lucky jili games jili slot 777 China is looking to challenge the U.S. in artificial intelligence. China's tech giants have launched their own AI models. Niphon | Istock | Getty Images China's race to develop smarter-than-human artificial intelligence may put it ahead of the U.S., but such ground-breaking technology could also risk lessening the stronghold that the ruling Communist Party has over the world's second-largest economy. That's the view of prominent AI scientist Max Tegmark, who told CNBC artificial general intelligence (AGI) is closer than we think and the narrative of a geopolitical battle between the U.S. and China racing to build the smartest AI is a "suicide race." While there is no singular definition of AGI, it is broadly taken to refer to AI that can outsmart humans. Applications like ChatGPT — that allow users to prompt a chatbot for answers — have exploded in popularity. But many AI companies are racing to develop the next level, with AI that has human-level intelligence. Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, has said that AGI could be achieved by 2025. While there are other major names in the tech sector who also think AGI is close, many others think true AGI is still very far away . As well as competition between technology companies, there is also the geopolitical battle taking place between the U.S. and China for dominance in realms from AI to chips. While this is often portrayed as a race to be first to the latest technology, Tegmark said this is not the right framing. "I think of this battle, this geopolitical battle to build AGI first as a 'hopium war'," Tegmark told CNBC in an interview last month. " I call it the 'hopium war' because it's fueled by ... delusional hope that we can control AGI." Tegmark is the president of the Future of Life Institute, a thinktank which penned a letter last year calling for AI labs to pause the development of advanced AI systems . The letter was signed by major tech names including Tesla CEO Elon Musk . Tegmark's concern is that AI is advancing rapidly with very few guardrails in place, and no way to control it should it begin to outsmart humans. "We are much closer to building AGI than figuring out how to control it. And that means that the AGI race is not an arms race, it's a suicide race," Tegmark said. Is China worried about AGI? China has little incentive to build AGI, according to Tegmark. The AI scientist recalled a story in which Elon Musk told him about a "high level meeting" the Tesla boss had with Chinese government officials in early 2023. Musk said to the Chinese government that if AGI is built, China "will not be controlled by the Communist Party, but by the super intelligence," Tegmark said. "[Musk] got a very strong reaction. Some of them, really hadn't thought about that, and with less than a month from that, China came out with their first AI regulations," Tegmark said, referencing new regulation governing generative AI . China's ministry of foreign affairs was not immediately available for comment on the anecdote. CNBC also contacted Tesla for a response from Musk. "The U.S. doesn't need to convince China to not build AGI. Even if the U.S. didn't exist, the Chinese government would have an incentive to not build it because they want to be in control," Tegmark said. "[The] last thing they want is to lose that control." China's approach to AI AI is a strategic priority for the Chinese government. The country's biggest firms such as Alibaba , Huawei and Tencent have been developing their own AI models . The capabilities of those models are also advancing. China was also among the first countries in the world to bring in regulation around various aspects of AI . The country's internet is heavily censored and any information that appears to go against Beijing's ideology is blocked. OpenAI's ChatGPT is banned and it is well-noted that chatbots in China won't answer questions related to politics and topics deemed sensitive by the Communist Party. The country's approach to AI is therefore an attempt to push innovation while also balancing its own interests. When it comes to AGI, China is likely to pursue a similar approach, according to analysts. "I would not count on China to limit its own AI capabilities due to fears that such technologies would threaten Party rule. Similar predictions were made about the internet, they all proved to be false," Kendra Schaefer, a partner at consultancy Trivium China," told CNBC. "China will attempt to dominate AGI while creating a techno-regulatory apparatus that limits what AGI is permitted to do domestically." U.S.-China AI battle Despite Tegmark's view that the the race to build AGI is a "hopium war," geopoltiics remains front and center between the U.S. and China when it comes to development of the technology. "Right now, China is viewing AI through a dual-lens: geopolitical power and domestic growth," said Abishur Prakash, founder and geopolitical strategist at Toronto-based strategy advisory firm, The Geopolitical Business. watch now VIDEO 3:04 03:04 Underestimating China in the AI 'multi-decade arms race' would be a mistake Street Signs Asia "With AI, China hopes to shift the balance of power around the globe, like creating a new export model. And, in parallel, China wants to power its economy in new ways, from government efficiency to business applications," Prakash told CNBC. The U.S. has pursued a policy of attempting to restrict China's access to key technologies, mainly semiconductors like those designed by Nvidia , that are required to train more advanced AI models. China has responded by attempting to build its homegrown chip industry. Will the U.S. and China partner on AI rules? Technologists have warned of some of the risks and dangers when AGI does finally arrive. One theory is that without guardrails, AI will be able to improve itself and design new systems independently. Tegmark believes that any such risks will be realized by both the U.S. and China, which will force both countries' governments to individually come up with rules around AI safety. "So my optimistic path forward is the U.S. and China unilaterally impose national safety standards to prevent their own companies from doing harm and building uncontrollable AGI, not to appease the rivals superpowers, but just to protect themselves," Tegmark said. "After that happens though, there's this really interesting stage where the U.S. and China will be like, wait, how can we guarantee that North Korea doesn't build AGI or someone else? And then the U.S. and China have an incentive now to push the rest of the world to join them into an AGI moratorium." Indeed, governments are already trying to work together to figure out how to create regulations and frameworks around AI. Last year, the U.K. hosted an AI safety summit, which the U.S. and China were both in attendance, to discuss potential guardrails around the technology. But regulation and rules around AI are currently fragmented. This year, the European Union enacted the AI Act , the first major law globally governing the technology. China has its own set of rules, while many other countries have not yet moved to create any regulation. Tegmark's hope of co-ordination around AI safety is echoed by others. "When the dangers of competition are greater than the rewards, nations will ideally be motivated to come together and mutually self-regulate," Trivium China's Schaefer said. "Indeed, some Chinese policymakers have advocated for getting out ahead of that potential issue and establishing an international governance body under the UN – similar to the International Atomic Energy Agency – so there is desire on Beijing's side to establish a global governance body," she said.

San Francisco (5-5) at Green Bay (7-3) Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EST, FOX BetMGM NFL odds: Packers by 2 1/2. Against the spread: 49ers 4-6; Packers 4-6 Series record: Packers lead 38-34-1 Last meeting: 49ers beat Packers 24-21 in NFC divisional playoff game Jan. 20, 2024, in Santa Clara, California. Last week: 49ers lost 20-17 at home to Seattle; Packers won 20-19 at Chicago 49ers offense: overall (2), rush (7), pass (4), scoring (T-8) Packers offense: overall (4), rush (4), pass (9), scoring (T-8) 49ers defense: overall (6), rush (8), pass (8), scoring (T-16) Packers defense: overall (12), rush (14), pass (13), scoring (10) Turnover differential: 49ers plus-3; Packers plus-5 QB Brandon Allen: With Brock Purdy unavailable due to a sore right shoulder, Allen will make his first start in three years. The 32-year-old Allen has made nine career starts, and his teams have gone 2-7 in those games. His last start came with Cincinnati in the 2021 regular-season finale when the Bengals rested usual starter Joe Burrow to get ready for the playoffs. Allen has thrown three passes in the last three seasons, including none since joining San Francisco in 2023. Allen was a member of the Los Angeles Rams in 2017, when Packers coach Matt LaFleur was that team’s offensive coordinator. RB Josh Jacobs has 838 yards rushing this season to rank third in the NFL entering Week 12. He ran for 76 yards and a touchdown while also catching five passes for 58 yards against the Bears. Jacobs has scored four touchdowns (three rushing, one receiving) over his past four games. He has at least 90 yards from scrimmage over his past six games, matching Houston’s Joe Mixon for the NFL’s longest such active streak. 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey vs. Packers run defense: McCaffrey rushed for 98 yards and two touchdowns — including the game-winner with 1:07 left — in the 49ers’ playoff victory over the Packers last season. Green Bay is coming off a performance in which it allowed a season-high 179 yards rushing to the Bears. Purdy isn't playing due to a sore throwing shoulder. ... The 49ers also won't have Nick Bosa after he injured his left hip and oblique against the Seahawks. ... Niners CB Charvarius Ward will miss a third straight game following the death of his 1-year-old daughter. ... Niners LT Trent Williams (ankle) is questionable. ... Niners TE George Kittle is expected back after missing last week’s game with a hamstring injury. ... Packers CB Jaire Alexander (knee) and LB Edgerrin Cooper (hamstring) have been ruled out. ... Packers guard Jordan Morgan (shoulder) is on injured reserve. The 49ers have beaten the Packers in the playoffs three of the past five years. That includes a 37-19 victory in the 2019 NFC championship, a 13-10 upset at Lambeau Field in the 2021 divisional round and the 24-21 thriller last season. The past three matchups between these teams — including a Packers 30-28 road victory on Sept. 26, 2021 — have been decided by a total of eight points. This marks the first time these teams have faced off at Lambeau Field during the regular season since a Packers 33-30 triumph on Oct. 15, 2018. Each of the past three Packers-49ers games at Green Bay have been decided by three points. 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan and Packers coach Matt LaFleur worked together as assistants at Houston (2008-09), Washington (2010-13) and Atlanta (2015-16). A loss would give the 49ers a losing record more than 10 games into a season for the first time since going 6-10 in 2020. ... San Francisco has lost a league-worst three games this season after leading in the final two minutes of regulation. ... The 49ers have allowed 36 points in the final two minutes of regulation, second most in the NFL. ... The Niners had only one play from scrimmage go for at least 20 yards last week, tied for the fewest in any game in eight seasons under Shanahan. ... San Francisco is outgaining the opposition through the air by an NFL-best 53.9 yards per game. ... McCaffrey has topped 100 yards from scrimmage in his first two games back from Achilles tendinitis and has five straight games with at least 100 yards from scrimmage going back to last postseason. ... McCaffrey’s 57 games with at least 100 yards from scrimmage are the most for any active player. ... The 49ers are 1-5 this season when Purdy turns the ball over and 4-0 when he doesn’t. ... Purdy’s four rushing TDs are the most in a season for a Niners QB since Colin Kaepernick had four in 2013. ... This is the first of three games the Packers are playing in a 12-day stretch. They host the Miami Dolphins on Thanksgiving night and visit the NFC North-leading Detroit Lions on Dec. 5. ... The Packers are tied for fourth in the league with 19 takeaways, but they don’t have any over their past two games. ... Packers S Xavier McKinney has six interceptions this season to rank second in the league, behind Detroit’s Kerby Joseph (seven). McKinney has seven total takeaways, putting him in a tie for first with Joseph. ... Jacobs’ 838 yards rushing and 1,024 scrimmage yards this season are the most any Packer has had in his first 10 games with the team. Jacobs’ 1,024 scrimmage yards are the most for any Packer through the first 10 games of a season since Ahman Green had 1,057 at this point in 2004. ... Packers DL Rashan Gary had his 35th sack against Chicago to overtake teammate Kenny Clark for ninth place in franchise history. Clark, a three-time Pro Bowl selection, is still seeking his first sack of the season. ... The Packers and 49ers have the NFC’s best regular-season winning percentage since 2019. The Packers are 63-30 and the 49ers 59-34 during that stretch. ... San Francisco’s George Kittle has seven touchdown catches to lead all NFL tight ends. Green Bay’s Tucker Kraft has five touchdown receptions to match Baltimore’s Mark Andrews for the second-highest total among tight ends. ... The 49ers rank 26th in the league with TDs on 48.8% of their red zone drives. Green Bay is 27th in that category and has scored TDs on 48.7% of its drives. Packers WR Christian Watson’s slow start to the season means he might have been stashed on someone’s bench or perhaps even became available on some fantasy football waiver wires. Now would be a good time to try to acquire him. Watson had four catches for a career-high 150 yards against the Bears. After getting targeted just 14 times over his first six games, Watson’s had 17 targets in his past three. He had a catch each of the four times Jordan Love targeted him in Chicago. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

It looked like a recipe for disaster. So, when his country's swimmers were being accused of doping earlier this year, one Chinese official cooked up something fast. He blamed it on contaminated noodles. In fact, he argued, it could have been a culinary conspiracy concocted by criminals, whose actions led to the cooking wine used to prepare the noodles being laced with a banned heart drug that found its way into an athlete's system. This theory was spelled out to international anti-doping officials during a meeting and, after weeks of wrangling, finally made it into the thousands of pages of data handed over to the lawyer who investigated the case involving 23 Chinese swimmers who had tested positive for that same drug. The attorney, appointed by the World Anti-Doping Agency, refused to consider that scenario as he sifted through the evidence. In spelling out his reasoning, lawyer Eric Cottier paid heed to the half-baked nature of the theory. People are also reading... "The Investigator considers this scenario, which he has described in the conditional tense, to be possible, no less, no more," Cottier wrote. Even without the contaminated-noodles theory, Cottier found problems with the way WADA and the Chinese handled the case but ultimately determined WADA had acted reasonably in not appealing China's conclusion that its athletes had been inadvertently contaminated. Critics of the way the China case was handled can't help but wonder if a wider exploration of the noodle theory, details of which were discovered by The Associated Press via notes and emails from after the meeting where it was delivered, might have lent a different flavor to Cottier's conclusions. "There are more story twists to the ways the Chinese explain the TMZ case than a James Bond movie," said Rob Koehler, the director general of the advocacy group Global Athlete. "And all of it is complete fiction." Something in the kitchen was contaminated In April, reporting from the New York Times and the German broadcaster ARD revealed that the 23 Chinese swimmers had tested positive for the banned heart medication trimetazidine, also known as TMZ. China's anti-doping agency determined the athletes had been contaminated, and so, did not sanction them. WADA accepted that explanation, did not press the case further, and China was never made to deliver a public notice about the "no-fault findings," as is often seen in similar cases. The stock explanation for the contamination was that traces of TMZ were found in the kitchen of a hotel where the swimmers were staying. In his 58-page report, Cottier relayed some suspicions about the feasibility of that chain of events — noting that WADA's chief scientist "saw no other solution than to accept it, even if he continued to have doubts about the reality of contamination as described by the Chinese authorities." But without evidence to support pursuing the case, and with the chance of winning an appeal at almost nil, Cottier determined WADA's "decision not to appeal appears indisputably reasonable." But how did the drugs get into the kitchen? A mystery remained: How did those traces of TMZ get into the kitchen? Shortly after the doping positives were revealed, the Institute of National Anti-Doping Organizations held a meeting on April 30 where it heard from the leader of China's agency, Li Zhiquan. Li's presentation was mostly filled with the same talking points that have been delivered throughout the saga — that the positive tests resulted from contamination from the kitchen. But he expanded on one way the kitchen might have become contaminated, harkening to another case in China involving a low-level TMZ positive. A pharmaceutical factory, he explained, had used industrial alcohol in the distillation process for producing TMZ. The industrial alcohol laced with the drug "then entered the market through illegal channels," he said. The alcohol "was re-used by the perpetrators to process and produce cooking wine, which is an important seasoning used locally to make beef noodles," Li said. "The contaminated beef noodles were consumed by that athlete, resulting in an extremely low concentration of TMZ in the positive sample. "The wrongdoers involved have been brought to justice." New information sent to WADA ... eventually This new information raised eyebrows among the anti-doping leaders listening to Li's report. So much so that over the next month, several emails ensued to make sure the details about the noodles and wine made their way to WADA lawyers, who could then pass it onto Cottier. Eventually, Li did pass on the information to WADA general counsel Ross Wenzel and, just to be sure, one of the anti-doping leaders forwarded it, as well, according to the emails seen by the AP. All this came with Li's request that the noodles story be kept confidential. Turns out, it made it into Cottier's report, though he took the information with a grain of salt. "Indeed, giving it more attention would have required it to be documented, then scientifically verified and validated," he wrote. Neither Wenzel nor officials at the Chinese anti-doping agency returned messages from AP asking about the noodles conspiracy and the other athlete who Li suggested had been contaminated by them. Meanwhile, 11 of the swimmers who originally tested positive competed at the Paris Games earlier this year in a meet held under the cloud of the Chinese doping case. Though WADA considers the case closed, Koehler and others point to situations like this as one of many reasons that an investigation by someone other than Cottier, who was hired by WADA, is still needed. "It gives the appearance that people are just making things up as they go along on this, and hoping the story just goes away," Koehler said. "Which clearly it has not." Be the first to knowIn 16 short years, mirrorless cameras have gone from being the new kid on the block to the new normal, now accounting for about 90% of all sales of interchangeable-lens digital cameras. The compact Panasonic Lumix G1 was the very first mirrorless camera, and it changed the photography world forever. A lot of exciting and innovative events happened in 2008. It was the year we all flocked to movie theaters to bask in the gloomy, noir ambiance of “The Dark Knight,” and listened for the very first time to the likes of Lady Gaga and Coldplay on the newly launched Spotify music streaming service. It was also the year that saw the introduction of a genuine innovation in digital cameras—one that would completely reshape the camera market in the decades that followed. 2008 was the year I purchased my Panasonic Lumix G1, the very first commercially available mirrorless camera. I still have it to this day, and I doubt I would ever sell it because it is such a landmark camera for me. You can see my little G1 in the lead picture for this article, complete with its original strap. All the photographs in this article are my own, taken with that very same G1 you see in the picture. If you think you might want a G1 of your own, there are still plenty of them around, and you can pick up a used one for next to nothing on sites like eBay. The slightly textured, rubberized coating on the G1 body came in a few different colors (I chose the blue), which gave the camera a novel and unique look that reflected the mechanical and optical innovation happening inside. Unfortunately, on my G1, this coating has developed a slight stickiness over the years, making it a magnet for dust. This stickiness also makes it rather difficult to remove the dust, as you can probably tell from the picture. Despite its dusty exterior, however, my Lumix G1 is still in perfect working order, and the batteries still hold their charge pretty well, even after all these years. Before we go on, I should mention that this is in no way, shape, or form intended to be a review of the Lumix G1. There would be little sense in writing yet another review of a camera that came out 16 years ago, and if you were hoping for one, you’ll probably need to jump into your internet time machine and scroll back to 2008. The release of the G1 was pretty big news at the time, so I’m sure you can find plenty of reviews out there if that's what you're looking for. Now, in this age where hyperbole often gets weaponized to be heard above the noise of social media, the phrase “game changer” tends to get thrown around rather liberally. If ever an innovation deserved this title, however, it was the Lumix G1. Here was a fully featured camera in an incredibly compact and lightweight form factor, able to accept a range of interchangeable lenses that were every bit as compact and lightweight as the camera itself. Migrating, as I was at that time, from my hefty Canon 20D SLR that could double as a tank obstacle, along with a selection of equally hefty Canon glass that made you want to trade in your camera bag for a wheelbarrow—the Lumix G1 seemed nothing short of miraculous. Here was a fully featured system of camera bodies and lenses you could carry all day without needing a team of sherpas! A little slice of camera history is probably necessary at this point to understand how the evolution of digital cameras brought us to the tiny marvel that is the Lumix G1, and how this eventually spawned a subsequent generation of mirrorless cameras that became the dominant form factor in the digital photography market. 35mm is the standard. It’s important to realize that the very first interchangeable-lens digital cameras produced between the 1990s and the early 2000s were just digital camera bodies designed to take advantage of all the legacy glass film photographers had accumulated over the years. This made perfect practical and commercial sense—offering photographers the digital technology to transition from film while retaining and leveraging their investment in existing film lenses. In this sense, the first DSLRs could not be considered digital camera systems of the kind we are used to today, where the digital image capture path is fully integrated between the camera body and the lens. The form factors and optical paths of these early DSLRs were dictated by the demands of existing lenses designed for use with 35mm film cameras (even though, ironically, the first DSLRs did not have full-frame sensors to reproduce the 24 x 36mm frame size of 35mm film). For commercial and practical purposes, these pioneering DSLR manufacturers were essentially locked into building their new digital imaging technology around the demands of a century-old analog imaging format. What if we did not have to constrain the design of our digital camera systems to the demands of using a 35mm format? , developed jointly by Olympus and Kodak, was the first attempt to address this question. The requirement to capture a digital image in a 35mm format essentially predetermined the form factors and optical paths of the first DSLRs. But if you could abandon the 35mm format and its legacy lenses entirely—starting from scratch with a digital sensor of any size you wanted, along with a new range of lenses designed specifically for it—you could build a system with much smaller and lighter bodies and lenses. This system would be far more compact and lightweight than any traditional 35mm SLR system. In 2008, the semiconductor sensors used in digital cameras were following the kind of exponential performance/value trajectory that had correctly predicted for computers. With the availability of smaller, cheaper sensors that could match or even exceed the performance of the previous generation of larger sensors, a smaller sensor format became a viable option for creating high-performance systems with more compact camera bodies and lenses. The Four Thirds engineers eventually settled on a sensor with a 4:3 aspect ratio and an area about nine times larger than the tiny 1/2.5” sensors typically used in compact point-and-shoot cameras. This compromise between sensor size and performance gave the Four Thirds System much better image quality than was possible with compact point-and-shoot cameras, while using a sensor that was still 30% smaller than APS-C and had about half the linear dimensions (roughly one-quarter the area) of a 35mm full-frame sensor. The 4:3 aspect ratio also made better use of the imaging circle produced by a lens than the 3:2 aspect ratio of 35mm, further facilitating the design of more compact, high-performance lenses. But there was still a problem. The camera bodies and lenses for the Four Thirds System achieved some reduction in size and weight compared to traditional 35mm systems. However, the major obstacle to achieving the significant size and weight reductions that the Four Thirds sensor could theoretically deliver was the SLR’s complex optical path between the lens and the image capture surface. In a traditional SLR, a diagonal mirror is positioned in front of the film to redirect light from the lens into the viewfinder for composing the image. When the photographer trips the shutter, this mirror moves out of the way before the shutter opens to expose the film, then immediately moves back into place to redirect the light into the viewfinder again. Because the mirror corrects the vertically inverted image projected by the lens while also creating a laterally inverted image, it was necessary to reflect this laterally inverted image through a pentaprism in the roof of the camera, correcting the lateral inversion and allowing the photographer to see the original, upright, left-right-corrected view of the scene in the viewfinder. In the diagram below, you can clearly see how the need for a mirror and pentaprism in the optical path between the lens and the image plane required a much bulkier camera body. It also placed the rear element of the lens much further away from the image plane than would be necessary without this extended optical path. The shaded orange area gives you a good sense of how much space could be saved if the mirror and pentaprism system were eliminated from the SLR design. The solution? The solution involved replacing the optical viewfinder with the live view from the actual sensor itself. In this way, the photographer could compose the shot through the same lens that would capture the image, but there was no need for the complex moving mirror system or the pentaprism to correct the mirror image in the viewfinder. The optical viewfinder was replaced by an electronic viewfinder (EVF) that displayed, in real time, exactly what the sensor saw through the lens. The other great benefit of simplifying the optical path in this way was that it brought the rear element of the lens much closer to the plane of image capture. This resulted in several performance advantages for both lens and sensor design. And thus the was born. Although Micro Four Thirds inherited the same sensor format as Four Thirds, the elimination of the mirror and pentaprism allowed for much smaller and lighter camera bodies. The corresponding reduction in distance between the rear lens element and the imaging plane also allowed for much smaller lenses. In fact, the flange focal distance—a measure of the gap between the lens and the imaging surface—was reduced by about 50% in the Micro Four Thirds System, enabling far more compact lenses. The initial response to mirrorless cameras was overwhelmingly positive, but this new format was not without its issues. Many pointed out (rightly) that the EVFs in these new cameras tended to be sluggish in terms of refresh rate and couldn’t match the performance of equivalent optical viewfinders, particularly in low light. However, even in 2008, it was clear that since this was an electronics issue, the rapid evolution of semiconductor technology would likely overcome many of these limitations in the near future. At the time I purchased my Lumix G1, I was seldom really bothered by the performance of its EVF, which I felt was more than adequate in most circumstances. With its equivalent of about 1.4 million pixels and 100% coverage of the frame, it felt pretty much like the state of the art at that time. Comparing the EVF of the G1 to any modern mirrorless camera, however, it definitely feels rather clunky and primitive by today’s standards. But I liken this sentiment to the kind of experience we went through with the introduction of high-definition TV (HDTV). Before we got used to HDTV, we were perfectly happy with our grainy 525 vertical lines of analog picture resolution, and it was only after we got used to watching HD that the old analog format started to look rather shabby and outdated. I’m a firm believer in the old adage that the absolute best camera in the world is the one that you actually have with you when the shot presents itself. From this perspective, it is difficult to overstate what a huge benefit it can be to have smaller, lighter photo gear. My Lumix G1, with its tiny 14-45mm kit lens (equivalent to a 28-90mm zoom in 35mm full frame format), weighs in at a meager one and a half pounds, so there was never any question of being reluctant to tote it around when you were out and about. Given the passage of 16 years since its release, it would be pretty futile to spend too much time comparing the specifications of the G1 with any modern mirrorless camera. Innovation in the camera world has continued apace since 2008, and of course, the G1 lacks many of the features we now take for granted in mirrorless cameras—in-body image stabilization, high resolution coupled with incredible low-light performance, face recognition, etc. And while it’s certain that the Lumix G1’s EVF and 12 MP sensor would not offer any real competition to the current generation of mirrorless cameras, the fact remains that it was (and in many ways still is) a great little camera. The proof of the pudding, as they say, is that you can still take great pictures with it. Looking back, I loved using my Lumix G1, and it really was a camera that went everywhere with me. I was very happy with its performance, and I took a lot of great pictures with it. But I think there was also an additional sense of excitement around the potential this transformative evolution in digital cameras might hold for the future. The Lumix G1 just turned sixteen this year, and it was the seed of a mirrorless camera revolution that is still ongoing today—an evolution in digital photography that started with small-sensor cameras and has now grown to include full frame and even medium format systems as well. So happy sixteenth, G1—the photography world would not be the same without you! Gordon Webster is a professional photographer based in New England. He has worked with clients from a wide range of sectors, including retail, publishing, music, independent film production, technology, hospitality, law, energy, agriculture, construction, manufacturing, medical, veterinary, and education.

Madeline Gaudreau, the widow of Matthew Gaudreau, gave birth to their son, she announced on Instagram on Sunday. The birth of their son, Tripp, comes four months after Matthew Gaudreau and his brother, Johnny, of the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets, were tragically killed after a vehicle hit them while they were riding their bikes in Oldmans Township, New Jersey, in August. In December, the driver of the vehicle was charged by a grand jury with two counts of reckless vehicular homicide, two counts of aggravated manslaughter, tampering with physical evidence and leaving the scene of a fatal accident, per CNN's Jacob Lev . Matthew was 29 and Johnny was 31. "The National Hockey League family is shocked and saddened by the tragic passing of Columbus Blue Jackets forward Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew," NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement in August. "While Johnny's infectious spirit for the game and show-stopping skills on the ice earned him the nickname 'Johnny Hockey,' he was more than just a dazzling hockey player; he was a doting father and beloved husband, son, brother and teammate who endeared himself to every person fortunate enough to have crossed his path." Matthew played professional hockey in the ECHL, spending four years with the Worcester Railers and one season with the Reading Royals. Johnny played 11 seasons in the NHL for the Calgary Flames and the Blue Jackets. He scored 743 points across his career, collecting a career-high 115 during the 2021-22 season.National Gallery director shuts gallery amid staff dissent, bans press conferencesThe Department of Social Welfare and Development ( DSWD ) has returned to the Bureau of Treasury (BTr) the Php 658 million budget allocated by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) for the fourth phase of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) decommissioning process. Undersecretary Alan Tanjusay of the Inclusive-Sustainable Peace and Special Concerns (ISPSC) Cluster said these funds from the OPAPRU were originally intended for the provision of socio-economic interventions to another set or decommissioned MILF combatants as part of the normalization track under the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB). “We were supposed to proceed with the fourth phase of the decommissioning process this year. However, since there were delays with the finalization of the official list of beneficiaries, the DSWD and the OPAPRU arrived at the mutual decision to return the funds allocated for the said phase to the Bureau of Treasury,” Undersecretary Tanjusay said on Friday (December 27). The DSWD, as part of the Task Force for Decommissioned Combatants and Communities (TFDCC) chaired by the OPAPRU, is among the agencies mandated to provide packages of assistance to decommissioned combatants (DCs) and their families in the form of cash grants, livelihood grants, and endorsement for skills training. The list of verified MILF beneficiaries is one of the requirements needed by the DSWD to be able to proceed with the provision of assistance for the reintegration process of the DCs. The DSWD, however, has not received the official list of target beneficiaries for the fourth phase from the OPAPRU . “Eventually, we returned the funds to prevent any potential violations of audit regulations and ensure that public funds are utilized responsibly,” Undersecretary Tanjusay explained. With this adjustment, the ISPSC undersecretary said the agency anticipates the swift provision of necessary documents and beneficiary lists for 2025 to enable the seamless fund releases for the decommissioning process of former MNLF combatants. “While delays and bottlenecks may arise, the DSWD remains committed to advancing the peace process and ensuring the successful implementation of the normalization program.” Undersecretary Tanjusay pointed out. “We want to reassure everyone that the national government’s dedication to achieving lasting peace and sustainable development in BARMM will not be deterred,” the DSWD official said. Signed by the Philippine government and the MILF in 2014, the normalization track under the CAB eyes to decommission a total of 40,000 MILF combatants in five phases. The first to third phase has been completed, while the fourth and final phase aims to decommission 14,000 more MILF combatants and reintegrate them and their families into mainstream society.

SM approaches 2025 with cautious optimism

spxChrome The Calamos Convertible Opportunities and Income Fund ( NASDAQ: CHI ) is an interesting closed-end fund, or CEF, that may have some appeal for income-focused investors seeking to earn a very high level of current income from the assets that they At Energy Profits in Dividends, we seek to generate a 7%+ income yield by investing in a portfolio of energy stocks while minimizing our risk of principal loss. By subscribing, you will get access to our best ideas earlier than they are released to the general public (and many of them are not released at all) as well as far more in-depth research than we make available to everybody. In addition, all subscribers can read any of my work without a subscription to Seeking Alpha Premium! We are currently offering a two-week free trial for the service, so check us out ! Power Hedge has been covering both traditional and renewable energy since 2010. He targets primarily international companies of all sizes that hold a competitive advantage and pay dividends with strong yields. Energy Profits in Dividends Learn more Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of SPY either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.Watsons Continues Its Expansion In GCC With The Opening Of Its New Flagship Store In Bahrain Media Outreach Newswire APAC

The Red Sox’ most notable free agent signing of the winter — at least to this point — is now official, and it comes with some contract language that had previously gone unreported. Boston announced its one-year deal with starter Walker Buehler on Saturday, confirming an agreement that first surfaced Monday. The deal is effectively a one-year, $21.05 million contract, as was previously reported, but includes a slightly more complicated structure. According to an industry source, Buehler will receive a $3.05 million signing bonus and $15 million base salary in 2025 . His deal also includes a mutual option for 2026 valued at $25 million with a $3 million buyout. Mutual options are never exercised and serve as a way for teams to kick some cash payments down the road. So Buehler will receive that buyout in a form of $3 million in 2026. Buehler’s hit against the competitive balance tax (CBT) threshold is $21.05 million (the total of the signing bonus, base salary and buyout). But it could go up based on performance bonuses. According to a source, Buehler, who returned last season after a two-year absence due to Tommy John surgery can earn up to $2.5 million in additional money based on how many games he starts. He will be paid an additional $500,000 if he reaches 20 starts and another $500,000 for every two starts after that, up to his 28th (22, 24, 26 and 28 starts). With the announcement, the Red Sox’ 40-man roster is now full again. Boston executed two minor trades ( Cam Booser to the White Sox and Mickey Gasper to the Twins ) to clear spots for new signees Buehler and Patrick Sandoval. The Red Sox have now added five pitchers — Buehler, Aroldis Chapman, Garrett Crochet, Sandoval and Justin Wilson — via free agency or trade so far this winter. Backup catcher Carlos Narvaez , acquired from the Yankees in a trade, is the only position player addition so far. Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow will address the media about the Buehler signing Monday at 1 p.m. ET. There are no plans for an in-person press conference to introduce Buehler. Buehler made an interesting choice when it comes to his uniform number, choosing No. 0 . He wore No. 21 throughout his time with the Dodgers (since his first full season in 2018) but that number has not been issued to a Red Sox player since Roger Clemens left the organization following the 1996 season. Boston has never formally retired No. 21 but it’s unofficially off-limits. Only two players have ever worn No. 0 for the Red Sox and both instances have come in the last decade. Infielder Brandon Phillips was the first to ever wear it during his late-season cameo in 2018 and reliever Adam Ottavino wore it in 2021. Here’s the current Red Sox 40-man roster: Pitchers (25): Brayan Bello, Brennan Bernardino, Walker Buehler, Aroldis Chapman, Kutter Crawford, Cooper Criswell, Garrett Crochet, Hunter Dobbins, Richard Fitts, Lucas Giolito, Luis Guerrero, Liam Hendriks, Tanner Houck, Zack Kelly, Chris Murphy, Zach Penrod, Luis Perales, Quinn Priester, Patrick Sandoval, Chase Shugart, Justin Slaten, Greg Weissert, Garrett Whitlock, Justin Wilson, Josh Winckowski Catchers (2): Carlos Narvaez, Connor Wong Infielders (5): Triston Casas, Rafael Devers, Vaughn Grissom, David Hamilton, Trevor Story Outfielders (5): Wilyer Abreu, Jarren Duran, Jhostynxon Garcia, Rob Refsnyder, Masataka Yoshida Infielder/Outfielders (3): Romy Gonzalez, Ceddanne Rafaela, Nick Sogard More Red Sox coverage

None

NoneATLANTA (AP) — Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who won the presidency in the wake of the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, endured humbling defeat after one tumultuous term and then redefined life after the White House as a global humanitarian, has died. He was 100 years old. The longest-lived American president died on Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care , at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died at 96 in November 2023 , spent most of their lives, The Carter Center said. “Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia,” the center said in posting about his death on the social media platform X. It added in a statement that he died peacefully, surrounded by his family. As reaction poured in from around the world, President Joe Biden mourned Carter’s death, saying the world lost an “extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian” and he lost a dear friend. Biden cited Carter’s compassion and moral clarity, his work to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless and advocacy for the disadvantaged as an example for others. “To all of the young people in this nation and for anyone in search of what it means to live a life of purpose and meaning – the good life – study Jimmy Carter, a man of principle, faith, and humility,” Biden said in a statement. “He showed that we are a great nation because we are a good people – decent and honorable, courageous and compassionate, humble and strong.” Biden said he is ordering a state funeral for Carter in Washington. Businessman, Navy officer, evangelist, politician, negotiator, author, woodworker, citizen of the world — Carter forged a path that still challenges political assumptions and stands out among the 45 men who reached the nation’s highest office. The 39th president leveraged his ambition with a keen intellect, deep religious faith and prodigious work ethic, conducting diplomatic missions into his 80s and building houses for the poor well into his 90s. “My faith demands — this is not optional — my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can, with whatever I have to try to make a difference,” Carter once said. A president from Plains A moderate Democrat, Carter entered the 1976 presidential race as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad smile, outspoken Baptist mores and technocratic plans reflecting his education as an engineer. His no-frills campaign depended on public financing, and his promise not to deceive the American people resonated after Richard Nixon’s disgrace and U.S. defeat in southeast Asia. “If I ever lie to you, if I ever make a misleading statement, don’t vote for me. I would not deserve to be your president,” Carter repeated before narrowly beating Republican incumbent Gerald Ford, who had lost popularity pardoning Nixon. Carter governed amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over racism, women’s rights and America’s global role. His most acclaimed achievement in office was a Mideast peace deal that he brokered by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at the bargaining table for 13 days in 1978. That Camp David experience inspired the post-presidential center where Carter would establish so much of his legacy. Yet Carter’s electoral coalition splintered under double-digit inflation, gasoline lines and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. His bleakest hour came when eight Americans died in a failed hostage rescue in April 1980, helping to ensure his landslide defeat to Republican Ronald Reagan. Carter acknowledged in his 2020 “White House Diary” that he could be “micromanaging” and “excessively autocratic,” complicating dealings with Congress and the federal bureaucracy. He also turned a cold shoulder to Washington’s news media and lobbyists, not fully appreciating their influence on his political fortunes. “It didn’t take us long to realize that the underestimation existed, but by that time we were not able to repair the mistake,” Carter told historians in 1982, suggesting that he had “an inherent incompatibility” with Washington insiders. Carter insisted his overall approach was sound and that he achieved his primary objectives — to “protect our nation’s security and interests peacefully” and “enhance human rights here and abroad” — even if he fell spectacularly short of a second term. And then, the world Ignominious defeat, though, allowed for renewal. The Carters founded The Carter Center in 1982 as a first-of-its-kind base of operations, asserting themselves as international peacemakers and champions of democracy, public health and human rights. “I was not interested in just building a museum or storing my White House records and memorabilia,” Carter wrote in a memoir published after his 90th birthday. “I wanted a place where we could work.” That work included easing nuclear tensions in North and South Korea, helping to avert a U.S. invasion of Haiti and negotiating cease-fires in Bosnia and Sudan. By 2022, The Carter Center had declared at least 113 elections in Latin America, Asia and Africa to be free or fraudulent. Recently, the center began monitoring U.S. elections as well. Carter’s stubborn self-assuredness and even self-righteousness proved effective once he was unencumbered by the Washington order, sometimes to the point of frustrating his successors . He went “where others are not treading,” he said, to places like Ethiopia, Liberia and North Korea, where he secured the release of an American who had wandered across the border in 2010. “I can say what I like. I can meet whom I want. I can take on projects that please me and reject the ones that don’t,” Carter said. He announced an arms-reduction-for-aid deal with North Korea without clearing the details with Bill Clinton’s White House. He openly criticized President George W. Bush for the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He also criticized America’s approach to Israel with his 2006 book “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid.” And he repeatedly countered U.S. administrations by insisting North Korea should be included in international affairs, a position that most aligned Carter with Republican President Donald Trump. Among the center’s many public health initiatives, Carter vowed to eradicate the guinea worm parasite during his lifetime, and nearly achieved it: Cases dropped from millions in the 1980s to nearly a handful. With hardhats and hammers, the Carters also built homes with Habitat for Humanity. The Nobel committee’s 2002 Peace Prize cites his “untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” Carter should have won it alongside Sadat and Begin in 1978, the chairman added. Carter accepted the recognition saying there was more work to be done. “The world is now, in many ways, a more dangerous place,” he said. “The greater ease of travel and communication has not been matched by equal understanding and mutual respect.” ‘An epic American life’ Carter’s globetrotting took him to remote villages where he met little “Jimmy Carters,” so named by admiring parents. But he spent most of his days in the same one-story Plains house — expanded and guarded by Secret Service agents — where they lived before he became governor. He regularly taught Sunday School lessons at Maranatha Baptist Church until his mobility declined and the coronavirus pandemic raged. Those sessions drew visitors from around the world to the small sanctuary where Carter will receive his final send-off after a state funeral at Washington’s National Cathedral. The common assessment that he was a better ex-president than president rankled Carter and his allies. His prolific post-presidency gave him a brand above politics, particularly for Americans too young to witness him in office. But Carter also lived long enough to see biographers and historians reassess his White House years more generously. His record includes the deregulation of key industries, reduction of U.S. dependence on foreign oil, cautious management of the national debt and notable legislation on the environment, education and mental health. He focused on human rights in foreign policy, pressuring dictators to release thousands of political prisoners . He acknowledged America’s historical imperialism, pardoned Vietnam War draft evaders and relinquished control of the Panama Canal. He normalized relations with China. “I am not nominating Jimmy Carter for a place on Mount Rushmore,” Stuart Eizenstat, Carter’s domestic policy director, wrote in a 2018 book. “He was not a great president” but also not the “hapless and weak” caricature voters rejected in 1980, Eizenstat said. Rather, Carter was “good and productive” and “delivered results, many of which were realized only after he left office.” Madeleine Albright, a national security staffer for Carter and Clinton’s secretary of state, wrote in Eizenstat’s forward that Carter was “consequential and successful” and expressed hope that “perceptions will continue to evolve” about his presidency. “Our country was lucky to have him as our leader,” said Albright, who died in 2022. Jonathan Alter, who penned a comprehensive Carter biography published in 2020, said in an interview that Carter should be remembered for “an epic American life” spanning from a humble start in a home with no electricity or indoor plumbing through decades on the world stage across two centuries. “He will likely go down as one of the most misunderstood and underestimated figures in American history,” Alter told The Associated Press. A small-town start James Earl Carter Jr. was born Oct. 1, 1924, in Plains and spent his early years in nearby Archery. His family was a minority in the mostly Black community, decades before the civil rights movement played out at the dawn of Carter’s political career. Carter, who campaigned as a moderate on race relations but governed more progressively, talked often of the influence of his Black caregivers and playmates but also noted his advantages: His land-owning father sat atop Archery’s tenant-farming system and owned a main street grocery. His mother, Lillian , would become a staple of his political campaigns. Seeking to broaden his world beyond Plains and its population of fewer than 1,000 — then and now — Carter won an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating in 1946. That same year he married Rosalynn Smith, another Plains native, a decision he considered more important than any he made as head of state. She shared his desire to see the world, sacrificing college to support his Navy career. Carter climbed in rank to lieutenant, but then his father was diagnosed with cancer, so the submarine officer set aside his ambitions of admiralty and moved the family back to Plains. His decision angered Rosalynn, even as she dived into the peanut business alongside her husband. Carter again failed to talk with his wife before his first run for office — he later called it “inconceivable” not to have consulted her on such major life decisions — but this time, she was on board. “My wife is much more political,” Carter told the AP in 2021. He won a state Senate seat in 1962 but wasn’t long for the General Assembly and its back-slapping, deal-cutting ways. He ran for governor in 1966 — losing to arch-segregationist Lester Maddox — and then immediately focused on the next campaign. Carter had spoken out against church segregation as a Baptist deacon and opposed racist “Dixiecrats” as a state senator. Yet as a local school board leader in the 1950s he had not pushed to end school segregation even after the Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education decision, despite his private support for integration. And in 1970, Carter ran for governor again as the more conservative Democrat against Carl Sanders, a wealthy businessman Carter mocked as “Cufflinks Carl.” Sanders never forgave him for anonymous, race-baiting flyers, which Carter disavowed. Ultimately, Carter won his races by attracting both Black voters and culturally conservative whites. Once in office, he was more direct. “I say to you quite frankly that the time for racial discrimination is over,” he declared in his 1971 inaugural address, setting a new standard for Southern governors that landed him on the cover of Time magazine. 'Jimmy Who?' His statehouse initiatives included environmental protection, boosting rural education and overhauling antiquated executive branch structures. He proclaimed Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the slain civil rights leader’s home state. And he decided, as he received presidential candidates in 1972, that they were no more talented than he was. In 1974, he ran Democrats’ national campaign arm. Then he declared his own candidacy for 1976. An Atlanta newspaper responded with the headline: “Jimmy Who?” The Carters and a “Peanut Brigade” of family members and Georgia supporters camped out in Iowa and New Hampshire, establishing both states as presidential proving grounds. His first Senate endorsement: a young first-termer from Delaware named Joe Biden. Yet it was Carter’s ability to navigate America’s complex racial and rural politics that cemented the nomination. He swept the Deep South that November, the last Democrat to do so, as many white Southerners shifted to Republicans in response to civil rights initiatives. A self-declared “born-again Christian,” Carter drew snickers by referring to Scripture in a Playboy magazine interview, saying he “had looked on many women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times.” The remarks gave Ford a new foothold and television comedians pounced — including NBC’s new “Saturday Night Live” show. But voters weary of cynicism in politics found it endearing. Carter chose Minnesota Sen. Walter “Fritz” Mondale as his running mate on a “Grits and Fritz” ticket. In office, he elevated the vice presidency and the first lady’s office. Mondale’s governing partnership was a model for influential successors Al Gore, Dick Cheney and Biden. Rosalynn Carter was one of the most involved presidential spouses in history, welcomed into Cabinet meetings and huddles with lawmakers and top aides. The Carters presided with uncommon informality: He used his nickname “Jimmy” even when taking the oath of office, carried his own luggage and tried to silence the Marine Band’s “Hail to the Chief.” They bought their clothes off the rack. Carter wore a cardigan for a White House address, urging Americans to conserve energy by turning down their thermostats. Amy, the youngest of four children, attended District of Columbia public school. Washington’s social and media elite scorned their style. But the larger concern was that “he hated politics,” according to Eizenstat, leaving him nowhere to turn politically once economic turmoil and foreign policy challenges took their toll. Accomplishments, and ‘malaise’ Carter partially deregulated the airline, railroad and trucking industries and established the departments of Education and Energy, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He designated millions of acres of Alaska as national parks or wildlife refuges. He appointed a then-record number of women and nonwhite people to federal posts. He never had a Supreme Court nomination, but he elevated civil rights attorney Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the nation’s second highest court, positioning her for a promotion in 1993. He appointed Paul Volker, the Federal Reserve chairman whose policies would help the economy boom in the 1980s — after Carter left office. He built on Nixon’s opening with China, and though he tolerated autocrats in Asia, pushed Latin America from dictatorships to democracy. But he couldn’t immediately tame inflation or the related energy crisis. And then came Iran. After he admitted the exiled Shah of Iran to the U.S. for medical treatment, the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun in 1979 by followers of the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Negotiations to free the hostages broke down repeatedly ahead of the failed rescue attempt. The same year, Carter signed SALT II, the new strategic arms treaty with Leonid Brezhnev of the Soviet Union, only to pull it back, impose trade sanctions and order a U.S. boycott of the Moscow Olympics after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. Hoping to instill optimism, he delivered what the media dubbed his “malaise” speech, although he didn’t use that word. He declared the nation was suffering “a crisis of confidence.” By then, many Americans had lost confidence in the president, not themselves. Carter campaigned sparingly for reelection because of the hostage crisis, instead sending Rosalynn as Sen. Edward M. Kennedy challenged him for the Democratic nomination. Carter famously said he’d “kick his ass,” but was hobbled by Kennedy as Reagan rallied a broad coalition with “make America great again” appeals and asking voters whether they were “better off than you were four years ago.” Reagan further capitalized on Carter’s lecturing tone, eviscerating him in their lone fall debate with the quip: “There you go again.” Carter lost all but six states and Republicans rolled to a new Senate majority. Carter successfully negotiated the hostages’ freedom after the election, but in one final, bitter turn of events, Tehran waited until hours after Carter left office to let them walk free. 'A wonderful life' At 56, Carter returned to Georgia with “no idea what I would do with the rest of my life.” Four decades after launching The Carter Center, he still talked of unfinished business. “I thought when we got into politics we would have resolved everything,” Carter told the AP in 2021. “But it’s turned out to be much more long-lasting and insidious than I had thought it was. I think in general, the world itself is much more divided than in previous years.” Still, he affirmed what he said when he underwent treatment for a cancer diagnosis in his 10th decade of life. “I’m perfectly at ease with whatever comes,” he said in 2015 . “I’ve had a wonderful life. I’ve had thousands of friends, I’ve had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence.” Sanz is a former Associated Press reporter.Game-changing holiday gifts for building fires, printing photos, watching birds and more

Sportlync Outlines 2025 Roadmap, With Expanded Sports Offerings And Enhanced User ExperiencesCapricorn – (22nd December to 19th January) Daily Horoscope Prediction says, Have a positive attitude Luckily, the relationship is productive today with no stress. Handle the professional tasks diligently. Financially you are good. Make smart investments. Stay happy in the relationship and avoid delving into the past. Keep office pressure under control and deliver the best results. No major monetary issue will come up and you are good to opt for speculative business. Health is also good today. Capricorn Love Horoscope Today Be careful while you make statements in the relationship as your lover may misunderstand them and this may lead to tremors. Avoid arguments in the relationship. Be a good listener and shower affection on your partner. Spend more time together and you may also pick the second part of the day to have a romantic dinner. This will help you brighten the elements of love in life. Today is good to take a call on marriage. Capricorn Career Horoscope Today You will be free to express opinions at team meetings. However, you should also ensure that no senior is personally hurt as this can lead to issues in the coming days. Those who have interviews lined up for today will crack them without much difficulty. Some students will clear university examinations as well as competitive ones today. Some Capricorns who are into business will have new ideas and concepts that can be launched today without fear. Capricorn Money Horoscope Today Prosperity will be at your side and this will help you make crucial investment decisions. You may confidently invest in stock, trade, and speculative business. You may also resolve a monetary issue with a friend while the second part of the day is good for trying new business. The second part of the day is good for clearing all pending dues while businessmen will confidently launch trade in new territories. Capricorn Health Horoscope Today No major health-related issue will trouble you. However, some Capricorns may face issues related to eye, throat, stomach, or urine and it is better to consult a doctor even for a minor ailment. Pregnant girls must take care while taking part in adventure sports. Children having viral fever or cough-related issues will miss the class today. Capricorn Sign Attributes Strength: Intelligent, Practical, Trustworthy, Generous, Optimistic Weakness: Persistent, Stubborn, Suspicious Symbol: Goat Element: Earth Body Part: Bones & Skin Sign Ruler: Saturn Lucky Day: Saturday Lucky Color : Grey Lucky Number : 4 Lucky Stone: Amethyst Capricorn Sign Compatibility Chart Natural affinity: Taurus, Virgo, Scorpio, Pisces Good compatibility: Cancer, Capricorn Fair compatibility: Gemini, Leo, Sagittarius, Aquarius Less compatibility: Aries, Libra By: Dr. J. N. Pandey Vedic Astrology & Vastu Expert Website: www.astrologerjnpandey.com E-mail: djnpandey@gmail.com Phone: 91-9811107060 (WhatsApp Only)

India's Former PM Singh Dies At 92

Looking Back At The Environmental Highs - And Lows - Of 2024

MHI Included In World Index Of Dow Jones Sustainability Index For Second Consecutive YearCalifornia Gov. Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers headed back to the state Capitol Monday to begin steeling themselves for another Donald Trump presidency and to kick off a special session aimed at protecting the state’s progressive policies from his administration. The Democratic governor, long a Trump foe, is maneuvering to position his huge, powerful state to once again be the center of a resistance effort against Trump extremely conservative agenda. Newsom is calling on his Democratic allies in the Legislature, who hold supermajorities in both chambers, to approve additional funding to the attorney general’s office to prepare for a robust legal fight against all anticipated federal challenges launched by Trump and the cronies he is already naming to top positions. Democratic Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel on Monday introduced legislation to set aside $25 million for legal fees to respond to potential attacks by the Trump administration on state policies regarding civil rights, climate change, immigration and abortion access. “While we always hope to collaborate with our federal partners, California will be ready to vigorously defend our interests and values from any unlawful action by the incoming Trump Administration,” Gabriel vowed in a statement. California sued the first Trump administration more than 120 times with various levels of success. “We’re not going to be caught flat-footed,” Newsom vowed at a recent news conference. Trump often depicts California as representing everything he sees wrong in America. Democrats, which hold every statewide office in California and have commanding margins in the Legislature and congressional delegation, outnumber registered Republicans by nearly two-to-one statewide. Trump called the Democratic governor “New-scum” during a campaign stop in Southern California, and has relentlessly lambasted the Democratic stronghold over its large number of undocumented immigrants, its homeless population and and its thicket of protectionist regulations. Trump also waded into a water rights battle over the endangered delta smelt , a tiny fish that has pitted environmentalists against farmers and threatened to withhold federal aid to a state increasingly under threat from wildfires. Before the special session was set to begin, state lawmakers swore in more than two dozen new members and elected leaders for the 2025 legislative session. Hundreds of people also demonstrated around the Capitol on Monday to urge the Legislature to block Trump’s mass deportation plans . They carried banners reading: “Not one cent for mass deportation” and “MAGA out of California.” “With the results of the presidential election, we need our state elected officials to use every tool and every resource they have available to them to protect our immigrant Californians,” said protester Deborah Lee. State Attorney General Rob Bonta vowed that his office will protect the state’s immigration population. In another challenge to Trump, Newsom last week unveiled a proposal to revive a rebate program for electric vehicle purchases if the incoming Trump administration eliminates a federal tax credit for people who buy electric cars, as it’s expected to do. Newsom is also considering creating a backup disaster relief fund for the wildfire-prone state after Trump’s threats to cut off funds. Bonta also announced legislation Monday aimed at bolstering reproductive rights in the state, including by allowing the attorney general to seek monetary penalties against local governments that infringe on those rights. The proposals are all part of the state’s efforts to safeguard against threats to abortion access after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade . Republican lawmakers blasted Newsom and his Democratic allies over the special session. Rep. Vince Fong, who represents the state’s Central Valley farm belt, said California should work with the incoming Trump administration. “Gavin Newsom’s actions are tone-deaf to the concerns of Californians who disapprove of the direction of our state and country,” Fong insisted in a video on social media. California legislators will likely act to protect dozens of laws expected to be targeted by the Trump administration, including one that has made the state a sanctuary for people seeking abortions who live in states where such practices have been severely limited. California, the nation’s most populous state, was the first to mandate that by 2035 all new cars , pickup trucks and SUVs sold in California be electric, hydrogen-powered or plug-in hybrids. The state also extends state-funded health care to all low-income residents regardless of their immigration status. Newsom hasn’t provided details about what actions the lawmakers will consider but said he wanted major funding in place before Trump’s inauguration day, Jan. 20. The state spent roughly $42 million in litigation costs during the first Trump administration, officials said. California successfully clawed back $57 million between 2017 and 2018 after prevailing in a lawsuit to block the Trump administration from imposting immigration enforcement conditions on certain federal law enforcement grants. Another legal victory over the citizenship question in the 2020 census forced the federal government to return $850,000 to the state, according to the attorney general’s office. “We are positioned, if necessary, to be the tip of the spear of the resistance and to push back against any unlawful or unconstitutional actions by the Trump administration,” said Gabriel, who chairs the budget committee. Additional reporting by journalists Haven Daley and Sophie Austin from the Associated Press