SHOPPERS could see an unexpected item in supermarkets this Christmas for the first time ever - and we've got the perfect festive recipe to celebrate it. Tesco, Sainsbury's and Marks & Spencers earlier confirmed they will stock home-grown strawberries on their shelves this winter season. Strawberries are usually imported over winter due to economic and environmental reasons. But fruit suppliers have innovated new technology which will finally allow strawberries to be grown in the UK all year round. The Summer Berry Company, a supplier in West Sussex, will be growing the fruit 12 months a year and supplying supermarkets. This means that shoppers will be able to get their hands on the British strawberries this Christmas as an exciting new addition to their festive celebrations and desserts. Typically the British strawberry season runs from May to October, and are a familiar sight in summer commonly associated with the Wimbledon tennis tournament. And bosses at The Summer Berry Company have come up with a mouth-watering dessert that will be a showstopper for Christmas Dinner. They promise it will be "a beautiful centre piece to a party table and makes a lovely grazing platter". The pretty strawberry wreath takes just 20 minutes to prepare - and even better, there's no cooking involved. Most read in Fabulous All you need is 600g of strawberries and 80g of dark, milk and white chocolate. First up, melt the different chocolates in separate bowls by placing in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring and returning for repeat 30 seconds slots until smooth and glossy. Next, line a baking tray with parchment or a reusable silicon sheet and arrange a selection of decorations - chopped nuts, desiccated coconut and candied orange peel - in separate bowls or plates. Dip whole strawberries into melted chocolate then sprinkle over a decoration and set aside on the baking tray to set. The Summer Berry Company team say: "You can vary your combinations of chocolate and decorations however you fancy." The strawberries usually set at room temperature within 10 minutes but you can also store them in a cool place until ready to serve. Finally, arrange a rough ring of greenery on a large platter or board in a circular shape, pile on the strawberries, adding in extra bits of green herb to decorate. Then simply add a big bow somewhere on the wreath to finish the effect.In a bid to facilitate the IT sector, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has allowed freelancers to register their virtual private network (VPN) using mobile numbers. “To facilitate the legitimate, secure and uninterrupted operations of VPN by freelancers who don’t have static IP addresses, the facility to register VPN against mobile number has been introduced by Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA),” read a statement released by PTA on Saturday. “The step is aimed to further simplify the VPN registration process for facilitation of the IT industry,” the authority said, adding that over 31,000 VPNs have been registered by PTA. According to the authority, freelancers can register their mobile number with PTA for “usage of VPNs on mobile data connection at https://ipregistration.pta.gov.pk”. Freelancers would need to provide their details including computerised national identity card (CNIC), company registration details and taxpayer status to register their VPNs. A few days ago, the government decided not to ban VPNs, as the law ministry said the government did not have the legal authority to impose such a ban under the Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016. Earlier, PTA warned its users to register their VPNs by Nov 30, after which unregistered connections would be blocked. The interior ministry had earlier requested a ban, citing concerns about the use of VPNs by terrorists and access to pornographic content. However, the law ministry clarified that PECA allows the blocking of specific online content. Pakistan has a record of curbing online access in response to political turmoil, banning social media sites or simply temporarily shutting down the internet altogether. Days ago, Sajjad Mustafa Syed, chairman of Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA), said that Pakistan’s information technology sector suffers losses of more than $1 million per hour due to internet shutdown in the country. “To achieve the government’s envisaged target of $15 billion, IT exports are linked with market access, infrastructure stability, accommodative taxation policy as well as skilled human resources,” said P@SHA chairman. Syed said that 99% of firms/ companies reported that their services were disrupted and 90% reported losses.
A look at how some of Trump's picks to lead health agencies could help carry out Kennedy's overhaul The people that president-elect Donald Trump has selected to lead federal health agencies in his second administration include a retired congressman, a surgeon and a former talk-show host. All of them could play pivotal roles in fulfilling a new political agenda that could change how the government goes about safeguarding Americans’ health — from health care and medicines to food safety and science research. If Congress approves, prominent environmental lawyer and anti-vaccine organizer Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will helm the team. Here’s a look at the nominees’ potential role in carrying out what Kennedy says is the task to “reorganize” agencies. Trump raced to pick many Cabinet posts. He took more time to settle on a treasury secretary WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump launched a blitz of picks for his Cabinet, but he took his time settling on billionaire investor Scott Bessent as his choice for treasury secretary. The Republican not only wanted someone who jibes with him, but an official who can execute his economic vision and look straight out of central casting while doing so. With his Yale University education and pedigree trading for Soros Fund Management before establishing his own funds, Bessent will be tasked with a delicate balancing act. Trump expects him to help reset the global trade order, enable trillions of dollars in tax cuts, ensure inflation stays in check, manage a ballooning national debt and still keep the financial markets confident. Israeli strikes without warning in central Beirut kill at least 15 as diplomats push for cease-fire BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) — Lebanese officials say Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 15 people and injured dozens in central Beirut, as the once-rare attacks on the heart of Lebanon’s capital continue without warning. Diplomats are scrambling to broker a cease-fire but say obstacles still remain. The current proposal calls for a two-month cease-fire during which Israeli forces would withdraw from Lebanon and Hezbollah would end its armed presence along the southern border south of the Litani River. Lebanon’s Health Ministry says Israeli attacks have killed more than 3,500 people in Lebanon in the months of fighting that have turned into all-out war. Voters rejected historic election reforms across the US, despite more than $100M push JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Election reform advocates had hoped for a big year at the ballot box. That's because a historic number of states were considering initiatives for ranked choice voting or to end partisan primaries. Instead, voters dealt them big losses in the November elections. Voters in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and South Dakota all rejected proposed changes to their voting systems. In Alaska, a proposal to repeal ranked choice voting appears to have narrowly fallen short. The losses in many states came even though election reform supporters raised more than $100 million, easily outpacing opponents. Supporters say they aren't giving up but plan to retool their efforts. The week that upped the stakes of the Ukraine war KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — This past week has seen the most significant escalation in hostilities Ukraine has witnessed since Russia's full-scale invasion and marks a new chapter in the nearly three-year war. It began with U.S. President Joe Biden reversing a longstanding policy by granting Kyiv permission to deploy American longer-range missiles inside Russian territory and ended with Moscow striking Ukraine with a new experimental ballistic weapon that has alarmed the international community and heightened fears of further escalation. Winter storms and rain sweep across the US while a new system is expected to arrive for Thanksgiving HEALDSBURG, Calif. (AP) — A major storm continues to drop heavy snow and record rain in California, causing small landslides and flooding some streets. Meanwhile, on the opposite coast, blizzard or winter storm warnings were in effect Saturday from parts of the Northeast to central Appalachia. The storm on the West Coast arrived in the Pacific Northwest earlier this week, killing two people and knocking out power to hundreds of thousands, before moving through Northern California. Another storm system is expected to arrive for Thanksgiving week and linger into Tuesday in the Pacific Northwest, dumping rain as well as snow in the higher elevations. That is according to the National Weather Service. Even with access to blockbuster obesity drugs, some people don't lose weight Most people taking popular drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy to lose weight have shed significant pounds. But obesity experts say that roughly 20% of patients — as many as 1 in 5 — may not see robust results with the new medications. The response to the drugs varies from person to person and can depend on genetics, hormones and differences in how the brain regulates energy. Undiagnosed medical conditions and some drugs can prevent weight loss. Experts say it can take experimentation to help so-called nonresponders find results. Fighting between armed sectarian groups in restive northwestern Pakistan kills at least 37 people PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — A senior Pakistani police officer says fighting between armed sectarian groups in the country's restive northwest has killed at least 37 people. The overnight violence was the latest to rock Kurram, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, and comes days after a deadly gun ambush killed 42 people. The officer said Saturday that armed men torched shops, houses and government property overnight. Gunfire is ongoing between rival tribes. Although Sunnis and Shiites generally live together peacefully in Pakistan, tensions remain in some areas, especially Kurram. Doctor at the heart of Turkey's newborn baby deaths case says he was a 'trusted' physician ISTANBUL (AP) — The Turkish doctor at the center of an alleged fraud scheme that led to the deaths of 10 babies says he was a “trusted” physician. Dr. Firat Sari is one of 47 people on trial accused of transferring newborn babies to neonatal units of private hospitals, where they were allegedly kept for prolonged and sometimes unnecessary treatments in order to receive social security payments. Sari said patients were referred to him because people trusted him and he did not bribe anyone involved with Turkey’s emergency medical phone line. Sari, said to be the plot’s ringleader, faces up to 583 years in prison. Andy Murray will coach Novak Djokovic through the Australian Open Recently retired Andy Murray will team up with Novak Djokovic, working with him as a coach through the Australian Open in January. Murray’s representatives put out statements from both players on Saturday. Djokovic is a 24-time Grand Slam champion who has spent more weeks at No. 1 than any other player in tennis history. Murray won three major trophies and two Olympic singles gold medals who finished 2016 atop the ATP rankings. He retired as a player after the Paris Summer Games in August.
By Vanessa G. Sánchez, KFF Health News (TNS) LOS ANGELES — President-elect Donald Trump’s promise of mass deportations and tougher immigration restrictions is deepening mistrust of the health care system among California’s immigrants and clouding the future for providers serving the state’s most impoverished residents. At the same time, immigrants living illegally in Southern California told KFF Health News they thought the economy would improve and their incomes might increase under Trump, and for some that outweighed concerns about health care. Community health workers say fear of deportation is already affecting participation in Medi-Cal, the state’s Medicaid program for low-income residents, which was expanded in phases to all immigrants regardless of residency status over the past several years. That could undercut the state’s progress in reducing the uninsured rate, which reached a record low of 6.4% last year. Immigrants lacking legal residency have long worried that participation in government programs could make them targets, and Trump’s election has compounded those concerns, community advocates say. The incoming Trump administration is also expected to target Medicaid with funding cuts and enrollment restrictions , which activists worry could threaten the Medi-Cal expansion and kneecap efforts to extend health insurance subsidies under Covered California to all immigrants. “The fear alone has so many consequences to the health of our communities,” said Mar Velez , director of policy with the Latino Coalition for a Healthy California. “This is, as they say, not their first rodeo. They understand how the system works. I think this machine is going to be, unfortunately, a lot more harmful to our communities.” Alongside such worries, though, is a strain of optimism that Trump might be a boon to the economy, according to interviews with immigrants in Los Angeles whom health care workers were soliciting to sign up for Medi-Cal. Since Election Day, community health worker Yanet Martinez said, people are more reluctant to hear her pitch for subsidized health insurance or cancer prevention screenings. “They think I’m going to share their information to deport them,” Martinez said. (Vanessa G. Sánchez/KFF Health News/TNS) Clinics and community health workers encourage immigrants to enroll for health coverage through Medi-Cal and Covered California. But workers have noticed that fear of deportation has chilled participation. (Vanessa G. Sánchez/KFF Health News/TNS) Community health workers like Yanet Martinez encourage people to enroll for health benefits. But many California immigrants fear that using subsidized services could hurt their chances of obtaining legal residency. (Vanessa G. Sánchez/KFF Health News/TNS) Since Election Day, community health worker Yanet Martinez said, people are more reluctant to hear her pitch for subsidized health insurance or cancer prevention screenings. “They think I’m going to share their information to deport them,” Martinez said. (Vanessa G. Sánchez/KFF Health News/TNS) Selvin, 39, who, like others interviewed for this article, asked to be identified by only his first name because he’s living here without legal permission, said that even though he believes Trump dislikes people like him, he thinks the new administration could help boost his hours at the food processing facility where he works packing noodles. “I do see how he could improve the economy. From that perspective, I think it’s good that he won.” He became eligible for Medi-Cal this year but decided not to enroll, worrying it could jeopardize his chances of changing his immigration status. “I’ve thought about it,” Selvin said, but “I feel like it could end up hurting me. I won’t deny that, obviously, I’d like to benefit — get my teeth fixed, a physical checkup.” But fear holds him back, he said, and he hasn’t seen a doctor in nine years. It’s not Trump’s mass deportation plan in particular that’s scaring him off, though. “If I’m not committing any crimes or getting a DUI, I think I won’t get deported,” Selvin said. Petrona, 55, came from El Salvador seeking asylum and enrolled in Medi-Cal last year. She said that if her health insurance benefits were cut, she wouldn’t be able to afford her visits to the dentist. A street food vendor, she hears often about Trump’s deportation plan, but she said it will be the criminals the new president pushes out. “I’ve heard people say he’s going to get rid of everyone who’s stealing.” Although she’s afraid she could be deported, she’s also hopeful about Trump. “He says he’s going to give a lot of work to Hispanics because Latinos are the ones who work the hardest,” she said. “That’s good, more work for us, the ones who came here to work.” Newly elected Republican Assembly member Jeff Gonzalez, who flipped a seat long held by Democrats in the Latino-heavy desert region in the southeastern part of the state, said his constituents were anxious to see a new economic direction. “They’re just really kind of fed up with the status quo in California,” Gonzalez said. “People on the ground are saying, ‘I’m hopeful,’ because now we have a different perspective. We have a businessperson who is looking at the very things that we are looking at, which is the price of eggs, the price of gas, the safety.” Gonzalez said he’s not going to comment about potential Medicaid cuts, because Trump has not made any official announcement. Unlike most in his party, Gonzalez said he supports the extension of health care services to all residents regardless of immigration status . Health care providers said they are facing a twin challenge of hesitancy among those they are supposed to serve and the threat of major cuts to Medicaid, the federal program that provides over 60% of the funding for Medi-Cal. Health providers and policy researchers say a loss in federal contributions could lead the state to roll back or downsize some programs, including the expansion to cover those without legal authorization. California and Oregon are the only states that offer comprehensive health insurance to all income-eligible immigrants regardless of status. About 1.5 million people without authorization have enrolled in California, at a cost of over $6 billion a year to state taxpayers. “Everyone wants to put these types of services on the chopping block, which is really unfair,” said state Sen. Lena Gonzalez, a Democrat and chair of the California Latino Legislative Caucus. “We will do everything we can to ensure that we prioritize this.” Sen. Gonzalez said it will be challenging to expand programs such as Covered California, the state’s health insurance marketplace, for which immigrants lacking permanent legal status are not eligible. A big concern for immigrants and their advocates is that Trump could reinstate changes to the public charge policy, which can deny green cards or visas based on the use of government benefits. “President Trump’s mass deportation plan will end the financial drain posed by illegal immigrants on our healthcare system, and ensure that our country can care for American citizens who rely on Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security,” Trump spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a statement to KFF Health News. During his first term, in 2019, Trump broadened the policy to include the use of Medicaid, as well as housing and nutrition subsidies. The Biden administration rescinded the change in 2021. KFF, a health information nonprofit that includes KFF Health News, found immigrants use less health care than people born in the United States. And about 1 in 4 likely undocumented immigrant adults said they have avoided applying for assistance with health care, food, and housing because of immigration-related fears, according to a 2023 survey . Another uncertainty is the fate of the Affordable Care Act, which was opened in November to immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children and are protected by the Deferred Action Childhood Arrivals program. If DACA eligibility for the act’s plans, or even the act itself, were to be reversed under Trump, that would leave roughly 40,000 California DACA recipients, and about 100,000 nationwide , without access to subsidized health insurance. On Dec. 9, a federal court in North Dakota issued an order blocking DACA recipients from accessing Affordable Care Act health plans in 19 states that had challenged the Biden administration’s rule. Clinics and community health workers are encouraging people to continue enrolling in health benefits. But amid the push to spread the message, the chilling effects are already apparent up and down the state. “¿Ya tiene Medi-Cal?” community health worker Yanet Martinez said, asking residents whether they had Medi-Cal as she walked down Pico Boulevard recently in a Los Angeles neighborhood with many Salvadorans. “¡Nosotros podemos ayudarle a solicitar Medi-Cal! ¡Todo gratuito!” she shouted, offering help to sign up, free of charge. “Gracias, pero no,” said one young woman, responding with a no thanks. She shrugged her shoulders and averted her eyes under a cap that covered her from the late-morning sun. Since Election Day, Martinez said, people have been more reluctant to hear her pitch for subsidized health insurance or cancer prevention screenings. “They think I’m going to share their information to deport them,” she said. “They don’t want anything to do with it.” This article was produced by KFF Health News , which publishes California Healthline , an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation . ©2024 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.After briefing, Intelligence panelists confident skies are safe
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The right frame can freeze a moment in time, creating meaning for the masses from a fist pump over a bloodied ear , a bridge crumbled by a ship , towns shredded by nature , and a victory sealed with an on-field kiss . In 2024, photographers across the U.S. captured glimpses of humanity, ranging from a deeply divisive presidential election , to hurricanes and fires that ravaged communities, to campus protests over the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. The gallery from The Associated Press illustrates a new chapter of political history — the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump , the moment President Joe Biden announced he would no longer run again , the campaign sprint by Vice President Kamala Harris in Biden’s place, and the raw emotion from voters during a grueling contest ultimately won by Trump . Hurricanes whipped through the country with devastating imagery, leaving a path of wreckage and death from Florida to Appalachia . After Hurricane Helene , Lake Lure in North Carolina was shown in a jarring photo covered in shards of debris thick enough to hide the surface of the water. Hurricane Milton ripped apart the roof of Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, home to Major League Baseball’s Tampa Bay Rays. The scale of destruction experienced in some corners of the country in 2024 was hard to capture and might have been harder to fathom. That was the case when a container ship slammed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, causing it to collapse and crumple around the vessel, killing construction workers on the bridge. As flames torched the landscape in California , another image captured firefighters and sheriff’s deputies pushing a vintage car away from a burning home. Elsewhere in California , one photo is aglow with bright orange flames, broken up only by the subtle features of an animal running through them. But hope also persevered in the face of devastation. In Helene’s aftermath , an image from Crystal River, Florida, shows Dustin Holmes holding hands with his girlfriend, Hailey Morgan, as they sloshed through floodwaters with her 4- and 7-year-old children to return to their flooded home. And in Manasota Key, Florida, a family was lit up by the glow of flashlights as they walked to check on their home damaged by Milton. Other photos from 2024 also grabbed the darkness and shadows to emphasize light: among them, a rocket liftoff and a total solar eclipse . And, yes, eclipse glasses were back in style for a shared moment of skygazing. But many other photos delivered a blast of color, from the spectrum of the northern lights across a Maine sky to a crew of workers wading into the deep-red of a Massachusetts cranberry bog . And, once again, Taylor Swift captured the country’s attention, even as a part of the crowd. She rushed down from the stands to kiss her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, after the Chiefs won the AFC Championship , en route to another Super Bowl win.In the backdrop of a new exhibition ‘Fonseca: An Indic Lexicon’ at the Xavier Institute Historical Research, Porvorim, NT NETWORK examines how the late Goan artist Angelo da Fonseca is gradually finding more ground in his homeland KALYANI JHA | NT NETWORK Goa has been the birthplace of many artists, some of whom have gained world prominence. Yet, not all of them were fully accepted by their community in their homeland. Among these was the great modernist painter late Angelo da Fonseca. Indeed, the St. Estevam-born artist, faced ire from the Portuguese administration in Goa at that time, the church, and his village, for his portrayal of Christian icons in Indian settings, which went against the then popular European version of Christianity. This led the Shantiniketan School of Art artist to leave Goa and settle in Pune where he produced most of his works at the Anglican Christa Prema Seva Ashram. His works went on to feature in major exhibitions, including in Rome. In fact, he also received a knighthood from the pope and two medals from Pope Pius XII. And now, over 50 years since his passing away in 1967, this forgotten artist in Goa with over 1,000 paintings exploring Christian art themes in the Indian context and colours is being reviewed, studied, and slowly getting his due recognition. Leading this revival of interest in his art is writer and artist Savia Viegas who has been studying Fonseca’s works since 2009. In fact, after presenting a paper on his work in Gujarat at the MS University, Baroda, Viegas received a one-year grant from the India Foundation for the Arts in 2010 to do further research. She has since curated a number of exhibitions on Fonseca at the Xavier Centre of Historical Research (XCHR), Porvorim. “I found his ideas very fascinating. Very few people looked at it that way. They just think he is an iconic painter. But when I saw the connection between development of the nation and polity and the kind of icons Fonseca was painting, it was fascinating,” she shares. She further explains that Fonseca started painting in 1931 and continued till 1967. These were the years of the freedom movement in India with major developments in the process of de-colonisation. “So, there are a lot of ideas about freedom struggle, Indian-ness, about having God look like Indian and not European which are embedded in his ideas,” says Viegas. Dwelling on the unkindness that Fonseca received for his works back in the day, Viegas states that this can be observed in some of his correspondence that she has access to. “It didn’t affect his painting but it definitely made him very despondent. He said, ‘I paint for the public but the public doesn’t accept my images’,” shares Viegas. “At one point of time he says, ‘How does it matter who I paint, who I don’t paint? What matters is that looking at a painting you are inspired by the ideas I am trying to convey’.” Viegas says that when she shared her ideas with the Jesuits at XCHR, they were helpful in allowing her to have a freehand in curating the exhibitions. In fact, the XCHR are the custodians of a collection of Fonseca’s original artworks which have been gifted to the centre by his widow Ivy. The Centre has been making these accessible for public viewing through these various exhibitions like ‘A Christmas Story’ which showed his paintings on Christmas and nativity, ‘The Power and The Glory’ which dwelt on the Lenten period, and ‘Maiden, Muse and Madonna’. Recently, a new exhibition ‘Fonseca: An Indic Lexicon’ opened at the centre. “This year, we decided to look at some paintings that were made during the year that India as a nation was being born after a colonial period,” says Viegas. She adds that this art exhibition has gotten a better response from people. “An artist collection is not to be kept in archive. It is to be shown to people because it was painted for people. The Jesuits are doing a fantastic job in this respect,” says Viegas. In fact, director of XCHR Fr. Rinald D’ Souza admits to learning more about Fonseca through the last three exhibitions he curated with Viegas. “Every time I look at Fonseca, I discover something more about him and something more about myself,” he says. Talking about the deep connection of the Jesuits and Fonseca, Fr. D’Souza explains that Fonseca had a deep association with Fr. Matthew Lederle who was also writing a lot on Indian Christian art. “Lederle was also instrumental in Fonseca’s travel to Nuremberg, Germany where a substantial portion of his collection resides. A lot of work was done for the Jesuits at that time,” he shares. He adds that Fonseca was one of the most important artists of the 20th century not just from the Goan and Christian perspective. “One of the things was that he made this change that moved the face of Christian iconography,” he says, adding that as a cultural institution, the XCHR has to do their best to promote Fonseca. But this journey to get this master artist his due, is an ongoing struggle, reveals Viegas. “I don’t think it is easy for an artist, especially in Goa, to make a mark, no matter how good he is. People are a little apathetic to art. We have good infrastructure now. But cultural appreciation and critique has to come from people. It is only then Fonseca and other forgotten artists will be redeemed,” says the curator. In fact, with the goal of throwing more light on Fonseca, two years ago, Fr. Délio Mendonça, while working at the XCHR, published a coffee table book titled ‘Fonseca’. “I had access to some literature on Fonseca from our library and to his many originals. But there was no book or relatively complete monograph on the artist. There were brief essays about this artist but not easily accessible. This lacuna is one of the reasons that led me to write the book,” he shares. Since the XCHR was the custodian of the Fonseca artworks and with plans for an art gallery for his large legacy, Fr. Mendonca thought that a book dedicated to the magnum opus of Fonseca was necessary to showcase Fonseca’s art and his thoughts to a larger public in India and in the Church; and to prevent Fonseca from falling into total oblivion. Architect Gerard Da Cunha who published the book adds that it was done for the simple reason that everybody had forgotten Fonseca. “I suppose books and exhibitions have popularised him now and he is getting into the mainstream as being one of Goa’s main artists. He was an artist beyond his time. And it takes time to bring a man back to his history,” he says. Fr. Mendonca too opines that books and exhibitions are a sign of recognition of the artist. But more needs to be done. “His works, his thoughts and the motivation for creating a new Christian iconography for India and the world can inspire religious, social and political life,” says Fr. Mendonca. “It is not easy to acknowledge the works of persons when these disturb our holy traditions and question our cherished assumptions. But art should also disturb, provoke and renew our commitments.” He adds that there is a need for an art gallery to bring out Fonseca’s art. “His universal thoughts and spirituality are important for contemporary India,” says Fr. Mendonca, adding that Fonseca’s work reflected human and divine representations emanating peace, devotion, tenderness and serenity. To take the interest in Fonseca’s artworks further, Viegas will soon be coming out with her monograph titled ‘Angelo da Fonseca: An Artist of His Time’with six chapters dealing with different facets of Fonseca’s life and art. “It looks at his early life, at his Bengal school influence of other artists. It also looks at the kind of technique he used and the kind of colours he made. The book also examines all the images he created. There is a special chapter on Our Lady and then the last chapter deals with how people responded to his work,” she shares. The XCHR is also looking at further plans to bring Fonseca into mainstream art discussion. “A lot more has to be done. This includes an extensive website to get Fonseca to the public and to make the collection known. We also would like to start educational programmes for school children and public and invite lecturers,” shares Fr. D’Souza. “But in terms of him getting his due, that depends on the public and how they accept Fonseca as their own.”
Voting closed Saturday evening in most polling centers throughout Ghana, bringing to an end the presidential and legislative elections poised to be a litmus test for democracy in a region shaken by extremist violence and coups. The capital, Accra, was almost a ghost town for much of the day. Even vibrant Oxford Street, one of the city's commercial hubs, saw little activity on the day that Ghanaians went to the polls to elect a new president and 276 legislators. Some 18.7 million people are registered to vote in the West African country hit by one of the worst economic crises in a generation. However, the two main candidates offer little hope for change for the nation. Early results were expected late on Saturday. The first official results will be released by Tuesday. Ghana used to be a poster child for democracy in the region. At a time when coups threatened democracy in West Africa, Ghana has emerged as a beacon of democratic stability with a history of peaceful elections. It had also been an economic powerhouse, priding itself on its economic development. But in recent years, it has struggled with a profound economic crisis, including surging inflation and a lack of jobs. According to an opinion poll released earlier this year by Afrobarometer, a research group, 82 per cent of Ghanaians feel their country is headed in the wrong direction Although 12 candidates are running to become Ghana’s next president, Saturday’s election — like previous ones since the return of multiparty politics in 1992 — has emerged as a two-horse race. Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia is the candidate of the ruling New Patriotic Party, or NPP, which has struggled to resolve the economic crisis. He faces off against former President John Dramani Mahama, the leader of the main opposition party National Democratic Congress, or NDC. He was voted out in 2016 after failing to deliver on promises for the economy. Election officials count the ballots after polls closed in the general elections in Accra, Ghana, Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024 (AP Photo/Jerome Delay) Opinion polls point at a potential comeback for Mahama. A local research company, Global InfoAnalytics says he is projected to get 52.2 per cent of the vote, followed by Bawumia, with 41.4 per cent. After voting in the town of Bole in northern Ghana, Mahama praised the smooth election process and expressed confidence in his own victory. “In other elections, it had not been clear," he told reporters. “But (during) this election everyone sees where it is heading.” The NDC prides itself as a social democratic party, while the ruling NPP tags itself as leaning to the right. But in fact, analysts and voters said, the programs of their presidential candidates do not differ in a significant way. Members of parliament will also be elected Saturday. The ruling NPP party and the main opposition NDC each have 137 members in the 275-member legislature, with one independent member who has been voting mostly along with the ruling party. One more constituency will be added in this election, bringing the number of deputies to 276. In their final campaign rallies Thursday, both candidates made a last push to pitch their political parties as the answer to Ghana’s economic woes. Bawumia, 61, an Oxford-educated economist and former deputy governor of the country’s central bank, promised to build on the outgoing administration’s efforts and stabilize the economy. Mahama, 65, on the other hand, restated his promise to “reset” the country on various fronts. “We need to reset our democracy, governance, economy, finances, agriculture, infrastructure, environment, health sector, and all that we hold dear as a people,” the former president said. Election officials count the ballots after polls closed in the general elections in Accra, Ghana, Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024 (AP Photo/Jerome Delay) Across the the capital, Accra, the mood for the election has been upbeat in posters and billboards with bikers displaying stunts, political rallies on the streets, election jingles and songs blasting from public speakers. But the concern for many is also palpable for the key thing at stake: The country’s ailing economy, which has been challenged on various fronts in recent years. The country defaulted on most of its foreign debt last year as it faced a worsening economic crisis that spiked the price of fuel, food and other essential items. The inflation rate had hit 54 per cent by the end of last year and though it’s been coming down since then, not many Ghanaians can still tell the difference when they go to the market. Ebenezer Kotey Dsane, a 69-year-old driver said he voted for Mahama because “he is a good man” who “set up much infrastructure when he was in office.” “The current regime hasn't done much,” he said, pointing to the La General Hospital in Accra, one of the capital's main medical facilities, pulled down in July 2020 by the current government with a pledge to reconstruct it. “Until today, nothing has happened.” Some chose not to vote at all. Ruth Mensah, 42, an unemployed resident of Nima, a working-class suburb in Accra, said she decided not to cast a ballot. “I don’t see how voting will bring about a change to my life,” she said. Patricia Seyram Hagbevor, 20, a first-time voter and student at Accra Technical University said she wished for a change. She didn't disclose whom she voted for, but said she “hoped for a change for the better that will help develop our future.” The chronic challenge of illegal gold mining — known locally as galamsey — has also been a major issue in the campaign and a source of concern for voters, triggering protests and criticism against the outgoing government. Ghana is Africa’s top gold producer and the world’s sixth largest, but the commodity has been increasingly mined illegally as people become more desperate to find jobs in an economy that has been crumbling. The mining has polluted rivers and other parts of the environment despite government actions to clamp down on the practice. __ Pronczuk reported from Dakar, Senegal.
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Article content The ongoing Canada Post strike has reached the three-week mark as the two sides continue to trade proposals through a government-appointed mediator. Recommended Videos The work stoppage centres around a variety of issues, including disputes over wages and weekend delivery. Here’s a snapshot of the issues underpinning the standoff between the Crown corporation and union. Wage increases The Canadian Union of Postal Workers, which represents 55,000 Canada Post workers, said at the start of the strike that wage increases must be kept in line with inflation, with cost-of-living adjustment payments rolled into the basic wage rate. The union initially called for a cumulative wage hike of 24 per cent over four years. CUPW negotiator Jim Gallant said that figure has moved since the start of negotiations, but declined to comment on the union’s latest proposal. “We have just lived through the worst cost of living crisis in a generation,” the union’s national president Jan Simpson said in a post on Tuesday. Canada Post says it has offered what it calls “competitive” wage increases totalling 11.5 per cent over four years and more paid leave. It notes labour costs rose by $242 million in 2023, or about 6.5 per cent, compared with 2022. The organization declined to comment on Thursday. Weekend delivery One of the main snags in negotiations has been a push to expand delivery to the weekend, but the two sides are at odds over how to staff the expansion. Canada Post has pitched seven-day-a-week delivery as a way to boost revenue and “secure the future of the company” as it struggles to compete with other delivery companies. The Crown corporation says it would staff weekend delivery shifts with a mix of new permanent part-time positions and some full-time, which would “create flexibility while not adding significant long-term fixed costs.” But the union characterizes Canada Post’s proposals as “attacks on full-time work,” accusing the Crown corporation of wanting to increase the part-time mix to more than 50 per cent of the workforce. It says it is concerned some part-timers could be scheduled for as few as eight hours per week and wouldn’t be eligible for benefits until they reach 1,000 hours. “Canada Post has every ability today to deliver parcels on the weekend, inside our collective agreement at straight time,” Gallant said in an interview. “We think it can be done with full-timers ... We’re just saying, ‘Instead of hiring 10 part-timers, you can hire three full time.” Job security and retirement The union has highlighted a number of its demands for better job security, including a request for “improved protections against technological change.” Gallant said Canada Post is “always looking for new technology” that could threaten workers’ duties. “This loading and unloading of trucks by robots is one that they’re really, really looking at (and) forklifts that drive themselves through a plant,” he said. “We’re always afraid.” When it comes to retirement, CUPW says Canada Post wants new workers to accept a defined contribution pension plan, even though its defined benefit pension plan is overfunded by 140 per cent. “All workers deserve the right to retire with dignity, and for us, that means postal workers — present and future — maintain their defined benefit pension plan,” Simpson said. Canada Post says its proposals are “focused on protecting and enhancing what’s important to current employees ... while protecting the defined benefit pension and their job security.” Rural service The union has said it wants job security rights for rural and suburban mail carriers in line with those granted to urban postal workers. It has outlined a number of issues affecting its Rural Suburban Mail Carrier bargaining unit, saying it wants an hourly rate system with appropriate time values, union involvement and “safeguards against (Canada Post’s) unilateral change.” The union says Canada Post must maximize and maintain eight-hour routes for rural workers, grant improved rights for on-call relief employees, and uphold paid meal and rest period rights. It says the Crown corporation must also ensure the bargaining unit’s involvement in service expansion projects. Earlier this week, Simpson called on Canada Post to commit to working with the union “to expand services at the post office including postal banking and electric vehicle charging stations.” Safer working conditions The union has demanded the full elimination of Canada Post’s “separate sort from delivery” system, which entails certain employees spending the entirety of their shifts sorting mail for letter carriers to go out and deliver — as opposed to carriers performing both tasks. It says this system overburdens carriers, who as a result spend more time outdoors and potentially exposed to extreme weather events. “Postal workers suffer the second highest rate of disabling injury among workers under federal jurisdiction, behind only the road transportation sector,” Simpson said. “Growing neighbourhood mail volumes and changing work methods like separate sort-from-delivery are only making things worse.” The union has also proposed increases to short-term disability program payments and injury on duty payments, along with more paid medical days.
NextNav CEO Mariam Sorond sells $4.15 million in stock
