Musk brings Trump's government efficiency push to Capitol HillTeen actor Hudson Meek, who appeared in ‘Baby Driver,’ dies after falling from moving vehicleKinross Gold Corp. stock falls Thursday, underperforms market

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jamal Mashburn Jr. scored 18 points as Temple beat Buffalo 91-71 on Sunday. Mashburn shot 6 for 10 (3 for 6 from 3-point range) and 3 of 4 from the free-throw line for the Owls (8-5). Zion Stanford scored 15 points while going 4 of 9 and 6 of 7 from the free-throw line. Quante Berry had 15 points and shot 7 of 8 from the field and 0 for 4 from the foul line. The Bulls (5-7) were led by Tyson Dunn, who posted 11 points and four assists. Anquan Boldin Jr. added 11 points and three steals for Buffalo. Noah Batchelor also had nine points and six rebounds. Temple took the lead with 5:38 remaining in the first half and never looked back. The score was 39-29 at halftime, with Shane Dezonie racking up seven points. Temple outscored Buffalo in the second half by 10 points, with Mashburn scoring a team-high 13 points after intermission. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .From US to UK to Germany, Elon Musk cosies up to the right wing WASHINGTON: There is no denying the importance of billionaire Elon Musk in American politics as he grows closer to US President-elect Donald Trump. Musk has largely been credited for Trump’s victory in the recent elections, which saw a defeat for Democratic nominee Kamala Harris. His support went beyond broadcasting for Trump to over 208 million followers on his social media platform X. He also donated $277 million to back Trump and other Republican candidates. However, Musk is not done playing kingmaker. Last week, the Financial Times reported that the billionaire was considering donating to Reform UK, a right-wing political party founded by Nigel Farage. A rallying voice behind Brexit, Farage shares ideological views with Trump, especially his staunch anti-immigrant stance. Farage is among the growing list of populist rightwingers that Musk has cosied up to recently. A photo of Farage and his party’s treasurer, Nick Candy, with Musk at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence has stirred British politics. Speaking to FT, Candy said on Sunday the party promises “political disruption like we have never seen before”. He added that Musk was among several other billionaires who back Reform UK. Nigel Farage’s politics Farage managed to win a parliamentary seat for the first time in the 2024 UK elections. He had failed in his previous seven attempts. However, he remains an influential figure in UK politics, having a two-decade career in the European Parliament. At the time, he used his position to campaign for Britain to leave the European Union. In the 2024 elections, Reform UK dealt a sizeable blow to the Conservative Party, cutting its votes. One of the key planks of Farage’s party is its anti-immigrant stance. Farage has a clear plan. He advocates that the UK should leave the European Convention on Human Rights so that asylum-seekers can be deported. He wants to freeze “non-essential immigration”, bar international students from bringing in families to the UK, and push back any refugees illegally arriving on boats to flee war, conflict or poverty. Farage has also praised Trump’s para-governmental body, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) headed by Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. He said that their plans to sack vast numbers of people was a blueprint for what the UK needed, The Guardian has reported. Musk, Trump and Farage have also often positioned themselves against “wokism”. Musk in July went on a public rant against his transgender daughter, saying that the “woke mind virus” had killed his son. Similarly, Trump and Farage have spoken against the transgender community. Musk endorses AfD On Monday morning, Musk wrote on X, “Only AfD can save Germany,” reiterating his endorsement of the far-right Alternative for Germany party. This comes as Germany is headed for snap elections in February. AfD managed to win state elections in Thuringian in September, becoming the first far-right party to secure a victory in the country since World War 2. Many have criticised Musk’s endorsement of a party that was labelled a suspected extremist group by a German court. AfD members are proponents of extreme nationalism and have challenged the German guilt over the Holocaust. A senior member of the party was found guilty twice for using banned slogans related to the Nazi regime during his speeches. AfD has voiced staunch opposition to immigrants and advocated for Germany to leave the European Union. Musk’s growing influence Musk, who once backed Hilary Clinton’s presidential bid and called Trump “not the right man” for the United States, has had a dramatic shift in his politics. His leanings towards the right wing, however, are not new. Earlier this year, Musk came under fire from the Brazilian Supreme Court after he refused to follow an order to remove certain accounts of supporters of far-right ex-president Jair Bolsonaro. These accounts were accused of spreading disinformation on X. Musk had met Bolsonaro in May 2022. Recently, Musk’s friendship with Italian premier Giorgia Meloni, another far-right leader, was also questioned. Amid the speculation, Meloni was forced to issue a statement on December 18 saying, “I can be a friend of Elon Musk and at the same time the head of the first Italian government that made a new law to regulate private activity in space.” Meloni added that she “did not take orders from anyone”. The speculation comes close on the heels of a growing clamour in the US over Musk overshadowing the President-elect. Just last week, Musk was faulted for tanking a bipartisan funding proposal that sought to keep the US federal government afloat till March. He had taken to social media platform X to air his objections to the Bill, which was later endorsed by Trump. The House eventually passed legislation averting a government shutdown on Saturday. Notably, the plan excluded Trump’s demands for raising the government’s borrowing limit, which was opposed by Republicans and Democrats. Musk has also been accused of influencing Trump’s cabinet picks through his social media posts and has been reportedly sitting in on calls between Trump and foreign leaders. Even Trump has sat up and noticed the social media chatter which dubbed the X CEO “President Musk”. Addressing the concerns, Trump on Sunday said, “No he’s not taking the Presidency. They are on a new kick... the new one is President Trump has ceded the Presidency to Elon Musk... nah, that’s not happening.” Daily newsletter specially tailored for Indian Express global readers “No, he’s not going to be President, that I can tell you,” he added. “I am safe, you know why? He can’t be (President). He wasn’t born in this country,” Trump said, ending with a chuckle. Agencies

As Aotearoa grapples with its founding document, the Treaty of Waitangi, I decided to have a look at our own founding document, our constitution and what it says regarding what some have determined, our Christian Nation and where this is upheld in our founding document as a democracy Looking through our constitution I got past the preamble which clearly states our Christian heritage and the Sabbath but nowhere in our constitution does it implicitly protect it or highlight Christianity. In fact, it clearly says: Fundamental human rights and freedoms 64 (1) It is hereby recognised and declared that in the Cook Islands there exist, and shall continue to exist, without discrimination by reason of race, national origin, colour, religion, opinion, belief, or sex, the following fundamental human rights and freedoms. Muslim Prayer Room? Looking at it again I saw the date 1964, and realised only then that this was written a year before we became self-governing, so who did write our constitution and where was it enacted into Law and what if any was our input into this document that has shaped our country since its democratic inception in August 1965? The Cook Islands Constitution was written primarily under the guidance of external advisers appointed by the New Zealand government. These advisers included Professor Aikman, Professor Davidson, and Mr. Wright. Their recommendations though shaped through discussions with the Cook Islands Legislative Assembly, it is clear members had varying levels of understanding regarding constitutional law. Ultimately, the drafting was finalised by New Zealand's legal draftsman, based on these recommendations and subsequent, quick, short and time pressured consultations with the Assembly from 1962 to 1964.​ A fair question for us all to ask, is what or how was the input of Cook Islanders into the Constitution which from a number of articles at the time I have read, clearly show it was limited by several factors. First, there was a lack of widespread understanding of the constitutional process among many Assembly members and the general populace and secondly, the complexity of constitutional law meant that much of the drafting relied on the expertise of New Zealand-appointed advisers, This invariably led to critiques that the process did not fully reflect the will of the Cook Islands people. Additionally, although the Assembly approved the recommendations, there were reports of members not fully grasping the implications of certain provisions. Concerns were raised that the Constitution's content leaned heavily on Western legal and political frameworks, potentially sidelining our perspectives, around our Traditional Leaders, the use of the term Premier, and the eligibility of candidates like Sir Albert Henry – that would be remedied in subsequent amendments. Immediately I wondered why a referendum on something so critical was not put to the people, Again on reading reports at the time, a referendum was not held during the Constitution's construction due to a combination of logistical and political reasons. New Zealand's government appeared eager to expedite the Cook Islands' transition to self-government to align with international decolonization pressures, particularly those emanating from the United Nations. And there was also a perception among some New Zealand officials that the Cook Islands Legislative Assembly, as the elected body, was an adequate representative of the people's will. Critics argued that this decision bypassed a more direct and democratic means of gauging public opinion, leaving some Cook Islanders feeling excluded from the process​, and leaving the formation of our founding document to the few and not the many. For something as critical as our constitution one would have thought the will of the people would have been tanatamount? In a 1956 report to the New Zealand government, Dr. Aikman, (yes, the same one who went on to be one of the three architects of our constitution) as a constitutional adviser, expressed reservations about the readiness of the Cook Islands for self-government. His report highlighted the unfamiliarity of Cook Islanders with Western standards of governance and social organization, a reflection of the gap between traditional Cook Islands governance structures and the modern, Western-style political systems being proposed. Six years later he is drafting our constitution on our path to self-governance and statehood. Part two next week.

India mourns the loss of Dr. Manmohan Singh, a man who not only transformed the nation’s economy but also demonstrated unparalleled personal integrity and devotion to public service. Known for his intellect, humility, and steady leadership, Dr. Manmohan Singh’s contributions to the country extended far beyond his economic policies. His personal life, marked by simplicity and deep dedication, resonated with the same values he brought to his work. He played a key role in launching the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act . He epitomized an element of inclusive growth along with the welfare of the poorest of India’s citizenry. Born in 1932 in Gah, now in Pakistan, the early life of Dr. Manmohan Singh was shaped by the challenges of partition, but it also instilled a deep sense of resilience within him. His academic brilliance led him to pursue economics at the University of Cambridge, followed by a doctorate in economics. Despite his global recognition as a leading economist, Dr. Manmohan Singh lived a life of remarkable humility. He was known to be a private and dignified man, who avoided the media and preferred policy over publicity. In his personal life, he was a devoted family man, deeply committed to his wife, Gursharan Kaur, and his two daughters. Personal warmth and modesty, by contrast, stood stark against the often dramatic world of politics. Colleagues and friends remember him for his kindness, sincerity, and integrity—which made him not only a respected leader but also a person of profound moral character. His personal values of honesty, hard work, and empathy were reflected in his policies. He was a man by nature quiet, but his action spoke volumes about the great commitment to lifting the country out of poverty and fostering economic equity. Also Read: Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Passes Away At 92, Breathes His last In Delhi AIIMS One of the most important legacies of Dr. Manmohan Singh is the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, a program that was designed to provide guaranteed employment to rural households. The program, launched in 2005, became a cornerstone of Dr. Manmohan Singh’s government, reflecting his deep concern for India’s rural poor and his belief in the power of employment as a tool for development. Dr. Singh knew that economic growth would not bring the severe disparities in urban and rural populations together in India. Economic liberalization brought prosperity to most of the people, while millions of rural Indian people remained backward. According to Dr. Manmohan Singh, MNREGA is his vision, which aims at providing a right to work to millions of poor and marginalized citizens, particularly rural people. MNREGA aimed to offer a safety net for the rural population by guaranteeing 100 days of wage employment to every household that sought work. The act sought to address not only poverty but also issues like underemployment, migration, and rural distress. Dr. Manmohan Singh viewed this as a means to promote social justice and dignity, ensuring that work was not just about earning money but also about empowering individuals and communities. Still, the implementation of the program was not easy. While MNREGA has been appreciated for relieving rural poverty and creating employment for millions, its implementation was criticized for being inefficient, corrupt, and beset with bureaucratic bottlenecks. But Dr. Manmohan Singh always held on to the dream of rural empowerment through employment and often emphasized that this was an integral part of India’s development strategy. This was part of his wider vision for inclusive growth in economics. Dr. Singh’s work with MNREGA wasn’t a policy role only but, rather a testament to the larger empathy of India’s poor. While most of his other reforms were liberalization, trade, and global integration, MNREGA stands out as an example of his commitment to bridging the gap between India’s rich and poor. He understood that growth needed to be inclusive and that a nation’s strength lay in the well-being of all its citizens, especially the most vulnerable. The very quiet moments of Dr. Manmohan Singh were filled with discussions and talks about giving dignity to every citizen and equal opportunity, regardless of origin. He knew that his country could only grow further as its development story would not be able to reach the rural section, which forms the crux of the country’s population. MNREGA was not just a program for providing jobs; rather it was a statement of the belief in equitable growth. Dr. Singh’s personal life and professional achievements are intertwined with a legacy of compassion and dedication to public service. As much as his work as an economist and his role in opening up India’s economy in the 1990s hogged the headlines, the focus on welfare and social equity shaped the lives of millions, especially through initiatives like MNREGA. Leadership by Mr. Manmohan Singh was always the antithesis of the self-promotional agenda rather than an agenda that assuredly India’s growth brought into the lives of the ordinary person from there. His quiet determination in favor of the underprivileged in rural India would leave one of the enduring parts of his legacy for history. Dr. Manmohan Singh was a reminder that truly leading men is not about who roars the loudest but is, instead, about whom one hears most. It would do India well to remember him for more than just his economic reforms; it would be a fitting tribute to his quiet force of compassion. Dr. Manmohan Singh was a man who believed in the power of inclusive development, and his legacy—especially through MNREGA—will continue to impact generations to come. Also Read: Nation Mourns The Loss Of Manmohan Singh: A Leader, Mentor, And Architect Of Economic Revolution Written By Aditya Mallick Updated By Aditya MallickSalvation Army Christmas Present Appeal reaches mid-way point - you can still help

The price of gold rose dramatically in 2024, eventually reaching $2,790 per ounce in October before moderating slightly. This consistent uptick in price has sparked new interest in gold investing, with some people considering the addition of gold jewelry to their investment mix. But turning gold jewelry into a smart investment isn't as simple as it might seem. Below, industry experts discuss what makes jewelry different from other gold investments, and add insight into whether it can be a worthwhile portfolio addition. Find out more about the benefits of gold investing . Is gold jewelry considered an investment? Experts weigh in Many serious investors prefer gold bars and coins. But gold jewelry may offer unique potential — provided that you have careful buying strategies and realistic expectations. "Gold [jewelry] can be a great investment if you buy it for the right price," says Matt Harris, a consignment jewelry and gem expert at Curated Fine Jewelry. He recommends looking for plain gold pieces such as chains, rings and bracelets through consignment shops, private marketplaces and pawn shops. You may find prices just slightly above gold's spot price. Unlike standard gold bars and coins , jewelry offers potential value beyond its metal content. "The design, craftsmanship quality and brand name can influence the value of gold jewelry," says Ashleigh Trent, personal lines director and co-founder of Tower Street Insurance. Well-made pieces from respected designers may appreciate even if gold prices stay flat. Add gold to your investment portfolio today . It's common for retail stores to mark up gold pieces by 100% over wholesale costs, according to Harris. This means gold would have to double in value just for you to break even. And the challenges continue when selling. For example, the "we buy gold" shops usually buy gold jewelry for 30% to 50% below its spot value. They offer considerably less because they need to refine the piece, and of course, profit. These markups and resale difficulties make gold jewelry a complicated investment choice. What to look for in gold jewelry as an investment How can you tell whether a piece of gold jewelry holds investment value? Trent and Ruhee Rathod, director of finance and operations at Bario Neal, break down five characteristics to look for: Higher purity levels: Look for 18K gold (75% pure) or higher. The purer the gold content , marked by higher karat numbers, the more valuable the piece. Avoid gold-plated (GP) or gold-filled (GF) items. Classic designs and brand reputation: Choose timeless styles over trendy pieces. Traditional designs from prestigious brands hold value over time. Proper documentation: Seek certificates proving the gold's purity and the piece's authenticity, especially for designer jewelry. Solid construction: Heavier, denser pieces contain more gold by weight. Since gold is usually valued by the gram, substantial pieces often make better investments than delicate ones. Clear origins: Traceable jewelry with documented sources tend to command higher prices. Other smart ways to invest in gold Besides jewelry, Bario Neal's Rathod highlights several gold investment options worth weighing: Gold IRAs: Roll over an existing 401(k) into a gold IRA to diversify your retirement savings. These accounts offer secure storage in guarded facilities and often include insurance protection. Gold ETFs and mutual funds: Buy shares in gold-focused funds for an affordable investment method without storing physical gold. These options work well when gold prices are high but you want smaller investment amounts. Physical gold: Purchase gold coins or bars through authorized dealers. This traditional approach gives you direct ownership of the metal. Physical gold is one of the best inflation hedges . The downside is you'll need to arrange secure storage. Precious metal certificates: Get certificates from trusted bullion banks representing gold ownership. You can exchange these for physical metals later, avoiding immediate storage concerns. Mining company stocks: Invest in gold mining companies for indirect exposure to gold prices. This option can offer higher returns but comes with more market risks than owning physical gold. The bottom line Gold jewelry can offer beauty and value. But before buying gold in any form, know the risks that could affect your investment. Rathod advises consulting a financial advisor first to determine whether jewelry fits your portfolio goals. While gold jewelry might not match the investment potential of bars or coins, choosing well-documented pieces from reputable sources can provide financial and personal value. Just remember to keep detailed records and focus on the long term — gold jewelry works best as a slow, steady investment you can also enjoy wearing. Sharon Wu, a senior writer with over a decade of experience, specializes in consumer-focused content covering home and finance topics such as insurance, investments, credit, debt, mortgages and home security.By Molly Farrar A small backyard flock of birds in Vermont tested positive for bird flu, a different strain than the one impacting dairy cows across the country, state health said last week. Highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI or H5N1 bird flu, was detected in a non-commercial, non-poultry backyard flock in Franklin County the week before Christmas, the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets announced . HPAI is considered low risk to humans, the agency said, and there have been no human cases in New England during the current outbreak. The agency also noted that influenza in poultry is not a food safety risk. The owner of the flock reported their first dead bird on Dec. 18, before more birds followed, the agency said. The flock was quarantined and killed on Saturday to prevent the spread of the disease, and VAAFM said they have not received any additional reports of the illness. The flock included quail, guinea fowl, ducks, and chickens, Vermont Public reported . The agency said this is the fourth instance of HPAI in a domestic flock in the state since 2022. “This localized outbreak reinforces the importance of poultry owners, farmers and hunters to report sick and dead birds. Despite the low risk to the public, the virus remains deadly to many species of birds,” VAAFM said in a press release. The agency also released tips for those who hunt wild birds in Vermont or maintain a bird feeder for songbirds, which are generally at a low risk for contracting HPAI. All Vermonters should avoid touching birds, especially ones who may be sick or are dead, the agency said. When drinking milk, it should be pasteurized due to the H5N1 virus which can live in raw milk for at least five weeks under refrigeration. The CDC confirmed the first severe case of H5N1 bird flu While bird flu doesn’t typically spread from person to person, NBC News reported that experts find that the virus could mutate to make it more transmissible. Any Vermonters that know or see a dead or sick bird should alert the USDA or Vermont authorities at 802-828-2421 or the USDA at 1-866-536-7593. Molly Farrar Molly Farrar is a general assignment reporter for Boston.com, focusing on education, politics, crime, and more. Boston.com Today Sign up to receive the latest headlines in your inbox each morning. Be civil. Be kind.

BNPL, Mobile Banking Embraced by Low-Income, Paycheck-to-Paycheck ConsumersIsraeli Defence Minister Israel Katz admitted on Monday for the first time publicly that Israel killed Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran in July, further risking tensions between Tehran and arch-enemy Israel in a region shaken by Israel's war in Gaza and the conflict in Lebanon. He said Israel has defeated Hamas and Hezbollah, "blinded" Iran's defence systems and damaged its production systems. He also said the country had toppled the Assad regime in Syria, dealing a severe blow to what he called "the axis of evil." "We will also deal a severe blow to the Houthi terrorist organization in Yemen, which remains the last to stand." Israel will "damage their strategic infrastructure, and we will behead their leaders — just as we did to Haniyeh, Sinwar and Nasrallah in Tehran, Gaza and Lebanon — we will do it in Hodeidah and Sana'a," Katz said during an evening honouring Defence Ministry personnel. The Iran-backed group in Yemen has been attacking commercial shipping in the Red Sea for more than a year to try to enforce a naval blockade on Israel, saying they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians in Israel's year-long war in Gaza. In late July, the political leader of the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas was killed in Tehran in an assassination that Iranian authorities blamed on Israel. There was no direct claim of responsibility by Israel for the killing of Haniyeh at the time. Yemenis protest to condemn the killing of Hamas leader Haniyeh, in Sanaa, Yemen, on Aug. 2. Arabic reads, 'Martyr Ismail Haniyeh.' (Osamah Abdulrahman/The Associated Press) Haniyeh, normally based in Qatar, had been the face of Hamas's international diplomacy as the war, set off by the attack the group led on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, has raged in Gaza. He had been taking part in internationally brokered indirect talks on reaching a ceasefire in the Palestinian enclave. North Gaza hospital faces 'continuous daily threat' from Israeli strikes, says director Months after, Israeli forces in Gaza killed Yahya Sinwar, Haniyeh's successor and the mastermind of the Oct. 7, attack. Earlier this month, Syrian rebels toppled the Assad regime. Israeli forces moved into a part of Syrian territory that is meant to be a demilitarized zone last week, sparking accusations that the country was taking advantage of the chaos in the region to make a land grab. Israeli troops will occupy buffer zone inside Syria for the foreseeable future, says NetanyahuAMD's Ryzen 7 9800X3D is almost impossible to find right now, but these alternative CPU picks might be a better bet

Published 04:22 IST, December 24th 2024 President-elect Donald Trump has once again suggested he wants to revert the name of North America's tallest mountain, Alaska's Denali to Mount McKinley. Washington: President-elect Donald Trump has once again suggested he wants to revert the name of North America's tallest mountain — Alaska's Denali — to Mount McKinley, wading into a sensitive and decades-old conflict about what the peak should be called. Former President Barack Obama changed the official name to Denali in 2015 to reflect the traditions of Alaska Natives as well as the preference of many Alaska residents. The federal government in recent years has endeavored to change place-names considered disrespectful to Native people. “Denali” is an Athabascan word meaning “the high one" or “the great one.” A prospector in 1896 dubbed the peak “Mount McKinley” after President William McKinley, who had never been to Alaska. That name was formally recognized by the U.S. government until Obama changed it over opposition from lawmakers in McKinley's home state of Ohio. Trump suggested in 2016 that he might undo Obama's action, but he dropped that notion after Alaska's senators objected. He raised it again during a rally in Phoenix on Sunday. “McKinley was a very good, maybe a great president,” Trump said Sunday. “They took his name off Mount McKinley, right? That's what they do to people.” Once again, Trump's suggestion drew quick opposition within Alaska. “Uh. Nope. It's Denali,” Democratic state Sen. Scott Kawasaki posted on the social platform X Sunday night. Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who for years pushed for legislation to change the name to Denali, conveyed a similar sentiment in a post of her own. “There is only one name worthy of North America's tallest mountain: Denali — the Great One,” Murkowski wrote on X. Various tribes of Athabascan people have lived in the shadow of the 20,310-foot (6,190-meter) mountain for thousands of years. McKinley, a Republican native of Ohio who served as the 25th president, was assassinated early in his second term in 1901 in Buffalo, New York. Alaska and Ohio have been at odds over the name since at least the 1970s. Alaska had a standing request to change the name since 1975, when the legislature passed a resolution and then-Gov. Jay Hammond appealed to the federal government. Known for its majestic views, the mountain is dotted with glaciers and covered at the top with snow year-round, with powerful winds that make it difficult for the adventurous few who seek to climb it. Updated 04:22 IST, December 24th 2024

KYIV, Ukraine — NATO and Ukraine will hold emergency talks Tuesday after Russia attacked a central city with an experimental, hypersonic ballistic missile. escalating the nearly 33-month-old war. The conflict is “entering a decisive phase,” Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Friday, and “taking on very dramatic dimensions.” Ukraine’s parliament canceled a session as security was tightened following Thursday’s Russian strike on a military facility in the city of Dnipro. In a stark warning to the West, President Vladimir Putin said in a nationally televised speech the attack with the intermediate-range Oreshnik missile was in retaliation for Kyiv’s use of U.S. and British longer-range missiles capable of striking deeper into Russian territory. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks Friday during a meeting with the leadership of the Russian Ministry of Defense, representatives of the military-industrial complex and developers of missile systems at the Kremlin in Moscow. Putin said Western air defense systems would be powerless to stop the new missile. People are also reading... Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams making furniture in Alexander County again Statesville survives test from Franklin in high school football playoff opener Lake Norman residents voice concerns with Marshall Steam Station changes Iredell County bridge to close for $1.2 replacement project Believers bought airplane for dead preacher thinking he’d rise from grave to fly in it Basketball transfer Patterson back home at West Iredell to 'bring in some wins' MerMade: Workspace opens in Statesville, caters to artists, crafters With supermajority in NC House gone, Iredell's Republican lawmakers talk changes, challenges Statesville embraces underdog role in rematch with defending champ Hickory Catawba native Christina Eagle appears on season 26 of 'The Voice' Iredell County woman wins first $150,000 top prize in new game Baseball league cries foul as Iredell plans to charge to use Jennings Park fields Statesville sweeps varsity doubleheader with South Iredell; Shehan reaches 1,000 points in Lake Norman win Mooresville puts up 70 points, routs Alexander Central in high school football playoffs West Iredell starts season strong with win over Bunker Hill Ukrainian military officials said the missile that hit Dnipro reached a speed of Mach 11 and carried six nonnuclear warheads, each releasing six submunitions. Speaking Friday to military and weapons industries officials, Putin said Russia will launch production of the Oreshnik. “No one in the world has such weapons,” he said. “Sooner or later, other leading countries will also get them. We are aware that they are under development. “We have this system now,” he added. “And this is important.” Putin said that while it isn’t an intercontinental missile, it’s so powerful that the use of several of them fitted with conventional warheads in one attack could be as devastating as a strike with strategic — or nuclear — weapons. Gen. Sergei Karakayev, head of Russia’s Strategic Missile Forces, said the Oreshnik could reach targets across Europe and be fitted with nuclear or conventional warheads, echoing Putin’s claim that even with conventional warheads, “the massive use of the weapon would be comparable in effect to the use of nuclear weapons.” In this photo taken from a video released Friday, a Russian serviceman operates at an undisclosed location in Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov kept up Russia's bellicose tone on Friday, blaming “the reckless decisions and actions of Western countries” in supplying weapons to Ukraine to strike Russia. "The Russian side has clearly demonstrated its capabilities, and the contours of further retaliatory actions in the event that our concerns were not taken into account have also been quite clearly outlined," he said. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, widely seen as having the warmest relations with the Kremlin in the European Union, echoed Moscow’s talking points, suggesting the use of U.S.-supplied weapons in Ukraine likely requires direct American involvement. “These are rockets that are fired and then guided to a target via an electronic system, which requires the world’s most advanced technology and satellite communications capability,” Orbán said on state radio. “There is a strong assumption ... that these missiles cannot be guided without the assistance of American personnel.” Orbán cautioned against underestimating Russia’s responses, emphasizing that the country’s recent modifications to its nuclear deployment doctrine should not be dismissed as a “bluff.” “It’s not a trick ... there will be consequences,” he said. Czech Republic's Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky speaks to journalists Friday during a joint news conference with Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriiy Sybiha in Kyiv, Ukraine. Separately in Kyiv, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský called Thursday’s missile strike an “escalatory step and an attempt of the Russian dictator to scare the population of Ukraine and to scare the population of Europe.” At a news conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Lipavský also expressed his full support for delivering the necessary additional air defense systems to protect Ukrainian civilians from the “heinous attacks.” He said the Czech Republic will impose no limits on the use of its weapons and equipment given to Ukraine. Three lawmakers from Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, confirmed that Friday's previously scheduled session was called off due to the ongoing threat of Russian missiles targeting government buildings in central Kyiv. In addition, there also was a recommendation to limit the work of all commercial offices and nongovernmental organizations "in that perimeter, and local residents were warned of the increased threat,” said lawmaker Mykyta Poturaiev, who said it's not the first time such a threat has been received. Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate said the Oreshnik missile was fired from the Kapustin Yar 4th Missile Test Range in Russia’s Astrakhan region and flew 15 minutes before striking Dnipro. Test launches of a similar missile were conducted in October 2023 and June 2024, the directorate said. The Pentagon confirmed the missile was a new, experimental type of intermediate-range missile based on its RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile. Thursday's attack struck the Pivdenmash plant that built ICBMs when Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union. The military facility is located about 4 miles southwest of the center of Dnipro, a city of about 1 million that is Ukraine’s fourth-largest and a key hub for military supplies and humanitarian aid, and is home to one of the country’s largest hospitals for treating wounded soldiers from the front before their transfer to Kyiv or abroad. From tuberculosis to heart disease: How the leading causes of death in America have changed From tuberculosis to heart disease: How the leading causes of death in America have changed We're all going to die someday. Still, how it happens—and when—can point to a historical moment defined by the scientific advancements and public health programs available at the time to contain disease and prevent accidents. In the early 1900s, America's efforts to improve sanitation, hygiene, and routine vaccinations were still in their infancy. Maternal and infant mortality rates were high, as were contagious diseases that spread between people and animals. Combined with the devastation of two World Wars—and the Spanish Flu pandemic in between—the leading causes of death changed significantly after this period. So, too, did the way we diagnose and control the spread of disease. Starting with reforms as part of Roosevelt's New Deal in the 1930s, massive-scale, federal interventions in the U.S. eventually helped stave off disease transmission. It took comprehensive government programs and the establishment of state and local health agencies to educate the public on preventing disease transmission. Seemingly simple behavioral shifts, such as handwashing, were critical in thwarting the spread of germs, much like discoveries in medicine, such as vaccines, and increased access to deliver them across geographies. Over the course of the 20th century, life expectancy increased by 56% and is estimated to keep increasing slightly, according to an annual summary of vital statistics published by the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2000. Death Records examined data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to see how the leading causes of death in America have evolved over time and to pinpoint how some major mortality trends have dropped off. Infectious diseases lead causes of death in America According to a report published in the journal Annual Review of Public Health in 2000, pneumonia was the leading cause of death in the early 1900s, accounting for nearly 1 in 4 deaths. By the time World War I ended in 1918, during which people and animals were housed together for long periods, a new virus emerged: the Spanish Flu. Originating in a bird before spreading to humans, the virus killed 10 times as many Americans as the war. Many died of secondary pneumonia after the initial infection. Pneumonia deaths eventually plummeted throughout the century, partly prevented by increased flu vaccine uptake rates in high-risk groups, particularly older people. Per the CDC, tuberculosis was a close second leading cause of death, killing 194 of every 10,000 people in 1900, mainly concentrated in dense urban areas where the infection could more easily spread. Eventually, public health interventions led to drastic declines in mortality from the disease, such as public education, reducing crowded housing, quarantining people with active disease, improving hygiene, and using antibiotics. Once the death rates lagged, so did the public health infrastructure built to control the disease, leading to a resurgence in the mid-1980s. Diarrhea was the third leading cause of death in 1900, surging every summer among children before the impacts of the pathogen died out in 1930. Adopting water filtration, better nutrition, and improved refrigeration were all associated with its decline. In the 1940s and 1950s, polio outbreaks killed or paralyzed upward of half a million people worldwide every year. Even at its peak, polio wasn't a leading cause of death, it was a much-feared one, particularly among parents of young children, some of whom kept them from crowded public places and interacting with other children. By 1955, when Jonah Salk discovered the polio vaccine, the U.S. had ended the "golden age of medicine." During this period, the causes of mortality shifted dramatically as scientists worldwide began to collaborate on infectious disease control, surgical techniques, vaccines, and other drugs. Leading causes of death tip toward lifestyle-related disease From the 1950s onward, once quick-spreading deadly contagions weren't prematurely killing American residents en masse, scientists also began to understand better how to diagnose and treat these diseases. As a result, Americans were living longer lives and instead succumbing to noncommunicable diseases, or NCDs. The risk of chronic diseases increased with age and, in some cases, was exacerbated by unhealthy lifestyles. Cancer and heart disease shot up across the century, increasing 90-fold from 1900 to 1998, according to CDC data. Following the post-Spanish Flu years, heart disease killed more Americans than any other cause, peaking in the 1960s and contributing to 1 in 3 deaths. Cigarette smoking rates peaked at the same time, a major risk factor for heart disease. Obesity rates also rose, creating another risk factor for heart disease and many types of cancers. This coincides with the introduction of ultra-processed foods into diets, which plays a more significant role in larger waistlines than the increasing predominance of sedentary work and lifestyles. In the early 1970s, deaths from heart disease began to fall as more Americans prevented and managed their risk factors, like quitting smoking or taking blood pressure medicine. However, the disease remains the biggest killer of Americans. Cancer remains the second leading cause of death and rates still indicate an upward trajectory over time. Only a few types of cancer are detected early by screening, and some treatments for aggressive cancers like glioblastoma—the most common type of brain cancer—have also stalled, unable to improve prognosis much over time. In recent years, early-onset cancers, those diagnosed before age 50 or sometimes even earlier, have seen a drastic rise among younger Americans. While highly processed foods and sedentary lifestyles may contribute to rising rates, a spike in cancer rates among otherwise healthy young individuals has baffled some medical professionals. This follows the COVID-19 pandemic that began in 2020. At its peak, high transmission rates made the virus the third leading cause of death in America. It's often compared to the Spanish Flu of 1918, though COVID-19 had a far larger global impact, spurring international collaborations among scientists who developed a vaccine in an unprecedented time. Public policy around issues of safety and access also influences causes of death, particularly—and tragically—among young Americans. Gun control measures in the U.S. are far less stringent than in peer nations; compared to other nations, however, the U.S. leads in gun violence. Firearms are the leading cause of death for children and teens (around 2 in 3 are homicides, and 1 in 3 are suicides), and deaths from opioids remain a leading cause of death among younger people. Globally, the leading causes of death mirror differences in social and geographic factors. NCDs are primarily associated with socio-economic status and comprise 7 out of 10 leading causes of death, 85% of those occurring in low- and middle-income countries, according to the World Health Organization. However, one of the best health measures is life expectancy at birth. People in the U.S. have been living longer lives since 2000, except for a slight dip in longevity due to COVID-19. According to the most recent CDC estimates, Americans' life expectancy is 77.5 years on average and is expected to increase slightly in the coming decades. Story editing by Alizah Salario. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Paris Close. Photo selection by Lacy Kerrick. This story originally appeared on Death Records and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

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Ipswich Town U21s won 2-0 at Cardiff City in the Premier League Cup this afternoon. John McGreal’s side went into this game without a win in this competition but got their first three points in Group F. Tommy Taylor was among the scorers again for Town U21s. (Image: Ross Halls) Town opened the scoring in the fourth minute when Tommy Taylor converted from the penalty spot for his eight goal of the season. Both sides had chances throughout the first half but the score line remained 1-0 the break. In the 77th minute, the young Blues went down to ten-men when Abube Onuchukwu was shown a straight red card for a tackle that the referee judged to be dangerous. The midfielder had come on as a substitute five minutes prior. However, Town doubled their lead three minutes later when Rio Morgan whipped in a free-kick from the right which found the head of captain Jacob Mazionis, who was left unmark to nod home from close range. Town were able to secure the win in very wet conditions in Wales, with them now moving up to second in their group. They switch their focus back to league action when they host Swansea City at Playford Road on Monday 2nd December. Town U21s: Gray, Babb Jambang, Mazionis (C), O'Connor, Roberts (O Davis), Okunowo (Onuchukwu), Carr, Mendel-Idowu (Morgan), Boatswain, Taylor.S&P/TSX composite up almost 150 at closing, U.S. markets also higher

LAHORE: A delegation from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Pakistan, comprising Syed Arslan Malik and Fatima Raza, along with Shahid Rehmat, Executive Director of the Youth Development Foundation, held a meeting with Ramesh Singh Arora, Minister for Minorities Affairs, and Ali Bahadur Qazi, Secretary of Human Rights and Minority Affairs, Government of Punjab. The meeting was held to discuss UNODC ongoing projects in Punjab and explore opportunities for collaboration with the provincial minority department to further strengthen initiatives for the welfare and development of minority communities. The meeting primarily focused on UNODC efforts in the region, especially those aimed at promoting minority rights, social inclusion, and sustainable development. The delegation emphasized the need for aligning the ongoing projects with the Punjab government's long-term strategies for supporting marginalized and minority communities. One of the key proposals discussed was the launch of a pilot project for the upgradation of the Misaaq Center, a community-based initiative aimed at empowering minorities. The delegation proposed that this centre be developed into a model of excellence for minority education, skill development, and social services. Minister Ramesh Singh Arora praised the UNODC delegation efforts and commitment to enhancing the welfare of minorities in Punjab. He acknowledged the significance of such collaborations in strengthening the rights and opportunities available to minority communities. Minister Arora also recommended that the proposed pilot project for the Misaaq Centre be launched in one of Punjab districts to serve as a starting point for scaling similar projects across the region. The minister further stated that hopefully UNODC partnership with the provincial government of Punjab and reaffirms the shared commitment to promoting human rights, social justice, and sustainable development for all citizens while the discussion also included the need for further joint initiatives focusing on the social, educational, and economic upliftment of minority communities, in line with both provincial and national priorities. Both parties agreed that strengthening such partnerships is essential for creating an inclusive environment and ensuring equal opportunities for all citizens, regardless of their background. Copyright Business Recorder, 2024