Trump team signs agreement to allow Justice to conduct background checks on nominees, staffPlatform sharing is all but necessary to run a successful car company in the modern world, but which automakers have done it best? Last week we asked you that exciting question and you sounded off. From the logical answers to the absurd, our readers didn’t disappoint. My answer for the best example of platform sharing was the General Motors B Platform, which provided the underpinnings of some of my favorite cars from the nineties. I’m talking about the Buick Roadmaster, Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser, and Chevrolet Caprice estate wagons of the early 1990s. Of course it also underpinned the sedans, but the wagons are so much cooler. From platforms that facilitated some of the finest family cars ever produced, to some of the finest sports cars ever produced, platform sharing allows automakers to invest massive sums of money into the development of new technology and new cars as a whole. We have platform sharing to thank for some of the most loved cars of all time, and these are the best of the best.
IN today's fast-evolving retail space, operational success of retailers depends on the ability to adapt quickly and make smarter decisions. Artificial intelligence is helping do just that by transforming supply chains into engines of efficiency and profitability. In the Philippines, retailers face the challenge of keeping up with changing market needs, especially in strengthening local supply chains. With AI's ability to analyze vast amounts of data and uncover patterns that humans can't easily see, AI has become a game-changer for retailers looking to stay ahead in an increasingly competitive market. However, only 22 percent of organizations in the Philippines are ready for AI. Register to read this story and more for free . Signing up for an account helps us improve your browsing experience. OR See our subscription options.The oddest news RNZ covered in 2024
No. 6 Colonia outlasts Scotch Plains-Fanwood in LeGrand Tournament - Boys basketballOTTAWA, ON , Dec. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - China's recent decision to ban exports of gallium, germanium, antimony, and other high-tech materials with potential military applications in retaliation for U.S. restrictions on semiconductor-related exports, underscores the precariousness of global supply chains. This development highlights the vital role of the Canada-U.S. trade relationship in addressing supply chain vulnerabilities. China's actions serve as a stark reminder of the challenges posed by geopolitical tensions, particularly on the reliable supply of critical minerals. These materials are essential not only for technological innovation and economic growth but also for defense applications critical to national security. Canada has long been a dependable partner, providing certainty to U.S. manufacturing and defense industries by serving as a major supplier of minerals and metals. In 2022, 52% of Canada's mineral exports—valued at over $80 billion—were destined for the U.S.. Strengthening the free flow of minerals and metals between Canada and the U.S. is more critical than ever. Imposing tariffs on Canadian mineral and metal exports to the U.S. would run counter to the shared goals of secure and reliable supply chains. Such measures risk disrupting the essential flow of these resources, undermining the competitiveness of North American industries, and exacerbating vulnerabilities in critical mineral supply chains that both nations are working to address. The partnership on critical minerals between Canada and the U.S. began in earnest with the development of the Joint Action Plan on Critical Minerals Collaboration in 2020 under President Trump. This collaboration has continued under the Biden administration, demonstrating the enduring importance of this strategic alliance. As the U.S. prepares for a new administration, we look forward to working closely with the incoming Trump administration to build on this foundation, ensuring the resilience of critical mineral supply chains and supporting shared economic and defense priorities. "The minerals and metals industry in Canada stands ready to strengthen our partnership with the United States , ensuring the free flow of these essential resources that drive economic growth, defense capabilities, and technological advancement on both sides of the border. The security and well-being of all Canadians and Americans depends on it." said Pierre Gratton , President and CEO of MAC. The mining industry is a major sector of Canada's economy, contributing $161 billion to the national GDP and is responsible for 21 percent of Canada's total domestic exports. Canada's mining sector employs 694,000 people directly and indirectly across the country. The industry is proportionally the largest private sector employer of Indigenous peoples in Canada and a major customer of Indigenous-owned businesses. About MAC The Mining Association of Canada is the national organization for the Canadian mining industry. Its members account for most of Canada's production of base and precious metals, uranium, diamonds, metallurgical coal, mined oil sands and industrial minerals and are actively engaged in mineral exploration, mining, smelting, refining and semi-fabrication. Please visit www.mining.ca . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/strengthening-canada-us-critical-mineral-partnership-amid-rising-geopolitical-tensions-302321578.html SOURCE The Mining Association of Canada
Former Bollywood diva Preity Zinta responded to a fan’s inquisition, revealing if she ever dated superstar Salman Khan. Taking to her official handle on the social platform X, formerly termed Twitter, Preity Zinta wished her close friend and frequent collaborator Salman Khan on Friday, as the superstar celebrated his 59th birthday on December 27. She posted several photos with the ‘Tiger 3’ star and wrote, “Happy Burrday @BeingSalmanKhan. Just wanna say I love you the mostest. Rest will tell you when I speak to you ... and yes we need more photos otherwise I will keep posting the same old ones! Ting.” In response to her birthday post for Khan, a social user asked Zinta, “Did you two ever date?” to which she replied, “No not at all! He is family & my closest friend.” “And my husband’s friend too .. just in case you were wondering. Sorry! Couldn’t resist,” she added. It is worth noting that Salman Khan and Preity Zinta have shared the screen in multiple hit titles, including, ‘Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega’, ‘Chori Chori Chupke Chupke’, ‘Dil Ne Jise Apna Kaha’, ‘Jaan-E-Mann’, ‘Ishkq in Paris’ and ‘Heroes’ among others. Meanwhile, on the work front, Zinta is all set for her movie comeback after a long hiatus. She co-stars with Sunny Deol, Ali Fazal, Karan Deol and Shabana Azmi in Rajkumar Santoshi’s directorial ‘Lahore 1947’, backed by Aamir Khan Productions.( MENAFN - GetNews) In the digital world, great visuals are a must for standing out, be it for professional photographers, e-commerce sellers, or content creators. However, creating the perfect background for your images can be time-consuming and costly. Thankfully, with the power of AI, you can create stunning backgrounds without the hassle. The article explains how to make an AI background online using the ai background generator online . This tool is 100% free, AI-powered, has no limit on usage and does not require any account creation. Step 1: Upload and Remove To begin with the AI background generator, you are to upload the image to edit. Be it a portrait, a product photo, or any other kind of image, just click the "Upload" button on the AI Ease platform. Once uploaded, the tool instantly starts working to remove the existing background from the image in a matter of seconds. This happens automatically and makes the preparation of your image for further steps easy. The AI-powered tool works remarkably well with the most minute detail at AI Ease. It automatically detects the foreground subject and lets you perfect the background without having to mess around with the edges or fine details of your subject. This step will eliminate the need to manually remove the background, saving you time and effort. Step 2: Creating AI-generated Backgrounds After removing the background, it is time to select a new backdrop for your image. AI Ease provides two strong modes to generate AI backgrounds: AI Scenes and Custom. You can choose any of the background templates available the moment you enter "AI Scenes" mode. Among the most common backdrops for AI scenes, you will find marble, wood, texture, indoor settings, and more. From a simple neutral background for product photography to an artistic scene that would improve your portrait, everything will be at your disposal. With an AI background generator, all background scenes are created professionally in style, well-chosen, and match your subject. Such scenes will suit users when they want to accomplish a certain goal fast without any compromise on image quality that of an e-commerce product photography solution, a personal portrait shoot, or otherwise. Those who would love a personal tone would like the "Custom" mode in AI Ease. It is a text-to-AI background for those cases when one needs exactly what he or she sees, be it product imagery with unique sceneries or some personalized background for other creative work. All you have to do now is describe the background you intend to use. For example, say, "a vintage wooden desk with soft natural light filtering in," and let AI magically create an image for what you have typed. Then, this custom mode used a large language model full of state-of-the-art text-to-image algorithms. This gives you the capability to create backgrounds that are highly unique to your needs, whatever they may be in nature. Step 3: Download and Share Once you are pleased with the new background, it is now full-time to complete your creation. Just click the "Download" button, and your image is saved. Instant download-you are ready to go with your newly enhanced image for anything you may need: an e-commerce store, social media post, or personal project. Being able to download and share right from the platform makes this whole process seamless and efficient. The AI background generator, courtesy of AI Ease, promises quality that you can assuredly use down to professional or even personal projects with confidence. Save your time and up your game in your content without fuss, as you can directly download and share your images instantly. AI-Powered Technology for Better Results The background generator at AI Ease is driven by advanced AI algorithms to ensure that every background it generates is visually stunning and professionally crafted. It works in the background to ensure smooth processing, accuracy, and quality results. With the added advantage of being completely free, users can generate unlimited high-quality backgrounds with no subscriptions or sign-ups required. Elevate with AI Background Templates Perhaps one of the greatest strengths of the AI background generator by AI Ease is the wide array of background templates it will offer. The variety of marble, wood, and textured backdrops within these AI background templates is designed to answer the most in-demand needs concerning visual content. Whether you shoot products, create artwork, or capture portraits, AI scenes from AI Ease guarantee that the most professional, stable, and visually pleasing backgrounds are literally at your fingertips online. These templates are designed to complement your images, not overwhelm the subject. Each scene is carefully composed to provide a balanced backdrop that will let your subject be the focal point while the background sets the perfect setting. Try for Free One of the best features of the AI background generator by AI Ease is that it's completely free. Whether a professional photographer, a businessman, or just a hobbyist, one can generate high-quality AI backgrounds for his/her images without spending even a single penny. Just pay a visit to the website of AI Ease, upload your image, and get started with generating backgrounds. Because the tool is user-friendly, there are no special skills or prior experiences with photo editing software needed to work with it. Whether for your website, social media, or e-commerce store, AI Ease gives you an easy way of adding oomph to your images in a very fast and efficient manner. Personalize from Text Prompts The full customization option is a whole new dimension introduced by the AI Background Generator. You will be able to create backgrounds that are unique for your images with text prompts. Be it simple, elegant, complex, or artful, the "Custom" mode generates a background that fits your requirements to the dot. The features that make it useful for the enhancement of product photography include providing an effect of background that suits either your brand or your product in question. Thanks to this great functionality provided by AI Ease, backdrops can be easily created to fit with one's vision without too much work and resource input compared to traditional photo shoots or very expensive stock images. Make Products Shine The quality of product images can make or break a sale for any e-commerce business. For e-commerce sellers, AI Ease's free online AI background generator is something that completely revolutionizes their selling game. Using either "AI Scenes" or "Custom" mode, the sellers can add professional-looking backgrounds to the photos of their products and present their merchandise in a visually appealing way. The tool elevates your product images, creating a distinction with competitors for the attention of prospective buyers. Be it fashion clothes, accessories, or other in-home products that one sells, this AI-powered software makes it an easy approach to generating fabulous product images that will surely impress your customers' senses. Conclusion AI Ease's AI background generator makes creating quality backgrounds for your images a whole lot easier. This is a no-cost, AI-powered utility that can be used with either pre-set scenes or custom-created backgrounds using a text prompt. Be it photography, e-commerce, or content creation, AI Ease makes the job look all that easy and efficient. All one has to do to achieve professional-quality images is go through a few simple steps: upload your image, pick or customize your AI-generated background, and finally download the result. Added to this factor of free, unlimited, and easy to use, AI Easy turns out to be very helpful for anyone who desires to make AI backgrounds online. MENAFN24122024003238003268ID1109028231 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Adil Zainulbhai, Chairman of the Central government’s Capacity Building Commission (CBC), met Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu at the Secretariat in Amaravati on Tuesday. Mr. Naidu said in a message on ‘X‘ that he had asked Mr. Zainulbhai to help in establishing a Global Institute of Good Governance (GIGG) in the capital Amaravati, and that the Government of Andhra Pradesh (GoAP) was keen on signing an MoU with the CBC for training the employees. He also stated that he had asked the Chief Secretary to develop a training policy and form a task force for monitoring the progress, and that the GoAP’s goal was to train its employees in delivering people-friendly governance using advanced technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) Further, Mr. Naidu said the GoAP accepted the recommendations on a training policy made by the CBC. These recommendations would serve as the foundation for establishing the GIGG, that would drive transformative capacity-building initiatives, in Amaravati. Key programmes such as Mission Karmayogi would utilise cutting-edge technologies like AI for targeted skill development guided by a comprehensive skill census. GoAP contemplated beginning the training programmes with critical departments such as Police, Revenue, Panchayat Raj & Rural Development, Municipal Administration & Urban Development, Agriculture, Health and Education, Mr. Naidu added. Published - December 24, 2024 08:41 pm IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Andhra Pradesh / Vijayawada / advanced training / public employeesThree players in court as pre-trial motions start in Hockey Canada trialPolice shooting, mysterious deaths: 2024 inquests with more questions than answers
WATCH: Delhi receives light rain, minimum temperature settles at 9.9 degrees CelsiusNEW YORK — I’ll get you, my pretty! And your little pygmy hippo, too! Forgive us the shameless attempt to link the fantasy hit “Wicked” to the delightful Moo Deng . But, hear us out — there’s something the two have in common as the year draws to a close. Escapism. Whether we found it on the yellow brick road, or in videos from a Thailand zoo, or perhaps in unlikely Olympic heroes , we gravitated toward fantasy and feel-good pop culture moments this year. There were new trends, as always. “Brat summer” became a thing, as did “demure, mindful.” And for some inexplicable reason, we became obsessed with celebrity lookalike contests. There were breakups — Bennifer is, again, a thing of the past — and reunions: Oasis, please try to stay together for the tour. Yet some things stayed, remarkably, the same: Taylor Swift and Beyoncé kept on breaking records and making history. So, after a year where much changed but some things held steady, here’s our annual, very selective trip down pop culture memory lane: Lily Gladstone poses in the press room Jan. 7 with the award for best performance by an actress in a motion picture, drama for "Killers of the Flower Moon" at the 81st Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. Chris Pizzello, Associated Press It starts as a cheery tweet from a beloved “Sesame Street” figure: “ ELMO is just checking in! How is everybody doing?” The answers hint at something deeper and more worrisome. “Not great, Elmo. Not great,” says one milder reply. Doing much better is the viral phenomenon called “BARBENHEIMER,” which makes its awards season debut at the GOLDEN GLOBES . But perhaps the most poignant moment comes from neither film: LILY GLADSTONE , first Indigenous winner of best actress in a drama for “Killers of the Flower Moon,” begins her remarks in the language of her tribe, Blackfeet Nation. Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) kisses Taylor Swift on Feb. 11 after the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in overtime during the NFL Super Bowl 58 football game in Las Vegas. John Locher, Associated Press Valentine’s Day — a perfect time to settle into a sweet love saga via TikTok. Only that’s not quite what we get with “Who TF Did I Marry?,” REESA TEESA ’s depressing, fascinating, 50-part account of her disastrous marriage with a man who lied about absolutely everything. Meanwhile, if you're looking for a single week that encapsulates peak SWIFT cultural dominance , try this: she begins with the Grammys in Los Angeles (becoming the first artist to win album of the year four times AND announcing a new album), then heads to Tokyo for four tour dates, then jets back just in time for the Super Bowl in Las Vegas — where she shares a passionate smooch with boyfriend TRAVIS KELCE on the field of victory. Ryan Gosling performs the song "I'm Just Ken" from the movie "Barbie" on March 10 during the Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Chris Pizzello, Associated Press “What was I made for?” BILLIE EILISH sings at the OSCARS, channeling BARBIE . And what was KEN made for? Not entirely clear — but it's clear RYAN GOSLING was made to play him. His singalong version of “I’m Just Ken” is one of the most entertaining Oscar musical moments in years. Still, Christopher Nolan's “OPPENHEIMER” prevails, a rare case of the top prize going to a blockbuster studio film. Will it happen again in 2025? CYNTHIA ERIVO and ARIANA GRANDE sure hope so; as presenters, they make a sly reference to their upcoming juggernaut, “WICKED.” Speaking of marketing, people are obsessed with that bizarre “DUNE” popcorn bucket. Beyonce Chris Pizzello, Associated Press And BEYONCÉ carves her space in country music with “Act II: Cowboy Carter,” which will make her the first Black woman to top the Billboard country chart. Taylor Swift performs June 21 at Wembley Stadium in London as part of her Eras Tour. Scott A Garfitt, Invision Tennis, anyone? The game’s been around for centuries, but it’s having a cultural moment right now, helped mightily by “CHALLENGERS,” the sweaty romance triangle starring ZENDAYA, MIKE FAIST and JOSH O'CONNOR (40-love? More like 40-sex.) Elsewhere, a new era dawns: At midnight, SWIFT drops “THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT," then drops another 15 songs two hours later. The fascinating and disturbing “BABY REINDEER,” the story of a struggling comedian’s extended encounter with a stalker, debuts on Netflix. Ben Affleck, left, and Jennifer Lopez arrive Feb. 13 at the premiere of "This Is Me ... Now: A Love Story" at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Jordan Strauss, Invision It’s MET GALA time — or as it's known in 2024, another early marketing moment for “WICKED.” ERIVO and GRANDE make fashion waves on the carpet and then musical ones at dinner, with a soulful performance of “When You Believe.” If the “Wicked” tour is in full force, another one stops in its tracks: JENNIFER LOPEZ cancels her summer tour amid reports of both poor ticket sales and trouble in her marriage to BEN AFFLECK . It’s been an eventful year for J.Lo, who's released an album and movie called “THIS IS ME ... NOW" — both reflections on her renewed love with Affleck. Welcome to BRAT SUMMER ! CHARLI XCX releases her hit “Brat” album , with its lime green cover, and launches a thousand memes. Collins Dictionary defines “brat,” its word of the year, as “characterized by a confident, independent, and hedonistic attitude.” At the celeb-heavy SWIFT shows in London, we see PRINCE WILLIAM shaking it off, which is either charming or cringe, you decide. Even better: KELCE dons a top hat and tux and performs for one night. At another stadium across the pond, METS infielder JOSE IGLESIAS delights the crowd with his cheery number “OMG.” Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack Stephen Nedoroscik is introduced June 29 at the United States Gymnastics Olympic Trials in Minneapolis. Charlie Riedel, Associated Press Bonjour, it’s OLYMPICS time! In Paris! An audacious opening ceremony along the Seine is punctuated by a fabulous CELINE DION , perched on the EIFFEL TOWER , singing her heart out — in the rain, too. Controversy swirls over a scene critics feel mocks Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” (organizers say it does not). Olympic stars are born — including French swimming superstar LEON MARCHAND , rugby player ILONA MAHER , and bespectacled “Pommel Horse Guy” gymnast STEPHEN NEDOROSCIK , who nets two bronze medals and comparisons to Clark Kent. Baby pigmy hippo Moo Deng plays with a zookeeper Sept. 19 in the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province, Thailand. Sakchai Lalit, Associated Press Also capturing hearts: yep, MOO DENG , born this month. Her name means “bouncy pork.” Australia's Rachael Gunn, known as B-Girl Raygun, competes Aug. 9 during the Round Robin Battle at the breaking competition at La Concorde Urban Park at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. Frank Franklin, Associated Press This is them ... now: BENNIFER is no more. After two decades, two engagements and two weddings, J.Lo files for divorce. One union dissolves, another returns: OASIS announces a reunion tour. Everyone seems to want to get in on TikToker JOOLS LEBRON 's “ DEMURE, MINDFUL ” act — even the WHITE HOUSE press team. Back at the Olympics, in the new sport of breaking, we meet Australia’s RAYGUN , arguably neither demure nor mindful with her “kangaroo” move. Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani brings his dog Decoy to the mound Aug. 28 before Decoy delivered the ceremonial first pitch prior to a baseball game between the Dodgers and the Baltimore Orioles in Los Angeles. Mark J. Terrill, Associated Press Cute animal alert: SHOHEI OHTANI ’s perky pooch DECOY does a great “first pitch” in his Major League Baseball debut. Chappell Roan performs "Good Luck, Babe" on Sept. 11 during the MTV Video Music Awards at UBS Arena in Elmont, N.Y. Charles Sykes, Invision One of the year’s biggest breakout artists, CHAPPELL ROAN , withdraws from a music festival after speaking out about frightening fan interactions. And more on the price of fame: In an excruciating moment, “Bachelorette” JENN TRAN , the franchise’s first Asian American lead, is forced to sit through a painful viewing of her proposal to her chosen suitor, after tearfully explaining how he’d later dumped her over the phone. Tran is keeping busy though — she’s announced as part of the new “Dancing with the Stars” lineup. Also on the list: rugby player Maher, and Pommel Horse Guy! Also, ANNA SOROKIN , dancing with an ankle monitor. Online fandom, meanwhile, is shaken when X is temporarily suspended in Brazil and celebrity stan accounts post tearful farewells, revealing to many across the globe that their favorite accounts are run by Brazilians. Miles Mitchell, 21, wins of the Timothee Chalamet lookalike contest Oct. 27 near Washington Square Park in New York. Stefan Jeremiah, Associated Press “Dune” Chalamets! “Wonka” Chalamets! Thousands gather in Manhattan for a TIMOTHÉE CHALAMET lookalike contest, and things really get interesting when Chalamet himself shows up. He doesn’t enter the contest, though, and with his mustache, he may not even have won. The trend continues with contests for JEREMY ALLEN WHITE, ZAYN MALIK and — in a very Washington version — Kennedy scion JACK SCHLOSSBERG , who's been gathering a following with some interesting social media posts. New York Liberty Kennedy Burke dances with the mascot, Ellie the Elephant, during an Oct. 24 ceremony after a parade in honor of the Liberty's WNBA basketball championship at City Hall in New York. Seth Wenig, Associated Press Turning to basketball, who’s that dancing with USHER ? Why it’s ELLIE THE ELEPHANT , the now-viral NEW YORK LIBERTY mascot. Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, right, appears Nov. 2 with Maya Rudolph on NBC's "Saturday Night Live" in New York. Jacquelyn Martin, Associated Press MAYA RUDOLPH does a pretty good KAMALA HARRIS laugh on “Saturday Night Live,” but you know who does it better? HARRIS herself. The Democratic candidate makes a surprise cameo three days before the U.S. presidential election, following in the footsteps of HILLARY CLINTON , SARAH PALIN and others. Elsewhere in television, Bravo announces that “VANDERPUMP RULES,” the Emmy-nominated reality show that has lived through countless scandals, is entirely recasting its 12th season — apart from namesake LISA VANDERPUMP . As for MOO DENG , she doesn't have her own TV series yet, but our favorite pygmy hippo is generating plenty of merch . And THAT brings us back to ... Ariana Grande, left, and Cynthia Erivo pose for photographers Nov. 11 prior to the premiere of "Wicked" at Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City. Fernando Llano, Associated Press “WICKED” ! Director JON M. CHU ’s emerald-hued fantasy remains very very popular, to quote one of its buzzy show tunes, dancing through life and defying gravity at the multiplex. Moviegoers also come for “GLADIATOR II” and, in a veritable tidal wave, Disney's “MOANA 2,” which beckons us back to the seas of Oceania. Once again, 2024 seems to be telling us: Give people some whimsy, a place to escape, maybe some catchy tunes — and no one knows how far they’ll go.
A critical City Council committee vote over the mayor’s City of Yes housing proposal was delayed Thursday as officials finalized the details, with lawmakers negotiating over contested aspects of the plan and Gov. Hochul agreeing to put up $1 billion in state money to help make it happen. Hochul, who has been supportive of the plan, stepped up late Wednesday night with the $1 billion in funding from the state budget at the request of City Hall, sources told The News. This came after the Council pushed for new funding commitments from the administration. The state money brings the total funding coming from Mayor Adams to $5 billion for various improvements and other expenses. The Department of City Planning, which has spearheaded the plan, initially estimated it could lead to between 58,200 and 108,900 new units being built over 15 years. The final version is expected to fall around 80,000, according to sources familiar with the matter. Some of the most controversial components of “Zoning for Housing Opportunity,” as it’s known, were scaled back as city officials hammered out specifics on funding, the number of units to build, accessory dwelling units and parking mandates hours past when the vote was scheduled to start. The plan was pitched as a badly needed overhaul of decades-old zoning rules exacerbating the city’s dire housing shortage . The packages of reforms would help build “a little bit more housing” in every neighborhood by loosening restrictions on what can be built where. In the eleventh-hour negotiations, officials from the Council speaker’s office, the Department of City Planning and the Mayor’s office hashed out a new version of the parking component, making it a tiered model where mandates will either stay unchanged, be reduced or eliminated entirely depending on location, sources familiar with the matter told The News. Councilmembers from car-reliant areas in the outer boroughs have raised concerns for months about parking mandates, which would have lifted minimum parking requirements for new developments citywide — but not banned new parking. “If the City of Yes passes, we will have done so much to bring relief to New Yorkers across the five boroughs,” First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer said at an unrelated news conference on Thursday. City of Yes has faced strong resistance since its introduction last September from more development-averse outer borough neighborhoods, where residents voiced concerns about how the plan would change the fabric of their communities. The committee vote comes after months of arduous, often heated evaluation from community boards, borough presidents and other stakeholders during the city’s review process . Zoning for Housing Opportunity is set for a final vote by the full Council early next month.Wade Taylor IV helps No. 13 Texas A&M rout Abilene Christian