7 casino game Musk causes uproar by backing German far-right party ahead of key elections1 / 6 Indo Farm Equipment | The farming equipment maker is set to launch its mainboard IPO on December 31, aiming to raise ₹260 crore. The issue will include a fresh issue of ₹185 crore and an offer-for-sale of ₹75 crore. The price band for the offer has been fixed at ₹204-215 per share, with the subscription closing on January 2. 2 / 6 Technichem Organics | The IPO for this small and medium enterprise (SME) is worth ₹25.25 crore and will open on December 31. The price band for the issue has been set at ₹52-55 per share. The IPO will close on January 2, 2025. 3 / 6 Leo Dry Fruits and Spices Trading | The company will launch its ₹25.1 crore IPO on January 1, closing on January 3. The price band for the book-built issue has been fixed at ₹51-52 per share. This IPO will kick off the new year for public offerings. 4 / 6 Fabtech Technologies Cleanrooms | The pharmaceutical company is aiming to offer 32.64 lakh shares in an IPO on January 3. The price band for the issue has not yet been announced. The IPO will close on January 7, 2025. 5 / 6 Listings Next Week | Six companies are scheduled to list next week, including Ventive Hospitality, Senores Pharmaceuticals, and Carraro India on December 30. Unimech Aerospace and Manufacturing will list on December 31, marking the start of the new year for IPO debuts. 6 / 6 Grey Market Premiums | Shares of Unimech Aerospace are trading at a premium of over 80% in the grey market, while Senores Pharmaceuticals is trading at a 60% premium. Ventive Hospitality shares are seeing a premium of 10%, while Carraro India shares have not seen any premium. The grey market activity indicates strong investor interest in these IPOs.

Originally published by The 19th In the days following the 2024 presidential election, Barb Byrum of Michigan watched open skepticism pour in online about former President Donald Trump’s win over Vice President Kamala Harris . Some questioned how there could be lower overall voter turnout compared to four years ago, especially when there was record early voting in some states . Others wondered how enthusiasm for Harris — who packed campaign rallies in the final weeks of the election — could translate into more votes for Trump. And yet others raised the possibility that their votes hadn’t actually been recorded. There is no proof of widespread voter fraud, and officials who oversee the country’s decentralized election system have praised how smoothly the process played out this year . That hasn’t stopped suspicions from manifesting on several social media platforms. But Byrum — herself a Harris supporter and a former Democratic state representative — does nonpartisan work as the chief elections official in Ingham County, which includes part of the state capital of Lansing. Byrum was wearing that hat as she started debunking conspiracy theories, something she also did in 2020 when Trump challenged the election results and some of his supporters began spreading unfounded doubt. “In the end, we must combat mis- and disinformation,” Byrum told The 19th. “No matter who is saying it, it is imperative that we bring truth and shed light.” Byrum has been addressing the incoming false narratives that she encounters on different social media accounts since the election. No, results were not manipulated or sent via the internet , she explained. And yes, there are multiple ways for voters in the state to know whether their vote was counted or not, as Byrum provided in a step-by-step explainer that included screenshots of the status page. “I don’t think it’s election denialism yet, but if it's allowed to persist, it will go in that direction,” she said of the narratives floating around. “Right now, people are grieving the loss of their candidate and they’re trying to understand.” Byrum’s efforts show the lengths to which some election officials — a predominantly women-led workforce — are taking to restore trust in how elections are administered . But while allegations of widespread voter fraud did not derail vote counting for the presidential race nor pose serious security issues like some experts had worried, Byrum’s debunking still signals the bumpy road ahead for those who will grapple with future claims — and there’s no immediate end to the work. “We’re at such a low point of trust in institutions and media,” said Isabel Linzer, an elections and democracy fellow at the Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) , a research and policy organization that works to improve technology in spaces like elections. “It’s not a surprise that we see election denialism continuing.” Trump won more votes than Harris in the Electoral College, and he is on track to win the popular vote. The president-elect’s margin of victory in key battleground states was wide enough that major media outlets were able to project his win in the early morning hours after election night — a stark contrast to 2020 when it took several days to determine President Joe Biden had won. Votes are still being counted and processed in several states during the post-election canvassing period, but there is enough information available that indicates Trump made in-roads with voters across race, gender and ethnicity, among other demographics . And irrespective of rally sizes and on-the-ground enthusiasm for the candidates, most polls showed a close race going into Election Day. The final tally of votes is expected to reflect that. Narratives about widespread voter fraud flourished in the lead-up to November 5, in part because Trump has spread unfounded conspiracy theories about it over several years. That contributed to a more organized election denialism movement that now includes some election officials . It’s also a message that members of Congress concluded directly led to the deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. Election officials have been on the receiving end of the conspiracy theories. After 2020, they reported harassment, intimidation and threats of violence . They advocated for federal support and policies to protect their safety . They tried to bring transparency to the election process, offering tours of ballot processing facilities and other public events. They still dealt with a flood of disinformation . Tina Barton is a senior election expert for The Elections Group , which aims to build trust and stronger relationships between election officials and law enforcement. She believes the scope of election denialism in the post-November 5 sphere has been contained in part because of the work that election officials have done to prepare, including running through security scenarios and efforts to debunk lies. “We have come a long way from where we were four years ago, and I give a lot of credit to the election officials for the work that they have done, and so many partners and groups who have been dedicated to the election process and democracy,” she said. Trump said during his third bid for the presidency this year that he would not fully accept the results of the election. Early on November 5, he claimed without evidence that cheating was taking place in Philadelphia and that there was related police presence in Detroit — two cities with large populations of Black voters who tend to vote for Democrats. For those reasons, voting experts expected Trump to challenge the results if he lost. But as incoming vote tallies on election night showed Trump in the lead, his messaging on the subject stopped. He has primarily turned his attention to announcing his picks for Cabinet and other government roles . Harris never publicly questioned the results, and like Hillary Clinton in 2016, she conceded the day after the election — ensuring the peaceful transfer of power. Still, other forms of election denialism are playing out elsewhere on the internet. Some of Trump’s supporters are pointing to Trump’s win as proof that he also won in 2020. He did not, as determined by audits, lawsuits and his own administration . When Byrum did similar debunking following Trump’s loss to Biden, she was surprised at the verbal vitriol that came in response. This time, Byrum is seeing something different: people are thanking her for the explanations. “They’re trying to process the information,” she said. “And the response that I've received thus far has been very positive.” In recent days, billionaire investor Elon Musk has also claimed without evidence that Democrats are trying to cheat in the close Pennsylvania Senate race between Republican Dave McCormick and Democratic Sen. Bob Casey. McCormick leads Casey in unofficial results that are within half of a percentage point — triggering a legally required statewide recount that is scheduled to be completed later this month. The Associated Press and Decision Desk HQ have called the race for McCormick. But Casey has not conceded in the race amid ongoing ballot counting. Musk — who endorsed Trump, financially supported his candidacy and has since been tapped by the president-elect to co-lead a newly proposed “Department of Government Efficiency” — claimed on the social media platform that he owns that noncitizens voted in Pennsylvania. There is no proof of such widespread voter fraud. Trump won the state this year. In a close Wisconsin Senate race, Republican Eric Hovde, who challenged Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin, claimed without evidence that there were “voting inconsistencies” on Election Day. The Associated Press and Decision Desk HQ have called the race for Baldwin. Hovde conceded on Monday. It’s unclear for now to what degree election denialism will shape future elections — or policy. Trump posted on his Truth Social account on November 8 that he planned to advocate that Americans show proof of citizenship and voter identification to cast a ballot. It is already illegal for noncitizens to vote in state and federal elections. Thirty-six states require some form of identification to vote, and the remaining others use other methods to verify identification . Hannah Fried, executive director of All Voting is Local , a nonpartisan organization that works to protect voting access, said it’s too early to know how the new administration might try to implement voting policy. But she said in some way, changing the law may not be the point. “It is to create enough doubt in our elections that you can use that doubt to consolidate your own power, or create this sort of undergirding to pass laws that a state legislature, for example, can pass that can be really harmful to voters,” she said. Byrum in Michigan has been relieved by the reduction in threats and intimidation following this year’s election. But she knows that weaponized denialism can fester over time and create future problems for the election workforce. She wants to remind people that the vast majority of election officials are public servants who are trying to follow election laws and rules. They’re also just humans. “We are your neighbors. We sit beside you at church. We are behind you in the drop-off line at school,” she said. “We are dedicated to promoting safe and secure elections.”

By Will Dunham and Jasper Ward WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Jimmy Carter, the earnest Georgia peanut farmer who as U.S. president struggled with a bad economy and the Iran hostage crisis but brokered peace between Israel and Egypt and later received the Nobel Peace Prize for his humanitarian work, died at his home in Plains, Georgia, on Sunday, the Carter Center said. He was 100. “My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love,” said Chip Carter, the former president’s son. “My brothers, sister, and I shared him with the rest of the world through these common beliefs. The world is our family because of the way he brought people together, and we thank you for honoring his memory by continuing to live these shared beliefs.” A Democrat, he served as president from January 1977 to January 1981 after defeating incumbent Republican President Gerald Ford in the 1976 U.S. election. Carter was swept from office four years later in an electoral landslide as voters embraced Republican challenger Ronald Reagan, the former actor and California governor. Carter lived longer after his term in office than any other U.S. president. Along the way, he earned a reputation as a better former president than he was a president - a status he readily acknowledged. His one-term presidency was marked by the highs of the 1978 Camp David accords between Israel and Egypt, bringing some stability to the Middle East. But it was dogged by an economy in recession, persistent unpopularity and the embarrassment of the Iran hostage crisis that consumed his final 444 days in office. In recent years, Carter had experienced several health issues including melanoma that spread to his liver and brain. Carter decided to receive hospice care in February 2023 instead of undergoing additional medical intervention. His wife, Rosalynn Carter, died on Nov. 19, 2023, at age 96. He looked frail when he attended her memorial service and funeral in a wheelchair. Carter left office profoundly unpopular but worked energetically for decades on humanitarian causes. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 in recognition of his "untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development." Carter had been a centrist as governor of Georgia with populist tendencies when he moved into the White House as the 39th U.S. president. He was a Washington outsider at a time when America was still reeling from the Watergate scandal that led Republican Richard Nixon to resign as president in 1974 and elevated Ford from vice president. "I'm Jimmy Carter and I'm running for president. I will never lie to you," Carter promised with an ear-to-ear smile. Asked to assess his presidency, Carter said in a 1991 documentary: "The biggest failure we had was a political failure. I never was able to convince the American people that I was a forceful and strong leader." Despite his difficulties in office, Carter had few rivals for accomplishments as a former president. He gained global acclaim as a tireless human rights advocate, a voice for the disenfranchised and a leader in the fight against hunger and poverty, winning the respect that eluded him in the White House. Carter won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his efforts to promote human rights and resolve conflicts around the world, from Ethiopia and Eritrea to Bosnia and Haiti. His Carter Center in Atlanta sent international election-monitoring delegations to polls around the world. A Southern Baptist Sunday school teacher since his teens, Carter brought a strong sense of morality to the presidency, speaking openly about his religious faith. He also sought to take some pomp out of an increasingly imperial presidency - walking, rather than riding in a limousine, in his 1977 inauguration parade. The Middle East was the focus of Carter's foreign policy. The 1979 Egypt-Israel peace treaty, based on the 1978 Camp David accords, ended a state of war between the two neighbors. Carter brought Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin to the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland for talks. Later, as the accords seemed to be unraveling, Carter saved the day by flying to Cairo and Jerusalem for personal shuttle diplomacy. The treaty provided for Israeli withdrawal from Egypt's Sinai Peninsula and establishment of diplomatic relations. Begin and Sadat each won a Nobel Peace Prize in 1978. By the 1980 election, the overriding issues were double-digit inflation, interest rates that exceeded 20% and soaring gas prices, as well as the Iran hostage crisis that brought humiliation to America. These issues marred Carter's presidency and undermined his chances of winning a second term. HOSTAGE CRISIS On Nov. 4, 1979, revolutionaries devoted to Iran's Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini had stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, seized the Americans present and demanded the return of the ousted shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who was backed by the United States and was being treated in a U.S. hospital. The American public initially rallied behind Carter. But his support faded in April 1980 when a commando raid failed to rescue the hostages, with eight U.S. soldiers killed in an aircraft accident in the Iranian desert. Carter's final ignominy was that Iran held the 52 hostages until minutes after Reagan took his oath of office on Jan. 20, 1981, to replace Carter, then released the planes carrying them to freedom. In another crisis, Carter protested the former Soviet Union's 1979 invasion of Afghanistan by boycotting the 1980 Olympics in Moscow. He also asked the U.S. Senate to defer consideration of a major nuclear arms accord with Moscow. Unswayed, the Soviets remained in Afghanistan for a decade. Carter won narrow Senate approval in 1978 of a treaty to transfer the Panama Canal to the control of Panama despite critics who argued the waterway was vital to American security. He also completed negotiations on full U.S. ties with China. Carter created two new U.S. Cabinet departments - education and energy. Amid high gas prices, he said America's "energy crisis" was "the moral equivalent of war" and urged the country to embrace conservation. "Ours is the most wasteful nation on earth," he told Americans in 1977. In 1979, Carter delivered what became known as his "malaise" speech to the nation, although he never used that word. "After listening to the American people I have been reminded again that all the legislation in the world can't fix what's wrong with America," he said in his televised address. "The threat is nearly invisible in ordinary ways. It is a crisis of confidence. It is a crisis that strikes at the very heart and soul and spirit of our national will. The erosion of our confidence in the future is threatening to destroy the social and the political fabric of America." As president, the strait-laced Carter was embarrassed by the behavior of his hard-drinking younger brother, Billy Carter, who had boasted: "I got a red neck, white socks, and Blue Ribbon beer." 'THERE YOU GO AGAIN' Jimmy Carter withstood a challenge from Massachusetts Senator Edward Kennedy for the 1980 Democratic presidential nomination but was politically diminished heading into his general election battle against a vigorous Republican adversary. Reagan, the conservative who projected an image of strength, kept Carter off balance during their debates before the November 1980 election. Reagan dismissively told Carter, "There you go again," when the Republican challenger felt the president had misrepresented Reagan's views during one debate. Carter lost the 1980 election to Reagan, who won 44 of the 50 states and amassed an Electoral College landslide. James Earl Carter Jr. was born on Oct. 1, 1924, in Plains, Georgia, one of four children of a farmer and shopkeeper. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1946, served in the nuclear submarine program and left to manage the family peanut farming business. He married his wife, Rosalynn, in 1946, a union he called "the most important thing in my life." They had three sons and a daughter. Carter became a millionaire, a Georgia state legislator and Georgia's governor from 1971 to 1975. He mounted an underdog bid for the 1976 Democratic presidential nomination, and out-hustled his rivals for the right to face Ford in the general election. With Walter Mondale as his vice presidential running mate, Carter was given a boost by a major Ford gaffe during one of their debates. Ford said that "there is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe and there never will be under a Ford administration," despite decades of just such domination. Carter edged Ford in the election, even though Ford actually won more states - 27 to Carter's 23. Not all of Carter's post-presidential work was appreciated. Former President George W. Bush and his father, former President George H.W. Bush, both Republicans, were said to have been displeased by Carter's freelance diplomacy in Iraq and elsewhere. In 2004, Carter called the Iraq war launched in 2003 by the younger Bush one of the most "gross and damaging mistakes our nation ever made." He called George W. Bush's administration "the worst in history" and said Vice President Dick Cheney was "a disaster for our country." In 2019, Carter questioned Republican Donald Trump's legitimacy as president, saying "he was put into office because the Russians interfered on his behalf." Trump responded by calling Carter "a terrible president." Carter also made trips to communist North Korea. A 1994 visit defused a nuclear crisis, as President Kim Il Sung agreed to freeze his nuclear program in exchange for resumed dialogue with the United States. That led to a deal in which North Korea, in return for aid, promised not to restart its nuclear reactor or reprocess the plant's spent fuel. But Carter irked Democratic President Bill Clinton's administration by announcing the deal with North Korea's leader without first checking with Washington. In 2010, Carter won the release of an American sentenced to eight years hard labor for illegally entering North Korea. Carter wrote more than two dozen books, ranging from a presidential memoir to a children's book and poetry, as well as works about religious faith and diplomacy. His book "Faith: A Journey for All," was published in 2018. (Reporting and writing by Will Dunham; Editing by Bill Trott and Diane Craft)Ebonkoli 1-8 0-0 2, Grady 5-9 1-1 14, Petty 2-6 7-10 13, Brown 1-3 0-0 3, Faas 1-9 0-0 3, Kopp 3-4 2-2 10, Gob 0-2 4-4 4, Hall 1-4 0-0 2, Nyeri 3-4 2-2 9, Diallo 0-0 0-0 0, Ijeh 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 17-49 16-19 60. G.Jones 5-9 5-5 16, Mayock 2-6 2-2 7, Rogers 3-11 0-0 6, Smalls 3-5 7-7 13, Stephens 2-4 10-11 14, Ball 1-1 0-0 2, Nausadis 2-7 0-0 5, Michaels 0-0 1-2 1, Iturbe 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 18-43 25-27 64. Halftime_UMKC 29-27. 3-Point Goals_UMKC 10-24 (Grady 3-5, Kopp 2-3, Petty 2-5, Brown 1-2, Nyeri 1-2, Faas 1-5, Hall 0-2), American 3-20 (G.Jones 1-5, Mayock 1-5, Nausadis 1-5, Smalls 0-1, Rogers 0-4). Fouled Out_Smalls. Rebounds_UMKC 25 (Ebonkoli, Faas 5), American 31 (Rogers 7). Assists_UMKC 9 (Kopp 3), American 5 (G.Jones, Mayock, Rogers, Smalls, Ball 1). Total Fouls_UMKC 22, American 19. A_50 (12,000).

ATA Creativity Global ( NASDAQ:AACG – Get Free Report ) saw a large decline in short interest during the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totalling 154,200 shares, a decline of 16.3% from the November 30th total of 184,200 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 45,300 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 3.4 days. Analysts Set New Price Targets Separately, StockNews.com began coverage on ATA Creativity Global in a research report on Saturday. They issued a “sell” rating on the stock. Get Our Latest Stock Report on AACG ATA Creativity Global Trading Down 2.2 % ATA Creativity Global Company Profile ( Get Free Report ) ATA Creativity Global, together with its subsidiaries, provides educational services to individual students through its training center network in China and internationally. Its educational services include portfolio training, research-based learning, overseas study counselling, in-school art classes through cooperation with high schools and training organizations, foreign language training services, junior art education, and other related educational services to its students. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for ATA Creativity Global Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for ATA Creativity Global and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

NoneVERMILLION, S.D. (AP) — Aidan Bouman threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Javion Phelps with 12 seconds left and South Dakota defeated FCS top-ranked North Dakota State 29-28 on Saturday to claim a share of its first Missouri Valley Football Conference championship. The Coyotes (9-2, 7-1) trailed 28-17 when Bouman threw deep to Jack Martens for a 40-yard touchdown with 3:22 remaining. They got the ball back with 1:16 left and six plays later Bouman was sacked. The Coyotes quickly lined up and Bouman found Phelps alone 2 yards shy of the end zone along the left sideline and he easily scored. South Dakota won its first game against the Bison in Vermillion since a four-overtime thriller in 2002. The Bison had won the last five meetings in the DakotaDome. The Coyotes took a 14-0 lead on two Travis Theis rushing touchdowns but the Bison (10-2, 7-1) tied the game with two scores in the final 2:26 of the first half, a 23-yard pass from Cam Miller to Braylon Henderson and a 3-yard TD run by Miller. Miller scored from 2 yards out late in the third quarter and CharMar Brown completed a 20-play, 99-yard drive that took nearly 11 minutes with a 1-yard score for a 28-17 Bison lead with just over four minutes to go. Bouman was 18-of-30 for 271 yards and two touchdowns. Miller was 9-of-21 passing with one touchdown and he rushed for 82 yards and another score. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football . Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: https://apnews.com/cfbtop25 Get any of our free daily email newsletters — news headlines, opinion, e-edition, obituaries and more.Military personnel manning a U.S. Army command outpost in Iraq found the radio report suspicious. During an operation to hunt suspected al-Qaeda militants, American soldiers involved notified their commanders that they had just killed three detainees whom, they said, had broken free of their restraints and attacked them. The soldiers had been in combat for months in Samarra, a city about 80 miles northwest of Baghdad, where a vicious insurgency had taken hold. The detainees’ deaths on May 9, 2006, triggered an extensive U.S. military investigation, leading to courts-martial, two murder convictions, and a career-ending letter of reprimand for Col. Michael Steele, the troops’ brigade commander. In the end, those found guilty acknowledged under oath that they had lied about the detainees’ escape, and instead set them loose and shot them in the back as they ran away. “Every single person that was involved in that has had an indelible mark left on them,” Steele told the Washington Post in an interview. He attributed the murders to “guys that decided to go rogue.” The cases have taken on new significance with President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination of Pete Hegseth for defense secretary. Hegseth was a 26-year-old lieutenant in the Army National Guard when he joined that unit, the 101st Airborne Division’s 3rd Brigade Combat Team, in summer 2005 just ahead of its deployment. Though he was not present during the murders and had no role in them, the incident was formative, other soldiers said, with men he grew to care about ensnared in the case. This account of Hegseth’s deployment to Iraq is based on interviews with eight people familiar with that time in his life, along with a review of military documents and past media accounts. Taken together, a picture emerges of a potential secretary of defense who witnessed an extended inquiry into military misconduct that upended the lives of colleagues and mentors. The experience left soldiers not directly involved in the murders convinced that the Army had turned on them, too, those involved said. Hegseth and representatives for the Trump transition team did not respond to requests for comment. Some people spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a high-profile potential nomination that is embroiled in controversy for other reasons. In recent days, the Post and other news organizations have revealed that Hegseth was investigated by police in 2017 for an alleged sexual assault. His lawyer, Timothy Parlatore, has said that the encounter was consensual and that Hegseth was not charged with the crime, though he later paid to settle the matter with the accuser. Hegseth, 44, has rarely, if ever, mentioned the Iraq cases publicly, and has shifted in the years since from being an ardent supporter of the 2007 surge of U.S. forces in Iraq to questioning the entire point of the war. Over time, he also took on an increasingly populist tone in defense of U.S. troops accused of war crimes, arguing that the military put unreasonable restrictions on the rules of engagement that govern how American soldiers fight. His appearances on the cable news show “Fox & Friends Weekend” captured the attention of then-President Donald Trump, leading to phone calls between them, people familiar with the matter said. Hegseth took particular interest in three prosecutions: those of Army officers Clint Lorance and Mathew Golsteyn for alleged murders in Afghanistan, and Navy SEAL Edward Gallagher, who beat a murder charge but was punished for staging a photo with an Islamic State fighter’s corpse in Iraq. In November 2019, after Trump pardoned Lorance and Golsteyn, and reinstated Gallagher’s rank — rejecting pushback from senior Pentagon officials — Hegseth gave a full-throated defense of the moves, telling Fox viewers the president had shown support for “people out there making the impossible calls at impossible moments.” “These are not cases where people went into villages with the intention of killing innocent people,” Hegseth said, dismissing evidence and testimony pointing to violations of military law. “These are split-second decisions.” Privately, Hegseth commiserated with Golsteyn about the investigation the 3rd Brigade Combat Team had endured, Golsteyn told the Post. It appeared that Hegseth saw “a replay of events in my case that were relatable to his own experiences,” Golsteyn said. Hegseth worked at Fox until recently, decamping the network this month when his nomination was announced. ‘Kill Company’ Hegseth graduated from Princeton University in 2003, joining the investment bank Bear Stearns and the Minnesota Army National Guard as an infantry officer. He deployed in 2004 first to Guantánamo Bay, the U.S. detention facility in Cuba that at the time housed hundreds of 9/11 suspects and combatants in the war on terrorism. After returning to Wall Street for a brief interlude, he volunteered for an assignment to Iraq in 2005, landing a slot as a platoon leader overseeing about 40 men in the brigade’s Charlie Company, 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment. “I showed up in the 101st Airborne Division, in one of the most storied units in our nation’s history, with a bunch of combat vets who’d already done a tour in Iraq and they looked at me like, ‘Who the hell is this guy?’” Hegseth said in a 2021 interview on the “Will Cain Show” podcast. One former officer who served with Hegseth said he was surprised to see a National Guard member taking on such a role. He surmised that Hegseth probably wanted to run for office someday and thought a combat tour could help, the former officer said. On the battlefield, Hegseth appeared calm and levelheaded, two soldiers who served with him said. He led missions initially in Baghdad and then around Samarra, said retired Sgt. Maj. Eric Geressy, who served as the senior enlisted soldier in Charlie Company. The fighting became especially intense, Geressy recalled, after an important Shiite landmark, the Golden Mosque, was blown up in February 2006, triggering a wave of sectarian bloodshed with U.S. forces caught in the middle. “The enemy really threw everything at us there,” Geressy said. “Suicide bombers, mortars, rockets — anything and everything.” Charlie Company, numbering about 140 men, was considered the brigade’s most aggressive unit, engaging threats with a bravado that would later draw scrutiny from senior leaders, said people familiar with the deployment. As recounted by the New Yorker in 2009, Charlie Company was nicknamed “Kill Company” and maintained a whiteboard listing confirmed kills — including civilians — that each platoon had notched. The former officer, who served in another company within the battalion, said the behavior exhibited by Hegseth’s infantry company was viewed as “a little bit strange” by those on the outside: “We joked sometimes that they were on their own crusade down there.” Hegseth, in an interview for the New Yorker article, said that Charlie Company’s aggressiveness was shaped by training it had received while preparing for the deployment at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. He claimed then that he voiced concerns to his former company commander, Capt. Daniel Hart, that he didn’t “feel comfortable telling my guys to go into that door hot,” with their weapons poised to be fired. “I can’t quote him directly, but he said, ‘What do you mean? This is an enemy target, we have intelligence that it is an Al Qaeda mortar team,’” Hegseth told the New Yorker. “And I said, ‘I understand that, sir, and I don’t want to put my platoon in danger, but at the same time I am talking to other people who have been here for a while and nobody else goes in hot — nobody. And if we go in hot we are going to kill civilians.’” Hart, now an Army colonel and military psychiatrist, declined through an Army spokesman to comment on Hegseth’s comments. Hegseth eventually was reassigned and tasked with overseeing local governance projects in Samarra, where there had been little order since the region’s decent into violence, Geressy said. Steele and Geressy both lauded his service in interviews with the Post. But for his old unit, disaster was coming. Operation Iron Triangle Steele, the brigade commander, had survived the infamous “Black Hawk Down” incident that killed 18 U.S. soldiers in Somalia in 1993. He held a mindset that, in the run-up to their deployment, there was little time for anything other than preparing for war, several soldiers who served under him said. Once in Iraq, he clashed frequently with senior commanders over strategy and tactics, as U.S. forces struggled to simultaneously squelch the violence and win over the civilian populace, several people said. After Hegseth’s departure, as fighting in and around Samarra soared, Steele and his staff engineered a series of helicopter assaults intended to pummel the militant forces. One such mission, branded Operation Iron Triangle, targeted an al-Qaeda training facility on a tiny island in Lake Tharthar. Charlie Company’s 3rd Platoon lifted off in Black Hawk helicopters expecting a fierce battle, soldiers involved said. Their target, according to a military document describing the operation that was obtained by the Post, was “full of Al Qaeda” and associates of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq, a precursor to the Islamic State. Geressy, in a witness statement submitted after the operation as part of the inquiry, said that soldiers began clearing houses after their helicopters landed but that the first few houses had no one inside. Later, when soldiers were flown to another part of the island, they opened fire on a building, killing one man and taking several people captive, he told military investigators. Geressy was elsewhere on the island at the time, he told investigators, and instructed the soldiers to prepare the detainees to be moved by aircraft for an intelligence screening by other Army personnel. About 20 minutes later, the captives were dead. Hart, Hegseth’s former superior officer, sent a memo to Steele saying the first man killed had looked through a window as the soldiers approached and that three other “military aged males” had used their wives inside the building to shield themselves. Hart’s report also said that his soldiers used deadly force to respond to a hostile act by the detainees. A military court later determined that account to be false. An Army official familiar with the matter said that Hart wrote the report based on what he believed to be true at the time. As the story fell apart, Army investigators alleged that two soldiers, Cpl. William Hunsaker and Pfc. Corey Clagett, shot the detainees and accused a more senior member of the unit, Staff Sgt. Raymond Girouard, of ordering the killings and then helping to cover them up. A fourth, Spec. Juston Graber, was accused of shooting one of the detainees in the head after the initial gunfire stopped to “ease his suffering,” he told investigators. Clagett and Hunsaker pleaded guilty to murder and related charges, receiving prison sentences of 18 years each. Graber pleaded guilty to aggravated assault, receiving a sentence of nine months in exchange for his testimony against the others, and Girouard was convicted of negligent homicide and other charges and sentenced to 10 years, according to military documents. Girouard’s conviction was later overturned on appeal, while the others have since been released. Clagett, Hunsaker and Girouard did not respond to requests for comment. Graber, now 39, said in a text message that he is writing a book about his experience, including carrying out “that mercy killing.” “War is complete and utter hell, and, unless you’re there, on the receiving end of flying bullets or recovering your brothers ... you’ll never comprehend the complexities of what we go through nor the decisions we have to make,” Graber’s message said. A unit under suspicion Suspicion spread far beyond the soldiers eventually sent to prison. Defense attorneys for the men accused depicted a bloodthirsty and undisciplined culture within Hegseth’s old infantry company. The experience, one senior soldier in the unit said, was searing for all of them. Steele received the letter of reprimand from Lt. Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli, who later became a four-star general and vice chief of staff of the Army. In a phone interview, Steele said that Chiarelli “tried to connect the murder of the detainees to my command climate” and that others in the brigade thought the general’s conclusions were “ludicrous.” Steele portrayed Chiarelli as disconnected from what rank-and-file infantry personnel experienced, saying the general “lived in a palace” in Iraq “while my guys are out bleeding to death in the streets of Samarra.” His voice hardened as he recalled witnessing more senior commanders receiving orders to release militants who had been captured by U.S. forces. “There are soldiers that absolutely died because of that stupidity,” Steele said. Asked about the Charlie Company’s “kill board” and the harsh methods of training he instituted, Steele said he did not condone illegal behavior but wanted his soldiers not to be timid when their lives were in danger. Death, he said, is “irrevocable.” “I take it personally when somebody said, ‘Well, I think your techniques are too hard,’” Steele said. “Well, you pick up a damn rifle and you go get in that fire team and you go out and you face insurgents with my guys, then.” Chiarelli said in an email that he reprimanded Steele “because the soldiers under his command violated the rules of engagement.” “I was in Iraq for one week, commanding the 1st Cavalry Division, when eight soldiers assigned to my division were killed and 64 were wounded in an ambush in Baghdad’s Sadr City,” Chiarelli said. “I understood and witnessed firsthand how violent a place it could be.” Steele said he supports Hegseth’s potential nomination as defense secretary, calling his mindset a rarity for that job. Hegseth is intelligent, articulate, and will refocus the Pentagon on winning the nation’s wars, the retired colonel said. Critics of Hegseth’s potential nomination have stressed that he has never led any large organization and has faced mounting scrutiny of his personal life and punditry, including advocating for firing generals who support diversity programs, opposing women serving in combat units and suggesting in a book that Islam “is not a religion of peace, and it never has been.” He also has tattoos that were flagged by National Guard colleagues as being associated with the far right. If he is formally nominated by Trump after his inauguration, Hegseth’s confirmation will require a Senate majority vote — an assessment by lawmakers of whether he is ready to lead an enterprise that includes more than 3 million military and civilian personnel, a global network of installations, and nuclear weapons. The former Army officer who served with Hegseth in Iraq said he believes he has latched on to “populist scenarios” in a quest for personal gain. When news of Hegseth’s nomination emerged, old acquaintances from those days got back in touch with one another, the former officer said. One text he received especially stood out. All it said: “WTF?” Monika Mathur, Razzan Nakhlawi and Lisa Rein contributed to this report.

EUGENE, Ore. — Dillon Gabriel threw for two touchdowns and ran for another, and No. 1 Oregon closed out an undefeated regular season with a 49-21 victory over Washington on Saturday. Oregon, also ranked atop the College Football Playoff rankings, had already locked up a spot in next weekend's Big Ten title game. The Ducks will face Penn State, which defeated Maryland 44-7 earlier Saturday. Ohio State's 13-10 loss to Michigan helped the Nittany Lions secure a berth. Gabriel completed 16 of 23 passes for 209 yards, and Jordan James ran for 99 yards and two scores for the Ducks (12-0, 9-0). Oregon finished the regular season without loss for the first time since 2010, when it was undefeated heading into the BCS national championship game. Last season, Oregon's only regular-season loss was to the Huskies. Washington again defeated the Ducks in the Pac-12 championship game, and the Huskies went 13-0 before falling to Michigan for the national championship. This season was markedly different for the Huskies (6-6, 4-5), who, like Oregon, were among the teams that bolted from the Pac-12 last summer. Washington started freshman Demond Williams Jr. at quarterback. Will Rogers had been the Huskies’ regular starter, but Williams was used situationally and helped Washington defeat UCLA to become bowl eligible. Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr. looks for an open pass during an NCAA college football game against Oregon, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in Eugene, Ore. Credit: AP/Lydia Ely Williams threw for 201 yards and a touchdown for Washington, which managed just 43 yards rushing against the Ducks. Tez Johnson, Oregon's top receiver who has been out since a victory over Michigan on Nov. 2 because of a shoulder injury, started and connected with Gabriel on a 9-yard scoring pass in the third quarter that gave the Ducks a 35-14 lead. Oregon scored on its first drive of the game on Noah Whittington's 9-yard run. The Huskies answered with Grady Gross' 26-yard field goal. Gross added added a 41-yarder early in the second quarter to pull within 7-6. Dillon Gabriel hit Traeshon Holden for a 40-yard catch-and-run that was initially called a touchdown, but video review ruled Holden down at the 1. James barreled into the endzone to make it 14-6. Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel warms up before an NCAA college football game against Washington, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in Eugene, Ore. Credit: AP/Lydia Ely Jonah Coleman fumbled on Washington's next play, and Oregon took over on the Husky 19. Two plays later, James scored on his second 1-yard touchdown in the space of a minute. Gabriel scored on a 4-yard keeper to make it 28-6, and the rout was on. Coleman scored on a 1-yard run for the Huskies to make it 28-14 at halftime. Gabriel added a 16-yard touchdown pass to Terrance Ferguson, and Da'Jaun Riggs scored from a yard out for the Ducks in the final quarter. Giles Jackson caught a 28-yard TD pass from Williams with 1:43 to go. Takeaways Washington: The Huskies won the previous three meetings against the Ducks and lead the all-time series 63-49-5, but their three-game win streak against Oregon ended on Saturday. Oregon: Jordan Burch, who had missed the last game with an ankle injury, returned. He had 2 1/2 sacks and three tackles. Oregon tied a program record with 10 sacks. Up Next Oregon is headed to the Big Ten championship game in Indianapolis on Saturday against Penn State. Washington awaits its bowl selection.

Hurry! Our favorite smart wall heater just dropped in price for Black FridayCLEVELAND (AP) — The NFL has closed an investigation into sexual assault allegations against Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, who is ending the season on injured reserve for the second year in a row. The league , trying to determine whether Watson should be punished. “The matter is closed,” league spokesman Brian McCarthy said Friday in an email to The Associated Press. “There was insufficient evidence to support a finding of a violation of the personal conduct policy.” Watson, who served an 11-game suspension in 2022, was accused of assault in Texas by a woman in September. She was seeking more than $1 million in damages before the sides reached a confidential settlement. Watson strongly denied the allegations through his attorney, Rusty Hardin. The 29-year-old Watson suffered a season-ending Achilles tendon rupture in October. He’s been rehabbing the injury in hopes of returning next season. The Browns still owe Watson $46 million in each of the next two seasons after they traded three first-round picks to Houston and signed him to a five-year, fully guaranteed $230 million contract that has backfired. Watson has only played in 19 games over three seasons due to the suspension and injuries. He was acquired by the Browns, who were comfortable with his character despite Watson being accused of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct during massage therapy sessions while he played for the Texans. While he’s in the clear with the league, Watson’s future with Cleveland isn’t so certain. His massive contract — and its salary-cap ramifications — has put the Browns in a bind in terms of trying to improve their roster. Cleveland has had a disappointing season after making the playoffs a year ago and could move on from Watson, but the cost would be exorbitant if the team just releases him. The Browns signed Jameis Winston for one season to be Watson’s backup. Winston has gone 2-3 as a starter since taking over and he’s put some life into Cleveland’s offense, which didn’t score 20 points or gain 300 yards with Watson before his injury. His 2023 season was ended by a broken bone in his shoulder, requiring surgery. Winston has indicated he would come back, and he could be a viable option as a starter even if the Browns draft a young QB. ___ AP NFL: Tom Withers, The Associated PressA public appeal has been made to find a missing woman who may have travelled to Albury. or signup to continue reading NSW Police said Phoebe Wood, who may also go by the name Phoebe Mason, 22, was last seen at Central Railway Station, Sydney, about 6.45am on November 2. Murray River Police District officers were notified on November 23 that she could not be located or contacted and began inquiries. "Family and police hold concerns for her welfare," police said on Saturday, November 30. "Phoebe is described as being of Caucasian appearance, about 170 centimetres tall, with a thin build, light brown hair and blue eyes. "She was last seen wearing an orange T-shirt and grey track pants. "It's believed Phoebe may have travelled to Albury." Anyone with information about her whereabouts can contact Murray River Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. A man has died in a single-vehicle crash at Nathalia on Saturday, November 30. The incident occurred about 6.35pm when a Nissan Pulsar travelling north on the Murray Valley Highway veered off the road and struck a tree. "The sole occupant, a 63-year-old Nathalia man, was located deceased at the scene," police said in a statement on Sunday, December 1. Wangaratta Highway Patrol officers are investigating the crash and police will prepare a report for the coroner. In other police news, and faced Parramatta Local Court on Saturday. DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. 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DALLAS — Delta and United became the most profitable U.S. airlines by targeting premium customers while also winning back a significant share of travelers on a tight budget. That is squeezing smaller low-fare carriers like Spirit Airlines , which recently filed for bankruptcy protection. Some travel-industry experts think Spirit’s troubles indicate that travelers on a budget will be left with fewer choices and higher prices. Other discount airlines are on much better financial footing than Spirit, but they too are lagging far behind the full-service airlines when it comes to recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic . Most industry experts think Frontier Airlines and other so-called ultra-low-cost carriers will fill the vacuum if Spirit shrinks , and that there is still plenty of competition to prevent prices from spiking. Spirit Airlines lost more than $2.2 billion since the start of 2020. Frontier has not reported a full-year profit since 2019, though that slump might end this year. Allegiant Air’s parent company is still profitable, but less so than before the pandemic. Those kind of numbers led United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby to declare recently that low-cost carriers were using “a fundamentally flawed business model” and customers hate flying on them. Kirby’s touchdown dance might turn out to be premature, but many analysts are wary about the near-term prospects for budget airlines, which charge cheaper fares but more fees than the big airlines. A traveler speaks with a Spirit Airlines agent May 24 at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport ahead of Memorial Day in Atlanta. Low-cost airlines grew in the last two decades by undercutting big carriers on ticket prices, thanks in large part to lower costs, including hiring younger workers who were paid less than their counterparts at Delta Air Lines, United and American Airlines . Wages soared across the industry in the past two years, however, narrowing that cost advantage. The big airlines rolled out and refined their no-frills, “basic economy” tickets to compete directly with Spirit, Frontier and other budget carriers for the most price-sensitive travelers. The budget airlines became less efficient at using planes and people. As their growth slowed, they wound up with more of both than they needed. In 2019, Spirit planes were in the air an average of 12.3 hours every day. By this summer, the planes spent an average of two more hours each day sitting on the ground, where they don't make money. Spirit's costs per mile jumped 32% between 2019 and 2023. Another issue is that airlines added too many flights. Budget airlines and Southwest Airlines were among the worst offenders, but full-service airlines piled on. To make up for a drop in business travel, the big carriers added more flights on domestic leisure routes. The result: Too many seats on flights into popular tourist destinations such as Florida and Las Vegas, which drove down prices, especially for economy-class tickets. Rows of seats are shown Sept. 26 on a retrofitted Southwest Airlines jet at Love Field in Dallas. Low-cost airlines are responding by following the old adage that if you can't beat them, join them. That means going premium, following the rapidly growing household wealth among upper-income people. The top one-fifth of U.S. households by income added $35 trillion in wealth since 2019 and holds nearly nine times the wealth of the middle fifth, according to the Federal Reserve . Frontier Airlines organized its fares into four bundles in May, with buyers of higher-priced tickets getting extras such as priority boarding, more legroom and checked bags. The airline dropped ticket-change or cancellation fees except for the cheapest bundle. Spirit followed in August with similar changes, blocking middle seats and charging passengers more for the comfort of aisle and window seats. Spirit Airlines CEO Ted Christie received a $3.8 million retention bonus a week before the Florida-based carrier filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Christie will retain the bonus if he remains with the company for another year. The airline's stock has dropped over 90% this year. It has faced challenges including a blocked $3.8 billion merger with JetBlue and failed talks with Frontier. The pandemic disrupted Spirit's operations and travel patterns, reducing its daily aircraft utilization and increasing costs. Demand has shifted to full-service airlines as higher-income travelers vacation more, while inflation impacts lower-income consumers. JetBlue Airways , which began flying more than 20 years ago as a low-cost carrier but with amenities, is digging out from years of steady losses. Under new CEO Joanna Geraghty, the first woman to lead a major U.S. airline, JetBlue is cutting unprofitable routes, bolstering core markets that include the Northeast and Florida, and delaying deliveries of $3 billion worth of new planes. Starting next year, Southwest Airlines will toss out a half-century tradition of “open seating” — passengers picking their own seat after boarding the plane. Executives say extensive surveying showed 80% of customers preferred an assigned seat, and that's especially true with coveted business travelers. More crowded planes also might be pushing passengers to spend more to escape a middle seat in the back of the plane. A Frontier Airlines jet takes off July 5, 2022, from Denver International Airport in Denver. In other parts of the world, budget carriers are doing just fine. They bounced back from the pandemic just like their more highbrow competitors. Some industry experts say low-cost carriers in Asia and Europe have always attracted a more diverse mix of passengers, while in the U.S., affluent and middle-class travelers look down their noses at low-cost carriers. Jamie Baker, an analyst for JPMorgan, says he has many college friends who work in London and fly Irish airline Ryanair all the time, but he hardly knows anyone who has ever been on a Spirit or Frontier plane. A small plane tows a banner April 13, 2016, over Flint Bishop International Airport as part of ceremonies marking Allegiant Air joining the airport. Delta CEO Ed Bastian is less dismissive of the “lower-end carriers” in the U.S. than United's Kirby. "I don’t see that segment ever disappearing,” Bastian said after Spirit’s bankruptcy filing. “I think there’s a market for it.” At the same time, he said the upscale moves by ultra-low-cost carriers are having no effect on his airline. Delta targets upscale travelers but also introduced basic-economy fares a decade ago, when discounters emerged as a growing threat to poach some of Delta's customers. “Just calling yourself a premium carrier and actually being a premium carrier are two totally different things,” Bastian said “It's not the size of the seat or how much room you have; it's the overall experience.” As frequent flyers know, air travel isn't cheap. With the summer months in full swing, demand for air travel is expected to reach record numbers in 2024 as airlines continue to recover after the COVID-19 pandemic. Luckily for those who are looking for ways to save on travel , one way to cut costs on your next vacation may be in finding the right places to fly in and out of. FinanceBuzz looked at average domestic airfares from the 45 busiest airports in the U.S. to learn which airports are best for travelers on a budget, as well as which ones to avoid if you are trying to travel affordably. Overall, the national average airfare cost decreased by 3.1% from 2022 to 2023 when adjusted for inflation (which translates to a 0.9% increase in non-adjusted dollars). The last time inflation-adjusted airfare costs dropped year-over-year was during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, when it fell 18% between 2019 and 2020. Largely, this is good news for consumers who can spend less on airfare and have more room in their budget for hotels , restaurants, and other travel fees. In addition to earning rewards on airfare, most travel credit cards offer rewards for spending in these areas, which can offset overall vacation costs. Based on Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the above chart shows inflation-adjusted average airline fares over the past 25 years. For this report, we compared domestic airfares from the 45 busiest airports in the U.S. using data published by the U.S. Department of Transportation . Orlando International Airport (MCO) had the lowest airfare cost in the country at $265.58 on average. Home to iconic theme parks like Universal Studios, Sea World, and most notably, Walt Disney World, Orlando is one of America's top tourist destinations. This is welcome news for those bracing for expensive park tickets and food prices at the House of Mouse. Beyond saving with a Disney credit card on park-related purchases, visitors can also maximize savings by using a credit card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve which offers an annual travel credit, or even using a 0% APR credit card if you don't want to pay for your entire vacation at once. Another Florida-based airport, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL), has the second-lowest average airfare cost in the country — tickets here are only about $5 more expensive than Orlando's. Just a few dollars behind FLL is Las Vegas's Harry Reid International (LAS), where fares cost $272.15 on average. LAS is also the last airport on our list where average airfare costs are less than $300. Oakland International Airport (OAK) has the fourth-lowest average airfare costs in the country at $303.79. And the fifth-least expensive airport, Chicago Midway International (MDW), comes in at $308.27. For the third year in a row, Dulles International Airport (IAD) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO) have the two highest average fares in the country. Flights from Dulles cost $488.40 on average in 2023, while flights from San Francisco cost $444.59. Some silver lining for travelers who need to travel through Dulles: IAD is home to some of the best airport lounges in the country, including the recently-opened Capital One Lounge, available to Capital One Venture X or Venture Rewards credit card holders. With free food, drinks, and recharging stations, lounges can be one easy way to offset otherwise-expensive airport costs. Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) has the third-highest average airfare in the country, with an average cost of $438.34. Last on our top-five list of the most expensive airports are Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) and Detroit Metro Airport (DTW). Average airfare from Charlotte cost $436.80 last year, while flights from Detroit had an average price tag of $427.05. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) was the biggest affordability winner over the last year, dropping prices by more than $18 on average. SEA jumped from 36th most-affordable place last year to 28th place this year — an increase of eight spots. Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) and Portland International Airport (PDX) experienced similar jumps, rising by seven spots each. RDU went from 24th place in 2022 to 17th in 2023, while PDX went from 42nd to 35th. Two different airports fell by eight spots in our affordability rankings, tied for the biggest drop of the year. The average fare at Sacramento International Airport (SMF) rose by $18.66 year-over-year, which led SMF to go from 18th in last year's affordability rankings to 26th this year. Prices rose even more at St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL), going up by $19.64 on average from one year to the next. Consequently, STL fell from 21st to 29th place in terms of affordability. As you plan your travel, you'll find costs can vary widely at a single airport. With a little research and smart planning, you can find a deal at any airport. Here are a few tips to save on airfare: We looked at 2023 airfare data released by the U.S. Department of Transportation in May 2024 to compare domestic airfares by origin city. This report calculated average fares based on domestic itinerary fares. "Itinerary fares" consist of round-trip fares, unless only a one-way ticket was purchased. In that case, the one-way fare was used. Fares are based on total ticket value, including the price charged by the airline plus any additional taxes and fees levied at the time of purchase. Fares include only the price paid at booking and do not include fees for optional services like baggage fees. Averages also do not include frequent-flyer or "zero fares" or a few abnormally high reported fares. This stor y was produced by FinanceBuzz and reviewed and distributed by Stacker Media. Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!Looking to burnish communications to the community, the Mohawk Council of Kanesatake (MCK) is planning to move ahead with the creation of a dedicated smartphone app. “I think it’s a step in the right direction because now instead of relying on mailouts, we’re using the technology that’s already in our members’ hands and communicating with them that way,” said MCK chief Amy Beauvais. The app will be used by all MCK departments to deliver updates, job opportunities, and other information pertinent to band members, but it will not replace existing forms of communication, Beauvais said. “A large majority of our members have smartphones, but that isn’t to say we’re going to obliterate the other forms of communication,” she said. “We’re not trying to get rid of anything. We’re just trying to add and improve.” Beauvais presented the option to other Council chiefs after she was approached with the concept by technology company Communikit, which specializes in creating app solutions for First Nations. “I would say I was ecstatic when I found out,” said Beauvais, who has been looking for ways to boost Council’s outreach following her experience at the Indigenous-led First Nations Executive Education (FNEE) program at HEC Montreal. At the school, she worked on a project that envisioned a communications department at the MCK. It’s something she’s now working to put into action, she said, alongside the MCK’s new administrative consultant. Improving communications is a priority, she said, because community members have often complained they don’t know what Council is doing. Communikit’s technology is already being used by other First Nations, including Six Nations of the Grand River, which issues announcements and other information on the app. The suite of features even allows for forms to be filled out, although Six Nations doesn’t currently have any available. “I think to have a one-stop shop is great,” said Six Nations of the Grand River public relations coordinator Darryl Smart. “There are so many different platforms out there and so many ways to get the message out. If you can spread that message to as many people as possible, I think that’s the big one.” He said in his community, too, paper is not going anywhere. He remembers the department pounding the pavement this summer to deliver parking information ahead of homegrown Kanien’kehá:ka National Hockey League star Brandon Montour coming to town with the Stanley Cup. “Physical information will never go away because if you’re in communications, you also have to realize it’s nice to have the tools, but you also have to realize not everyone has these tools,” Smart said. Even social media cannot reach everyone, he noted, especially with the fragmentation of platforms. The communications app is not the only new technology coming soon to Kanesatake, with MCK chief Brant Etienne revealing to The Pines Reporter earlier this year that Council has contracted the services of OneFeather to provide an online voting option in the next MCK election. The Eastern Door Marcus Bankuti, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

(Bloomberg) — Simon Harris’s Fine Gael party and coalition partner Fianna Fail look set to return to government after the Irish election, but the prime minister could face a battle to keep his post after his popular support appeared to drop. With counting still ongoing, early tallies and the official exit poll showed little to separate the two main incumbent parties and the opposition Sinn Fein. With no party having enough support to govern alone, the status quo will likely remain after both Fine Gael and Fianna Fail ruled out a deal with Sinn Fein. Though the overall outcome looks increasingly clear, it’s far from certain Harris will emerge with the upper hand in what could be difficult negotiations with Fianna Fail. Micheal Martin’s party trailed in the official exit poll, but early results suggest it could emerge with the most first-preference votes — the simplest guage of popular support — putting him in a better position in talks. “It’s far too hard to call at this stage as to who will come out as the largest party,” Harris told RTE on Saturday. “What is clear is that Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein will be tightly bunched when it comes to final seats.” Martin predicted his Fianna Fail would outperform the exit poll, telling reporters there’s a “route to a very strong finish” for his party. But he cautioned that electoral fragmentation meant forming a government would be “challenging.” To be sure, the picture could change as counting takes in second-choice and subsequent preferences to determine final makeup of the Dail or parliament. A tight race is far from what Harris envisaged when he called the vote early — it wasn’t due to be held until March — to try to capitalize on Fine Gael’s surge in support since he became Taoiseach in April. The media dubbed it the “Harris hop” and the 38-year-old made his campaign slogan “new energy” — despite being a former health minister and established government figure. A giveaway budget and what appeared to be a slump in support for Sinn Fein made it seem the optimal time to seek a new mandate. But Harris’s campaign was beset with slip-ups, starting with Ryanair Holdings Plc Chief Executive Officer Michael O’Leary using a Fine Gael event to make a jibe about teachers serving in government. The worst, though, was a viral video of Harris walking away from a disability care worker and dismissing her view that the government wasn’t doing enough. He later apologized. “Fine Gael may be a little bit disappointed that they didn’t make more gains,” said Lisa Keenan, political science assistant professor at Trinity College Dublin, though she added that given the campaign gaffes, Harris is also likely to be somewhat relieved. “We’ve seen a stabilization there.” From a commanding poll lead as late as September, Fine Gael appears to have slipped back into a three-party scramble to win the popular vote. It’s a key moment. Whoever forms the next government will enjoy a budget surplus and soaring tax receipts from US firms including Apple Inc. operating there. What to do with Ireland’s billions has been a key focus of the election, with parties competing on spending ideas — even as the re-election of Donald Trump in the US and his threat of trade tariffs injected a sense of caution. Worryingly for Harris, the exit poll also showed the premier trailing his two main rivals on the question of who should be next Taoiseach. Only 27% said they want the Fine Gael leader leading the country, while 35% said they would like Fianna Fail’s Martin, and 34% preferred Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald. McDonald’s strength comes from her support among young people, and that gels with the exit poll showing housing and homelessness were the biggest issues for voters, followed by the cost of living. Data published on election day showed homelessness in Ireland reached a record figure of almost 15,000. Sinn Fein’s steady rise has shaken up Irish politics since McDonald took over from Gerry Adams as president in 2018, becoming its first leader unconnected to the sectarian violence in Northern Ireland known as the Troubles. Its left-leaning agenda appealed to voters struggling with a housing shortage and rising inflation. While its support is well below the start of the year, when Sinn Fein appeared on course to form a government, the exit poll and early counting shows McDonald has established Sinn Fein as an electoral force. That has major implications for Irish politics. Fianna Fail and Fine Gael led every government since the state was formed 100 years ago, and while that looks set to continue, Sinn Fein’s emergence changes the dynamic. Still, without the option of a coalition with Fine Gael or Fianna Fail, Sinn Fein has no clear route to power. That means the focus in the coming days and likely weeks will be on Fine Gael and Fianna Fail and the arrangement they come to. Early tallies suggest Fianna Fail will improve on its performance in 2020, when the party that was in power during the 2008 financial crash re-entered government for the first time in almost a decade. It’s possible that it wins several more seats than Fine Gael, which would give it considerable bargaining power in coalition talks and potentially restoring Martin, who served as prime minister for almost two years as part of the job share agreement between Fianna Fail and Fine Gael last time, as Taoiseach. Any deal between Fine Gael and Fianna Fail would not be the end of the story. Even combining their support, the two parties are likely to fall short of the 88 seats needed for a majority in the 174-seat parliament. The third coalition partner last time, the Green Party, face losses — not unusual for minor parties and also reflecting trends for green parties across Europe. Tallies suggest it could lose the majority of its 12 seats. But other smaller parties are expected to make gains. The Social Democrats, whose leader Holly Cairns gave birth on election day, could pick up seats. Labour are also optimistic. Though vote counting began at 9 a.m. on Saturday, a fuller picture is not expected until Sunday. Then the negotiations will begin. (Updates with Harris comment in fourth paragraph.)Semona scores 15 as Stonehill takes down Lafayette 70-65

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