The 2025 CES in the United States is about to unveil a brand-new chapter in the future intelligent home gardening LAS VEGAS , Dec. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- UBHOME, a sub-brand of UBTECH Robotics, announced an intelligent service robot in collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. The Robotic Mower M10 is a revolutionary smart lawn mower announced at the 2025 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in the United States . This product is powered by the Qualcomm® RB1 Robotics Platform, showcases UBHOME's rich experience in robot research and development, and focuses on solving the pain points of traditional lawn-mowing equipment, providing users with a worry-free and labor-saving smart gardening experience, and creates a new model of gardening intelligence. User-Oriented: The All-New Convenience Brought by the Smart Lawn Mower to Life The Robotic Mower M10 is not only a high performance tool but also an upgrade of the smart lifestyle. In response to the pain points of users when using traditional lawn-mowing equipment, this product offers a series of practical functions, bringing brand-new convenience to home gardening: Wireless and Borderless Mowing : There is no need for cumbersome boundary wire installation anymore. The device relies on accurate environmental perception and navigation technology to independently plan the work area, allowing users to use it right out of the box, saving installation time and energy. Automatic Mowing, Saving Time and Effort : The device can automatically complete the lawn mowing work according to the preset schedule or real-time instructions, enabling users to manage the lawn care through delegation to the mower. Wide Coverage and Stable Signal : It supports a large-scale signal connection of up to 130,000 square meters. Even for extremely large courtyards , stable operation can be ensured, and there is no need to worry about signal loss. Real-time Online, in-control Anytime : Through APP remote control and real-time monitoring, users can adjust the mowing plan or check the device status at any time, managing the courtyard work as they like. The combination of these functions not only greatly simplifies the complexity of mowing work but also liberates users from repetitive physical labor, allowing them to focus on enjoying the wonderful moments of life. UBHOME: In-depth Layout in Smart Home UBHOME is a brand under UBTECH Robotics that focuses on providing smart solutions for families. As a world-leading robot enterprise, UBTECH, with its strong R&D strength and technological accumulation, has successfully launched Walker, China's first commercial bipedal human-sized humanoid robot. The launch of the Robotic Mower M10 by UBHOME this time is an important step in its layout in the smart home field. Relying on UBTECH's technological accumulation in robots and its in-depth understanding of user needs, the Robotic Mower M10 achieves the best mowing effect through environmental recognition and dynamic adjustment. Whether it is complex terrain, steep slopes, or high requirements for fine mowing, it can perform perfectly, demonstrating its excellent technical capabilities and brand commitment. Powered by Qualcomm Technologies, Facilitating Intelligent Upgrading As a global leader in wireless technology and edge intelligence, Qualcomm Technologies provides cutting-edge technical support for the Robotic Mower M10, including intelligent edge computing platforms, dynamic path planning, and environmental perception technologies. These technologies ensure that the device can operate efficiently in various environments, providing users with a precise and efficient smart experience. The Robotic Mower M10 utilizes the Qualcomm RB1 Robotics Platform to ensure the superior operation of the Robotic Mower M10 in large-scale courtyards, laying a solid foundation for realizing smart life. Industry Significance and Trend: Promoting the Development of Gardening Intelligence With the continuous increase in the demand for home intelligence, the market for smart gardening equipment is in a period of rapid development. As a typical representative of this trend, the smart lawn mower not only meets consumers' pursuit of a convenient lifestyle but also provides a direction for the transformation of the gardening industry from tool manufacturing to smart services. The product released by UBHOME not only fills the gap in the high-performance lawn-mowing equipment market but also sets a new industry benchmark. Through the multiple advantages of wireless , real-time connection, and fully automated operation, it endows home gardening with new value, making users no longer regard mowing as a burden but feel the convenience and fun brought by technology. Innovation Hand in Hand, Co-creating Smart Life The collaboration between UBHOME and Qualcomm Technologies showcases a strong collaboration of technology and innovation. Both parties are committed to bringing more convenient and efficient life experiences to consumers through technological innovation. At the 2025 CES, UBHOME and Qualcomm Technologies will showcase the innovative functions and application scenarios of this Robotic Mower M10. About UBHOME UBHOME is a brand under UBTECH Robotics, focusing on providing smart solutions for families. UBTECH is a world-leading robot enterprise dedicated to the research and development and application of artificial intelligence and robot technology and has successfully served more than 900 enterprise-level customers in more than 50 countries around the world. Media Contact Information For more information, please contact: UBHOME Brand Team: mbu-sales@ubtrobot.com Qualcomm is a trademark or registered trademark of Qualcomm Incorporated. Qualcomm branded products are products of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ubhome-collaborates-with-qualcomm-to-release-the-smart-lawn-mower-co-creating-a-new-era-of-smart-life-302339211.html SOURCE UBTECH ROBOTICS CORP LTDNone
NoneAfter the Minnesota Vikings pulled off a gritty win against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 16, head coach Kevin O'Connell was at the center of the final minutes. His headset mysteriously stopped working, and quarterback Sam Darnold ran over to the sideline and asked for the call. Luckily for Minnesota, they secured a Justin Jefferson game-deciding touchdown. Not to mention, rookie quarterback JJ McCarthy dropped his Kevin O'Connell Coach of the Year endorsement. Following the game, O'Connell said via Ben Goessling of the Minnesota Star Tribune his uncertainty about that particular play. "I don't particularly know what he called," O'Connell said. "I just know that once I saw him have space and run like he did, I was relieved." O'Connell called it an "MVP performance" by the sideline to get him a new battery pack on the drive. The... Hayden CilleyWheel of Fortune’s most prized tradition is the bonus round, where each episode’s winner is faced with one last puzzle and a mere 10 seconds to come away with an even bigger bundle of cash (or not). But fans want a word with host Ryan Seacrest about how he’s presenting the prizes after giving a puzzling amount of build-up to a player’s $40,000 win. On Friday, November 22’s episode, Brittany Brock, a kindergarten teacher from Chicago, Illinois, was the player to proceed to the coveted bonus round. By then she had won $17,300 in cash, a trip to Kauai, and selected “Living Thing” as her category. With the savvy additional letters of “DPBI” the two-word puzzle read as, “‘_ _ DDL_’ ‘P_PP_'”. Near-instantly, she correctly solved it as “Cuddly Puppy.” The broadcast cut to Seacrest and an excited Brock, and it was time to reveal how much she won from the prize wedge she picked. Seacrest opened the gold prize card and glanced at the figure. “And...” he told her with a surprised grin (below). After a few seconds he added, “Ready?” Broke clasped her hands over her mouth in anticipation as Seacrest then revealed she won an extra $40,000, the least one can win in the bonus round. “$40,000!” he exclaimed. This brought her to a grand total of $57,381 and she was overjoyed nonetheless, embraced her husband. On Social media, many fans celebrated the big win while left wondering why Seacrest presented the prize with such a prolonged rollout that it seemed like a bigger value and as if the confetti was about to overflow onto the Sony Pictures Studios parking lot. “Ryan acting like it’s $75,000 or $100,000 with the slow way he shows the amount,” one fan wrote when the game show shared the clip to YouTube. Over on the WoF Reddit, a fan dedicated a discussion thread to the moment titling it, “Bonus Reveal... lolz.” They continued, “I like Seacrest, but gotta admit, I’m not a fan of the dramatic 40K reveals lol.” “Agreed...” a second user wrote, arguing that a contestant in the future could be “disappointed” it’s not more. “The Mrs. and I commented on that last night. He presents it like it’s something more than the minimum prize amount! One of these days, the contestant is going to react disappointedly.” A third wrote, “He also contorts his body awkwardly and bounces around to just flip the card open. Then says ‘it was this much’ as if he can’t say the amount. Kind of weird. But the lack of higher amounts lately is noticed. I’m glad it’s been all cash so far. A lot of the cars prior were 30k, which is nice, but they were lowest prize.” “I agree, feels like he’s forcing it,” wrote a fourth. A fifth was even more critical, “I’m sorry I know a lot of people are going to get mad at me but I just don’t like him. There’s something about him, that I just don’t enjoy watching him in anything at all.” Meanwhile , Seacrest, of course, had huge shoes to fill replacing the legendary Pat Sajak alongside the iconic Vanna White after four decades for Season 42. His debut month was the strongest ratings month for WoF in the past three years, and viewers were already treated to a viral moment (via a round of sausage) . That said, there have been some other questionable moments according to fans. In September, Seacrest suffered what fans dubbed his “first blooper” , involving a prolonged reaction to rewarding a bonus round. Fans also called out the host for ruling against another player before the timer was up. There have also been a few on-screen “glitches,” and a minor spelling error in a Thanksgiving puzzle . Many fans also blamed a lack of experience on Seacrest’s mishandling of a contestant’s $1million wedge, which she instantly forfeited. Wheel of Fortune , Weeknights, Check your local listings More Headlines:
Vikings $4.1 million starter predicted to leave Minnesota for Bengals | Sporting News
SAINT PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Mariah Keopple and Alexandra Labelle scored their first goals of the season and the Montreal Victoire edged the Minnesota Frost 3-2 on Saturday. Marie-Philip Poulin's goal almost six minutes into the second period was the difference as she converted a 2-on-1 from Laura Stacey and Jennifer Gardiner and Montreal (2-2-0-1), which went 0 for 3 on the power play, won its third straight while handing Minnesota (3-1-1-1) its first regulation loss of the season. Despite having the better control of the action from the start Montreal fell behind 1-0 near the middle of the first period when Claire Thompson and Taylor Heise set up Britta Curl-Salemme for her third goal of the season. But in the last five minutes of the period Keopple scored on a pass from Claire Dalton, and Labelle banged in a rebound of her initial shot. Minnesota pulled into a tie at just 3:17 into the second period when Brooke McQuigge picked up her first goal during a scramble in front of the Montreal goal. Barely 2 1/2 minutes later the Victoire were back on top on Poulin's second goal of the season and Ann-Renee Desbiens, who made 22 saves, made that stand up. Maddie Rooney made 22 saves for Minnesota, which went 0-1 on the power play. Boston plays at Montreal on Monday. The Frost are home against Boston on Thursday. ___ AP women’s hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey The Associated PressAnd then there were eight. The inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff tournament was off and running last weekend and boy is there a lot to dive into after the first four games. First, let me say I'm all for a 12team playoff. In addition to opening up the field to more than a handful of teams each year, it allows for some fun regular season games between top teams that doesn't necessarily spell the end of national title hopes for the losers. However, the setup for seeding (not rankings) and what the most important criteria should be is being called into question after four first-round blowouts. Now, we have had PLENTY of blowouts in the old system(s) so we shouldn't be all that surprised that for the most part the outcomes were known early on last weekend. It's always going to be a possibility, especially in the first-round games. What's proven, at least to me, to be the most egregious error in the process of setting up the bracket is that four of the five automatic bids that go to the conference champs must be in the top four seeds, and thus receive a first-round bye. There is NO WAY Boise State and Arizona State should be seeded above Texas, Penn State or even Ohio State and Notre Dame. The proof is in the selection committee's final rankings of those teams — Boise State was No. 9 and Arizona State No. 12. But with Clemson "stealing" the ACC's auto bid by edging SMU on a last-second field goal after blowing a big early lead, the Sun Devils, winners of the Big 12, moved up to the No. 4 seed with Clemson the No. 12 seed after being ranked No. 16. ASU was No. 12 in the final CFP rankings. So No. 9 and No. 12 got byes. Allowing teams to leapfrog others simply because they were conference champs makes no sense. All conferences are not equal, as was proven by the ACC and Big 12 with their champs being ranked No. 12 and No. 16. That's like saying the champs of the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC should all be No. 1 seeds in the NCAA basketball tournaments. Can you imagine a No. 5 seed winning the conference tournament and being a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tourney? It also severely impacts the paths of teams to make it to the title game. Just ask Oregon. The Ducks, as the only undefeated team, received the No. 1 seed. Because of the auto bids getting byes, Oregon will now face No. 8 Ohio State in the Rose Bowl. The Buckeyes, who lost at Oregon by a single point and before a regular-season ending loss to Michigan was probably looked at as just as likely to win the title as Oregon, would have been the No. 6 seed. Instead, two of the favorites to win the title are playing in the quarters. Make it make sense. Had we gone by the rankings themselves, we would have had first-round matchups that pitted No. 12 Clemson at No. 5 Notre Dame; No. 11 Arizona State at No. 6 Ohio State; No. 10 SMU at No. 7 Tennessee; and No. 9 Boise State at No. 8 Indiana. Yes, Tennessee and Indiana would have had home games instead of going on the road where they really were not competitive. Texas at No. 3 and Penn State at No. 4 would have received the byes. If all the home teams would have won, we would be waiting to see Oregon vs. Indiana, Georgia vs. Tennessee, Texas vs. Ohio State and Penn State vs. Notre Dame. Those, to me, are more compelling games and probably more evenly matched across the board. Had that been the case, Indiana's coach wouldn't have complained so much about whatever case he thought he was making. That leads me to my next disappointment: Did Indiana really belong in the top 12 anyway. Or SMU for that matter. Oh no, here comes some SEC bias. Well, yeah, maybe a little. Are you going to tell me either of those teams are clearly better than say Alabama (No. 11), Ole Miss (No. 14) or South Carolina (15)? Or even No. 13 Miami for that matter. As I have said, not all conferences are equal — nor are conference schedules. Is it surprising Indiana went 11-1 when the Hoosiers played seven of the bottom 10 teams in the 18-team conference? Their best win was against 7-5 Michigan and their only game against a better opponent was a 3815 loss at Ohio State. Oh and wins over Florida International (4-8), Western Illinois (4-8) and Charlotte (5-7) don't help their cause. Not including Ohio State (11-2), the combined record of the Hoosiers' opponents was (51-81). Add in the Buckeyes and that makes the opponents 62-83. As for SMU, the overall record in the regular season of their opponents was 76-72. That includes the loss to 10-2 BYU. So wins came against teams 66-72. The best wins were against Duke and Louisville, who tied for fourth with two other teams at 5-3 in ACC play. While winning should be an important factor, should we also put stock in strength of schedule, impressive wins and/or bad losses. While I have seen varying strength of schedule calculations, it would appear that both Alabama and Ole Miss had a better SOS than Indiana and SMU and it wasn't close. Alabama and Ole Miss both defeated No. 2 Georgia. Indiana and SMU beat nobody in the final CFP top 25. Of course, Alabama lost on the road to Vanderbilt (the week after the Georgia win) and to Oklahoma (which appears to have sealed the Crimson Tide's fate with a third loss.) Ole Miss lost at home to Kentucky, then fell at LSU and at Florida. Those three losses were by a combined 13 points. In addition to drubbing Georgia at home, Ole Miss beat South Carolina (27-3) on the road. Maybe Lane Kiffin's Rebels are the team that has the best argument to have been in the field. While South Carolina and Miami had good seasons, neither had a signature win other than the Gamecocks edging Clemson in the last game of the season. Now, would Alabama or Ole Miss have fared better than Indiana and SMU in the openers? Maybe, maybe not. Were both Indiana and SMU getting in the tournament "feel good" stories? Sure. But did they deserve it as two of the top seven atlarge teams? Again, it goes back to what the mission of the CFP is and that is to get the five auto qualifiers in and the next seven best at-large teams. Look, the NCAA men's tournament is so fun because there are so many upsets and Cinderella is usually alive and well into the Sweet 16 and beyond. It's like we have that this year with Arizona State and Boise State making the quarters. But they didn't have to win in the postseason to do it. They were simply awarded the spot because of the agreed upon format. That needs to change. Steve Gress is the deputy editor for mid-Valley media. He can be reached at steve. gress@lee.net . Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Jets' Ulbrich says Rodgers 'absolutely' remains the team's starting quarterbackSPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Illinois Supreme Court on Thursday overturned actor Jussie Smollett’s conviction on charges of staging a racist and homophobic attack against himself in 2019 and lying to Chicago police, saying he should not have been charged a second time after reaching a deal with prosecutors. The ruling, which did not address Smollett’s continued claims of innocence, marked a stunning reversal in a case that became part of a polarized political landscape. Smollett, who is Black and gay, told police in January 2019 that two men assaulted him in his downtown Chicago neighborhood, spouting slurs, tossing a noose around his neck, and yelling that he was in “MAGA country,” an apparent reference to Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” presidential campaign slogan. The report, which made headlines around the world, prompted a massive search for suspects by Chicago police before investigators announced that they believed the attack was a hoax. The state’s highest court found that a special prosecutor should not have been allowed to intervene after Smollett reached a deal with the Cook County state’s attorney in which charges against him were dropped in exchange for him forfeiting his $10,000 bond and performing community service. The deal prompted outrage in part because it did not include any condition that Smollett apologize or admit he staged the attack. “We are aware that this case has generated significant public interest and that many people were dissatisfied with the resolution of the original case and believed it to be unjust,” Justice Elizabeth Rochford wrote in the court’s 5-0 opinion. “Nevertheless, what would be more unjust than the resolution of any one criminal case would be a holding from this court that the state was not bound to honor agreements upon which people have detrimentally relied.” Smollett was on the television drama “Empire,” which filmed in Chicago, and prosecutors alleged he staged the attack because he was unhappy with the studio’s response to hate mail he received. Testimony at trial indicated he paid $3,500 to two men whom he knew from “Empire” to carry it out. Smollett testified that “there was no hoax” and that he was the victim of a hate crime. Smollett declined to comment Thursday through a publicist. His attorney Nenye Uche thanked the court for “restoring order to Illinois’ criminal law jurisprudence.” “This was not a prosecution based on facts, rather it was a vindictive persecution and such a proceeding has no place in our criminal justice system,” Uche said. The special prosecutor, former U.S. Attorney Dan Webb, said he disagreed with the court’s ruling while noting that it “has nothing to do with Mr. Smollett’s innocence.” “The Illinois Supreme Court did not find any error with the overwhelming evidence presented at trial that Mr. Smollett orchestrated a fake hate crime and reported it to the Chicago Police Department as a real hate crime, or the jury’s unanimous verdict that Mr. Smollett was guilty of five counts of felony disorderly conduct,” Webb said. After Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx’s office dropped the initial 16 counts of disorderly conduct, the backlash was swift, with then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel calling it “a whitewash of justice.” Webb was appointed special prosecutor and a grand jury restored charges, leading to Smollett’s 2021 conviction on five counts of disorderly conduct . Smollett was sentenced to 150 days in jail — six of which he served before he was freed pending appeal — and was ordered to pay about $130,000 in restitution. Chicago officials are pursuing reimbursement for that amount in police overtime through a civil case. Foxx told The Associated Press that she was not surprised that the high court found her handling of the case “proper — if unpopular, proper.” She criticized Webb’s ensuing “legal machinations,” which she said ignored the tenet of prosecutorial discretion and landed the issue in the “same position we were in in March 2019.” “What they were doing in going to the court to re-prosecute someone because you didn’t like the outcome would have set a horrendous precedent, in which anyone could come in and undermine the work of a prosecutor’s office,” said Foxx, who did not seek a third term this year. Eileen O’Neill Burke, the incoming Cook County state’s attorney , declined to comment. Smollett, a child actor who appeared in 1992 movie “The Mighty Ducks,” has credited his role as a singer on the hip-hop drama “Empire” for turbocharging his career . This year, he starred in the movie “The Lost Holliday” with Vivica A. Fox. Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Mary Jane Theis and Justice Joy Cunningham took no part in Thursday’s decision. Tareen reported from Chicago.
Malaysia's government was ordered Monday to return 172 rainbow-themed Swatch watches it seized last year on grounds that their designs promoted LGBTQ+ rights . The Kuala Lumpur High Court ruled that the Pride Collection timepieces were illegally confiscated without a warrant during a series of raids on Swatch stores in malls across Malaysia last year, the Associated Press reported. The watches must be returned within 14 days and Swatch can demand compensation if they're damaged, AP said, citing the Bernama national news agency. Malaysian Home Affairs Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said an appeal could be filed after officials "examine the basis of the judgment thoroughly," according to BBC . Swatch declined to comment, the BBC said. Same-sex relationships are illegal in Malaysia , a majority-Muslim country where Islam is the official religion and punishment ranges from caning to 20 years in prison. Swatch's Pride Collection watches were produced in six colors that matched those on the gay pride flag and featured rainbow-hued wrist straps, AP said. The Swiss watchmaker said Malaysian authorities alleged that they "bore LGBT connotations" following the seizures on May 13 and 14, 2023. "We strongly contest that our collection of watches using rainbow colors and having a message of peace and love could be harmful for whomever," Swatch Group CEO Nick Hayek Jr. said at the time. Malaysia later outlawed the watches, saying they were "detrimental, or possibly detrimental, to morality, public interest and national interest by promoting, supporting and normalizing the LGBTQ movement which is not accepted by the general public." Swatch's stock price was around $9 a share early Monday afternoon, up more than 1.5%.
TRACCOM INC. (Pink Open Market Symbol: TRCC) COMPLETES ACQUISITION OF VULCAIN, INC.Sault native Ken Warmington is living his professional dream in the food industry as the co-owner/operator of Maple Leaf Meats. However, he’s living the dream far away from Canada — the Land of the Maple Leaf — operating a popular food truck and selling his original barbecue sauce in Australia. He sells burgers, ribs and chicken wings from his food truck with wife Angela in Yarraville, seven miles from Melbourne. “They’re the best chicken wings in Melbourne," Warmington said in an interview with SooToday, while visiting relatives and friends in the Sault for Christmas. "We do about 1.7 tonnes of chicken wings a year. We can do 105 burgers in an hour at our top speed." The Warmingtons also make, bottle and sell their Maple Leaf Meats sauces in three flavours — Tomato Sauce, Backyard BBQ Sauce and Maple BBQ Sauce — from a factory in the Melbourne area. The maple syrup is imported from Canada. “We make our sauces from scratch," Warmington said. "We’ve gotten a bit of a cult following. The sauce is all natural. It’s very flavourful, done the right way with no nasties. It’s just a great product. It’s not sweet, it’s savoury. It’s not spicy, it’s peppery." Production of the sauces is done in an environmentally-conscious way, he emphasized. “We make a point of using glass bottles instead of plastic bottles and we want to use solar panels for our factory,” Warmington said. Sales of Maple Leaf Meats sauces have been good. Warmington envisions moving away from the food truck side of the food industry and concentrating on getting his sauces sold through Australian supermarket chains as well as Amazon. “I have a passion for the quality we put out and it’s about the good feedback that we get. That’s what drives me every day. I have a lot of interests but cooks are a different bunch and I'm one of them. I’m passionate about food and it drives me,” Warmington said. Though now a success in the food industry, Warmington has had an interesting life story with several career changes. A Korah Collegiate graduate, he moved away from the Sault at the age of 19 to attend Montreal’s Dawson Institute of Photography. As a photographer he produced portraits of clients and took shots of live bands. His introduction to the food industry came when he began working as a waiter at Montreal's Dundees Bar and Grill to supplement his income. Moving away from photography, Warmington worked hard and became manager of both Dundees locations in Montreal within months. “I got really passionate about food. There were some great guys who worked there and taught me what I needed to know about steak. I loved watching the cooks in that kitchen. I loved the excitement of the kitchen.” While involved in restaurant management, Warmington also developed an interest in aviation. “A friend of mine took me up on a flight and from there my passion shifted to flying planes. I got my pilot’s license and then I worked as an apprentice aircraft mechanic working on planes.” Working in two careers — the restaurant industry and aviation — took a toll on his health. “I burnt myself out and in the process developed Type 1 diabetes," he recalled. "I was down to 44 kilos (97 pounds). It was a devastating blow. I had to stop everything. I came back to the Sault for a period and recovered for a few weeks. I began using insulin. It was a very challenging time." Not content to stay still for long, Warmington found yet another interest and began working for Optimal Robotics, an information technology firm that produces self-checkout systems for retailers. “I was training engineers how to repair and maintain them. I travelled to every state in the U.S. and it was fantastic," Warmington said. As an Optimal Robotics employee, Warmington attended a trade show in Australia in 2003. “They signed us up for a three-month contract to work with Coles, the second largest supermarket chain in Australia," Warmington said. "I worked in Melbourne and Sydney. I got really excited about Melbourne. When I landed in Melbourne I knew I was never going back to Montreal.” He soon traded white Canadian snow for white Australian beach sand. “Australians are very, very similar to Canadians. The accent may be considerably different but they’re very patient, accepting and supportive. You feel it the second you get there,” Warmington said. His return to the food industry came when he met his wife Angela. Interestingly, Angela wanted to get into the restaurant business. “We searched and searched for a restaurant to buy but the market at the time was exceptional in terms of cost. People wanted a million dollars for a cafe. But this little food truck, a 1976 Volkswagen, came around Melbourne. I had a conversation with the owner and I was sold on it,” Warmington said. He purchased the food truck and Maple Leaf Meats was born in 2016. “It’s been wonderful,” Warmington said, stating he loves the coziness of serving regular customers from his truck. “It’s like a bartender who has that engagement with customers. They like their regular customers. It becomes a community. It’s remarkably gratifying to serve them food and talk with them.” Warmington’s business survived exceptionally severe COVID-19 lockdown conditions enforced by Australia’s government. “Melbourne had probably the worst lockdowns in the world. You couldn’t move five kilometres from your house. People would dob you if you left your house. But we were considered an essential service and we left the house to operate the food truck. We were very successful during COVID, trading about two kilometres from our house. We had the food delivered to our houses. We prepared it at home and we still operated the food truck.” Warmington is now in his early 50s and has lived in Australia for 20 years. But will the Sault always be home? “Yes, always," he said. "Funny enough I miss the cold in winter. The other day it was minus 18 and it was sunny. It was brilliant. To me it was a perfect winter day. I don’t like the slushy days but I do miss the cold. I’m nostalgic about it. When you come back to Sault Ste. Marie it’s still the same. I love it and I enjoy visiting the Sault.” More information on Maple Leaf Meats and its sauces can be found on the company’s website .
Nicaragua's President Daniel Ortega and his wife are set to assume absolute power after loyalist lawmakers Friday approved a constitutional amendment elevating her to the position of "co-president" and boosting the pair's joint control over the state. Under sanctions for human rights abuses, Ortega himself had proposed the change, which also increases the Central American country's presidential term from five to six years. Nicaragua's National Assembly is under control of Ortega's ruling FSLN party, and parliament chief Gustavo Porras said Friday the measure was approved "unanimously." It is all but guaranteed to pass a second reading in January. Ortega, 79, has engaged in increasingly authoritarian practices, tightening control of all sectors of the state with the aid of his powerful wife, 73-year-old Vice President Rosario Murillo in what critics describe as a nepotistic dictatorship. The ex-guerrilla had first served as president from 1985 to 1990, returning to power in 2007. Nicaragua has jailed hundreds of opponents, real and perceived, since then. Ortega's government has targeted critics, shutting down more than 5,000 NGOs since 2018 mass protests in which the United Nations estimates more than 300 people died. Thousands of Nicaraguans have fled into exile, and the regime is under US and EU sanctions. Most independent and opposition media now operate from abroad. The constitutional amendment stipulates that "traitors to the homeland" can be stripped of their citizenship, as the Ortega government has already done with hundreds of politicians, journalists, intellectuals and activists, among others perceived as critical. Ortega and Murillo accuse the Church, journalists and NGOs of having supported an attempted coup d'etat, as they describe the 2018 protests. The change also allows for stricter control over the media and the Church, so they are not subject to "foreign interests." And it gives the co-presidents the power to coordinate all "legislative, judicial, electoral, control and supervisory bodies, regional and municipal" -- formerly independent under the constitution. Manuel Orozco, a Nicaraguan analyst for the Inter-American Dialogue, told AFP the reform "guarantees the presidential succession" of Murillo and the pair's son, Laureano Ortega. The Geneva-based UN human rights office (OHCHR) in its annual report on Nicaragua warned in September of a "serious" deterioration in human rights under Ortega. The report cited violations such as arbitrary arrests of opponents, torture, ill-treatment in detention, increased violence against Indigenous people and attacks on religious freedom. The revised constitution will define Nicaragua as a "revolutionary" and socialist state and include the red-and-black flag of the FSLN -- a guerrilla group-turned political party that overthrew a US-backed dictator in 1979 -- among its national symbols. Constitutional law expert Azahalea Solis said this change excludes other political ideologies, while Salvador Marenco, a human rights lawyer exiled in Costa Rica, said it will end political pluralism and the doctrine of separation of powers. "Everything in the reform is what has actually been happening in Nicaragua: a de facto dictatorship," Dora Maria Tellez, a former comrade in arms of Ortega turned critic, told AFP from exile in the United States. When it was proposed by Ortega earlier this week, Organization of American States secretary general Luis Almagro described the amendment as "an aberrant form of institutionalizing the marital dictatorship." He also labeled the initiative an "aggression against the democratic rule of law." mis-mlr/dw
Daily Post Nigeria NPFL: Heartland target win against Kwara United in Ilorin Home News Politics Metro Entertainment Sport Sport NPFL: Heartland target win against Kwara United in Ilorin Published on November 26, 2024 By Taiwo Adesanya Heartland are desperate to preserve their unbeaten run when they take on Kwara United in a matchday 14 fixture on Wednesday. The Naze Millionaires are on a five-game unbeaten run in the Nigeria Premier Football League, NPFL. Heartland expressed confidence in their ability to pick up maximum points from the game. “We are in Ilorin to harvest the three points. May God grant our hearts desires,” Heartland wrote on X. Heartland occupy 11th position on the NPFL log with 17 points. The encounter will start at 4 pm. Related Topics: heartland ilorin kwara united NPFL Don't Miss NNL: Ogun Government keen to select best players for Gateway United You may like NPFL: Katsina United coach Sadauki targets win against Abia Warriors NPFL: It’s time for Abia Warriors to end barren streak – Njoku NPFL: Amapakabo questions officiating in Abia Warriors loss to Rivers United NPFL: Idahosa gifts Bendel Insurance N1.5m for win over Kwara United NPFL: Abdallah reacts to Kano Pillars’ draw against Lobi Stars NPFL: Plateau United coach targets win against Akwa United Advertise About Us Contact Us Privacy-Policy Terms Copyright © Daily Post Media Ltd
No. 14 ASU, No. 17 Iowa State front-runners for possibly wild Big 12 finish
Special Counsel Jack Smith on Monday moved to dismiss the case against US President-elect Donald Trump for allegedly conspiring to overturn the results of the 2020 election he lost to Joe Biden. Smith, in a filing with the judge in Washington presiding over the historic case, said it should be dropped in light of a long-standing Justice Department policy not to prosecute a sitting president. The special counsel asked District Judge Tanya Chutkan to dismiss the case "without prejudice" -- leaving open the possibility it could be revived after Trump leaves office four years from now. Smith paused the election interference case earlier this month after Trump defeated Kamala Harris in the November 5 presidential election. "The Government's position on the merits of the defendant's prosecution has not changed," Smith said in the filing with Chutkan. "But the circumstances have." "It has long been the position of the Department of Justice that the United States Constitution forbids the federal indictment and subsequent criminal prosecution of a sitting President," Smith said. "As a result this prosecution must be dismissed before the defendant is inaugurated." Trump's communications director Steven Cheung welcomed the move to dismiss the case, calling it a "major victory for the rule of law." "The American People and President Trump want an immediate end to the political weaponization of our justice system and we look forward to uniting our country," Cheung said in a statement. Sign up to get our free daily email of the biggest stories! Trump is accused of conspiracy to defraud the United States and conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding -- the session of Congress called to certify Biden's win, which was violently attacked on January 6, 2021, by a mob of the then-president's supporters. Trump is also accused of seeking to disenfranchise US voters with his false claims that he won the 2020 election. Smith charged Trump with mishandling top secret documents after leaving the White House, but that case was tossed out by a federal judge in Florida, a Trump appointee, on the grounds that Smith was unlawfully appointed. Smith had appealed that dismissal but is now expected to drop the appeal. Trump also faces two state cases -- in New York and Georgia. He was convicted in New York in May of 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels on the eve of the 2016 election to stop her from revealing an alleged 2006 sexual encounter. Judge Juan Merchan has postponed sentencing while he considers a request from Trump's lawyers that the conviction be thrown out in light of the Supreme Court ruling in July that an ex-president has broad immunity from prosecution. In Georgia, Trump faces racketeering charges over his efforts to subvert the 2020 election results in the southern state, but that case will likely be frozen while he is in office under the policy of not prosecuting a sitting president. cl/bgsTennessee Tech invites community to annual 'Lighting the Quad' on Dec. 3
