Originally published as Robert Irwin on turning 21, THOSE James Bond rumours and why ‘I want to have done it all’ More related stories Stellar Kate Langbroek’s love letter to summer As summer heralds its return, radio and TV personality Kate Langbroek has some thoughts about the seasonal equivalent of ‘bare shoulders and sticky kisses’. Read more Stellar Georgie Parker: ‘I’ve never felt weird about getting older’ As she prepares to turn 60 this month, Georgie Parker recalls the characters that have shaped who she is – and the progressively debilitating condition she refuses to let define her. Read more

DUBLIN (AP) — Vote counting was underway Saturday in Ireland’s national election after an exit poll suggested the contest is a close-fought race among the country’s three largest political parties. Election officials opened ballot boxes at count centers across the country, kicking off what could be several days of tallying the results. If the exit poll is borne out, that could be followed by days or weeks of negotiations to form a coalition government.In this week’s OCVarsity Gridiron video, Dan Albano and Steve Fryer discuss Orange County’s three championship games in the CIF-SS playoffs and make their predictions. They discuss: Mater Dei vs. St. John Bosco (Division 1), Edison vs. Simi Valley (Division 3) and Portola vs. El Rancho (Division 11). Related Articles

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WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden's administration is urging Ukraine to quickly increase the size of its military by drafting more troops and revamping its mobilization laws to allow for the conscription of those as young as 18. A senior Biden administration official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the private consultations, said Wednesday that the outgoing Democratic administration wants Ukraine to lower the mobilization age to 18 from the current age of 25 to expand the pool of fighting-age men available to help a badly outnumbered Ukraine in its nearly three-year-old war with Russia. The official said “the pure math” of Ukraine's situation now is that it needs more troops in the fight. Currently Ukraine is not mobilizing or training enough soldiers to replace its battlefield losses while keeping pace with Russia's growing military, the official added. The White House has pushed more than $56 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the start of Russia's February 2022 invasion and expects to send billions more to Kyiv before Biden leaves office in less than months. But with time running out, the Biden White House is also sharpening its viewpoint that Ukraine has the weaponry it needs and now must dramatically increase its troop levels if it's going to stay in the fight with Russia. White House National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett in a statement said the administration will continue sending Ukraine weaponry but believes “manpower is the most vital need" Ukraine has at the moment. “So, we’re also ready to ramp up our training capacity if they take appropriate steps to fill out their ranks,” Savett said. The Ukrainians have said they need about 160,000 additional troops to keep up with its battlefield needs, but the U.S. administration believes they probably will need more than that. More than 1 million Ukrainians are now in uniform, including the National Guard and other units. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been hearing concerns from allies in other Western capitals as well that Ukraine has a troop level problem and not an arms problem, according to European officials who requested anonymity to discuss the sensitive diplomatic conversations. The European allies have stressed that the lack of depth means that it may soon become untenable for Ukraine to continue to operate in Russia’s Kursk border region . The situation in Kursk has become further complicated by the arrival of thousands of North Korean troops , who have come to help Moscow try to claw back the land seized in a Ukrainian incursion this year. The stepped-up push on Ukraine to strengthen its fighting ranks comes as Ukraine braces for President-elect Donald Trump to take office on Jan. 20. The Republican said he would bring about a swift end to the war and has raised uncertainty about whether his administration would continue the vital U.S. military support for Ukraine. “There are no easy answers to Ukraine’s serious manpower shortage, but lowering the draft age would help,” said Bradley Bowman, senior director of the Center on Military and Political Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. "These are obviously difficult decisions for a government and society that has already endured so much due to Russia’s invasion.” Ukraine has taken steps to broaden the pool of draft-eligible men, but the efforts have only scratched the surface against a much larger Russian military. In April, Ukraine’s parliament passed a series of laws, including one lowering its draft-eligible age for men from 27 to 25, aimed at broadening the universe of men who could be called on to join the grinding war. Those laws also did away with some draft exemptions and created an online registry for recruits. They were expected to add about 50,000 troops, far short of what Zelenskyy said at the time was needed. Zelenskyy has consistently stated that he has no plans to lower the mobilization age. A senior Ukrainian official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, said Ukraine does not have enough equipment to match the scale of its ongoing mobilization efforts. The official said Ukrainian officials see the push to the lower the draft age as part of an effort by some Western partners to deflect attention from their own delays in providing equipment or belated decisions. The official cited as an example the delay in giving Ukraine permission to use longer-range weapons to strike deeper into Russian territory. The Ukrainians do not see lowering the draft age to recruit more soldiers as a substitute for countering Russia’s advantage in equipment and weaponry, the official said. Conscription has been a sensitive matter in Ukraine throughout the war. Russia’s own problems with adequate troop levels and planning early in the war prevented Moscow from taking full advantage of its edge. But the tide has shifted and the U.S. says the Ukrainian shortage can no longer be overlooked. Some Ukrainians have expressed worry that further lowering the minimum conscription age and taking more young adults out of the workforce could backfire by further harming the war-ravaged economy. The senior Biden administration official added that the administration believes that Ukraine can also optimize its current force by more aggressively dealing with soldiers who desert or go absent without leave. AP White House correspondent Zeke Miller and AP writer Hanna Arhirova in Kyiv contributed to this report.Alexander: Dodgers’ signing of Blake Snell creates the traditional uproarKILLINGTON, Vt. — American ski racer Mikaela Shiffrin was alert and being evaluated for injuries after crashing in her second run of a World Cup giant slalom race Saturday, doing a flip and sliding into the protective fencing. Shiffrin stayed down on the edge of the course for quite some time as the ski patrol attended to her. She was taken off the hill on a sled and waved to the cheering crowd. The U.S. Ski Team said she was taken to a medical clinic for evaluation. The 29-year-old Shiffrin was leading after the first run of the GS and charging after her 100th World Cup win. She was within sight of the finish line, five gates onto Killington’s steep finish pitch, when she lost the grip on her outside ski. She hit a gate and did a somersault before sliding into another gate. The fencing slowed her momentum as she came to an abrupt stop. Reigning Olympic GS champion Sara Hector of Sweden won in a combined time of 1 minute, 53.08 seconds. But her thoughts were instead with Shiffrin. “It’s just so sad, of course, to see Mikaela crash like that and skiing so well,” Hector said on the broadcast after her victory. “It breaks my heart and everybody else here.” The crash was a surprise, given that Shiffrin rarely records a “DNF” — did not finish. In 275 World Cup starts, she has recorded a DNF only 19 times. The last time she did not finish in GS was January 2018. Saturday was shaping up to be a banner day for Shiffrin, who skied flawlessly in her first run and held a 0.32-second lead as she chased after her 100th World Cup win in front of a home crowd. Shiffrin grew up in both New Hampshire and Colorado and sharpened her skills at nearby Burke Mountain Academy. Shiffrin is driven not so much by wins but by making the perfect run. She has shattered so many records along the way. She passed Lindsey Vonn’s women’s mark of 82 World Cup victories on Jan. 24, 2023, during a giant slalom in Kronplatz, Italy. Nearly two months later, Shiffrin broke Swedish great Ingemar Stenmark's Alpine mark for the most World Cup wins when she captured her 87th career race. To date, she has earned five overall World Cup titles, two Olympic gold medals — along with a silver — and seven world championships. Shiffrin’s signature event, the slalom, will be held Sunday. She has won six of the seven slalom races she’s entered at Killington. Meanwhile, fans hoping to see the world’s top female skiers compete next week in Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, are out of luck. That World Cup stop was canceled Saturday because the weather has not been cold enough to produce the necessary snow. ___ AP Sports Writer Pat Graham in Denver contributed to this report.

Politicians, parents and psychologists around the world are clamouring for their countries to match Australia’s historic move to ban social media for children under the age of 16. The world-first reform – delivered by the Albanese government in response to News Corp’s Let Them Be Kids campaign – is generating momentum to similarly protect kids overseas. GLOBAL MOVEMENT TOWARDS AGE-BASED PROTECTION American psychologist and author Jonathan Haidt applauded Australia for “doing the right thing”. Picture: Aaron Francis/The Australian Britain is considering its own crackdown, France is pushing for age limits across Europe, and Donald Trump’s nominee to be America’s surgeon general has also supported restrictions. Jonathan Haidt, the US psychologist who has spearheaded the global push to get kids off social media , said: “Australia will fix America’s mistakes, and in doing so it may provide a model for other countries ... We applaud Australia for stepping up and doing the right thing.” In the UK, Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said he was “looking very closely” at Australia’s laws and that a similar ban for children under the age of 16 was “on the table”. He ordered a review on the impacts of social media on children which is due to be finalised in six months. Dr Susie Davies, the founder of British organisation Parents Against Phone Addiction in Young Adolescents, urged the UK and other countries to follow Australia’s lead. “I think the world is watching Australia very closely and I really hope it’s a success and Australia sees significant improvement in their teenagers’ mental health and it will help catalyse other countries to follow,” she said. Dr Susie Davies, chief executive officer and founder of CEO and founder of UK organisation PAPAYA (Parents Against Phone Addiction in Young Adolescents). Picture: Supplied. France last year passed a law requiring parental consent for children under 15 to use social media, and President Emmanuel Macron has since pushed for more sweeping restrictions. French Education Minister Anne Genetet told Politico that Australia’s ban offered a model that needed to be implemented across Europe to deal with the social media “emergency”, saying: “We would like that something very similar could be put in place.” The Norwegian government last month unveiled plans to lift its minimum age to use social media from 13 to 15, while advocates in Germany called for their government to toughen existing rules that allowed children aged 13 to 16 to open accounts with parental consent. In the US, the Biden administration’s Surgeon General Dr Vivek Murthy has blamed social media for fuelling a youth mental health crisis, and called for warning labels on the platforms. Dr Janette Nesheiwat, who was nominated by Mr Trump last week to replace him, said in an interview earlier this year: “I think social media should be banned to all teenagers, to all young children, because it’s done nothing but harm.” DEBATE RAGES OVER SOCIAL MEDIA LAWS IN US AND UK Elon Musk (R), pictured with US President-elect Donald Trump, owns social media network X (formerly Twitter). Picture: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC But Elon Musk, the world’s richest man who owns X and is now one of the President-elect’s closest confidantes, accused the Australian government of using its social media age limit as “a backdoor way to control access to the internet”. The debate in Washington DC is currently focused on the Kids Online Safety Act, a bill passed by the Senate in July that represents the most significant overhaul in decades . It would create a legal duty for social media companies to ensure their platforms did not cause mental health problems, eating disorders, bullying and sexual exploitation, while also requiring children and their parents to be given access to new online safety tools. The House of Representatives has until the end of the year to give it the green light, with a bipartisan coalition of 32 state attorneys general last week pushing them to sign off on “better safeguards for minors online”. But Republican Speaker Mike Johnson told Punchbowl News of the laws: “I love the principle but the details of that are very problematic.” Josh Golin, the executive director of child online safety organisation Fairplay, said if the legislation did not pass, there would be “a big push for bans” like Australia’s law because Americans were “so frustrated and so concerned about social media’s impact on children”. “Everybody who cares about protecting kids online is going to be looking at what happens in Australia and how it’s rolled out and what the impact is,” he said. Mr Golin warned the social media giants had “incredible lobbying power” and were “incredibly litigious”, having already sued over more narrow reforms in several US states. Cato Institute fellow for free expression David Inserra said Australia’s age limit would be “constitutionally dubious in the US” and was “as useful as an ashtray on a motorbike”, given questions about how the age verification scheme would work. In the UK, Molly Rose Foundation chief executive Andy Burrows said Australia’s move was “highly understandable” but nevertheless a “retrograde step”, saying he preferred “strong regulation and putting the onus on tech companies rather than punishing children for the failures of big Silicon Valley firms to make their products fundamentally safe”. The foundation was set up by the family of Molly Rose Russell, a 14-year-old who ended her life in 2017, with a coroner later ruling harmful social media content contributed to her death. BRITISH MUM APPLAUDS AUSTRALIAN AGE BAN Ellen Roome with her son Jools Sweeney, 14, who took his own life in 2022. Picture: Supplied Grieving British mother Ellen Roome has praised Australia’s world-leading ban on children’s access to social media and said she would like to see the UK follow suit. The 48-year-old lost her 14-year-old son Jools in April 2022 after she believes he took part in an online challenge that went horribly wrong. Ms Roome has faced an uphill battle to try and access data from social media companies on what her son was viewing shortly before his death and has so far been unsuccessful. She said Australia’s age ban is a good start to helping protect young people online. “Personally I think this should go a step further and children should be banned from social media until they are 18,” Ms Roome told News Corp. “Banning it, getting social media off children is a good option, getting children to be safe online is paramount”. Ms Roome, from Cheltenham in Gloucestershire, has no other children and said the trauma of losing her only child has left her having “days when it’s debilitating”. Jools was on many different social media platforms prior to his death. Picture: Supplied She said Jools was on many different social media platforms including TikTok, Snapchat, WhatsApp and Facebook in the lead up to his death. A coroner found it was unlikely he took his own life but the events leading up to his death have remained unclear. “What really bothers me is that we are allowing children to sign up to terms and conditions (on these sites) and they are viewing stuff but as parents we have no rights,” Ms Roome said. “I’m not doing this for my children, I don’t have any other children, I’m doing this for other people’s children”. Ms Roome met last week with the UK’s technology secretary Peter Kyle – he said earlier this month he was following Australia’s age restrictions closely. Ms Roome said one of the core problems with children accessing social media is they “lie about their age” when asked More Coverage Australia praised for world-leading social media ban Julie Cross and Angira Bharadwaj Australia’s social media age ban: How it will work David Mills and Clare Armstrong Originally published as Global support for world-first social media reform as expert says ‘Australia will fix America’s mistakes’ Social Don't miss out on the headlines from Social. Followed categories will be added to My News. Join the conversation Add your comment to this story To join the conversation, please log in. Don't have an account? Register Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout More related stories Social Albo’s call on Elon Musk after social fight The Prime Minister dashed Elon Musk’s furious criticism of Australia’s world-first social media age ban, which is set to come into effect in the next 12 months. Read more Social Teen news boss hits back at social media ban The founder of an Australian news channel run almost entirely by teenagers has hit back at Labor’s social media ban, after the contentious laws passed parliament earlier this week. Read moreKeeping families’ sensitive, personal information safe from cyberattacks has become the top insurance risk for private schools in Australia, according to a global insurance broker. AON Australia, which has more than 600 Australian private schools on its books, has named cyber risk as schools’ primary area of vulnerability, followed by mental health and social media, in its Independent Schools Risk Report . The digital world was the common thread linking the top three areas of risk for private schools. Credit: Getty Images For the first time in the decade that the broking firm has produced the report, child abuse allegations entered the top 10 risk areas for schools managing students’ online and real-world safety. In this context, the term child abuse includes abuse from fellow children or at the hands of adults. AON national education director Andrew Leahy said this in part reflected the 2017 release of the report of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. He said for many schools, getting insurance cover for child abuse was becoming “incredibly difficult”. An increasingly complex digital environment was the common thread linking the top three areas of risk for private schools, with cyberattacks becoming an established threat schools could not ignore. “You’ll never get in front of it,” Leahy said, adding that the nature of the information schools held made them vulnerable. “Schools have a lot of personal, identifiable information,” he said. “They have names, addresses, dates of birth, potentially medical conditions or counselling records as well as school records. There’s a lot of information there, which is very sensitive.” The “always on” expectations were a significant driver of mental health issues among students and staff, Leahy said, adding that a growing number of digital platforms, messaging apps and increased sophistication of AI had also compounded the risks schools had to manage. In June, fake nude images of 50 female Bacchus Marsh Grammar students were generated using AI and put on Instagram and shared on Snapchat. “The No.1 issue in dealing with students is social media,” principal Andrew Neal said. “One of the issues that we’re worried about is the capacity to cover off on harm caused by AI.” Loading Neal said the private co-ed school was hit “virtually every day” with ransomware attacks, an experience echoed by Yarra Valley Grammar principal Dr Mark Merry. He said the school employed an external company to conduct penetration tests on the school’s system because of the devastating impact a cyberattack could have. “I can’t think of anything that would unravel parental trust in a school more than to have their personal details just dumped on the web,” he said. “It is a real risk, and to schools in particular, because of the nature of the information we hold.” The Australian Signals Directorate’s annual cyberthreat report, published last month, highlighted private schools’ vulnerability to cyberattacks , noting the perception by cybercriminals that private schools had a greater capacity to pay a ransom made them prime targets. Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter . Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. License this article Education Private schools Cybersecurity Social media Cyber bullying For subscribers Bridie Smith is an education reporter at The Age. A former desk editor, she has also reported on science and consumer affairs. Connect via Twitter , Facebook or email . Most Viewed in National LoadingAlex Salmond memorial service: family, fans and politicians pay tribute

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NEW YORK (AP) — New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge was a unanimous pick to win his second American League Most Valuable Player Award in three seasons on Thursday, easily outdistancing Kansas City shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. Shohei Ohtani was expected to win the National League honor later Thursday, his third MVP and first in the NL. Judge led the major leagues with 58 homers, 144 RBIs and 133 walks while hitting .322. Witt topped the big leagues with a .332 average, hitting 32 homers with 109 RBIs. Soto batted .288 with 41 homers and 109 RBIs. When Judge won his first MVP award in 2022, he received 28 first-place votes while Ohtani got the other two. Ohtani was unanimously voted the AL MVP in 2021 and 2023 as a two-way star for the Los Angeles Angels and finished second to Judge in 2022 voting. He didn’t pitch in 2024 following elbow surgery and signed a record $700 million, 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers last December. Ohtani hit .310, stole 59 bases and led the NL with 54 homers and 130 RBIs exclusively as a designated hitter, becoming the first player with 50 or more homers and 50 or more stolen bases in a season. He helped the Dodgers to the World Series title, playing the final three games with a torn labrum in his left shoulder. Ohtani would become the first primary DH to win an MVP. He would join Frank Robinson for Cincinnati in 1961 and Baltimore in 1966 as the only players to win the MVP award in both leagues. Ohtani would become the 12th player with three or more MVPs, joining Barry Bonds (seven) and Jimmie Foxx, Joe DiMaggio, Stan Musial, Roy Campanella, Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle, Mike Schmidt, Alex Rodriguez, Albert Pujols and Mike Trout (three each). New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor and Arizona second baseman Ketel Marte also were among the top three finishers in the NL. Lindor batted .273 with 33 homers, 91 RBIs and 29 steals, while Marte hit .292 with 36 homers and 95 RBIs. Balloting was conducted before the postseason.The Washington Commanders released 2023 first-rounder Emmanuel Forbes on Saturday, cutting ties with another high draft pick from the previous regime. All of previous coach Ron Rivera's first-rounders — including edge rusher Chase Young in 2020, linebacker Jamin Davis in ‘21 and wide receiver Jahan Dotson in '22 — are now gone. Forbes never showed progress to the new staff led by coach Dan Quinn and was a healthy scratch twice this season and did not play in two other games during which the 23-year-old was in uniform. It's unclear if Forbes' release means anything about the status of cornerback Marshon Lattimore , the Commanders' trade deadline pickup in early November who still has not played for them because of a hamstring injury. Lattimore was listed as doubtful for Washington's home game Sunday against Tennessee. The Commanders (7-5) also put running back Austin Ekeler on injured reserve because of a concussion . They elevated kicker Zane Gonzalez and defensive tackle Carl Davis from the practice squad in preparation for facing the Titans (3-8). Washington has lost three in a row to fall from first place in the NFC East to the conference’s final wild-card spot. The most recent loss, last weekend against division rival Dallas, came when Austin Seibert missed his second extra point of the game, which would have tied it with 21 seconds left. Seibert went on IR earlier in the week with a groin injury that Quinn said the kicker reported Monday. While injuries have piled up as the Commanders await their late bye week, the choice of Forbes has been second-guessed since the moment Rivera's front office chose the 166-pound Mississippi State defensive back with the 16th pick over Christian Gonzalez and others. Gonzalez was selected next, by New England, and has started 16 games for the Patriots. Forbes was benched last season by Rivera, who was in charge when Washington selected Davis ahead of offensive lineman Christian Darrisaw in '21 and traded down to take Dotson the following year instead of safety Kyle Hamilton or receiver Chris Olave. Forbes has two interceptions and 12 passes defensed in 20 games. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl