NoneA suspected Chinese spy with business ties to Prince Andrew is barred from UK LONDON (AP) — A suspected Chinese spy with business ties to Prince Andrew has been barred from the U.K. because of concerns he poses a threat to national security. Danica Kirka, The Associated Press Dec 13, 2024 12:46 PM Dec 13, 2024 1:05 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message FILE -Prince Andrew leaves after attending the Christmas day service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham in Norfolk, England, Sunday, Dec. 25, 2022. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File) LONDON (AP) — A suspected Chinese spy with business ties to Prince Andrew has been barred from the U.K. because of concerns he poses a threat to national security. A British immigration tribunal upheld the decision on Thursday in a ruling that revealed the Chinese national had developed such a close relationship with Andrew that he was invited to the prince’s birthday party. Government officials were concerned the man could have misused his influence because the prince was under “considerable pressure” at the time, according to the ruling. British authorities believe the Chinese national, whose name wasn’t released, was working on behalf of the United Front Work Department, an arm of the Chinese Communist Party that is used to influence foreign entities. The government determined that the businessman “was in a position to generate relationships between senior Chinese officials and prominent U.K. figures which could be leveraged for political interference purposes by the Chinese State,” according to the tribunal's decision. In a statement from his office, Andrew, also known as the Duke of York, said he accepted government advice and ceased all contact with the Chinese national as soon as concerns were raised. “The Duke met the individual through official channels with nothing of a sensitive nature ever discussed,′′ his office said. “He is unable to comment further on matters relating to national security.” Prince Andrew, the younger brother of King Charles III, has been repeatedly criticized for his links to wealthy foreigners, raising concerns that those individuals are trying to buy access to the royal family. Andrew’s finances have been squeezed in recent years after he was forced to step away from royal duties and give up public funding amid concerns about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein , the American financier and convicted pedophile who committed suicide in prison in 2019. British intelligence chiefs have become increasingly concerned about China’s efforts to influence U.K. government policy. In 2022, Britain’s domestic intelligence service, known as MI5, warned politicians that a British-Chinese lawyer had been seeking to improperly influence members of Parliament for years. A parliamentary researcher was arrested in 2023 on suspicion of providing sensitive information to China. The 50-year-old Chinese national covered by this week’s ruling was described as a man who worked as a junior civil servant in China before he came to the U.K. as a student in 2002. He earned a master’s degree in public administration and public policy at the University of York before starting a business that advises U.K.-based companies on their operations in China. He was granted the right to live and work in the U.K. for an indefinite period in 2013. Although he didn’t make Britain his permanent home, the man told authorities that he spent one to two weeks a month in the country and considered it his “second home.” He was stopped while entering the U.K. on Nov. 6, 2021, and ordered to surrender his mobile phone and other digital devices on which authorities found a letter from a senior adviser to Andrew confirming that he was authorized to act on behalf of the prince in relation to potential partners and investors in China. The letter and other documents highlighted the strength of the relationship between Andrew, his adviser and the Chinese national. “I also hope that it is clear to you where you sit with my principal and indeed his family,” the adviser wrote. “You should never underestimate the strength of that relationship. Outside of his closest internal confidants, you sit at the very top of a tree that many, many people would like to be on.” The letter went on to describe how they had found a way to work around former private secretaries to the prince and other people who weren’t completely trusted. “Under your guidance, we found a way to get the relevant people unnoticed in and out of the house in Windsor,” the adviser wrote. Andrew lives at the Royal Lodge, a historic country estate near Windsor Castle, west of London. Danica Kirka, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message More The Mix S&P/TSX composite down more than 100 points, U.S. stock markets mixed Dec 13, 2024 1:32 PM Nova Scotia non-profit groups trying to save huge Acadian church now facing lawsuit Dec 13, 2024 1:30 PM Court approves The Body Shop Canada sale, about 100 to lose jobs as some stores close Dec 13, 2024 1:21 PM Featured Flyer

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None(The Center Square) – Christians helped push President-elect Donald Trump across the finish line on Election Day, a survey found. Trump received the majority of the Christian vote, while Vice President Kamala Harris received the majority of the non-Christian vote. This is according to a report from the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, which surveyed 2,000 voting-age adults nationally. The election was a historic comeback for Republicans on many fronts, with Trump being the first Republican to win the popular vote vote in over two decades. Among self-identified Christians, Trump also received 56% of their votes, compared to the 60% Harris received from non-Christians. Yet, because the majority of voters still identify as Christians, Trump had a larger share of the vote. “Although Harris won a larger share of the non-Christian vote than Trump’s share of the Christian votes, Christians outnumbered non-Christian voters by more than a 5 to 2 margin – delivering the decisive Nov. 5 victory to President Trump,” the report said. “Not only did most of Trump’s votes come from Christians, but they gave him a 17 million vote cushion over Harris, which proved to be an insurmountable lead.” Christians represented 72% of the voters who turned out. The report also found that Catholics had record-high turnout, despite overall voter and Christian voter turnout being well below what it was in 2020. While voter turnout was lower than 2020 in most of the Christian subgroups polled, 70% of Catholics reported voting compared to 2020’s 67%. Voters with a “biblical worldview” also voted at a higher percentage, up to 67% in 2024 from 2020’s 64%. Just days before the election, Trump predicted that Harris would struggle with the Catholic vote on Election Day. “Kamala Harris has finally lost the Catholic vote,” he said on social media on Oct. 25. “Her and the Democrats persecution of the Catholic Church is unprecedented! Her poll numbers have dropped like a rock, both with Catholics, and otherwise.” While many politicos expressed concerns that Trump’s moderate pro-life stance would disenfranchise Christian and anti-abortion voters, it seems to have much less of an impact than expected. In fact, Trump pointed to Harris’ abortion stance as pushing Catholics toward voting for him. “Kamala is demanding late-term abortion, in months seven, eight, and nine, and even execution after birth, and people aren’t buying it – and they never will,” the former president said . The report found that 20% of Christians selected abortion as the most-consequential issue this election, with inflation (38%) and immigration (34%) receiving even higher percentages. Yet, potentially even more impactful on the election than the increase in the Catholic vote was the significant drop in non-Christian turnout, even higher than those reported in Christian subgroups. The report found that adults “associated with a faith other than Christianity” and “adults who have no religious faith” had a massive drop in turnout from 2020, dropping 12% and 9% respectively. With both of these groups historically supporting Democratic candidates, this cratering in support likely had a significant impact on Harris’ chances of winning. George Barna, who serves as the director of research at the Cultural Research Center and led the survey, said Trump’s boost with Christians was just too much for Harris. “Americans forget that two-thirds of adults in this nation consider themselves to be Christians,” Barna said . “Donald Trump, for all of his perceived and ridiculed faults, did a better job than did Kamala Harris of representing hallowed Christian characteristics such as the importance and support of family, the rule of law, limited government authority, financial responsibility, and the like.”

Will the National Electoral Institute (INE) be able to meet its usual high standards when organizing Mexico’s first ever judicial elections in 2025, despite a sizable cut to its budget? There are conflicting answers to that question within the INE itself. Before we get to those, let’s first look at how we got here. Almost three months ago, former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador promulgated a controversial judicial reform that set the stage for judicial elections to be held in Mexico for the first time ever in 2025. Citizens will elect a total of 881 federal judges on June 1, 2025, including nine Supreme Court justices. The INE requested funding of 40.47 billion pesos (about US $2 billion) to carry out all its activities in 2025, including the organization of the judicial elections and elections in Durango and Veracruz. The federal government proposed that that amount be allocated to the institute in the budget proposal it submitted to the lower house of Congress in November . However, this week the Chamber of Deputies — dominated by lawmakers with the ruling Morena party and its allies — voted in favor of reducing the INE’s budget by 13.47 billion pesos, down to 27 billion pesos (US $1.34 billion). The cut in percentage terms is 33.3%. INE proposed using 13.2 billion pesos for next year’s judicial elections, but was only allocated 7 billion pesos for that purpose. That means the INE will have to make do with 47% less resources than what it calculated is necessary. Ricardo Monreal, Morena’s leader in the Chamber of Deputies, said on social media that lawmakers approved “an austere and responsible budget that guarantees economic stability and confidence in Mexico.” Critics of the federal government’s judicial reform argue that the direct election of judges will politicize the judiciary, but President Claudia Sheinabum and other government officials reject claims that Mexico’s courts will lose their independence. Sheinbaum asserts that a judicial overhaul via the election of judges is necessary to eliminate corruption and other ills from Mexico’s justice system. Before the Chamber of Deputies approved the reduction to the INE’s 2025 budget, the electoral institute issued a statement in which it said that carrying out the judicial elections to “the same standards of quality to which Mexican citizens are accustomed requires the approval of the budget as it was requested.” Issued on Wednesday, the statement was titled “the INE is confident that the budget requested from the Chamber of Deputies will be approved.” However, as noted above, that was not the case. In its statement, the INE said that if the Chamber of Deputies approved “the reduction proposed by the Budget and Public Accounts Committee,” it would face an “enormous challenge” in organizing and carrying out the 2025 judicial elections. To underscore the need for it to receive all the funding it requested, the INE noted that the number of federal judges to be elected next year — 881 — is higher than the number of federal representatives elected at the 2024 elections. A total of 629 federal representatives were elected on June 2: President Claudia Sheinbaum, 500 deputies and 128 senators. In a radio interview on Thursday, INE president Guadalupe Taddei said that the electoral institute will guarantee that high-quality and trustworthy judicial elections are held next year even though it won’t have the funds it requested. “We can’t lower the quality [of the elections],” she told Radio Fórmula. Taddei said that the INE will “have to take this [budget] cut with all the professionalism in the world.” She indicated that the INE is not happy with the cut, but described it as a “fait accompli.” The INE’s first woman president — elected to the position last year — said that the electoral institute will have to “quickly” look at ways it can reduce costs given that it will have less funding than it anticipated and hoped for. In subsequent remarks on Thursday, Taddei described the budget cut as “extremely big,” but once again stressed that it won’t “diminish the quality of the [judicial] electoral process.” However, she did say that the INE “is obliged to reconsider the entire operational structure” for the judicial elections. Instead of setting up 172,000 (often small) polling stations known as casillas , the INE is looking at the possibility of installing around 80,000 larger “voting centers,” Taddei said. Norma Irene de la Cruz Magaña, one of 11 electoral councilors including Taddei, said that many citizens will have to travel five or ten blocks to vote in the judicial elections rather than just one. “But we’re not going to reduce the quality [of the elections] or take shortcuts,” she said. “We’re going to guarantee that every voter has a ballot,” de la Cruz said. Claudia Zavala, another electoral councilor, said in a radio interview that the budget cut “will affect the right of citizens to have an electoral process with institutional guarantees.” She also highlighted that many citizens will have to travel longer distances to cast their votes. Zavala said that the INE will do its best with the money it is allocated but added that doesn’t guarantee it will be able to organize the judicial elections with the usual “quality standards and guarantees” as ensuring such things “requires resources.” For his part, electoral councilor Jaime Rivera said in an interview that the budget cut will affect the INE’s capacity to organize elections with its usual “efficiency, ... transparency and reliability in the results.” He said that the funding amount the INE requested for the judicial elections was the “result of serious and objective analysis,” rather than a figure it came up with on a “whim.” Rivera also said that the organization of the judicial elections would be “considerably more complicated” than the organization of the recent federal elections. There will be significantly more candidates , vying for positions in various courts. “We have to say it with complete clarity — with such a severe reduction in the resources allocated, it is impossible to maintain the same quality in the organization of elections,” Rivera said. With reports from El País , El Financiero , Radio Fórmula , López-Dóriga Digital , La Jornada and La CrónicaIn August 2024, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) initiated the recruitment process through the lateral entry scheme by issuing a notification for the recruitment of 45 Joint Secretaries, Directors, and Deputy Secretaries as specialists in government departments. The initiative faced significant opposition from various groups, particularly political parties, which argued that the scheme compromised the reservation rights of Other Backward Classes (OBCs), Scheduled Castes (SCs), and Scheduled Tribes (STs). The strong opposition compelled the government to shelve the plan. This was not the first time that the Union Government has recruited specialists through the lateral entry scheme. In 2018, 63 specialists were appointed through lateral entry in various ministries. Currently, around 57 specialists are working with the government. Even then, recruitment through the lateral entry scheme was excluded from the reservation system. The decision to withdraw the notification has reignited the debate on the need for domain experts within the civil service and highlights the necessity of developing an appropriate approach to civil service reform. Need for domain experts It has long been recognised that specialised skills are much needed in the civil service. In fact, the Second Administrative Reforms Commission (2005) recommended the need for lateral entry into the higher echelons of the government to bring in specialised knowledge and skills, though it did not specify a method of recruitment. The ongoing representation issues of SCs and STs within the civil service further complicate the narrative. Despite existing reservations, the number of SC and ST officers in higher positions remains low. SCs and STs constitute only around 4% and 4.9% of top bureaucratic positions in the Union government at the level of Deputy Secretaries, Directors, Joint Secretaries, and beyond. One reason is that the entry age of officers during the recruitment process is often higher than that of general category candidates, and these officers frequently retire before reaching the top positions. The lateral entry scheme is likely to further limit the representation of these marginalised communities, as the scheme is unlikely to attract domain experts from these communities due to their limited access to such positions in the private sector. For better or worse, the lateral entry debate has been politicised. With caste-based reservations being significant factors in elections, the government is unlikely to reignite this debate, as doing so could have substantial political repercussions. For now, the discussion around lateral entry appears to have reached an impasse. But there is no denying the reality that there is a need for domain experts in the public sector, as each sector is becoming specialised, requiring close collaboration with technical experts. Civil servants are generally generalists, not specialists. Lateral entry, with or without reservation as it existed, was essentially a short-term solution. The need is for domain experts within the civil service itself. It is these domain experts who would cultivate a resilient and effective civil service. To realise this objective, there is a need to develop long-term strategies that prioritise academic-industry-civil service collaboration, capacity building, and institutional development. Integrated model for domain expertise In order to effectively develop domain expertise within the civil service in India and address the ever more complex needs of governance, a collaborative framework that brings together civil service, academia, and industry is needed. This collaboration would facilitate the exchange of knowledge and best practices, allowing civil servants to engage with the latest developments in their respective fields and develop much-needed domain expertise. Civil servants with public sector experience and decision-making capabilities would imbibe insights from academia and industry about emerging trends, skills, and technologies. But this collaboration must differ from the current refresher and mid-career training offered to civil servants. These training programmes for civil servants often act as temporary fixes. Even though such programmes inculcate valuable skills, they fail to create a robust framework for domain expertise. Domain expertise, unlike training programmes, is not an isolated event but must be an integral part of a civil servant’s career trajectory. For domain expertise, an integrated model that aligns with individual career paths and areas of interest is essential. The critical components of an integrated model for developing domain expertise among civil servants include strategic planning, memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with institutions, a rigorous selection process, and specialised postings with fixed tenures. Strategic planning Domain expertise starts with the drafting of a strategic plan to create efficient public policy analysts within the civil service, with locus in the public sector and focus on skills and knowledge from the private sector/industry, facilitated by academia. The objective is to enhance the capacity of civil servants in terms of technical expertise and strategic vision to formulate and implement policies efficiently and effectively in specific sectors, contributing to good governance and improved public service delivery. Strategic planning represents a long-term vision for the civil service and requires identifying the number of sector-specific domain experts needed for better alignment of resources and priorities. Academic institutions must be involved in the strategic planning at the initial stages only. This integrated model has significant advantages for academic institutions as well, as they would receive fresh impetus and motivation to contribute richly to public service delivery. One critical aspect of domain expertise is staying focused on ever-changing innovations and technologies in industry and incorporating these into the public sector. Strategic planning would include an element of circular response planning, with feedback and adjustments continuously incorporated. This element promotes flexibility and adaptability in the face of changing circumstances. MoUs with institutions The second component of the integrated model for developing domain expertise is the framing of MoUs with institutions. The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) of the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions, along with other cadre-controlling ministries, will establish MoUs with premier institutions such as the Indian Institutes of Management, Indian Institutes of Technology, National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Indian Institute of Public Administration, and the top central universities based on the National Institutional Ranking Framework. This collaboration’s primary objective is to formulate tailored courses and training programmes laced with industry experience for transforming current mid-level and top-level officers into domain experts. To start with, each ministry of the Government of India could target developing around four to five domain experts in sector-specific areas over the next few years and ensure the smooth and steady infusion of specialised knowledge and skills into the civil service. The MoUs must ensure that these courses are not usual academic courses, but, specifically, domain expert skill courses. The institutions involved must necessarily engage industry experts for the long term and have their own collaboration with them. Selection process, specialised posting The third but critical component of developing domain experts within the civil service is the establishment of rigorous selection processes for specialised training programmes. This should be jointly done by the ministries concerned and the institutions concerned. Herein, consideration can be given for adequate representation of SCs, STs and OBCs for domain expertise. The selection process should involve submission of a Statement of Purpose (SoP) detailing their motivations for domain expertise and past experiences and interview process to assess a civil servant’s alignment and potential for a domain expertise programme. Through this selection process, and subsequent training, a pool of civil servants would be developed who are not only domain experts but also deeply invested in making a meaningful impact. The last component of the integrated model for domain expertise is specialised posting in their respective areas of expertise, much like the existing lateral entry framework, which appoints personnel based on ministry needs. There should be no transfer of the trained domain experts outside their specialised sector. This targeted approach would address the long-standing issue of “the right minds aren’t in the right places” by ensuring that individuals with the most relevant knowledge and skills are assigned to roles where they can make the greatest impact. Further, irrespective of their years left in the service, a fixed tenure system post training should be set up that allows all domain expert officers equal chances to reach senior roles and contribute richly. Transforming the civil service in India through the integrated model for domain expertise is necessary to strengthen governance and improve public service delivery by developing a resilient and responsive civil service. In today’s market-based economy, the role of government has shifted from being a service provider to that of a facilitator and regulator. Through a cadre of domain experts, the government can build institutional capacity, enabling civil servants to serve effectively as regulators, facilitators, and even service providers. The model also allows civil servants to step away from the daily grind of government machinery to focus on skill development and specialisation. From a psychological perspective, this break from the routine can significantly reduce monotony, re-energising civil servants and enhancing their motivation. By engaging in capacity-building programmes, civil servants can rejuvenate their professional drive, thereby avoiding the “deadwood” effect that often arises in a prolonged career within the government sector. Zubair Nazeer is an Assistant Professor (Public Administration) at the Amar Singh College, Cluster University, Srinagar. He was previously a faculty member at Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. The views expressed are personal Published - November 24, 2024 04:40 am IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit civil and public service / public officials / government / political parties / Reservation / government departments / election / industrial production / universities and colleges / technology (general) / ministers (government) / scientific institutions / management institutes / economy (general)By MICHAEL R. SISAK and JENNIFER PELTZ NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers urged a judge again Friday to throw out his hush money conviction, balking at the prosecution’s suggestion of preserving the verdict by treating the case the way some courts do when a defendant dies. They called the idea “absurd.” Related Articles National Politics | Trump wants to turn the clock on daylight saving time National Politics | How ruling by a conservative Supreme Court could help blue states resist Trump policies National Politics | A nonprofit leader, a social worker: Here are the stories of the people on President Biden’s clemency list National Politics | Nancy Pelosi hospitalized after she ‘sustained an injury’ on official trip to Luxembourg National Politics | Bank groups sue the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau over a proposed cap on overdraft fees The Manhattan district attorney’s office is asking Judge Juan M. Merchan to “pretend as if one of the assassination attempts against President Trump had been successful,” Trump’s lawyers wrote in a blistering 23-page response. In court papers made public Tuesday, District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office proposed an array of options for keeping the historic conviction on the books after Trump’s lawyers filed paperwork earlier this month asking for the case to be dismissed. They include freezing the case until Trump leaves office in 2029, agreeing that any future sentence won’t include jail time, or closing the case by noting he was convicted but that he wasn’t sentenced and his appeal wasn’t resolved because of presidential immunity. Trump lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove reiterated Friday their position that the only acceptable option is overturning his conviction and dismissing his indictment, writing that anything less will interfere with the transition process and his ability to lead the country. The Manhattan district attorney’s office declined comment. It’s unclear how soon Merchan will decide. He could grant Trump’s request for dismissal, go with one of the prosecution’s suggestions, wait until a federal appeals court rules on Trump’s parallel effort to get the case moved out of state court, or choose some other option. In their response Friday, Blanche and Bove ripped each of the prosecution’s suggestions. Halting the case until Trump leaves office would force the incoming president to govern while facing the “ongoing threat” that he’ll be sentenced to imprisonment, fines or other punishment as soon as his term ends, Blanche and Bove wrote. Trump, a Republican, takes office Jan. 20. “To be clear, President Trump will never deviate from the public interest in response to these thuggish tactics,” the defense lawyers wrote. “However, the threat itself is unconstitutional.” The prosecution’s suggestion that Merchan could mitigate those concerns by promising not to sentence Trump to jail time on presidential immunity grounds is also a non-starter, Blanche and Bove wrote. The immunity statute requires dropping the case, not merely limiting sentencing options, they argued. Blanche and Bove, both of whom Trump has tabbed for high-ranking Justice Department positions, expressed outrage at the prosecution’s novel suggestion that Merchan borrow from Alabama and other states and treat the case as if Trump had died. Blanche and Bove accused prosecutors of ignoring New York precedent and attempting to “fabricate” a solution “based on an extremely troubling and irresponsible analogy between President Trump” who survived assassination attempts in Pennsylvania in July and Florida in September “and a hypothetical dead defendant.” Such an option normally comes into play when a defendant dies after being convicted but before appeals are exhausted. It is unclear whether it is viable under New York law, but prosecutors suggested that Merchan could innovate in what’s already a unique case. “This remedy would prevent defendant from being burdened during his presidency by an ongoing criminal proceeding,” prosecutors wrote in their filing this week. But at the same time, it wouldn’t “precipitously discard” the “meaningful fact that defendant was indicted and found guilty by a jury of his peers.” Prosecutors acknowledged that “presidential immunity requires accommodation” during Trump’s impending return to the White House but argued that his election to a second term should not upend the jury’s verdict, which came when he was out of office. Longstanding Justice Department policy says sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution . Other world leaders don’t enjoy the same protection. For example, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is on trial on corruption charges even as he leads that nation’s wars in Lebanon and Gaza . Trump has been fighting for months to reverse his May 30 conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records . Prosecutors said he fudged the documents to conceal a $130,000 payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels to suppress her claim that they had sex a decade earlier, which Trump denies. In their filing Friday, Trump’s lawyers citing a social media post in which Sen. John Fetterman used profane language to criticize Trump’s hush money prosecution. The Pennsylvania Democrat suggested that Trump deserved a pardon, comparing his case to that of President Joe Biden’s pardoned son Hunter Biden, who had been convicted of tax and gun charges . “Weaponizing the judiciary for blatant, partisan gain diminishes the collective faith in our institutions and sows further division,” Fetterman wrote Wednesday on Truth Social. Trump’s hush money conviction was in state court, meaning a presidential pardon — issued by Biden or himself when he takes office — would not apply to the case. Presidential pardons only apply to federal crimes. Since the election, special counsel Jack Smith has ended his two federal cases , which pertained to Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss and allegations that he hoarded classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate. A separate state election interference case in Fulton County, Georgia, is largely on hold. Trump denies wrongdoing in all. Trump had been scheduled for sentencing in the hush money case in late November. But following Trump’s Nov. 5 election victory, Merchan halted proceedings and indefinitely postponed the former and future president’s sentencing so the defense and prosecution could weigh in on the future of the case. Merchan also delayed a decision on Trump’s prior bid to dismiss the case on immunity grounds. A dismissal would erase Trump’s conviction, sparing him the cloud of a criminal record and possible prison sentence. Trump is the first former president to be convicted of a crime and the first convicted criminal to be elected to the office.

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NEW YORK (AP) — Free agent pitchers Luis Gabriel Moreno and Alejandro Crisostomo were suspended for 80 games each by Major League Baseball on Friday following positive tests for performance-enhancing substances under the minor league drug program. Moreno tested positive for Nandrolone, and Crisostomo tested positive for Boldenone and Nandrolone, the commissioner’s office said. A 26-year-old right-hander, Moreno was released by the New York Mets’ Class A Brooklyn Cyclones on Tuesday. He was 5-1 with a 5.33 ERA in 12 relief appearances this season for Brooklyn after spending 2016-23 in the San Francisco Giants organization. Crisostomo, a 24-year-old right-hander, was released by Minnesota on Aug. 24 after going 0-1 with a 7.13 ERA this year with the Florida Complex League Twins. He signed with Boston in 2017, spent 2018 in the Dominican Summer League with the Red Sox, then signed with Minnesota and spent 2023 with the Twins DSL team. Nineteen players have been suspended this year for positive drug tests, including eight under the minor league program and nine under the new program for minor league players assigned outside the United States and Canada. Two players have been suspended this year under the major league drug program. Noelvi Marté , a 22-year-old infielder who is the Cincinnati Reds’ top prospect, missed the first 80 games following a positive test for boldenone. Toronto Blue Jays infielder Orelvis Martínez was suspended for 80 games on June 23 following a positive test for the performance-enhancing drug clomiphene, an announcement made two days after his major league debut . AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlbLos Angeles Chargers rookie wide receiver Ladd McConkey, listed as questionable due to a shoulder issue, is expected to play Monday night against the visiting Baltimore Ravens, NFL Network reported. McConkey missed practice on Thursday and was limited on Friday and Saturday. Star linebacker Khalil Mack, who was questionable because of a groin injury and was a limited participant, also is expected to play, according to the report. The Chargers (7-3) made several moves Monday ahead of the game against the Ravens (7-4), placing tight end Hayden Hurst (hip) on injured reserve, activating cornerback Deane Leonard (hamstring) off IR, signing cornerback Eli Apple from the practice to the active squad, and elevating linebacker Caleb Murphy and safety Tony Jefferson for game day. McConkey, 23, has started nine of 10 games and has 43 receptions on 63 targets for 615 yards and four touchdowns. The Chargers drafted the 6-foot, 185-pound McConkey in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft out of Georgia. Mack, 33, is a three-time first-team All-Pro, an eight-time Pro Bowl selection and the 2016 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. He has started the nine games he has played and has 26 tackles and 4.5 sacks this season. For his career, Mack has 617 tackles, 106 sacks, 141 tackles for loss, 178 quarterback hits, three interceptions -- two returned for touchdowns -- 32 forced fumbles and 13 fumble recoveries in 160 games (159 starts). He has played for the Raiders (2014-17), Chicago Bears (2018-21) and Chargers. Hurst, 31, has started two of seven games in his first season with the Chargers. He has seven receptions on 12 targets for 65 yards. A first-round pick (25th overall) by Baltimore in the 2018 NFL Draft out of South Carolina, Hurst has 202 receptions for 1,967 yards and 15 TDs in 86 games (41 starts) for the Ravens (2018-19), Atlanta Falcons (2020-21), Cincinnati Bengals (2022), Carolina Panthers (2023) and Chargers. Apple, 29, has two tackles in three games this season, his first with the Chargers. The 10th overall selection in the 2016 draft, Apple has 383 career tackles and six interceptions in 101 games (82 starts) for the New York Giants (2016-18), New Orleans Saints (2018-19), Panthers (2020), Bengals (2021-22), Miami Dolphins (2023) and Chargers. Leonard, who turned 25 last Tuesday, has four tackles in four games this season. His 21-day practice window on IR opened Wednesday. --Field Level MediaBrits overwhelmingly support tougher rules on cosmetic surgery to stop cowboy practitioners putting lives at risk . An exclusive poll for the Mirror found 83% of voters think cosmetic surgery should only be carried out by properly trained surgeons who are on the General Medical Council specialist register. Some 82% want those those carrying out treatments to have UK Board Certification in cosmetic surgery, while 83% think aesthetic procedures, including high-risk practices such as liposuction and liquid BBLs (Brazilian bum lifts) should be carried out in clinics inspected by the Care Quality Commission, rather than unregulated beauty firms. The Deltapoll survey also found 78% said it should be a legal requirement for beauty clinics who offer non-surgical cosmetic procedures such as Botox and fillers to have malpractice insurance. The move shows widespread public support for the demands of the Mirror’s Ban the Cosmetic Cowboys campaign, which has already been backed by the Health Secretary. Doctors performing cosmetic surgery in the UK must be registered with and licensed to practice by the General Medical Council. But a rise in non-surgical procedures such as Botox and dermal fillers in unregulated high-street salons have sparked fears of a growing “wild west” in the industry. Mum-of-five Alice Webb, 33, died after having a non-surgical BBL procedure at a clinic in Gloucester in September. The Mirror is demanding that all beauty clinics offering potentially dangerous procedures, including ‘high risk’ treatments such as BBLs, liposuction, surgical facelifts and surgical eye lifts, are licensed by the Quality Care Commission. Our campaign also calls for all procedures to be surgically safe and carried out only by fully trained medical professionals, as well as for it to be made a legal requirement for practitioners who offer non-surgical interventions to have malpractice insurance. The Mirror's three cosmetic demands 1. Cosmetic operations such as liposuction, surgical face lifts and surgical eye lifts, should only be carried out by properly trained surgeons on the General Medical Council specialist register. These surgeons should have UK Board Certification in Cosmetic Surgery for their area of practice. 2. All operations and high risk procedures must be surgically safeand carried out in clinics and hospitals inspected by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). 3. Make it a legal requirement for beauty clinics who offer non-surgical interventions to have malpractice insurance. Health Secretary Wes Streeting has warned people against offers that look “too good to be true”, as botched procedures can have life-changing or even fatal consequences. Throwing his weight behind the Mirror’s campaign, he said: “I am worried about the wild west in cosmetic surgery, not just overseas with some horror stories we’ve had from people coming back and the NHS picking up the pieces, but also here at home. We’ve got a lot more to do on this.” Top plastic surgeon Professor Vivien Lees urged the Government to meet the Mirror’s demands. Prof Lees, who is Vice President of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, said: “Cosmetic treatment may be a New Year’s resolution for some, but patients must be aware of the significant risks, especially in unregulated high-street stores. “The Government should follow the Daily Mirror’s lead and tighten regulations, ensuring that only surgeons with UK Board Certification are allowed to perform cosmetic surgery.” Liberal Democrat Health spokeswoman Helen Morgan said: “Unqualified and unregulated practitioners cannot continue to carry out what can be dangerous cosmetic procedures. Too many have already suffered the consequences of botched surgery, and the public rightly want to see a crackdown on those who are gambling with patients’ safety.” A Department of Health and Social Care spokeswoman said: “People’s lives are being put at risk by inadequately trained operators in the cosmetic sector, which is why the government is urgently exploring options for further regulation. The safety of patients is paramount, and we would urge anyone considering cosmetic procedures to consider the possible health impacts and find a reputable, insured and qualified practitioner.” :: Deltapoll interviewed 1,552 British adults online between 19th to 23rd December 2024. The data have been weighted to be representative of the British adult population as a whole.

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