jilibet 646 Utah Sen. Mitt Romney said the future of the Republican Party belongs to Donald Trump, and, while Romney still considers himself a member of the party, the ranks of “mainstream” Republicans have diminished to a trickle. “I’m a narrow slice, if you will, of what we used to call the mainstream Republicans. The stream has gotten a little smaller. It’s more like the ‘main creek’ Republicans’ now,” Romney quipped. “The creek is very small, and you have to look for it very carefully,” he said, speaking to reporters Friday as his political career — that went from governor of Massachusetts to presidential nominee to U.S. Senator — comes to an end. “At some point, it’s going to be under the sand, and you’ll have to dig a little for it.” During the recent presidential campaign, Romney opposed a second Trump term, but also did not endorse Vice President Kamala Harris explaining that he wanted to have a hand in helping reshape a post-Trump GOP. (Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Sen. Mitt Romney speaks during his farewell press conference at Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building in Salt Lake City on Friday, Dec. 13, 2024. Now, with Trump headed back to the White House and Romney off into the sunset, things look very different. “The Republican Party really is shaped by Donald Trump now, and you’ll find the House and Senate members of the Republican Party pretty much follow what he puts out there,” Romney said. Romney noted that he supported most of Trump’s policies during the president-elect’s first term in the White House, voting with the Republican more often than Utah’s senior senator , Mike Lee, who transformed from a Trump critic to an ardent loyalist. “The areas I had difficulty with President Trump is the character issues,” he said, specifically citing Trump being found liable by a jury of sexual assault and his “relaxed relationship with the truth.” In the past, Romney has also criticized Trump’s rhetoric and has voted twice to impeach the Republican . The outgoing senator said he isn’t concerned about Trump using his position to seek retribution. “I think it would be a missed opportunity for him to promote his agenda in his first 100 days ... if he spends time going after the past,” Romney said. “I think he’s savvy enough to say, ‘Hey, I want to get stuff done.’” Trump said in an interview with “Meet The Press” on Sunday that he thinks members of the committee that investigated the Jan. 6 riot by his supporters at the Capitol should be put in jail. Romney was not on that committee but sided with members like former Wyoming Republican Rep. Liz Cheney and voted to impeach Trump after the riot. Trump’s nominee for FBI director, Kash Patel, has published an enemies list made up of people who have resisted Trump — although Romney’s is not among the dozens of names on the list in Patel’s book. Whether the party continues to follow its current trajectory depends largely on the next four years, Romney said. “If Donald Trump has a successful presidency — which he very well may, as measured by the American people — then J.D. Vance is very likely to be the next Republican nominee,” Romney said. “And he is a smart guy, well-spoken person, and will have a very powerful influence, as well.” (Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Sen. Mitt Romney speaks during his farewell press conference at Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building in Salt Lake City on Friday, Dec. 13, 2024. Romney, however, is no fan of Vance. In the book “Romney: A Reckoning,” Romney told author McKay Coppins, “I don’t know that I can disrespect someone more than J. D. Vance.” The Utah senator was appalled that Vance had pivoted so easily from a Trump critic to then a MAGA loyalist when Vance wanted to run for U.S. Senate. The Utah senator said he was proud that he was able to work with a bipartisan group of 10 senators to actually pass legislation in a divided Congress — including bills that funded infrastructure investment, helped to restore the Great Salt Lake, sought to protect marriage equality and protect religious freedom, regulate the sale of firearms, among others. In his life after politics, Romney said he would like to find a cause he can focus his energy on, like former President Jimmy Carter did in creating Habitat For Humanity or former Vice President Al Gore did with climate change. But he hasn’t identified what it might be. “But I don’t plan on being out there campaigning against this Republican or that Republican or this Democrat, and trying to get the microphone again,” he said. “My time on that political stage is over.”

Brookfield Renewable Announces Renewal of Normal Course Issuer BidsEven in outwardly inclusive workplaces, LGBTQ+ employees face ‘invisible’ challenges Issues around travel, after-work social events and fertility challenges can cause LGBTQ+ individuals to feel unsafe and alone Ilana Belfer, Special to The Globe and Mail Dec 13, 2024 1:30 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message While most organizations in North America have anti-discrimination policies in place, Ottawa-based talent and brand specialist Lindsay Moorcroft says that doesn’t necessarily mean those policies are sufficient. Marvin Meyer/Unsplash Listen to this article 00:07:52 From Pride employee resource groups to a recurring wave of rainbow logos each June, LGBTQ+-friendly workplaces can feel more like the rule than the exception in 2024. Yet, while corporate leaders pat themselves on the back, many queer employees across Canada are still quietly navigating challenging workplace dynamics tied to their sexual orientations and gender identities. For these employees, true equity and inclusivity goes beyond gender-neutral bathrooms and company-sponsored Pride events. It means addressing deeper, often overlooked issues that remain largely invisible to those outside the LGBTQ+ community. It’s an issue that Nate Shalev, an inclusivity speaker and adviser based in Brooklyn, N.Y., feels strongly about. They posted about some of those barriers in a LinkedIn post, where they are ranked as one of the U.S. and Canada’s Top LGBTQIA+ Voices. “When I was told I would have to travel for work, my immediate reaction would be panic,” they wrote. “I was concerned about booking travel with my legal name and risking my team calling me by a name I no longer use, getting through TSA as a trans person with my dignity intact ... [and] navigating queer and transphobia at hotels or in taxis, or anywhere, in front of my co-workers.” Through their consultancy, Revel Impact, Shalev draws on past experiences with “really bad bosses” to help build more inclusive workplaces, educating companies on the barriers their LGBTQ+ team members may be facing – on top of simply getting their jobs done. Barriers like: “Is the conference you asked me to go to safe? What about that client meeting? The whole team is going for a happy hour, but this bar isn’t LGBTQ-friendly. Should I leave? Would that make me look like I wasn’t a part of the team?” Shalev says these sorts of concerns are routinely dismissed or there’s no clear channel through which to handle them since they don’t rise to a legal level of discrimination, despite having negative affects. Gaps for parents trying to conceive While most organizations in North America have anti-discrimination policies in place, Ottawa-based talent and brand specialist Lindsay Moorcroft says that doesn’t necessarily mean those policies are sufficient. “Unless you’re building your programs and policies with the [affected] people in the room, there’s always the possibility for something to be forgotten,” Moorcroft says, reflecting on a previous job at a small startup where she was the only out queer employee. “Pronouns weren’t being asked in meetings. They weren’t shared in e-mail signatures. There was no option to even talk about that. So then it’s like, do I want to be the person who brings it up?” she says. For Kaitlin Geiger-Bardswich, a communications and advocacy director in Ottawa, the risk of speaking up paid off. Although she works for a national non-profit she calls “progressive” and “feminist,” bereavement leave didn’t include pregnancy loss until she advocated for it after experiencing a miscarriage herself. “Even if it’s not a miscarriage, when a fertility treatment doesn’t work, when an embryo transfer doesn’t work, there is that grief,” she says. Fertility issues aren’t specific to the LGBTQ+ community, but “gay couples, by definition, typically need to access fertility treatment of some kind,” as Geiger-Bardswich says. “So it’s more likely that if you have gay employees who are interested in parenting, they’re going to have to navigate this.” According to Fertility Matters Canada , more than half of Canadian employers don’t provide fertility benefits, including drugs and treatment costs. And only seven provinces provide public funding to cover partial costs of fertility treatment. In Geiger-Bardswich’s case, she and her wife relied on limited OHIP coverage when trying to conceive, while paying thousands of dollars out-of-pocket for medication and donor sperm. She says she was grateful to have flexibility in her work hours, which made it easier to attend doctor’s appointments throughout the in-vitro fertilization process without fear of repercussions. Flexible work arrangements, including remote work, can also benefit transgender employees who are transitioning or who are repeatedly misgendered at the office, says Shalev. Geiger-Bardswich notes that as anti-trans and anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric increases around the world, it adds another layer of concern for queer Canadians. She points to Italy’s push to remove non-biological parents from birth certificates as an example. “I hope that’s not going to happen in Canada,” she says. “But with how things are happening around the world, there is nervousness around the legal benefits and legal situations for parents like us.” ‘Ask folks for what they need’ So, what can workplaces do to achieve real, meaningful inclusivity? Shalev says it’s about taking a pro-active, rather than reactive, approach. This could look like ensuring there’s space for preferred names on all applications, forms and other communications. Before international trips, a systematic pretravel questionnaire might allow queer employees to request extra security, a travel companion, a NEXUS membership or a car service to make the experience safer and smoother, Shalev says. “It doesn’t have to feel complicated. Actively create spaces for these conversations to happen. Ask folks what they need,” says Shalev, noting that this has been more difficult in recent years with LGBTQ+ issues growing increasingly politicized. “Because queer issues have been politicized so much, there’s this sense that it’s a taboo topic. That’s a big shift I’ve seen, versus it just being inclusion work and wanting to support colleagues. Trans folks aren’t politics. We’re people.” One organization that appears to be embracing a pro-active approach is Moorcroft’s current employer, ecobee, a home automation company headquartered in Toronto. The company’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) offerings include an LGBTQ+ allyship group, a private social channel for LGBTQ+ employees and a policy-focused working group. Most importantly, Moorcroft says, a variety of voices are in these rooms alongside her, including those of senior leadership. “DEI means nothing if the top of the company is not supporting it, and it’s not in their [budget],” she says. Inclusion that benefits all Every organization has different needs and resources, which is why Shalev says, “It’s not one-size-fits-all.” Pride at Work Canada and Great Place to Work provide toolkits for organizations looking to improve inclusion, with strategies ranging from collecting data on employee demographics to administering queer mentorship programs. While certain measures may seem niche, “LGBTQ+ inclusion benefits us all,” Shalev says. “When I do workshops, of course I know there are other queer folks in the room. But then there are the parents of trans kids, or somebody with a partner who’s trans. Our workplaces are microcosms of our larger society, and if we create better workplaces, we can also create better communities and [and better] worlds.” Interested in more perspectives about women in the workplace? Find all stories on The Globe Women’s Collective hub here , and subscribe to the new Women and Work newsletter here . Have feedback? E-mail us at [email protected] . See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Human Resources & Education Am I entitled to any pay if my employer cancels my shift last minute? Dec 12, 2024 1:30 PM Toxic workplaces are on the rise, experts say, and it starts at the top Dec 10, 2024 7:00 PM I’m considering a leap to another industry. How can I do this in a smart way? Dec 10, 2024 1:30 PM

Sedgwick shares major trends in Forecasting 2025 report

Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket goes vertical on the launch padJake Paul wants “to set the record straight,” when no straightening is required. If anyone would understand that we moved on from his “fight” against Mike Tyson, it should be Paul, who has made a fortune in the split-second entertainment world of social media. Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions issued a statement on Monday to dispel the rumor that his fight at AT&T Stadium on Nov. 15 against Tyson was rigged. The intention is to change the narrative of what was an embarrassing, if highly profitable, evening, and maintain the interest in Paul’s boxing career. The fight was not rigged, and no statement was needed. The fight was simply awful. The statement begins: “Following the wide circulation of incorrect and baseless claims that undermine the integrity of the Paul vs. Tyson event, Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) would like to set the record straight regarding the contractual agreements and the nature of the fight.” “Integrity” and “Tyson v. Paul” have no business of being in the same sentence. “Rigging a professional boxing match is a federal crime in the United States of America. Paul vs. Tyson was a professional match sanctioned by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations (TDLR). Both fighters in good faith performed to the best of their abilities with the goal of winning the fight,” the statement said. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations did sanction this kitten fight between a Disney kid turned YouTuber against a 58-year-old man with serious health issues. The fight had judges, and Paul was awarded a decision when none was needed. “Best of their abilities” is subjective. After landing one of his first punches, a left to Paul’s head, Tyson looked like he may have something in what was once one of the most feared boxers who ever lived. He flashed some of that old Tyson head movement, but mostly he looked like an old boxer. Because that’s what he is. The event quickly became an awkward money grab embarrassment, an indictment on the ticket-buying audience more than the promoters, who were doing their job, and leaving Netflix blushing over streaming issues. “There were absolutely no restrictions – contractual or otherwise – around either fighter. Each boxer was able to use his full arsenal to win the fight. Any agreement to the contrary would violate TDLR boxing rules,” the statement said. No restrictions is a liberal use of the term. The fight was eight rounds, not 10 or 12. The rounds lasted two minutes, not three. The gloves the boxers used were 14 oz., not 10. President Jimmy Carter could take a few shots from a 14 oz. glove. The statement continues, “Trash talk and speculation are common in sports, and athletes and promoters need to tolerate nonsensical commentary, jokes and opinions. But suggesting anything other than full effort from these fighters is not only naïve but an insult to the work they put into their craft and to the sport itself.” Accusations of rigged outcomes have been hurled at sporting events in the United States since the New York Nine defeated the Knickerbockers 23-1 in four innings, the first recorded baseball game ever played in America, in 1846. The New York Nine did not release a statement to the press that the game was rigged. Such accusations are hallow, but every now and then there is a Chicago Black Sox. “It is further illogical and inane that MVP, in the debut of a hopeful long-term partnership with the world’s biggest streamer—an organization that made its first-ever foray into live professional sports with Paul vs. Tyson—would even so much as consider such a perverse violation of the rules of competition,” the statement said. That’s not how rigged works. You don’t tell the broadcast partner that the live event is staged. Making sure his boss knows he’s working, MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian issued his own words to this statement, saying, “This is not the first time Jake Paul has faced unfounded skepticism or outright disbelief as a professional athlete, and frankly, the claim that his bout must have been rigged is just the latest backhanded compliment to come his way.” Paul, 27, beat a 58-year-old man in a fight that looked like two-hand touch. There is no compliment. “From day one in this sport, people have doubted his abilities — unable to reconcile how someone with his background has accomplished so much in such a short time. Jake has not only proven himself repeatedly, but he has continuously set historic records that speak for themselves,” Bidarian wrote. Paul has created a niche for himself in the sport by carefully fighting opponents who are names, but are not boxers. Older guys. Ex-UFC fighters looking for one more check. He’s also spent the necessary time to train, and learn how to box. He knows how to promote himself, and an event. He created “boxing entertainment,” but his fights are not traditional boxing matches. They are also not scripted WWE. “As long as Jake continues to exceed expectations, there will always be those who try to discredit his achievements.” Bidarian said. “We embrace the doubt — it only fuels Jake to work harder and achieve greater success.” Herein lies the “need” for this press statement. Paul wants to continue to fight, but not against fighters who may knock him out. Considering the type of money his fights have generated, he would have no problem finding a line of potential traditional opponents waiting to pummel him through the canvas. He has avoided real fighters for a reason. Because he’s smart. Because he can. Because there is a market for the fights he stages. The fallout from his bout against Tyson is that Paul could have unintentionally knocked out the audience for these matches that are staged, not rigged, which is really why he wants to “set the record straight.” ©2024 Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Visit star-telegram.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.The Māori electoral roll has grown by more than 3000 people - after organisers of the hīkoi mō te Tiriti promoted a switch from the general roll. Data from the Electoral Commission up to 25 November showed 2262 people changed from the general roll to the Māori roll - up from 59 in October. Just 28 people changed from Māori roll to general roll. There were also 862 new enrolments on the Māori roll - up from 29 the previous month. All up, there were 3096 more people on the Māori roll than at the start of the month. Read more: Victoria University senior lecturer in Te Kawa a Māui, the School of Māori Studies, Annie Te One said historically, Māori had not been well represented in the electoral system so any strategy that encouraged more people to vote was a good one. "Whether or not we continue to see this increase on the Māori roll, we have to wait and see but the numbers that have come out just in November are pretty phenomenal and showing this small but significant shift towards the Māori roll." Engaging rangatahi in politics During the hīkoi, organisers encouraged participants to make sure they enrolled to vote in the next election - with much of the messaging aimed at rangatahi (young) Māori. Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi told the hīkoi if supporters were not enrolled to vote, nothing would change. "We are now 20 percent of the population - we are a million people in this country. That should translate into 19 to 20 seats. We should be determining who the government is every election - that's the strategy. Everybody on the Māori roll." When the hīkoi reached Parliament, rangatahi Atareta Milne was one of the speakers to address the crowd, telling them that young Māori were watching and learning. "I ask you to enrol to vote. I ask you to be on the Māori roll. E mātakitaki ana mātau, e whakarongo ana mātau. (We are watching, we are listening). We need you, for today and for our apōpō!" Read more: Annie Te One said it was vital for other rangatahi to see that happening, to see that they had a voice and could have it heard. "There has been this consistent and, at times, unhelpful narrative that rangatahi Māori are politically apathetic, but that really isn't true. "Rangatahi Māori are really engaged in politics and we've just seen this play out - you know, the likes of Eru Kapa-Kingi, Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke . These two young Māori, who are just two of many who have been involved in different political movements, are showing us that actually rangatahi Māori are leading this change." The role of social media as a platform to get the messaging out to rangatahi has been huge, she said. And Maipi-Clarke's haka in Parliament helped spread awareness nationally and internationally. "Through this hīkoi, we're seeing that this platform was not only made available for rangatahi Māori - it was actually made available by rangatahi Māori. It was the likes of Hana and Eru who really led the establishment of this." General roll or Māori roll? Overall, 3.65m people are enrolled to vote in Aotearoa. Of those, 563,964 are of Māori descent - with 292,825 (51.9 percent) on the Māori roll and 271,139 (48.1 percent) are on the general roll Since 2023, voters of Māori descent have been free to switch between the Māori roll and the General roll at any time except in the three months before an election. Previously, Māori voters could only switch once every five years, at census time. Annie Te One said a lot of education still needed to be done so Māori were aware of what was a relatively recent change to the electoral system. Those on the Māori roll vote in one of the seven Māori electorates. At the last election, six of those seven seats were won by Te Pāti Māori , the sole exception being Labour MP Cushla Tangaere-Manuel who won the Ikaroa-Rāwhiti seat. There is a historical stigma against the Māori seats which, when combined with a lack of education around how votes on the Māori roll translated to seats, had led to the almost even split of the Māori population between Māori and general rolls, Te One said. "Māori still only have the same number of votes as any other person in Aotearoa who is voting. Our votes don't have more weight than anyone else - it is just the ability to respond to how we want our vote to best translate, whether that's through the Māori electoral roll or through the general electoral roll." The number of people changing rolls during and after the hīkoi showed that flexibility of choice was a good thing, she said. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

MESSAGE TO THE NATION President Marcos, in a televised message on Monday, addresses the death threats made against him by Vice President Sara Duterte, reaffirming his commitment to upholding the rule of law and ensuring the safety and security of all Filipinos. —Screengrab from the Presidential Communications Office Facebook page MANILA, Philippines — After letting past tirades of Vice President Sara Duterte pass, President Marcos on Monday lashed back at his constitutional successor’s latest rant, which he described as a diversionary tactic to stifle Congress’ search for truth on her office’s use of confidential funds. In a video statement, the President said he would not tolerate such “criminal threats” against him. “As the head of the executive department, as well as all other public servants, I have a sworn duty to uphold the Constitution and the laws. As a democratic country, we need to uphold the rule of law,” he said. READ: Sara Duterte’s kill remark vs Marcos is ‘active threat’ – Palace “It is not right to stifle elected leaders’ search for the truth. It should not be subjected to ‘tokhang,’” the President said in Filipino, referencing the deaths of thousands of drug suspects during the antidrug strategy employed by the previous administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte, the Vice President’s father. The President issued the statement in response to the remarks made by the younger Duterte in a live-streamed video conference in the wee hours of Saturday, with mainly Duterte diehard supporters (DDS) as her audience. “Don’t worry about my security because I have already contracted an individual, and told him/her that if I am killed, you should also kill BBM (President Marcos), (first lady) Liza Araneta and (Speaker) Martin Romualdez. No joke. No joke,” she said in a mix of English and Filipino, responding to a question from a DDS viewer. “I have given instructions that if I die, do not stop until you kill (the three personalities), and then he said ‘yes,’” she added. The President referred to Duterte’s pronouncements as “troubling,” citing how these were “laden with brazen expletives coupled with a threat to kill some of us.” “If that is how easily they can make plots to kill a President, how about the ordinary citizens?” “As a democratic country, we need to uphold the rule of law,” Marcos noted. The President also defended the congressional investigations that zeroed in on Duterte’s use of confidential funds under the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd) during her tenure as secretary. “For 12 years, I have been a legislator in both the lower and upper chambers of Congress; I recognize the mandate given to them by the citizenry and our Constitution,” he said. “As such, I respect their duty as an independent branch of our republic.” He said all agencies of government, including those in the executive branch, cannot escape the oversight power of Congress to scrutinize the use of public funds. “This matter should not have ended up with all this drama if only questions raised by the Senate and House of Representatives were amply answered,” Marcos said, but without making direct reference to Duterte. The issue would have been resolved had public officials lived up to their sworn duty of stating and not suppressing the truth, the President said. “But instead of giving direct answers, the issue is being diverted toward ‘kwentong chicheria’ (nonsensical tales),” referring to the findings by the Commission on Audit that the OVP had signed dubious names such as “Mary Grace Piattos,” supposedly patterned after a popular restaurant and a chips and snacks brand. Marcos said he was unperturbed by all the criticisms hurled at his administration. “Despite all the criticisms, I remain focused on governance. But we cannot compromise the rule of law, which should prevail under whatever circumstances and whoever gets stung by it,” he pointed out. “I will not allow others to succeed in dragging the entire country into the mud pit of politics,” the President added. Duterte has since backtracked from her earlier statements, saying in an open letter released on Monday that her remarks about the assassination plot on the President were “maliciously taken out of logical context.” In a talk with reporters at the House of Representatives also on Monday, Duterte was also unfazed, promising to get payback for whatever the Marcos administration did to her. Responding to the video message of the President, Duterte even recalled the assassination of former Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. in 1983 during the regime of the President’s father, which she alleged was plotted by the Marcos family. She said she had yet to see the entire statement of Marcos, but said, “I will also fight back for what they are doing to me now,” referring to the ongoing House investigations. Duterte was at the Batasang Pambansa on Monday to join her staff summoned by the House panel, where she finally took oath, a move that she still argued was “unconstitutional.” During the hearing, Duterte made it seem as if the entire lower chamber was against her and the OVP. “We don’t trust anyone anymore in this country,” Duterte said, in response to queries if she has plans to take up her concerns at the Supreme Court. “We don’t expect justice anymore in this country. This is clear political harassment. This is clear political persecution. When it comes to threats against them, it’s a matter of national security, but when it comes to us, it’s as if it’s nothing,” she stressed. The Presidential Security Command (PSC) is not taking Duterte’s statements lightly, saying on Monday it was doubling the security detail of the President and would undertake tighter measures during his public appearances. Maj. Nestor Endozo, PSC civil military operations officer, said the PSC was seeking augmentation from the Philippine National Police. “The instruction of doubling the security of the President is an offshoot of the current situation, of what was mentioned by (Vice President Duterte),” he said. He said the PSC was awaiting instructions about proposals to put in place additional protection during the President’s public appearances, including making him use a bulletproof shield on the podium during speeches or letting him wear a protective vest. Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. also reminded soldiers not to be rattled by the “myriad of events that transpired in our country” and stay professional amid a widening rift between the President and the Vice President. “As soldiers, we should not be shaken by this,” he said in a speech during the flag-raising ceremony that coincided with the 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women 2024 kickoff event at Camp Aguinaldo on Monday. Subscribe to our daily newsletter By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . Brawner told the troops to follow the chain of command and to stay “professional and competent.” —with a report from Frances MangosingBERLIN (AP) — Adam Pemble, an Associated Press video journalist who covered some of the biggest global news of the past two decades, from earthquakes and conflicts to political summits and elections, has died. He was 52. Pemble died Thursday in Minneapolis surrounded by friends and family, according to his friend Mike Moe, who helped care for him in the final weeks of his fight against cancer. Known for bringing stories alive with his camera, Pemble epitomized the best of television news traditions, casting a curious and compassionate lens onto the lives of the people and communities whose stories he told. He joined the AP in 2007 in New York before moving to Prague in 2011 to help launch AP’s first cross-format operation combining photography, text stories and video. He enhanced Eastern European news coverage, creating distinctive stories highlighting the region’s culture and society. “Adam was an incredibly talented and passionate journalist and an empathetic storyteller. He had this amazing ability to get anyone to talk to him on camera, which I attribute to the Midwestern charm he embodied throughout his life.” said Sara Gillesby, AP’s Director of Global Video and Pemble’s former manager in New York when he joined the AP. “He was the best of us.” Pemble was born in Saint Louis Park, Minnesota, in 1972 and grew up in Minneapolis. After graduating with a degree in mass communications from Minnesota State University Moorhead, he started his journalism career in 1997 at KVLY, a television station in Fargo, North Dakota, and later worked at WCCO in Minneapolis. “He had the skills of the old-school camera people to meet a deadline and turn a beautiful story,” said Arthur Phillips, a cameraman who worked with Pemble at WCCO. “But he had a calling for greater things.” Moving to New York, Pemble covered some of the biggest stories in the city, including the trial of Bernie Madoff, interviews with former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and with then-real estate developer, now U.S. president-elect, Donald Trump. He went to Haiti to cover the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake, where he captured shocking images of devastation. A few weeks later he was in Vancouver, covering the Winter Olympics. With his transfer to Prague, Pemble quickly became the go-to video journalist deployed to the biggest news events in Europe, interviewing government leaders, covering violent protests, the aftermath of terror attacks and numerous national elections across the continent. “An inquiring mind, a keen eye and a healthy skepticism for those in power who tried to spin away from truth all combined to make Adam’s stories as rich in color as he was in character,” said Sandy MacIntyre, former AP head of global video. “Time and again he was asked to do the impossible and without fail he delivered the exceptional.” ”But more than all of that, he was the colleague and friend you wanted by your side because if Adam was there we knew we were going to be the winning team.” As civil unrest rocked Ukraine in 2014, Pemble reported from Kyiv and later Donetsk, where he covered the first Russian-backed demonstrations before spending weeks in Crimea during Russia’s annexation of the strategic peninsula. His video reports included the last remaining Ukrainian sailors loyal to Kyiv finally abandoning their ship and coming ashore. With the Russian national anthem playing from a car in the background, his final shot showed two distraught sailors heckled as they walked away. Pemble returned to Ukraine following Russia’s invasion of the country in 2022. Among his many assignments was filming the exclusive March 2023 AP interview by Executive Editor Julie Pace with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a train shuttled them across Ukraine to cities near some of the fiercest fighting. “Adam showed up to every assignment with enthusiasm, creativity and commitment to his work and his colleagues. He loved what he did, and so many of us at AP are better for having worked alongside him,” Pace said. When not deployed overseas, Pemble set his camera’s gaze on his new home in the Czech Republic, offering insight into the traditions and unique stories of Eastern Europe. From Christmas carp fishing at sunrise to graffiti artists in Prague, to the intimate story of a Slovak priest challenging the celibacy rules of the Catholic Church, he brought his unmistakable style. He worked with a traditional large broadcast camera in an era where many video shooters shifted to smaller, lighter cameras. He always put himself in the right place to let reality unfold like “an old school analog painter in an often fast and furious digital age,” former AP cameraman Ben Jary recalled. Pemble’s interest in visual storytelling led to experimenting with new technologies, including aerial videography. In 2015, he was the first major news agency camera operator to film live drone footage when reporting on the migration crisis in the Balkans. An avid gardener who planted trees and chilis on his rooftop in Prague, he was adventurous in the kitchen and especially proud of his vegan “meatloaf,” friends said. He loved a seedy dive bar as much as a Michelin restaurant, and foods as varied as charcoal choux pastry with truffle creme and his favorite road trip junk food, Slim Jim’s jerky and Salted Nut Rolls. Pemble’s wit, wisdom, energy and positivity enriched the lives and experiences of those around him, friends and colleagues recalled. “If someone asked me to see a picture of quiet strength and courage, dignity and grace, and most of all kindness, I would show them a picture of a man for all seasons,” said Dan Huff, a Washington-based AP video journalist, “I would show them a picture of Adam Pemble.”

Mitt Romney says GOP is Donald Trump’s party — and ‘mainstream Republicans’ are now ‘main creek’

Martin Roberts lands huge new ITV show in bid to become the next Jeremy ClarksonOpinion: We voted. Why living with the results could be painful.

Online Auction Market to Grow by USD 3.08 Billion (2024-2028), Shift to Online Auctions Boosting Growth, AI Transforming Market Trends - TechnavioBoston 107, Minnesota 105

Princeton 66, Rutgers 49